The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-05-22
TIE TRUTH OF HISTORY.

niversary Of the battle Of San Jacinto,
we gave brief narrative Of that decl.
sve struggle in the history of Texas,
and very succlnctly stated that Gen
eral Santa Anna was captured on the
following day by James A. Sylvester,
a young printer, anative Of Baltimore,
but last from Cincinnati. We further
said that Joel w. Robinson, of Fayelte
county, and another person, We're pres
ent at the capture, but that Sylvester
took Santa Anna into camp, eight or
ten miles away, and delivered him TO
General Sam. Houston.
On the same day, April "a, 1874, the
day was celebrated on the battle
ground, and In its report Of that event,
the Galveston News represented Mr.
Joel w. Robinson as the man who
captured and carried Santa Anna into
camp--even, apparently upon Mr..
Roblnson's authority, repeating dia-
logue between him and Santa Anna on
the way in.
We felt shocked at this perverslon of
an interesting episode in our history,
and though making no reply, believed
the News reporter had misunderstood
Mr.. Robinson. The facts connected
with that event came to our knowl-
edge soon after the battle and were so
indelibly impressed upon our mind
that to-day they are as fresh rs thirty
eight years ago.
1t seems that Captain Sylvester, who
has lived in New Orleans since 1913,
saw the report of the News and con-
founded II with a similar celebration
on the same day in Austin, by which,
instead OF Joel w. Robinson, he sup
posed that General J. b. Robertson,
of Washington county, was the person
referred to. General Robertson arriv-
ell in Texas for the first time few
weeks after the battle of San Jacinto,
and, of course, had no connection with
the matter. That is only misappre-
tension of Captain Sylvester as to
names-"Robinson" and Robertson
being slightly different. Our readers
will bear in mind this mistake of Syl.
vester in reading his letter below.
Despising all false pretenses in his
tory, and always anxious to do justice,
we now propose to state what we re.
ligiously believe to be the facts.
While, during the day succeeding
the battle, groups of our troops were
scattered all over the prairie for miles
around, picking up struggling Next
cans, Sylvester, beardless printer,
was aloue and saw a Mexican enter
small thicket in the prairie. He rode
up and halted, when the Mexican
came out, dressed as common soldier,
excepting that he wore fine shirt
with golden buttons. He spoke no
English, nor Sylvester any Spanish,
but by words and gestures made Syl-
vester understand that he wished to be
taken to General Houston. Sylvester,
seeing two or three other men a few
hundred yards distant, beckoned to
them and they came up. One of those
men, we have no doubt, was Joel Rob-
inson--we always so understood. After
a talk, IL was agreed that Sylvester
should take the Mexican to General
Houston, eight or ten miles away.
This he did, alternating as to the sad
die, first one and then the other riding
behind on the same horse.
Arriving at camp, Sylvester and his
prisoner dismounted and moved on
towards General HoustoRs marquee.
In passing the Mexican prisoners, they
recognized Santa Anna and invOlun-
tary arose, saluting him as FL Presi-
dente!"--the president. Arrived at the
marquee Santa Anna said-"I am An
tonic Lopez de Santa Anna, president
of the republic of Mexico and general
la chief of its armies, and surrender to
the brave, who are always generous"
Moses Austin Bryan was General
Houston's interpreter, and to him the
general said, "What does he say?"
Bryan rendered Santa Annals language
into Spanish, and added-"General
Houston, this is the president, General
Santa Anna"
From 1887 to ls43, we lived neighbor
to Captain Sylvester, and always got
this substantial version from him.
Major David Murphree, than whom
a purer man never breathed the air OF
Texas, and who understood the Span
ish language, often told US the same
story, and he was a lieutenant Of Cap
tain William II. Potter's company,
present at the arrival Of Santa Anna,
heard every word-never had seen Syl-
vester before, but always knew him
afterwards.
Less than two years ago, at Corsi-
cana, Moses Austin Bryan told us the
same material facts.
Besides, soon after the Telegraph
was revived. In the fall nj