Goliad Texas February 22d 1836
Dear wife I at last have Came to an oppertunity to right a few lines to you. Nearly fore months has inlaspt sinc I roate to you. It would take Several Sheats of paper to inform you the ups—and downs I have seen Sence I Last roate to you—the morning af[ter] I Roate to on the 6th of november I left N Orleans on Board of the Mary Jane a fine Shuner [schooner] for Texas as I Soposed with one hundred and fiftey men. My object of goin was to Build forts—the object of the men on Board was to Go to Texas to Volenteer in ade of the Caus of Libertey. So we proseeded down the River to the mout [mouth] and Came to anker. Jenaral Mehear [Mejía] Came forred and we Receved him. thare ware one hundred and three americans and 47 French the Mericans [Americans] ware divided into two companeys, one Cauld the Grenadeers—of which Mr Allen was Elected Capton—the other was Cauld the Sharp Shuters which—I must blush wen I tel you I was Elected Capton. You must think how my vanatey was Rased to find myself at the head of fiftey one men as there Commandor with the title of Capton Dedrick. We put to See all in good Spirits—we were at See about five days wen a Storm Came on and Blewe us to See Som distants out of our Cors—the men began to Gro oneasy were [as to where] we ware goin—we was Bound to Brasorah [Brazoria] wen we Started in[to] Texes, but we was informed that we ware a goin to Tampeco in Mexico. We would have to Lan But we Should Shurley take the town without much troble wen we would get plenty of Gold. with theas and maney more fair promises we at Last Consented to go for there [was] no other alturnitive for us. on the 14th. of Said month 8 days from N Orleans the Land hove in Site. about for [four] oclock the Steme Boate hove in Sight to toe us into the mouth of the River. We had all our arms in ordor and Readey for action. the Steme Boate Came Long Side we then open our ports and Shew we ware a man of ware in Sted of a trader. thay ware all freited [frightened] to death to See ho [who] we ware. the Capton of the Steamboate was a Mexican. he was ordered on Board and Bribed to take us over the the Bar. in about one houer af[ter] things ware arranged thare Came on a tremendous Storme. the Schuner was drove on the Brakers and Soon a Ground on one of the most dangers [dangerous] places on the Gulf of Mexico. Night coming on and tremendios darke, the See Runing over us every swell the Schuner fast filing and nothing but death Before us—Wat was to be dun was the enquirey of every one on Board. We Shal all be drownded. but Kind providence Caused it to be other wise for us. the Storme Continued to a tremendious Rate and Blew us on to the Shore forther until we was fas [fast] a ground, about 4 feet of wattor in the Caben and every man nearly drownde. I will not hear paint my felings my dear wen the thoughts of never Seeing you nor my dear Son [were forced on me]. I stop. Judge that for your Self. We Soon found our Self under the guns of the fort which mounted 3 Long 24 pound Cannons—with 24 men to mand [man] them. the Capton of the Cuner [schooner] with Capton Allen Jumpet [jumped] into the Long Boate which was Lanched and manded [manned] with Six Salors and was deturment [determined] to make the Shore or die in the attempt. thay Lanched into the See and was Soon out of Sight. we was then orded to thow all our Cannon over Board and wattor [water] and all other articals that could be moved from the Schuner to Lighten her So that She mout [might] drive farther on Shore. Aftor Space of one hour the boate Returned with all hands and 4 Spannards. the fort Serended [surrendered] without firing a Single gun. Tha [they] braught Glad tidings to the unforchanet [unfortunate] they tolded us of their Succes and informed us with in two hundred yards we Could wade and that they would Run out a Rope to the Shore which would be our gide to the beach which was Soon dun. with [the] tide on our Back we Commenced Landing By Jumping into the See and taken holt of the Rope and So we made the Shore. all the men got Landed about 12 oclock at night wet and perished without enney Clothing to Change. we marched in to the barickes where we built up a Large fier and dried our Self as well as we Could. Morning Soon arrived. we found our Self Sorounded By Spaniards but frendoley on a purfit [perfectly] barren Shore in the hart of a inomey's Cuntorey with out one mouthful to eight with out Clothing—Except what Little we braught from the Solders which was not much. Tampeco Lays about 9 miles from the mouth of the River. We Remaind thare during the day the Jenaral [General] ordered us to be in Readanes to march at 5 oclock to take the Town of Tampeco which would be dun with out much troble. we Set of with 150 of our men Joind By about 50 Spannardes. We traveled about fore milds then entored the woods Crosed the mountains with Som men of the Cuntorey for our gides. Eighteen or twenty miles before we Reached the town tired down nearley charked [choked] to death for wattor and hunger with fatig. we entored the town as Stil as mice; wen all was fast a Sleep and as Stil as death save that of [the noise of] the trampoling of our feet. the town is a bout 2 milds in Lenth. we marched on til we Came down with in Sight of the Custom hous and fort which we Could disurn [discern] by the Lights wen we ware haild by the Centanal [sentinel] in Spanish (Kingveve [quien vive]), which is the law their, 3 times wen of went the Canon and kild two of our men. we was in open order So we faird bettor. we Rushed on the Cannon took it kild 3 Spannards. they then fierd 2 more Cannons—and then the actions Commenced on boath Sides with muskettory. We Shot all the men from the guns. they then Retreted in the fort and Commenced fiering down on us in the Street. the action Lasted about 2 houres wen we found our amanetion [ammunition] Runing Short. We Seased firing on boath Sides for they ware as glad as we ware. aftor Consulting with our Selves we Conclude to Retret before dalight for feare all the Solgers would turn out and cut us of. We got all the wonded that was able to walk and about 5 in the morning we made the woods. Our Retreet was Spedey. Leving the deade in the Streets with the wunded that could not go with us on our Retreet. a number made an attempt to Cros the River and go down on the other Side which was but a Short distance to whare we Started from. we made our way on to the fort by the Same way we Came as fast as we Could with our wonded and the Situation we ware in. about 12 oclock in the day we arrived at the fort whare we Started from with But the Existanse of Life—in fact they did not all get in for two days [later] wen the Role was Cauld we found out of 150 men we had Lost 40 men. the forth day a Spannard Left the town and Stated that there ware 28 men in prisen [and] Six murded in the wood by the Spannards. So we Lost 6 men kild in the action. those ho [who] was taken prisoners has been Since Shot or murdred in a most Shamful manner. I must Cut my narative Short. We Remaind at the fort about 10 days precured Som provishen from vesels trading on that Coast [and] imployed a Chuner [schooner] Cauld the hasan [Halcyon] to Bring us to the mout of the brases River in Texes. hour [Our] other Schuner was intiarley Lost. we got som Lit [light] provishen from on board of her. We put to See on the 25 of November. We Cacolated to make the River in 3 days. We whare [were] blowen to See and Reached it in 9 days. 5 days we Lived on ½ pint of Rise. we Landed Safe in Texis. We Remaind thar a few days and then Commenced our march to whare we ar a distance of about two hundred miles on foot and thew [through] a wilderness. in my next I [will] give you a ful detaile of my travels thew Texes, as I must fil up my Blank with other affars. My dear wife)—My object of Goin on this Exposishen was for you my Self and Son and all my femaley hearaftor. in the first place as Soon as [I] took arms in defence of Texes I became a Sitisan [citizen] which by the Laws entiteld me as a man of famaley to one Lease of Land Square which is three miles or fore thousen, fore hundred acers of Land which wen things are seteled [settled] will be worth Six thousen Dollars. indapendent of my head Right for my Survis I Shal Receve 800 acers of Land—of the Shoises [choicest] kind—which wi[ll] be worth at Least two thosen—which will make us indopendent for Life—which will be Seteled [settled] in the Cors [course] of a fiew years be Sides a Surton [certain] Salary which I will get per year. I forgot to mentian that wen we Came to Texes I Resind my Commetian [commission] to Capton Allen as we thew [threw] boath Companeys into one and So I was apointed quartormaster of the Company until I arrived at this place—and Since [I have] bin promoted to quartor mas [ter] of the armey. the quartor master Jenoral is hear at presant and Sais [says] he has a Situation of Mor impartance for me. My pay at present is 30 Dollars per month and found evorey thing. My Dear) fear nothing for me. My object is to Sho them that we will Soon be able to [pounce(?)] on them. I wish you woul Send word to Joseph Leeds the Talor that his Cusen [cousin] Isaac Leeds was kild at the battle of Tampeco. he belong [belonged] to my Companey. he fought braveley and met death Like a man and a Solder. it will be much Satisfaction to his mother [to] no his fate). My Love one word to you and my Son. You must do the best you posable Can. wen I Receve my half yearley pay from the Guverment I will Send You Som Money. Should eney thing befal me you can Sell your Clame to Reckoley. but, I Shall Live I trust to injoy the frutes of my Laber with my beloved famaley. Keep up your Spirits, alls well. bring up Charles in obedance to your Comands. I Shal be home in time to See him go to Chool [school] and Lurn [learn] him to Repeate what his father has done for him. I Shal Right to N Orleans in a fiew days to See about P Pandeley's affare. I left a power of atturney in N Orleans for it to be attended to. My Love, to yo my Love I neade Say but Little. You no my warm hart. My Respects to all—To you and my Son Receve my Lasting affection. Right wen you Receve this lettor. Right to me Direct Goliad Texes in the Care of Leftenant Thornton. I Remain Your affectian [affectionate]
Husbant George Dedrick N. B. By the next Express I shall Right you a nother Lettor.
The letter is directed as follows: Mrs H Dedrick Philadelphia No. 345 North Third Street Pennsylvania U. S.
Concerning George Dedrick the deposition says only that he emigrated from Philadelphia to Texas in 1835, and that according to reports from Texas he was among the victims of the massacre at Goliad, March 19, 1836.
In connection with this letter should be read “The Tampico Expedition,” by Eugene C. Barker, The Quarterly, VI 169-186.
How to cite:
"NEW LIGHT ON THE TAMPICO EXPEDITION ", Volume 011, Number 2, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, Page 157 - 161. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v011/n2/article_2.html
[Accessed Sun Nov 23 13:45:21 CST 2008]
