April 13, 1836
0200 (2am)
Matagorda
The last few hours have been hectic for Midshipman S.W. Cushing of the Texas Navy.
At some point in the early afternoon of April 12, a Texian scout came rushing to the Colorado Hotel.
The individual brought the news that the crew members of the “Liberty” and “Durango” had been waiting six days to hear.
Mexican General Urrea’s 4,000-man army has crossed the Colorado River.
After a quick meeting, the commanding officers have instructed all crews to return to their ships.
Due to their hard work, the port settlement of Matagorda had largely been cleared of abandoned surplus materials.
The town was no longer necessary to risk bloodshed for.
At a point roughly 20 miles upriver, General Jose Urrea is tired but relieved.
He can finally continue his descent upon Matagorda, somehow still apparently unaware that the Texas Navy is still there.
But his troops are worn out, and so thankful for being able to cross the river that a detail from the San Louis Battalion have commemorated the occasion by carving a prayer of thanksgiving on a skinned portion of an ancient cypress tree.
Thus, Urrea only makes his division march 10 miles before halting for the night in the prairie.
At roughly about 2200 (10 p.m.), S.W. Cushing is annoyingly stirred awake by a friend of his.
The man asks Cushing if he would like to partake in one final endeavor before the “Liberty” and “Durango” both depart Matagorda at sunrise.
Cushing, never shy to accept a task, agrees but receives no explanation and goes back to bed.
Around 0130 (1:30 a.m.) Cushing is awaken again and told to make his way to the top deck.
When he does, he finds about eight men and an officer loading a small boat with guns and torches.
As he soon learns, the party has been tasked to go back ashore to Matagorda and retrieve two cannons that were somehow left behind at the port pier.
Once the guns are secured, they are instructed to burn the town before heading back to the “Liberty.”
This was the plan anyhow.
As the Texians are making their way ashore, a heavy fog suddenly descends on the area. Visibility, which was already low because of the hour, is rendered even lesser.
All that the crew can see is what is only directly in front of them.
After an hour or two of rowing, the river channel suddenly narrows.
The captain relates the truth that all of them already know.
They’ve gone too far upriver, and will now have to wait until sunrise to turn around.
The crew pull the boat into the reeds of the shoreline and decide to rest, but their slumber is cut short when at around 0400 (4 a.m.) the sound of drums stirs them awake.
From somewhere just on the prairie above them, the Mexican Army is sounding the morning wake up call.
Four thousand men start preparing for a quick departure, wholly unaware that eight lost Texians are in a boat just a few yards from them.
The captain of the boat tells Cushing and the others that they’ll be lucky to get back to the “Liberty” without trouble.
Their only chance is that the fog will evaporate slowly.
Fortunately for Cushing and crew, General Urrea decides to stay about a mile away from the river in case the Colorado begins to rise again.
But as sunrise approaches, the fog quickly begins to dissipate.
Both factions seemingly arrive at the bend of the Colorado River in Matagorda around the same time.
Urrea’s troops quickly take control of the main landing, forming a column along the shoreline of the river.
The morning fog is breaking and dissipating rapidly.
There’s no chance for the Texians to avoid detection.
The captain however has an idea on how to fool their opponents, and possibly avoid a confrontation.
He tells the crew to move onto the stern, and keep their weapons concealed.
Cushing attaches a white piece of fabric onto the mast, but the captain holds tight as he presses towards the landing onshore.
It doesn’t take long for the soldiers along the embankment to notice the craft.
Seeing the white flag, Centralist officers wave white pieces of fabric of their own to signal that they understand the Texian message.
Many of the Mexican troops holler in Spanish to the crew.
With all eyes on the boat, it drifts closer to the landing and suddenly Captain Walker turns it away into the river.
The crew get their oars in the water, and the boat pulls away from the landing.
They are soon concealed behind some river cane, and a firing line of volleys soar harmlessly overhead.
Three of the Texians return fire, doing no damage, but taking their first shots at the Mexican Army.
In only a few minutes, the crew arrive back at the “Liberty” safely.
With nothing left at Matagorda, the last warship of the Texas Navy pulls away for Galveston.
Matagorda officially falls into the hands of the Centralists.
Before beginning his trek towards Columbia (present West Columbia) General Urrea leaves six hundred troops at Matagorda.
His instructions are for them to construct a fort on the pier, which is largely completed by the time a messenger arrives towards the end of April with news of Santa Anna’s defeat.
