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from: Stash 04 Oct 2006 02:11:16 205.188.116.73
There were two battles on the Salado, the first one is known as the dawson massacre and it was fought where present day Austin Hwy crosses the Salado creek, the second on was fought just north of Ft. Sam Houston along the Salado Cr........... @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ THE DAWSON MASSACRE. Our communication being cut off we were not aware of the approach of Capt. Dawson and his fifty-three men who were coming to assist us: they rode up within hearing of the conflict but the Smoke was so dense they could not see our position, and before they were aware they were too near the Mexicans to effect a retreat, and were surrounded by the enemy's cavalry. Being partially sheltered by a few mezquit trees they kept the enemy at bay with their rifles untill the Mexican artillery was brought to bear upon them and nescessitated their surrender; as is well known they were neatly all massacred. Late in the afternoon the enemy moved off to San Antonio, taking with them several cart loads of their dead and wounded, leaving many more lying too near our lines for them to recover: their loss was at least sixty killed and as many wounded. Our wounded were sent to the town of Sequin, and our brave frontierman Steve Jouett we buried on the battle field on the bank of the Salado. Through John W. Smith we learned that the enemy were preparing for an immediate retreat, the Court and the principal citizens had all been hurried off to Mexico, and we were shocked at the recital of the incidents of the Dawson Massacre, and we resolved to follow the enemy at all hazards. Thus was fought the last pitched battle of the Republic, in Texas Settlements, between hastily gathered Volunteers and regular Mexican troops, and having about the same disparity of numbers as in the old time fights, say one to six. The effect upon the Mexicans, in promptly meeting and preventing their Continuous raids upon our towns, in causing them to fall back with considerable loss of men and demoralization of their command, entitles this battle to honorable mention among the fights of the Republic: its connexion with the Dawson Massacre, and also the carrying off so many of our citizens revives old memories among the people of San Antonio. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ THE SECOND BATTLE. The Enemy crossed the Salado above our position, and with bands of martial music formed on the beautiful open prairie four hundred yards east of us cutting us off from our Settlements and preventing all reinforcements from joining us. There were a few scattering mezquit trees on the field. The Cannon well masked were placed within point blank range, and close upon their left was a long hollow with mezquit trees in it extending past our line down to the creek affording great advantage to their Indians and Rancheros on that part of the field. In order to deceive them as to our fewness in numbers we were leisurely paraded over some knolls on our left in their plain view: and we soon found that it took some good fighting to prevent them from occupying those knolls which commanded part of our lines. We retained the place of our guard fire, the guard being a detail of two or three from each Company posted at the extreme right on the edge of a hollow that covered the enemy's left, and this proved one of the hottest places of the battle. Cameron's company was on the right, Bird's on the right center, and the other companies on the line to the left: I was in Bird's company and before the cannon opened fire upon us I had a good opportunity to count the enemy's detachment under Cordova of eighty-five Cherokee Indians and renegade Mexicans who crawled Indian fashion into the hollow on our right. Apprehending the capture of our horsed by this force a detail of fifteen of whom I was one was ordered to guard against surprise in that quarter; while there and before the battle became very hot two of our men Steve Jouett a San Jacinto soldier and Simon Cockerell passed the guard going down the creek "to shoot some of them Indians on their own account" the former was killed, the latter with a broken arm narrowly escaped capture [Cockerell in his critical encounter concealed himself beneath a leaning tree, on the bank of the Salado, keeping entirely underwater only leaving his nose and mouth above water. The Indians passed on, and he came back after dark covered with mud, wet and wounded]. The enemy opened fire with their cannon at short range, followed by charges of Cavalry and Infantry upon our center and left wing, while on our right they poured down the hollow (before mentioned) to drive us from our guard-fire; Cameron's company here maintained successful resistance, the chieften Cordova and many of his band were slain here. Our men at the center and on the left laid low untill after the discharge of the cannon, then upon the charge of the enemy in close quarters the firing became general and the foe was compelled to fall back to their cannon leaving the ground strown with their dead and wounded, their Bugles and even their muster-rolls falling into our hands. These charges were repeated and the fighting severe: on our right the enemy being strengthened by a band of Carrizo Indians charged us repeatedly but failed to drive us from our position.
