Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-07-22
NUMBER s6.
santa Annn.
1t is nearly forty years since when,
at the battle. of San Jaeinto.
Twas joyful TO Texans eye
NJ 80. s.,,,to AOrasc la.rfnnS n

'
at the battle of San Jacinto.
Twas joyful TO Texans eye
To see Santa Annals legiOns fly.
About thirty years have elapsed
also since he opposed Taylor and
Scott in the Mexican war; He still
lives, however. A correspondent of
the Mobile Videttc thus describes his
appearance:
We hardly had time to cast hasty
glance about us before a side door
opened and Santa Anna himself
stepped into the room. His Private
Secretary, Col. Noso, presented us,
and after shaking hands and making
a few commonplace remarks to each
one of us, he motioned toward the
chairs and we all moved over and sat
down. My surprise at the appear
ance of the old General was shared
by my companion. Instead Of the
gray-haired old man, that we had eX-
pected to see, an upright, sOldierly
figure stood before us. His form was
not yet bowed down by the weight of
years and his cool, black, flashing
eyes told tha- the fires of early If.
were not yet all spent. Incredible as
it may seem, Santa Annals hair has
not yet turned gray, and his face has
4 kindly, hopeful expression, strange
ly at variance with the widespread
ideas of his character. He wears no
heard of any kind and is rs smooth
faced as a woman. In talking he is
much troubled by badly fitting set
of false teeth, which fall from the
palate, and he is slightly deaf. 1t
was moving across the room and seat
ing himself on the sofa, however, that
the iniirmities of his age showed
themselves most conspicuous. His
false leg troubled him. and thought
he showed disposition to hide it,
for after seating himself very care
fully, he threw it out directly before
him and covered it with the left. He
sat upright, nor did he lean back or
change his position the whole hour
that we were with him. Santa Anna
is slim built. about five feet ten in
height, and in his younger days must
have been Il handsome man, rs he is
at present fine looking old gentle
man. He is talkative and social, loves
to recount his own exploits, and
seems to live at present altogether in
the past. He knows that the future
holds nothing for him, consequently
he takes very little interest in the
passing events of the day. He did
not even know the name of the Pres
ident of the United States, and asked
several little questions abOut our az
fairs that almost any school-boy would
be capable of answering. After some
general inquiries about his health,
the effect of the recent rains on his
disease (he is troubled with catarrh, }
and his projects for passing the sum-
mer, something was said chat led him
Off on the very track we had been
hoping for, viz: himself and his own
exploits. AS he found himself drift
ing thirty, forty and even Iilty years
into the past, his old form straight
ened up, his eyes shone like those Of
boy, and he seemed to be living it
all over again. In describing the
events of half a century ago, we were
astonished to note the accuracy with
which he gave the minutest particu-
lars. Every date and incident seemed
To be rs fresh in his memory as
though it were an event of the day
before.