The town of Guadaloupe Victoria was incorporated by the Mexican government. It lies on the E. side of the river Guadaloupe. The navigation of the river from the sea is prevented by a raft or deposit of trees. Linville is at present the port from whence this town, as well as that of San Antonio, derive their foreign supplies. Few Mexicans have resided here since 1836. The population does not exceed 500 persons; and the place is in bad repute from being the head-quarters of a party of robbers who had broken up a very important trade between this town and the Rio Grande.

At the distance of about six miles from Victoria we crossed the Rio Coleto, the banks of which for a considerable distance are of light white sand. We turned to the S.W. to Carlos's Ranche, or New La Bahia, a settlement on the San Antonio river, made by the Mexicans, who were driven from Goliad during the war. This settlement has been destroyed since I visited it by some men from Victoria who had no public authority for this cruel and most impolitic act. We met here with some of the few Indians who remain of the Tonkahua tribe.

Keeping a short distance from the river, we arrived, after a ride of a few hours, at Goliad, or La Bahia del Espiritu Santo. It was established as a military garrison in 1716, but was utterly destroyed in 1836. The fort is a square inclosure on the brow of a hill on the W. bank, and overlooking the river, the walls being pierced for musketry. On the W. side of it is a ravine, on the S. an open prairie, and towards the N. the ground slopes to the river. The church within the fort is a solid structure of stone, and bears the date 1801. The foreign supplies of the town were obtained from the port of Copano, and it was an important military position to the Mexicans upon this account. The population of the place before the war exceeded 1200 persons. An Irish family now occupied the ruined fort, and one Mexican family was living in a hut outside of the walls. On the E. side of the river are the ruins of an old mission.

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Adapted from Thomas Falconer
"Notes on a Journey through Texas and New Mexico, in the Years 1841 and 1842"