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Federalist Wars: Final Phase

himself to the authority of the supreme government with or without guarantees, "because I preferred to be immediately shot by my countrymen to continuing united to foreigners," he declared later. He demanded the fulfillment of the promises that had been made to the Mexicans who would lay down their arms, and "in respect to the foreigners," he reported, "I asked that they might be permitted to remain in the country to which they wished to belong peacefully, permitting those who desired to leave."[112]  These terms, and others, being agreed upon, Molano says he asked permission to return to his camp for the purpose of putting the agreement into execution, but was not permitted to do so. It is doubtful if Molano was forced to go to General Montoya's headquarters as he implied later.

While Molano was away, Martinez "informed Col. Jordan, that a short distance to the right, in sight, was the gorge which it had been the purpose of the Mexican commander to march through."[113]  Several times during the consultation between Molano and the Centralist leaders, the San Antonio ranchero, previously referred to, who had gone with Molano,

. . . returned with messages from Molano to López, and during each visit he slyly whispered to Long. López reported to Jordan that Molano had received a proposal from the enemy to pay into the Federal military chest $200,000[114]  and five days' rations to each man, provided the Federalists would not enter Saltillo; that M[olano] expected $250,000 and, that the negotiations were being continued. . . . Long's report . . . [based on that of the ranchero] to Jordan, differed from this; it being that Molano and the officers of the Central Army had agreed upon the amount which he and López should obtain for their intended desertion and instrumentality in having the Texans massacred; also, that they had agreed, that the best position in which the Texans could be stationed was in the mountain gorge; that M[olano]'s return was delayed till expected re-inforcements would arrive; and that on his return the attack would be made.[115]

There is little doubt that López was kept informed of Molano's negotiations and was well aware of his plans to separate the Mexicans from the Texans, and to annihilate the latter, if possible.



112. Juan Nepomuceno Molano á Señores Editores del Ancla, Matamoros, Marzo 1o de 1841, in El Ancla, March 15, 1841.

113. Reid, Reid's Tramp, p. 76.

114. Anson G. Neal reported that Molano had been offered $50,000 not to sack the city. Lamar Papers, VI, 109.

115. Reid, Reid's Tramp. p. 76.

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