Ned now surmised the plan that the enemy had carried out. Instead of
following the Texans through the forests and swamps they had gone
straight to Victoria, knowing that the fugitives would make for that
point. Where Fannin was he could not even guess, but it was certain that
Ward and his men were left practically without ammunition to defend
themselves as best they could against a horde of foes.
The hunted Texans sought the swamps of the Guadalupe, where Mexican
cavalry could not follow them, but where they were soon overtaken by
skirmishers. Hope was now oozing from the raw recruits. There seemed to
be no place in the world for them. Hunted here and there they never
found rest. But the most terrible fact of all was the lack of
ammunition. Only a single round for every man was left, and they replied
sparingly to the Mexican skirmishers.
They lay now in miry woods, and on the other side of them flowed the
wide and yellow river. The men sought, often in vain, for firm spots on
which they might rest. The food, like the ammunition, was all gone, and
they were famished and weak. The scouts reported that the Mexicans were
increasing every hour.
It was obvious to Ned that Ward must surrender.
Pages:
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386