A trader, called Philip Nolan, engaged in traffic between Natchez (Mississippi) and San Antonio, about the year 1785. In October, 1800, he started on one of his expeditions into Texas, with a company of about twenty men. Among them was Ellis P. Bean, a young man of seventeen years of age, whose romantic character and strange adventures entitle him to a more extended notice. Nolan and his company, in order to avoid attracting public attention, took a new route, after crossing the Mississippi at Natchez. Occasionally they halted to kill game and refresh themselves. Before reaching Red River, three of them strayed off, got lost, but afterwards found their way back to Natchez. Nolan and his remaining men passed around the head of Lake Bistineau, and crossing Red River, came to a Cad-do village, where they obtained some fine horses. In ten days they crossed the Trinity, and immediately entered upon an immense rolling prairie, through which they advanced, till they came to a spring, which they named the Painted Spring. At the head of this spring stood a rock, painted by the Indians, to commemorate a treaty which had once been made there.

In the vast prairie around them they could find no fuel with which to cook their food. The buffalo, once so numerous here, had all disappeared, and they were compelled to live for nine days on the flesh of mustang horses. By this time, they reached the Brazos, where they found plenty of deer, elk, and "wild horses by thousands." Here they built an enclosure, and caught and penned three hundred head of mustangs. At this place, they were visited by two hundred Camanche Indians, with whom they went on a visit to the great chief Necoroco, on the south bank of Red River, where they remained a month, making many friends, and gaining much information. They returned at length to their old camp, accompanied by an escort of the natives, who managed to steal eleven of their best American horses.

The company at this time consisted of Captain Nolan, five Spaniards, eleven Americans, and one negro. As they could do nothing without their horses, some six of the company volunteered to go after them. They went on foot, and after a march of nine days found four of the horses, under the care of a few Indians. The other horses, the Indians said, had been taken on a buffalo hunt by the balance of their party, and would return in the evening. They further stated that the one who stole the horses was a one-eyed Indian chief. In the evening, the Indians came in, bringing the horses and abundance of meat. The whites tied the one-eyed chief, and guarded him till morning; they then took such provisions as they wanted for their journey, let the Indians go, and returned to their camp in four days.

While in camp, resting themselves, a troop of one hundred and fifty Spaniards came suddenly upon them. The trampling of the horses aroused the Americans, who, seeing their danger, prepared for defence. They had built a square enclosure of logs, in which they slept at night. Into this they fled. The Spaniards at day-break commenced their fire, which was returned from the log-pen. In ten minutes. Captain Nolan was killed by a ball in the head. Bean then took the command, and continued the fight. In a short time after, two more of the little company fell. The Spaniards had brought with them a swivel on the back of a mule, with which they fired grape. At this time, Bean proposed to his men to charge on this piece of artillery, but the men jointly opposed it. It was next proposed to retreat, which was agreed to. Each one filled his powderhorn, and the remaining ammunition was placed in charge of the negro. They left the enclosure, and gained a small creek. While here engaged in fighting, the negro, with the ammunition, and one wounded man, stopped and surrendered. Bean and his party, though under a constant fire from the enemy on both sides, kept up the fight, until at last they took refuge in a ravine, and, for a short time, the firing ceased. At length the enemy began to close in upon the ravine, but were soon repulsed. About two o'clock in the afternoon, the Spaniards hoisted a white flag, and an American, who was with the Spaniards, was appointed to hold a parley with Bean. They said, all they desired, was that the Americans would return to their homes, and cease to come any more into Texas. The Americans agreed to this. A treaty was made, in which it was agreed that both parties should return together to Nacogdoches--the Americans not to surrender, but to retain their arms.

They soon reached the Trinity river, which was overflowing its banks. Bean soon contrived to make a small canoe out of a dry cotton-wood tree, and managed to carry over all the Spaniards, leaving their arms and commander on the other side. He now proposed to his men to throw the arms into the river, start the commander over, and again march for the prairies. In this, however, he was not seconded.

In a few days they all reached Nacogdoches, where they remained a month, expecting, according to promise, to be sent home. But in violation of the treaty, they were all put in irons and sent to San Antonio. Here they were kept in prison three months. They were then sent to San Louis Potosi, where they remained in prison for sixteen months. The prisoners, being without clothes, contrived means to procure them. Bean and Charles King gave themselves out as shoemakers, and were permitted to work at their prison doors, by which means they earned some money. Then they were started off to Chihuahua. Arriving at Saltillo, they were treated with more kindness. Their irons were taken off, and they were permitted to walk about the town. Here we will leave them for the present, simply remarking, that this battle of twelve Americans with one hundred and fifty mounted Spaniards, was probably the first which ever took place between these two nations, and from it we may judge of the character of each.