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Federalist Wars: Final Phase

any advantage to the northern towns by continuing the war. The failure of the Federalist cause in the North he attributed to the excesses of the Texans, rather than to the superiority of the Centralist forces in the field, the policy of moderation pursued by Arista, the separatist policy of the Federalists, and the bankrupt financial condition of the revolutionists.

Finally, on September 29 Victoria was entered without resistance by a force of 250 men, including 115 Texans.[66]  As soon as the Federalists took possession of the plaza, they raised their flag of rebellion and began proclaiming, with repeated "vivas," the federal system.[67]  The flight of the governor of Tamaulipas, with the small garrison, from the city three hours before had been accelerated by rumors spread by a Mexican, named Martinez, "who represented the Americans as perfect cannibals & devils, and advised the Governor [José Antonio Quintero y Barberena] to take time by the forelock and fly whilst he might."[68]  Molano recommended to the prefect of the District of Ciudad Victoria, Luiz Pérez, that a junta be convened in the city composed of any and all respectable inhabitants who might wish to take part in the deliberation and speak for or against the subjects to be taken up. He then stated that the purpose of this junta was to study the question of returning to the federal constitution of 1824 or of continuing adherence to the Centralist government based on the Plan of Cuernavaca.[69]  The junta was called on September 30 to meet on October 1 in the consistorial room. It included not only the men of the Ayuntamiento but also a large portion of the "most respectable" citizens of the town,[70]  and was presided over by Prefect Don Luiz Pérez. Pérez read the letter he had received from Molano urging the calling of the junta



66. Quoting from La Concordia (Ciudad Victoria), El Ancla, Oct. 19, 1840, says the town of Victoria was surprised by a Federalist force of 250 men, including 115 colonials and the rest Mexicans from the northern towns under Juan Molano. A week earlier El Ancla reported 150 colonials (Texans) in the Federalist force at Victoria. See note 61 above.

67. Gaceta del Gobierno de Tamaulipas (Ciudad Victoria), Oct. 13, 1840.

68. "Information derived from Anson G. Neal," in Lamar Papers, VI, 107 n; Yoakum, History of Texas, II, 288; La Concordia, quoted in El Ancla, Oct. 19, 1840.

69. Juan Nepomuceno Molano á Sr. Prefecto del Distrito de esta C[iudad] D. Luis Pérez, Victoria, setiembre 30 de 1840, in Gaceta del Gobierno de Tamaulipas, Oct. 13, 1840.

70. The Gaceta del Gobierno de Tamaulipas, Oct. 13, 1840, contains a list of those who attended the Federalist junta on October 1, 1840, at Victoria, Tamaulipas, to elect a governor and a vice governor.

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AFTER SAN JACINTO: The Texas-Mexican Frontier, 1836-1841
Joseph Milton Nance, 1963