The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-01-16
FANNIN AND HIS MEN.
A Thrilling Episode in the His
tory of Texas-The Massacre of
Three Hundred and Thirty
Prisoners in Cold Blood.

/
Gold (Tsxas) Cor. st. Louis Globe-Demoerat.
The ruins Of the old Mission
church Of the antique Mexican town
of Goliad, gray with time and brist-
ling with the thistles and tall cactus,
lie strewn in remarkable confusion
on one side of the NEST beautiful
site along the river San Antonio
from it's rise in San Pedro Springs
to its mouth in one Of the bays on
the south coast OF Texas. In the
spring of the year, when the warm
sun glistens on the dew drops that
weight down the tall grass tops of
the adjacent prairies, or lights up
the myriads of roses that blush on
their surface, no more beautiful spot
could be selected for quiet meditA-
tion.
LOVE OR ROMANCE.
Like another AIhambra, it brings
up the contemplation of the past,
and the Texan of to-day, leaning
over the broken walls, reverts to
the stirring scenes Of the revolution
of 1886. and of the bloody incidents
connected with that struggle, and
which occurred in the shadows Of this
old church, more than forty years
ago. The main buildings. OF massive
stone walls and the dulI cIumsy
architecture Of 1892. the date of it's
building by the Spanish monks. is
still standing. but the once lofty
walls of the plaza, which made the
place in reality a fort for defense
against the Indians Of the olden
time, are all in ruins.
On The northward, and few hun
drod yards distant, flow the clear
waters OF the San Antonio, here
shallow enough to he fordel in dry
weather, aud fringed on either bank
with lofty poplars aad the stately
cottonwood. On The westward. and.
basking in the red rays of the sit
ting sun. are the low, one story,
thatched roof. adobe houses and
quiet streets of the old Mexican
town Of Goliad. with its mcrose,
swarthy men, with jingling spurs
and broad-brimmed hats with silver
serpents5 for bands, it's handsome
black-eyed, black-haired matrons and
graceful damsels.
THE OCCUPATION BY TEXAS TROOPS.
In the early part of 1886 Gen.
Santa Ana. the arrogant dictator of
Mexico, ia the prosecution Of the
war against his Texas dominion,
planned and undertook the invasion
Of territory still claimed by the
power. Sending Gen. Urea with
portion of his army to chastise the
settlements on the gulf coast north
OF the Nueces, Santa Anna himself,
with 1000 troops, invaded what is
now West Texas. taking the city Of
San Antonio, and, with characteris-
tic. cruelty, putting its Texan garri-
son in the Alamo fortress to the
sword. Nor 10 it otherwise than re-
markable that while Travis and it's
heroic defense lay among the heaps
Of the slain, fate was preparing
still moro startling herrer on the
banks Of the very sane river that
flows past the grim walls of the
Alamo. Gen. Urea, with a supe-
rior force. after a battle at Refugio,
rapidly advanced northward, and on
the 18th of March. 1886. appeared
before Goliad, whose old church and
stone fortress were occupied by the
Texan commander. Col. Fannin.
with 300 men. On the morning of
the 18th, with a small detachment
of cavalry and several pieces OF ar
tillery, the Texans evacuated the
town and retreated across the river
toward Victoria. But Col. Fannia,
undertaking the strength of his
enemy and the danger Of the situa-
ten, was too late in the movement.
He was intercepted by the Mexicans
on the banks of the Coleta, beau.
tiful stream twelve miles to the
eastward. while his men were rest
ing aud the oxen that hauled his
baggage and artillery were leisurely
browsing on the broad prairie and
munching its tall grass.