Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-11-10

ly awake received US with a gcntlemanly hospi-
tality. One just from 'the States is always well
come to the cabin OF the Texan. The repast
and the new. from the fatherand occupied our
, attention for an hour, after which threw my
sefupon the floor Of adjoining cabin, and slept +
until early light; when | wss awakened by the
arrival Of the balance Of the company, who from
their account spent dismal night in the open
AFR.
had now an opportunity Of examining the
surrounding country, which began to put on bold
er features The magnolia cypress, and differ
ent kinds Of oak, formed dense forrest upon
the bluff banks Of the river, and extended back
some few miles to the edge Of the prairy. The \
country here looked like an elevated plain, and
was perfectly dry. The whole seemed a
beautiful picture, over which nature had thrown |
a charm that bewItched the The pale |
and ashy appearance ct the soil IN a large field, !
did not promise much for its fertility but was told
that thirty bushels of corn to the acre Or
binary crop. 1t may seem somewhat strange to
those who have been told much Of the great a
abundance and cheapness Of land IN Texas, when
they learn that the farm of our host could not be
purchased for less than twenty dollars acre
| mig ht here add, general remark, that
all located lands in Texas, especially such as lie
upon streams. where timber to be had, rate
extremely high Tor n new country, varying, &C
cording to situation, from one to twenty dollars
an acre; while floats, such as soldiers discharges,
and INDICATED head rights Of which l will speak
hereafter, Can be had IN the greatest abundance
for u nominal sum- The shrewd Spectator, l
have no doubt, would prefer to deal in located
lands, notwiths landing the high prices at which
they held, rather than incur all the risks and
uncer tainties of mere claims upon the Govern
mcnt domain, even at the moderate sums at which
, they may be purchased
Our host was communicative, and we learned
from him some interesting incidents connected
, with the Mexican army, at this point. Santa
Anna marched the division of the army under
his immediate command, from the Brassos to this
place, with so little show of resistance upon the
part Of his enemy, that he concluded all opposi-
SION to his arms had ceased, and that the inhabi-
tants had aDaaacc.d the country in despair
When here, he had no know ledge OF the situation
of Gen. Houston and his little band (which he sup
posed had dispersed before the terror of his
In the pride of conquest, and in the spirit Of
venge, he set fire to New Washington with his
own hands in the destruction of which, Col. Nj.
was the principal sufferer After the fortune of
F. war had placed Santa Anna in the power of the
II colonel, the former once took occasion To COM
: plcment him for the beautiful and commanding
v situation which he had selected for town when
MS us prisoner e mad not g Seen
L in the beauty of the place, to spare it from the
: flames. The colonel was absent upon public du-
4 ~ when the Mexicans arrived. But President
n Burnett, who here at the time, had barely ar
N opportunity to escape in a small boat from mum
r. Der of dragoons who pushed on in advance of the
is main body OF the army
l. 1t is quite evident, if we will observe the con
y duct of Santa Anua, from the time he enterc'
t. Texas, that he determined to appropriate 4
10 himself all the laurels which to be won b,
re the suhiuga,on of the country. From such
t. G,otive, we always find him with the advance de
TO tachments of the army, keeping the other divis
- ions in his rear, of extreme emergency
no when his own pursuance could not prevail, rath
ne or than as adjnncts the ordinary events @
ia war. Could he prevail, with handful OF mel
=. while the main army stood looking on, IT woul
~ adj much his fame warrior. and siren
d. CITIZEN his claims the title of the Napoleon
re The South. which vanity prompted him TO as
Is sumo. 1t was because ne was partly at leas
H. under the influence of such feelings, that fin
bt him at New Washington, with a handful OF me
ss under his command, while Filisola, with tn
IN in BODY of his army, stationary upon tn
" Brassos fifty miles in his rear, without the leas
an object in view. 1t cannot be said in his defenc
X that from the time he crossed the Brassos he
IS pected opposition; for it is surely forming
a poor estimate of his abilities. to suppose that
ut came to the conclusion that the country was sui
lie ilgatcd, merely because he had penetrated mi
a the interior, especially when no engagement of
or decisive character had taken place. If he SUI
he posed that the Texans would abandon the coul
nd try, and give up their tiresdes without a stru!
as gle, it proof that ne is neither man of sens
DID nor Il general; for any man of common endov
nd mcnts, would have expected and looked for ba
ITS tic, If he found it nowhere else, upon the banl
to Of the Sabine. Doubtless. however, Santa Ann
. thought otherwise: and this will account for ii
rs small number of men he had with him. when I'll
ra- situation in which his selfish vanity had place
,el him, required the whole force of his army
nd The event prov ed that vanity and weakness a
is nearly allied, and that misfortune and disgrat
as are the consequences of both.
,iy II was here, while New Washington was v
in flames, that the Mexican heard for the ar
of time that the army of Texas upon his ira
ne The gulf, with its swamp in 'front.' the San J
nc cinto, unfordabe, upon his right, and Houstc
ter in his rear left him alternative but the iss'
he of battle. He had placed himself in situate
M where victor should Ii attend his forum
nd could not profit more than in any other pac
ass but where defeat must be followed by the &C
he tain destruction of his whole army. When
EN- learnt that he was superior to his enemy in poi
'op Of numbers, he doubtless thought it but slig
interruption to his career Of conquest, to retra
ted his steps few miles. and put to rout few stra
' n glers, who for weeks, like many scared pa
he trdges had lodged from point to point, to ave
it collision with what he styles in his official b.
rty letins, his invincible Mexicans. Seven hundr
ost Of these invincibIes left dead upon the field
ew battle. more than six hundred of them TAX