The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-08-04

Urea went TO Victoria. The prisoners
were huddled at Goliad into the Old
church, place not half large enough
for them, with but one window that
can remember. They were kept there
two days, and then allowed to go out
into the open area of the fort.
On the Odd of March Millers com
mand. 10 which belonged, reached
Goliad. The company consisted of sew
enty men, who had been captured at
Capano. We were allowed to mingle
freely with the other prisoners, but were
assigned separate quarters at nightfal.
Next day Wards battalion, which had
escaped from the Mission, and had been
captured near the Guadalupe river, were
brought into Goliad, making i'll all near
ly 500 prisoners.
On the morning of our arrival at
Goliad, we met two gentlemen and a
squad of lancers. One of the gentlemen
was Col. Fannin, who, although wounded,
was on horseback; the other was Col.
Holzinger, a Mexican artillery officer.
Fannin said he had fought a hard battle
OH the 10Th, and had surrendered upon
honorable terms the next morning. He
was then on his way to Capano, to pro-
cure vessel to transport his men to
New Orleans. This is proof positive
that Fannin surrendered upon honorable
terms, and not at discretion, as Santa
Anna always insisted, and, doubtless, be-
lieved. have read TREAS dispatch to
Santa Anna from near Victoria, in which
he gives full account of his proceed
ings since leaving the Rio Grande, tells
of all prisoners at Goliad, but says not
one word about any agreement with
Fannin relative to terms of surrender,
leaving the Commander in Chief in the
belief that Fannin surrendered at dis
cretion. / know, from Almonte's diary,
that this is the only dispatch received by
Santa Anna from Urea since he had left
the Rio Grande.
The courier from Santa Anna arrived
ut Goliad on the Goth, having left San
Antonio the morning of the same day,
distant 100 miles. Don j. n. Partilla,
the commandante, glanced at the super
scription, then at the black seal bearing
the Presidents arms, an upright arm and
dagger, with the legend, "Mano y
Clavo," and sat down on his camp stool
to read the missive, uttering something
like groan. Its purport was that he
had certain prisoners in charge, that he
knew what his duty was, and must
execute that duty and promptly rejoin
his commander. Partilla threw down
the dispatch in disgust. "Duty, in
Decd" he muttered, leaning his head
upon the table. VI |
A woMAN's INFLUENCE.
A young woman entered the room,
took up the letter, and read it through
from beginning to end. Partilla looked
up and discovered the intruder with the
dispatch in her hand.
II see you have been reading my dis
patch, said the commandant.
$50 I have. [ came here with that
very purpose, she replied.
81 suppose you know what it
means9"
=" understand its meaning perfectly.
1t means the death of every American
now in Goliad. l have watched for the
courier since daybreak, and was resolved
to know the contents OF his dispatch at
any peril. What are your intentions9"
"To obey the Presidents instructions
to the letter."
"There is one company among the
prisoners in there of whose capture the
| President could not have been advised
when he wrote that dispatch. 1 mean
the men from Capano."
4" L don't know that"
"Suppose you assume that he was not
aware of their presence. He does not
mention the company in his letter"
"Well, what then 1t would only
prolong their lives for few days"
"Promise me that you will do as /
wish. Much can be done in five days.
/ have friends near the President whom
he cannot afford to disoblige; nor can
they well afford TO slight me. Promise
me this, and Francisco, my husbands
orderly, shall start for Bexar tonight. "
=" 1t shall be as you desire. They call
me Indian, Sonora Alavesque; but were
/ President would not write that letter
for all the lands your father owns not
for all the gold that ever passed the mint
of Mexico"
The Colonel leaned his bronzed Aztec
face upon the table, weeping like q
child.
Donna Pachita Alavesque, a lovely
woman of 90 was the wife of Colonel
! OF the Mexican army, man OF great
wealth and power. She had followed
him to Texas. partly from whim, but
chiefly in the hope of doing good. Her
visit that night to the commander saved
seventy lives.
Col. Partilla sent courier that night
at o'clock to Victoria, informing Gen.
Urea of the receipt of Santa Annals note,
and of the plan he should pursue. he
also informed him of his intention in re-
spect to the company to be reserved.
THE LAST NIGHT.
On that same evening the rlmor got
abroad among the prisoners inside the
fortress that the Commander-in-C hiel
had been heard from, and that all would
march in the morning for Capano, where
ships were waiting to transport us tC
New Orleans. Nearly all were young
men, most of whom had pleasant homes
and friends who would welcome them
home with JOY. Many were singing
gleeful songs, or telling pleasant stories
and talking of their friends. A young
man asked some one, apparently among
Wards men, If he remembered Jacl
Fellows-I think that was the name
The answer was "Yes." And the frs
voice continued: "Do You mind loy