The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-05-23

sssslss ssss
prisoner dlsmmnlod and moved on
towards Goherd lih.lonH mnWnccl
Nv pns4lng ilo MoSlonn pfl.otofs, thry
recognized ftntn Nnnn mad lnymOn.
tnry hfose, sMuiinp him ns NJ rtcsl.
drntol"-tlie president Arrived III tie
narqupe Santa Anna suld-."l nm IN.
tOiid Lopez dc Snnid Anna, president
Of the republic NJ MrSloo aud general
IL, chief OF lls armies, aud surrender Il
the brave, who are always generous"
Mosos Austln Bryan was Genera
lIouston's Interpreter, aud 10 him tht
general said, "What does no shy"
Bryan rendered Santa Annals Language
into Spanish, and Acknowledgement
Houston, this h the president, Genera
Santa Anna.r
From 1887 to lsi3, We lived neighbol
to Captain Sylvester, and always go
this substantial version from him.
Major David Murphree, than whom
purer man never breathed the mir o
Texas, and who understood the Span
ish language, often told us the same
story, and he was n lieutenant OF Cap
tain William III. Potter's company
present at the arrival of Santa Anna
heard every word-never had seen Syl
vester before, but always knew hin
afterwards.
Less than two years ago, at Corsi
cana, Moses Austin Bryan told us III
same material facts.
Besides, soon after the Telegraph
newspaper was revived, in the fall q
1886, it published the same facts, civ
ing Sylvester the same credit rs we d
now, and that statement was neve
contradicted till lately. 1t is sanctiiie
as the truth both by time and concur
rent testimony.
For this act Sylvester, who was
volunteer sergeant from Cincinna
Though reared in Baltimore), receive
a commission as captain, went back
Cincinnati and brought out q con
pany.
After the disarmament of the arm
, Sylvester remained mt TeXana, Jackso
= county, till the spring Of lS43, an
long served rs sheriff. We knew hii
we'll during all that time, were in di
: ferent Indian campaigns with him, Il
last time being the Somervell cxped
, ton at the close of 1912, which ell
minated in the famous battle of Mic
) and the CAPTURE of three hundred
our expedition.
With these explanatory remarks, "
, copy below Captain Sylvester's Ia
) letter to the Austin Statesman, al
trust there may be no further bogus a
tempts to rob him of his dues as
youthful hero:
MEXICAN TERANS-CAPrUREoF Sal
, ia ANNA.
5 NEW ORLEANS, May6 1871.
Editors Democratic Statesman-t
the last celebration of the veterans
the Texas revolution, held in tho eli
of Austin Oh the 2lst day Of April las
: noticed comments in some of Il
Texas papers of % speech made by Gel
5 eral J. b. Robinson at the celebratio
, as being the captOr of General San
| tI,a hnftla Of Tnr inf
in 1886.
General Robinson was one of Il
, party of, | think, five, with mysel
that left the main body of men, und
General Ed. Burles0n, at Vince
, bridge-who, with volunteers, was
pursuit of General Santa Anna and ii
stragglers of his army-on the twent.
second, the day after the battle. Pr
ceeding back to our main camp q
Buffalo bayou, we separated for Il
purpose of hunting. During our Sc
aration espied Santa Anna, b'
: neither Mr.. Robinson or any of Il
party was within five hundred yards
me when Santa Anna was capture
they coming up few moments afte
, | have always awarded the san
credit to that party that felt was dl
, to myself. But you will find amor
the archieves of the Texas historic
society full account of the capture,
also what passed between Gencr
r Santa Anna and myself, in the pre-
, ence OF General Sam. Houston, al
nearly the whole of our little army;
also complimentary card from Gel
eral Houston and the expression
thanks and gratitude from Santa Am
himself, to me, when captured. Pr
badly many of the old veterans hay
either forgotten me, or suppose II
dead, as | left Texas in 1S43, al
have resided in this city ever sine
where | have had the pleasul
of meeting many of my old con
rades and friends, among them m
old and honored commander an
, friend, General S. Sherman, who h;
"gone to that bourne from whence i
traveller returns" and many othe
whose names are enrolled among u
"honored dead"
Make what use of this you please, ;
r it is only intended to correct histo
ical error, and place myself III q propi
light before the veterans.
Yours truly,
JAMES A. SYLVESTER.
The reader will remember that il
stead of General J. i. Robertson, Cal
tain Sylvester refers to Mr.. Joel v
Robinson, an old and gallant citize