February 2 – - Went to Texas on the Lavaca river, fifteen miles from Dimmit's place which originally had been named Santa Anna, when that chieftain was popular here, but his recent course had induced the citizens of the place to discard the name. Here I found the company of the Red Rovers, our old acquaintances of the "Paso Cavallo". They were awaiting orders from the acting governor, to whom they had reported. Their Captain was a Dr. Shackelford, a physician by profession of Courtland, Ala., and was a strong illustration of the power and the extent of the enthusiasm produced by the Texas revolution.      Of mature age, surrounded by an amiable family and possessing a lucrative practice, the first call for sympathy struck a responsive chord in his breast. He immediately collected a company from his neighborhood, and left home and business to take part in the struggle for freedom.      During the day Captain Shackelford received instructions from the acting governor to the effect that he should proceed with his company to Labahia (Goliad) and place himself under the command of Col. Fannin.      As I became more aquatinted with Captain Shackelford and his company of men, I began to take a stronger interest in their proceedings and was induced to stop about the place a few days longer.      February 4 – - A courier from Goliad brought certain news of the approach of the Mexican Troops, and letters from Col. Fannin urging prompt measures to be taken to prepare for them, and for all volunteers to proceed immediately westward.      Now that we had definite and distinct account of the course taken by the Mexicans, I no longer felt any hesitancy as to what I should do, but immediately joined Captain Shackelford's company and prepared to march with them to Goliad.      I found in the company three men who had come down the Mississippi on the same boat with me, and upon their invitation joined their mess. One of them, Mr. Short, was the head of the mess a man well experienced in hunting and campaigning, who was aquatinted with a soldier's duties, and had a good appreciation of a soldier's comforts, as well as sagacity and foresight in providing for them.      Our camp was now all bustle and animation. Our preparations for the march were hastily and we left Texana the same afternoon, the Captain refusing to wait for the marrow, which would be Friday, as he wished to make start before the day of ill omen should auger ill luck in our attempt. We were well supplied with provisions and tents, and a wagon had been engaged to haul our baggage. We marched up the Lavaca river as far as Hatche's and camped. We numbered about seventy men; of these sixty or more, being Shackelford's Company of Red Rovers and eight or ten others who went on with us to join other companies. We had started in high spirits, for opening of new scenes of adventure, the excitement of the enterprise, and the novelty of the scenery through which we passed, combined to cheer our minds into a very complacent mood. But, Alas! the truth must be told, other kinds of spirits were at work in our midst; some of the men had become tipsy and pugnacious, and no sooner had we struck camp than a violent quarrel and a row seemed on the point of commencing; knives were drawn, pistols presented, and I fully expected to witness a scene of tumult and death. Captain Shackelford, however, interfered, and such was the power of his influence and the great esteem in which he was held, that he soon succeeded in allaying the excitement and soothing the angry feelings of most of the men into peace. However several of them expressed a determination to leave, but when the morning sun shown upon us, when the brain had become cool and the pulse calm, the Captain succeeded in pacifying all, and we marched onward. We now left Lavaca river and traveled an undulating prairie to the Garcite, where we camped. It fell to my lot to be placed on the night guard, and my tour was appointed from ten until twelve o'clock. It being the first time of my having been charged with such duty, I fell into conversation with my messmate, Short, (who was corporal of the guard) as we sat alone in our tent, after supper. Short was a good soldier, and was always well pleased when he saw a man endeavoring to do hid duty promptly. He was gratified with my deference to his opinions, and seemed to feel a pride in giving me all necessary directions on the subject. After he had done this to sufficient extent, he remarked as a further piece of advice, not to undress myself or go to sleep after being relieved, for I might be called again. I do not know how it was, but something seemed to flash over my mind that prompted me to say with great quickness: "Why is there to be an alarm?" The suddenness of the inquiry and the earnestness of my manner I suppose, confused him, and caused him to stammer, as he first attempted to deny all knowledge of such a thing, but directly giving it up, he said: "You have got the secret from me in spite of myself, and I may now as well tell you all about it, and rely on you not inform that you had any knowledge of it, much less any information from me." I assured him he might depend on me. He then informed me, that, for the purpose of giving the men a taste of military life, as well as to train them in the proper course to peruse in such emergencies, the Captain and himself had planned an alarm, and gave me all the details of the scheme, and in order to insure the full benefit of the ruse, no man was ever to be informed of the real nature of the case. When the hour came I was called up and took my post again as sentry; at the end of two hours was relieved and returned to our tent. Then in about half an hour, bang went a sentry's musket, and bang, bang, went two of three others.      The drums beat and out we turned, helter skelter. I was of course among the foremost at my post and among the readiest in all our movements, for discovering the fighting the audacious rascals who had attempted to surprise us. The men generally were prompt enough, but some ludicrous thing occurred in the bustle and confusion. One was heard making lamentation that he could not get on his boots; another could find his bayonet and a third bawled loudly for his ramrod. Some turned out barefoot, and got their feet badly lacerated with the thorns and briars. After hustling about some time, making several charges into the bushes, and firing several rounds at oak trees in the vicinity and finding no Indians, we came to the very natural conclusion that we had frightened them all off, by our martial display, and so turned in to rest again. I lay down with the gratifying reflection that I had faithfully performed my duty and had acquired for so doing as much credit as I deserved and more over.      Saturday, Feb 6th – - About nine in the morning started for Victoria. After about an hour a Norther sprang up, accompanied with rain. This we found uncomfortable, yet we endeavored to keep along together and in some kind of order, but as there was no shelter on the prairie, and the storm began to increase in violence, it became necessary for each one to exert his utmost powers to get to our destination as soon as possible, consequently we all became separated and scattered, the most vigorous getting ahead and some distance in advance, and the weakest drifting along in the rear. We saw at a distance a large drove of Mustangs, and other circumstances would have enjoyed much delight in the spectacle; but a Texas Norther gives one no time to indulge in pleasurable sentiments. With us it soon became "sauve qui puet" or "devil take the hindmost." After about four hours exertion, we reached Victoria, drenched, benumbed and exhausted. We stayed here the succeeding two days to let the Norther abate, and to dry our clothes and baggage.      Thursday, Feb 11th – - Crossed the Guadalupe river and after passing two miles through the bottom, we emerged into a beautiful rolling prairie, interspersed with groves of oaks. The weather was now fine and the days march delightful; we went ten miles to Coletto creek and camped.      Wednesday 26th – - Started early, and marched ten miles to the Manahuilla creek and from a hill on the west bank we had our first view of the fortress of LaBahia, then six miles distant. The prairie now became more level. We reached the San Antonio river about a mile below the town, and forded it, the water being about three feet deep. Proceeding on, about half a mile, we were met by a company from the fort which gave us a hearty welcome and escorted us in. LA BAHIA FORT –      El Presidio de LaBahia del Espirito Santo, or "Fort of the Bay of the Holy Ghost", is one of those old structures erected by the Spaniards upon their first advent to this country as a means of protection against the wild Indians, and to serve as a nucleus of an agricultural and pastoral settlement. It is situated on the south-west bank of the San Antonio River, about thirty miles from where (after meeting with the Guadalupe) it empties into the aforesaid Bay of Espirito Santo. It is built upon an rock elevation, and is a good military position. A square of about thee and a half acres is enclosed by a stone wall of eight to ten feet in height, the sides facing nearly to the cardinal points. The entrance or gateway is about in the middle of the south. On each side and also along the western walls were rooms built up with it, which serve for barracks for the garrison. At the N.E. corner of the fort is the church, about 85 feet in length by twenty five in width. The walls are built of stone and are about three feet in thickness. They are carried up about 20 feet when they are turned over in an arch for the roof, which has a parapet around it about four feet in height. The whole structure strongly the idea of solidity and durability. Jutting out from the north side of the church, (which is continuous with the north wall of the fort) are two small rooms, each about eight feet square, and on the north side of the church is another room about twelve feet square. The door of the church is at the west end, where it opens into a quadrangle of about fifty feet square, distinct from the main fort. Yet forming part of it, and through which citizens of the town could enter the church without passing through the fort. Around the fort and in rather close proximity, were several stone houses belonging to the wealthier citizens. They were of one story, flat roofed, with parapets three or four feet high, through which were openings for the escape of water in time of rain. The rooms were quite small, the floors of hardened mortar. Some of them had latticed windows, but no glass was seen. Besides these there were from fifty to a hundred jacale (pronounced harkals) or cabins. On to    March                       The text was copied verbatim including spelling and grammatical errors.