Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-15
Houston and santa Anna,


left dead on the field among them were one
general officer, four colonies, two lieutenant
colonies. seven captains. and twelve lieutep-
ants. Multitudes bad perishud IN the morass
and 10 the bayous. Of the surviving, up
wards of two hundred aud eighty were wOun-
ded, and there were eight hundred prisoners.
Only seven men are known to have escaped
from tho field. And yet, incredible rs 1t may
seem, this bloody engagement had cost the
Texans the lives of ouly seven men. and less
than thirty had been wounded. 1t was IN
credible, and when the Cummander-lG-Chiei
aVose next morning, and beard the facts, he
asked as this so, or is 1t only my dream 7
Lieut.. Sylvester 4 volunteer from CIncln-
natl, was riding over the prairie, on fine
horse. about three o'clock in the afternoon,
when he saw o man making his way towards
Nince's bridge. The moment he found him
self pursued, the fugitive fell down in the
grass. Sylvester dashed on iD that direction,
and his horse came very near trampling him
down. The man sprang to his feet, and APP
parently without the slightest surprise, look
ei his captor full in the face. lie was dis
guised in q most miserable rustic dress. lie
wore q skin cap, a round jacket, pau!a!oOns
of blue domestic cotton, with Il pair of coarse
soldier sbUes Bat his face aud his manners
bespoke, too plainly, that be belonged to q
d tferent class than his garb betDkened and
underneath bis coarse disguise, Sylvester
saw that he wore a shirt of the finest linen
cambria. "You are an officer, | perceive,
SIR" said the horsemap, raising his cap po-
litey. mo, soldier" was his reply; and be
drew out letter in Spanish, addressed to
Almonte. When he saw there was no hope
Of escape, he inquired for Gen. Houston.
By this time, Sylvester had been joined by
several of his comrades, and mounting his
prisoner behind him, they rode off together,
on the same horse, 20 the camp, several miles
distant As he passed the Mexican prison.
ers, they exclaimed with great surprise, as
they lifted their caps, "El PreSideme!'
10 o single moment, the news spread
through the camp that General Santa Anna
was prisoner: and the Dictator was taken
to Houston. The General was lying on the
ground, and having slept little during the
night, in consequence of bis wound, bad
now fallen into dOEa. Santa Anna came
up behind him. and took bis hand. Hous-
ton reused himself, and turning over, gazed
up in the face Of the Mexican, who extended
his left arm, and lying MS right on his heart.
said, 81 am General Antonio Lopez lie Santa
Anna, President of the Mexican Republic,
and | claim to be your prisoner OF war"
Houston waved bis hand to a box. for it was
tie only seat in the camp, and asked his pr!.
soner t. be seated. tie then sent for Al
monte, who spoke English perfectly, and
asked him to act as interpreter.
In the meantime, Santa Anna had taken
his seat, and glapcng his eye occasionally
around the camp with tmld expression,
pressed the sides of his breast with both
hands, and gave two or three half-suppressed
groans, like man who was suffering deep
pain.
A!monte approached his captive General
with evident respect and grief and the fol-
lowing conversation took place between the
two commanders Houston, in the meantime,
lying on the ground, resting on his elbow.
Great pains has been taken to yet, as nearly
as possible, the exact words used by the 7pea'
kers, and those who were present at the 10
terview have assured us that all here related
they do remember, and they recOlect moth
ing else of importance.
and recovering perfectly from his embarrass-
ment, rose, and advancing with the air OF
one born to command, said to Gen. Hous-
ton --"That man nay consider himself born
to no common destiny, who has conquered
the Napoleon of the West, and it now re-
mains for him to be generous TO the van
quished."
Houston-"You should have remembered
that at the Alamo"
s. A-Inu must be aware that | wes JUS
tfGd in my course by the usages of war. |
had summoned q surrender and they bad
refused. The place was then taken 10y storm,
and the usages Of war justified the slaughter
of the vauquished."
H.-That was the case once, but it is now
obsolete. Such usages among civilized ma
tons have yielded TO the influences OF hu-
mainly"
S. A-"lIowever this may be, was act
ing nnder the orders of Government"
H.-"Wby, roU are the Government OF
Mexico"
S Al have orders in my possession
commanding me so to act"
IA Dictator, sir has no superior"
S. Al had orders, General Houston,
from my Government. commanding me to
exterminate every man found IN arms IN the
province of Texas, and treat all such rs
pirates; for they have no Government and
are fighting under no recognized flag. This
will account for the positive orders OF my
Government"
H.-"So far as the first point is concerned,
the Texans hatter themselves they have
Government already, and they viii proha-
bly, be able to make q flag. Bot if you feel
excused for your conduct at San Antonio,
YOU have not the same excuse for the massG-
ere Of Colonel Faunin's command. They
had captulated on terms PrOtiered by your
General. And yet. after the oapituatlon,
they were all prrfdiously massacred, with
out even the consolation Of dying with arms
10 their hands"
Those who were present say, that when
Houston came to speak of the GOliad tragedy,
it seemed impossible for him to restrain his
indignation. His eye flashed like wild
beasts, and in his gigantic effort to curb IN
his wrath, cold sweat ran of from his brow
in streams.
S. Al declare to you, General, (Iay-
ing his hand on bis heart that | was not
appraised of the fact that they had capitu-
lated. Gen. Urea informed NE that he had
them in a battle. aud under THE
impression, ordered their execution"
HI know, General, that the men had
S. A.-"Then | was ignorant of it. And