The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-10-24
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES

The Fannin Massacre-T1e .4lamo-The
81. Louis Reveille contains the following inter
esting letter. dated Z" Camp Crockett, near San
Antonio, Sept. 9 :"
At a small town called Victoria. on the Gauda.
lnupe river. where we lay one day. I saw Soma ,f
the Mler prisoners; and Col. Hunter of Illinois
who was one of Cul. Fannin's men, told me of
Col. Fannin's fate, and of his own wonderful ca.
cape. He pointed out all the places of that mem
oraole transaction. Col. Fannin with about 400
men, took his stand in the prairie, and threw I'M
an ei~nbankment abont thirty yards square, and
there he fought a great army of Mexicans until
he was overpowered and taken prisoner. He
was then taken to the old town of Eabradee.
(Which is now deserted.) and there he and his
men were closely confined for some time then
taken ont by Gen. Santa Annals express com.
mand, and all shot but two, who made their e.-
cape. Col. Hunter fell on his face, and after
being cut nearly to pieces by the sa vages, was
lett Tor dead. When ] looked al the old veteran
| could not but feel a trembling in my frame.
oan Antonio IS mostly upon The western side of
the river, and is a singular looking place The
houses are all built for defence-heavy and low
but large, with fiat roofs. II now contains about
| 200 inhabitants; but formerly it contained TO-
OOO. There are a few-and but few-Americans.
We boys, Gas the volunteers are called, } some.
times get to Town and take a round. The princi-
pal amusement is The fandango. The boys 90 in
and pay a dime a dance with some black eyed
Spanish girl. and pass the night lightly of. The
groceries and gaming houses ere we'll pa, lized
0y both sexes of the Mexicans, and the youno
Spanish gIrls and men, at night, when it is fine
weather, all go together TO battle in the river.
nave not been IN with them myself, but intend to
as soon as get a chance. Opposite The town,
and on this side of the river, stands the old Ala.
mo. celebrated as the death place of Crockett.
and one OF the most bloody massaeres that ever
~dlsgraced earth. A small body of Texans, (25O
men, under the command of Traversi, took shell
ter in this place from 1000 Mexicans, and, after
a most bloody and long fight. were overpowered,
and every soul, with the exception Of one old
negro woman, massacred. They were first cru
ely murdered, and then left to rot in the vaults
ot the Alamo. AT length the bodies were col
lected and burned in the largest room, and the
bones are still scattered about the pIace-laroe
piles. in fact, are To be seen. The marks are still
upon The walls. and show to the observer that the
strife was dreadful. The marks Of balls and axes,
and the print of The bloody hands upon every part
OF the Alamo, tell that the slaughter was prodigi
Gus. The old negro woman is still living in The
town, near the Alamo, and is the only being
now living who can tell a true tale of the Alamo.
She can hardly ever be prevailed upon to tell it,
and when she does she weeps and trembles like a
child. When | stood upon The battlements of The
old ruin, and contemplated The scene before me.
and thought of the bloody fight that happened
years ago, and The end Of those i'll faled and brave
men, swore, in my heart, that come life or
death, ! never would give quarters or mercy TO a
Mexican.