From the very start the filibusters were overwhelmed with disaster.
The Mexicans, with Indian allies, skulked on the flanks and rear.
Men who in the almost daily encounters were killed fell into the
hands of the Indians, and their bodies were mutilated. Stragglers
and deserters were run to earth and tortured. Those of the
filibusters who were wounded died from lack of medical care. The
only instruments they possessed with which to extract the
arrow-heads were probes made from ramrods filed to a point.
Their only food was the cattle they killed on the march. The army
was barefoot, the Cabinet in rags, the President of Sonora wore
one boot and one shoe.
Unable to proceed farther, Walker fell back upon San Vincente,
where he had left the arms and ammunition of the deserters and a
rear-guard of eighteen men. He found not one of these to welcome
him. A dozen had deserted, and the Mexicans had surprised the
rest, lassoing them and torturing them until they died. Walker now
had but thirty-five men. To wait for further re-enforcements from
San Francisco, even were he sure that re-enforcements would
come, was impossible. He determined by forced marches to fight
his way to the boundary line of California. Between him and safety
were the Mexican soldiers holding the passes, and the Indians
hiding on his flanks. When within three miles of the boundary line,
at San Diego, Colonel Melendrez, who commanded the Mexican
forces, sent in a flag of truce, and offered, if they would surrender,
a safe-conduct to all of the survivors of the expedition except the
chief.
Pages:
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144