The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1877-09-21
SAN JAcINTo.
a Boy Soldiers Account Of the Battle that
Achieved Texan Independence.
To the American.

] ~ lh6 AneIlCAus
In the process of arranging some
furniture ] found the subinined letter,
| which had thought for many years
had been lost. Ii was written by my
brother, under date Of '8Galvcston
Bay, Tex, April -, 1885, and gives
brief account of the battle of San ia
cintO. He was a boy, at the time, OF
about nineteen Year., and joined n
company of boys about the same age,
! i'm the month of December, 1855, at
Columbia, Maury county, who started
TO Texas to aid Gen. Houston in his
war with Mexico. They marched
from Columbia to Nashville on foot.
Here they took steamboat Ia the
mouth of Red river. They assembled
| that river in Il boat To Natchatoches,
and from there marched OH foot across
/ the country to NaCOgdoches. While
| en- route about half the company dc
serted, the Captain with them, and
| returned To their homes. I think only
! about twelve or fifteen reached NacOg-
I dOches. 1t occurred 10 me that the
! letter might bc Interesting 10 at least u
| portion OF your readCrS--tO some for
! its antiquity as relic Of the past, and
! to others as a description of Il famous
! battle, written by one OF the actors
upon the ground where il was fought,
( and almost before the smoke of battle
! had cleared away.
The letter il a. follows:
! GALVESTON BAY, Ten iS, April -,
! lSS6-Dcar brother: If you received
| my letter Of the 25d inst. you will read
! this one with but little interest," for
there has nothing of importance trans
! pired since that date. But lest you
! should not have received that one, ~
| know communication from the
States To- Texas j. extremely difficult,
I shall here briefly state a few interest
Ing facts.
On the morning of the 10Th, Gen.
| Santa Anna arrived i'm sight of the
place with | ,0D men. Houston had
about $40 men, GuU Of which were able
TO take the field lin grove Of timber,
with the bay on the west and AN OK
temsiVe prairie on the north, south and
east. Santa Anna marched with solid
column to the attack; but they were
repulsCd almost before they started.
They then retired Ia "A grove OftimlCr,
about one mile distant rom our camp,
To wait for rCiniOrCCmuntS. They
spent that night in tOrtifying, expect
ing an attack that night. Next morn
ing Gen. Cos reinforced him with 500
men. We were then determined to
make an attack that day. According
Iy we were ordered To form for battle
on the 2lst about { o'clock =. NJ, which
was done in n few minutes, but our
cavalry were discovered 10y the almost
~ soon a. they wrrU formed. They
opened their cannon on H. at the dis
tancc Of onc-halfa Il milc, but with no
effect. The orders were instantly Civ
Ell to charge, which was done with
4,
us before We were within rifle shot Of
Them. They then opened most tre-
mcndOus fire of muskctTy upon our
lines, still boring away with their Ion"
brass 9 pOu.IdCr, but TO no effect, until
we arrived within 80 pacCs, when we
opened upon them with rifle muskctry
and artillery, with most TIliuOus effect,
which broke their lines Instantly,
spread desoation and death through
and over the field. But Santa Anna
left in haste with few of his lrightCu-
ed comrades, but our Swift-fpOtCd cav
airy gave chase to the fugitivCs, still
cutting them down at every point,
until 500 of the MeXicans threw down
their arms and surrendered. Amongst
the prisoners YOU will notice the
names of Gems. Santa Anna, Almmtc,
Cos, with the Adjutamt General ami
TWO OF lIiEec fNcCitGifleS whose names
are not rCcollccted.
We killed 600, took 800 prisoner,
one piece Of cannon, $40 horses aud
mules, 100000 in money, 500 stand Of
arms, $40, 900 worth of ammunition
and baggage. We lost seven men
killed and fifteen wounded. We are
now negotiating for peace. shall re
turn home i'm Il few days when | will
tell you all about it. Nothing more at
present. Yours truly,
MOSTGONlERN BANTER.
To Nat Baxter, Esq.
j. S.-OuF watch-word was, AlaDlOi
! the Alamo, and 10 Battle!
NJ. BANTER
/ This was probably the last letter lac
ever wrote; at least il is the last that
ever reached his friends az home. He
died very few days after that date,
and before nc started home, and wHs
buried on the banks of the san .Iacinto
river, buta short distance from the
battle ground.
NATHANIEL. AFTER