On the 14th of April, 1836, His Excellency the President [Santa Anna] ordered his Staff to prepare to march, with only one skiff, and leaving his own and the officers' baggage with General Ramirez y Sesma, who was instructed to remain at the crossing of the Brazos, . . . started for Harrisburg, with the force above mentioned....
On the 15th. . . . at about noon, we reached a plantation abundantly supplied with corn, meal, sheep and hogs it had a good garden and a fine cotton‑gin. We halted to refresh men and beasts.
At 3 o'clock P. M., after having set fire to the dwelling and gin‑houses, we resumed our march. Here, His Excellency starts ahead with his Staff and escort, leaving General Castrillon in command of the infantry. We travelled, at a brisk trot, at least ten leagues, without halting, until we reached the vicinity of Harrisburg, at about 11 o'clock at night. His Excellency, with an Adjutant and fifteen dragoons, . . . succeeded in capturing two Americans,, who stated that Zavala and other members of the so called Government of Texas, had left the morning before for Galveston. . . .
On the 16th, we remained at Harrisburg, to await our broken‑down stragglers, who kept dropping in till 2 or 3 o'clock P. M.
