The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1845-02-05
HIS TORICAL.
From Blackrood's MAGAZINE
ADVENTURES IN TEXAS.
BATTLE OF SAN JACENTO.

BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO.
The Mexicans advanced SO rapidly that they
were upon us before we were aware of it, and
we were compelled to retreat, leaving the garri-
son of the two forts TO their fate, and u right
melancholy one it proved to be.
One morning news was brought to Goliad that
u number Of country people, principally women
and children, were on their way to the fort
closely pursued by Mexicans. flaming, losing
sight of prudence in his compassion for these
poor people, Immediately ordered a battalion OIL
five hundred men, under the command of Major
Ward, to 60 and meet the tigitives and escort
them in. The Major and several of the officers
Of the garrison doubted as 10 the ~propriety Of
this measure; but flaming, full Of sympathy fol
his unprotected country-W0men, insisted, anO
the battalion moved out. They soon came in
sight of the fugitivcs, as they thought, on draw
ing nearer; the latter turned out to be Mexican
Dragons, who sprang upon their horses, which
we've concealed IN Il neighboring island Of trees,
and d desperate fight began. The Mexicans.
far superior i'll numbers, received every moment
acccssions to their strength. The Louis Potosi
and Santa Fe cavalry, fellows who seem born on
horseback, were there. Oar unfortunate coun.
trymcn were hcmmed in on all SIDES. The fight
lasted two days, and only two men ont Of the
i've hundred escaped with their lives.
Before the news of this misfortune reached
Us, orders had been sent 10 flaming to e~yacmatc
The fort and Join is with SIX pieces of artillery,
He received the order, and proceeded TO exc.
cute IT.. Bur what might hove been practicable
for eght hundred and sixty men, was impossi-
bic for three, hundred and sixty. Nevertheless,
Tanning began his march through the prairie.
His little band was almost Immediately surroun-
dod by the enemy. After a gallant defence,
which lasted twelve hours, they succeeded in
reaching the. island, but scarcely had they estab-
lished themselves there, when they found thcir
ammunitiod expended. There WAS nothing left
Tor them but to accept the terms offered by the
MeXicans, who pledged themselves, that if they
laid down their arms, they should be permitted to
return 10 their homes. But the rifles were no
sooner piled, than the Texans found themselves
charged by their treacherous foe, who butchered
them without mercy. Only all advanced post
of three men succeeded in escaping.
The five hundred men whom he had left in
San Antonio de Bexar, Jared no better. Not
being sufficiently numerous to hold out the town
as well as Alamo, they retreated into the latter,
The Mexican artillery soon laid a part of the
fort in ruins. Still its defenders held out. At
ter eight days fighting during which the loss OF
the b~esiegers was tremendously severe, the
Alamo was taken, and not a single Texan left
alive.
We thus, by these two cruel blows, lost two
thirds Of our army, and little more than seven
hundred men remained TO resist the numerous
%legions of our victorious foe. The prospect be.
fore us was one we'll calculated 10 daunt the
~stoutest heart.
The Mexican General, Santa Anna, moved hi.
army forward in two divisions, one stretched a
long the coast towards Valasco. the other advan
cling towards San Felipe de Austin. He himself
with a small force. marched in the centre. A
Fort Bend, twenty miles below San Felipe, he
crossed the Brazos, and shortly afterwards estab
lished with about fifteen hundred men in an in
trencbed camp. Our army under command o
Gen. Houston, had retreated to Harrisburgh, t
which place the Congress had retreated.
1t vas on the night of the Goth of April, ant
our whole disposal force, some seven hundred
men, bivouacking in and about an island of syc
amores. 1t was a cloudy, stormy evening;
high wind was blowing, and the branches of tht
trees groaned and creaked above our heads
The weather harmonized well enough with gu
feelings, which were SAD and Responding whel
we thought of the desperate state of our cause
We (the %oiliccrs) were sitting in a circle arount
the General and Alcade, both of whom appear
ed uneasy and anxious. More than once the
got up and walked backward and forwards, see
mingly impatient, and as if they were waiting
for or expected something. There was a deeI
silence throughout the whole bivCuac; somt
were sleeping, and those who watched were ii
no humor for idle chat.
"Who goes there?" suddenly shouted on,
of tho %sentries. The answer we did no
hear, it was apparently satisfactory, for Their
was no further challenge, and a few seconds al
forwards an orderly came up, and whispered
something in the car of the Alcade. The latte
hurried away, and presently returned, spoke
few words TO the General, and then 10 us officers
In an instant we were upon our feet. In les
than ten minutes, the bivouac was broken up
and our little army on the march.
All our people we're we'll mounted, and arme
with rifles and bowie knives. We had six feel
pieces, but VIC took only four; harne wit
twice the usual number ofhorses. We marche
at rapid trot the whole night, led by a tai
; gaunt figure Of a man who acted as our guide