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 Having refreshed his troops, and provided
as he could for his numerous wounded,
Santa
Anna laid down the program for future operations, to be conducted by
General Filisola, his second in command ; after completing which, he
proposed to return to
Mexico.
Accordingly, on the 11th of March, he ordered Generals Sesma and Woll,
with six hundred and seventy-five infantry, fifty dragoons, two
six-pounders, and eight days' rations, to march to San Felipe, on the
Brazos, and thence to Anahuac by way of Harrisburg. At the same time he
directed Colonel Juan Morales, with two battalions of about four hundred
men, one mortar, one eight and one twelve pounder, and a month's
rations, to proceed to Goliad. Before he decided as to the further
disposition of his forces, he received information from General Urrea,
at San Patricio, that he was on his march to Goliad, and that
Fannin was
there fortified, with about five hundred infantry and fourteen pieces of
artillery, and would defend the place. He also received intelligence
from General Sesma that the Texans were twelve hundred strong on the
Colorado, and disposed to defend the passage of that river. To meet this
unexpected resistance, Santa Anna directed General Tolsa, with two
battalions and forty dragoons, with a month's rations, to aid Sesma; and
Colonel Montoya, with the regular militia of Tres Villas and Queretaro,
a twelve-pounder, and like rations, to assist Urrea. The orders given to
these officers were to shoot all the prisoners taken! Another
detachment of Mexicans, under General Gaona, was to march to
Nacogdoches, with like orders ; but its departure was postponed, to
await the issue at Goliad.
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