The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-03-05
AN INTERESTING LETTER.

Ohfssttda AdCooate Of Memphis in 1855. II
IS from one Of the most heroic men who
fought the battles Of Texas, and shows the
danger, misery and privation to which they
were subjected. The copy Of this letter
has been handed US by the widow Of Col.
Wilson, who died in the fall Of 1861, after
entering the Confederate service. Mrs.
Wilson is here looking after some Of the
rights that have been, and others that
should be, accorded the services Of the
Texas patriots.
fFrom the Chritfian Advocated
The following is true copy Of letter
written by Col. William s. Wilson. Of Texas.
to his uncle, William Wilson, OF Rockbridee
county, Va, when a prisoner Of war in the
Castle Of Perote, Mexico. He was sen
fenced to be shot, but the sentence was sub
sequently committed to hard labor for life.
This copy wassent by request to Mr.. Thomas
Wilson, Marshall county, Miss, and re-
ceived on the first Of May, 1855:
Dear Uacle-At last silence is broken, and
/ address you from the, Castle Of Pcrote in
the Republic Of Mexico, this twelfth Of
August, 1874, and hoping this letter may
reach you. am now under the most pecu-
liar circumstances-that Of prisoner Of
war, in the confines OF the most miserable
prison upon earth, made to perform the
most mental services, with heavy logchain
fastened around my ankle.
There arc about 200 Of usin this situation,
sharing and suffering alike; part OF us
perform scayenger work; a part the service
Of mules, working in wagon; others
carrying sand about mile on their backs.
We perform ali this in q naked condition,
not half fed, guarded by the most vile Of
all the human species; then our taslI-mas-
tiers or drivers are still of worse class, if
possible, being selected from vast crowd
Of eonyiets seemingly to use at discretion
all the cruelty possible over us that they
may think proper They arc armed with a
long pole instead Of n rod. BY the appli-
cation OF this pole, we arc all forced up to
what they call duty, aud if any one hinches,
they apply the pole in the same way they
apply it 10 the mules in wagon. We all
have ono thin blanket and mat, which con
siitute our bed and boarding, and that upon
q brick floor inside Of n stone wall eight
feet thick, the inside Of which has not been
heated by other than animal heat for the
last five hundred years. You will think it
strange when ! tell you that it is the coolest
climate ] ever visited, and that in latitude
nineteen degrees. On yesterday morning
there was 4 snow sufficient to make the
ground quite gray.
From this you may Judge how we suffer
in our naked condition. The wants of many
Of my companions have been much light
ened by their friends sending them money
from the United States. Those who have
money can live toleTably we'll; clothing and
provisions being cheap here. Those Of us
having no friends in that quarter, suffer
more than death. You will understand
that there is no communication between this
country and Texas, so l am shut out. i
have written time after time to my BROTH
ers, but have received no answer One let
Ger in particular wrote to brother Thomns,
desiring him to see Governor Mcdowell, and
get him TO petition the President of the Re
public of Mexico for tie release OF myself
and w. A. Wallace This was of vital inn
portancc to nue., and has never been
answered. On your receipt of this letter,
please see my mother, show her this letter,
and tell her that / have been here for
eighteen or nineteen months, and still live
in hopes l will get home yet.
was living in the Republic of Texas,
and doing tolerably well Tor a young man.
] was an acting sheriff for three years, col
onel Of the first regiment of Texas militia,
which / resigned. Since that l held the
Office of quartermastcr of the second regi-
ment, second brigade, under General Sam
Houston. Knowing my country was in
vaded by the Mexicans, my Virginia blood
burned for battle. / left homo on the
twelfth day of October, 1912. We had our
first battle on tho twenty-frst of December
following. After a severe fight of nineteen
hours-202 Of Us against 31O0--we surren-
dered, with loss of eleven killed and
nineteen wounded. The loss of the enemy
was zoo killed and wounded Initwo days
we were started to Matamoros on foot
drove like so many mules-with hardly any
thing to eat; from thence TO Monterey;
thence to Salullo, where we were stopped
for two days, We were then put upon the
rad again. About 10 miles southeast, at
Saltur, We were shut up in prison.
In the night We dug out, and in five
minutes we were well armed with CLUBS,
aud attacked the guard, whose numbers were
four to ono of us. We soon had the guard.
routed, took about one hundred horses,
saddles and brides, $1400 in money, and
little provision, and started for home in
hurry. In three days we were two hundred
and thirty miles ON our way back, when we
left the road, and took to the mountains.
The second day we found the mountains
impossible. No water, and out of provisions,
we we've compelled 70 kill our horses and
mules, and eat them. After eating hearty
meal, we jerled rs much of the meat as we
could carry conveniently, and started ON
foot with the understanding that all who
broke down were 10 be left am sorry to
state that young Mr.. Jordan, from Lexing-
ton, Virginia, was left in the mountains.
We travelled FIVE days without water in this
perishing condition. The Mexicans came
upon as in small squads; We were so far
exhausted for want of water, they again
retOok Us, and We were marched back to
SaltUr, and ordered to be shot; but they
not having troops sufficient, the day of exc
eution was suspended until they were REIN
forced
We then started back 70 Salado. On the
way we hroko upon the guard, killing a
number Of them. We were then shut in
prison, hand-clJlcd two and two together,
aud the ordcrfof the supreme government
read % us; but SO much time had elapsed
that the British and American ministers in
tcfiefcd, and had the original order reduced
60 one tenth man, 10 be decided by drawing
beans from a box, in which there we've
nine black, and one wkite. Capt. Cameron
and myself were threatened all the time,
aud kept separate from th, balance. When
we went 90 draw beans Tor our lives, NE
were called on iifst, and both proved fortu-
nate. Al this place seventeen Of our COM
panions were leti cut and shot, and some OF
them shot as often as fifteen times.
This was done within ten steps Of the
crowd. You may imagine cur feelings on
this occasion. In ten days after. they shot
Capt. Cameron, when ihoaght i a squally
time Tor nae. though have escaped thus far.
think am pretty Tough. and II any grt
home Will Enclosed you Nih find my
profile. Sc mother IS yet alive. hand at
10 hers Il not keep it yourself. and have
i iamed. Ally respects - aunl, ana ali my
cousins, rescrvihg 4 Share for Yourself.
W 81 MusON.
VA WILSON. iareieioa, To
lcorrs Ii,roaence nesaorraiIe statcsman4
Rronaler l,rote,stIon.