Many American newspapers have filled their columns with all manner of
histories relative to this expedition; catalogues of the cruelties
practised by the Mexicans have been given, and the sympathizing American
public have been called upon to relieve the unfortunate men who had
escaped. I will only give one instance of misrepresentation in the New
Orleans _Picayune_, and put in juxta-position the real truth. It will
be quite sufficient. Mr. Kendal says:--
"As the sun was about setting, those of us who were in front were
startled by the report of two guns, following each other in quick
succession. We turned to ascertain the cause, and soon found that a
poor, unfortunate man, named Golpin, a merchant, and who had started
upon the expedition with a small amount of goods, had been shot by the
rear-guard, for no other reason than that he was too sick and weak to
keep up. He had made a bargain with one of the guard to ride his mule a
short distance, for which he was to pay him his only shirt! While in the
act of taking it off, Salazar (the commanding officer) ordered a soldier
to shoot him. The first ball only wounded the wretched man, but the
second killed him instantly, and he fell with his shirt still about his
face. Golpin was a citizen of the United States, and reached Texas a
short time before the expedition.
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