Under the dictatorship of Bustamente the military comandantes continually encroached upon the power of the civil authorities, and finally, in June, 1832, the settlers at Anahuac rebelled and ousted Bradburn, Piedras arriving too late with troops from Nacogdoches and Fort Teran. Becoming alarmed at the rising tide of opposition, Col. Piedras, upon his return, ordered the people of Nacogdoches to surrender all their arms. This order was followed immediately by an appeal from the ayuntamiento in Nacogdoches, issued July 28, 1832, to the neighboring communities to present an united front against this action; copies of this resolution were sent to Ayish Bayou, the Palo Gacho, Tenaha and San Felipe de Austin and met immediate response from all except San Felipe. Two companies came from the Ayish Bayou settlement, commanded by Capts. Samuel Davis and Bailey Anderson, one from Sabine and one from Shelby and Capt. James Bradshaw’s company from the Neches settlement; while the people of Nacogdoches were led by Alcalde Encarnacion Chirino. On the morning of August 2, 1832, these forces met in the eastern outskirts of Nacogdoches and elected Colonel James W. Bullock as commander-in-chief of approximately 500 men. Colonel Piedras commanded approximately the same number of Mexican soldiers, and proceeded to fortify the Stone House, the old Catholic church and the Red House. An Ultimatum from the settlers for Piedras to declare in favor of Santa Anna and the Constitution of 1824, or surrender at discretion to an officer to be selected by Colonel Bullock, brought forth the answer that none of the demands would be complied with, and that he was prepared to fight. Colonel Piedras advanced to meet the Americans and the fighting commenced in the eastern part of town about eleven o’clock. By noon the Mexicans had retreated to the business part of town, around the Stone House. Alexander Horton, a member of the American forces, says: “We were armed with shotguns and various other guns such as citizens used for hunting purposes, while the Mexicans were armed with splendid English muskets; so we turned north and marched down North street. As we began our march we heard a French horn. When we had gotten about opposite the Stone House the Mexican cavalry made a furious charge upon us, pouring upon us a heavy fire of small arms; they advanced to within a few steps of our lines, but were forced back with considerable loss.” This cavalry charge met the American force near the Catholic church, which had been used by Piedras as quarters for his soldiers.