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wounded; twenty-five were taken prisoners, among whom was Eduardo Flores. Hays reported that several other Mexicans were wounded early in the fight and carried off. The Texans lost not a single man killed and only one or two wounded. They captured twenty-eight horses with saddles and bridles. Captain García quickly carried the news of his defeat to Laredo with the result that great excitement prevailed and many of the residents "jumped the river." A deputation headed by the alcalde came out with a white flag to beg the Texans to spare the town and promised to accede to any demand for a requisition that might be made. Hays informed them that all the Texans wished was for Agatón and Leal to be delivered to them, and for assurances to be given that protection would be accorded to the traders going to and from San Antonio. The alcalde assured him most positively that these conditions would be met. After questioning several of the prisoners, including Eduardo Flores, a man of intelligence, the Texans released the captives. About a month later, a Mexican force was reported to be near the point where the Presidio del Río Grande road crossed the Nueces, within sixty miles of San Antonio. This force was under Calixto Bravo, frontier commander, who it was said, had left Presidio del Río Grande to pursue Antonio Parez's party from San Antonio, which was rumored to be ranging the frontier. Bravo united his men with the forces of Captains Menchaca, Rodríquez, and Agatón Quinoñes.[26] The combined Mexican force was estimated by the Texans to number between one hundred and two hundred men. The merchants of San Antonio felt that this opportunity to punish the marauders should not be lost. Again the local merchants furnished the necessary supplies to outfit a punitive expedition.[27] Although the men who had recently pursued García had completed the terms of their enlistment, they once more agreed to take the field. A few others joined them, and on May 9 the volunteers, numbering forty men, marched westward under Captain Hays. They sought to overtake a small convoy report of the "first charge" of the Texans makes no comment on the Mexican losses, but he does mention the losses of the enemy at the "first repulse" and the "second charge." Yet, the main fight was at the "second charge." Ford, "Memoirs," II, 243-247; John C. Hays to T. B. [sic] Archer, Secretary of War [dated:] San Antonio, April 14, 1841, in Telegraph and Texas Register, April 28, 1841. 26. El Ancla, June 7, 1841. 27. R[euben] M[armaduke] P[otter] to the Editor of the Morning Star, San Antonio de Béxar, May 15, 1841, reproduced in Telegraph and Texas Register, June 9, 1841. |