... over on the Nueces river to collect beef-cattle and to capture cotton. He sent some companies to that quarter as fast as they were sworn into the service, to aid Major Nolan, who was in command at Corpus Christi , and who had reported the recapture of some cotton that was being carried to Corpus Christi for shipment. Colonel Ford learned from Major Nolan that a Mexican by the name of Cecilio Balirio had joi...