The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-25
NO. 30

5 santa Anna. We crossed Buffall
( Bayou little below Harrisburg, wher
, Santa Anna had been and burned tn,
=. town on the sixteenth. After captur
Ing the courier our army was drawn III
In line, and addressed by Gen. Hous.
ton to the effect, that after privations
and weary waiting he had caught the
hon In his den, and he would beard
him there; that he had looked for
reinforcements which he feared would
not be upIn time to help US; but that by
celerity of movement and strict obedi-
ence 10 orders, victory was certain; that
his army had been CLEANED of the tim.
Id, and he felt he could rely on every
man present to follow him to victory
or death. He recited IN glowing terms
and burning words the bloody charac-
ter OF our enemy, and reminded us of
their atrocities at the Alamo and Go
had, and that the blood of our martyred
brethren was appealing to US for ven
geance, concluding by instructing ua.
when in the heat and conflict of
battle, to let our war cry be ''The Ala
moi"
Gen. Rusk followed in short speech,
we'll calculated to arouse, to a sull
higher pitch, il possible, the feelings
OF the men, and engraved it upon
them to remember "Fannin and La
Bahial"
knowing now, to certainty, that
Santa Anna was ahead of us, we pushed
on vigorously until late in the night of
the nineteenth, when we lay on our
arms for q short rest, without food.
ana were again on the march before
day on the twentieth. The wished for
hour was fast approaching. We were
in sight of our hated enemy, and we
felt, to certainty, that the arch -fiend,
the cold-blcoded murderer of our
friends and brethren. was of this num-
Der, and it's leader; and oh, how our
bosoms heated and nerves tingled to be
turned loose" upon him!
There is no briefer or better way of
describing the operations of the twen-
tieth and twenty first of April, than by
presenting the following extracts from
the official report of Gen. Houston to
President Burnet: "The Texan army
was halted within half a mile of
Lynch's Ferry, In some timber, and
were engaged in slaughteripe
beeves, when the army of Santa
Anna was discovered to be approach
ing IN Dattle array. Disposition was
Immediately made of our forces, and
preparation for his reception began.
He took position with his infantry
and artillery in the centre, occupying
an island of timber, the cavalry cover
ing the left flank. The artillery, con-
sisting of one double-fortified medium
brass twelve-pounder, then opened on
our encampment. His infantry, in
column, advanced with the design of
charging our lines, but were repulsed
by discharge of grape and canister
from our artillery, consisting of two
six-pounders. The enemy
withdrew to position on the banks of |
the San Jaclnto, about three fourths of
mile from our encampment, and |
commenced iortifying. A short time
before sunset our mounted men, S5 in |
number, under special command of |
Col. Sidney Sherman, marched out for |
the purpose of accommodating the ene-
my. While advancing they received |
volley from the left of the enemv's
infantry, and after a sharp rencounter |
with their cavalry, returned In good |
order. = |
"About nine o'clock on the morn
ing of the twenty first the enemy |
were reinforced by 500 choice troops |
under Gen. Cos, increasing their ef-
fective force to 1900, while our aggre-
gate force for the field woe roo. nj
heltspssto otbEfe in the pasqtafdfg pasfqtafdfgoQRe I or
spective commands, having in the
meantime ordered the bridge on the |
only road communicating with the
Brazos, distant eight miles from our
camp, to be destroyed, thus cutting
off all possibility of escape.
The first
regiment, commanded by Col. Ed.
Burleson, was assigned to the center.
The second, under Col. Sherman,
formed the left wing of the army.
The artillery, under the special COM
mand of Col. g. w. Hockly, was
placed on the right of the first regi-
ment, and four companies of infantry,
under Col. Henry Millard. sustained |
the artillery on the right. Our cavalry,
sixty-one strong, under Col. NJ. B. La.
mar, placed on our extreme right, COM
pleted our line. Our cavalry was then |
dispatched to the front of our enemy's |
left. The artillery advanced and took |
station within 200 yards of the enemy's |
breastworks, and commenced an effec- |
tive fire with grape and canister.
''Col. Sherman, with his regiment,
having commenced the action upon our !
left wing, the whole line at the center |
and on the night, advancing in double
quick time, raised the war cry, ''Re. |
member the Alamol" received the |
enemy's fire and advanced within |
point blank shot before a piece was |
discharged from our small arms. Our
line advanced without halt until they
were in possession Of the woodland
and the enemy's breastworks, our ar
tillery having gallantly charged to
within seventy yards of the enemy's
cannon, when it was taken by oIr
troops.
1.-THE conflict lasted about eighteen
minutes from the time of close action
until we were in possession Of the en-
emy's encampment, taking one piece
of artillery, five stands of colors, all
their camp equipage, arms, stores and
baggage.
"The reut commenced at half-past 4
and the pursuit by the main army con-
tinued until twilight. A guard was
left with the enemy's encampment, and
our army returned with their killed
and wounded. Our loss was two killed
and twenty-three wounded, six OF them
mortally. The enemy's loss was $50
killed, among them one general officer,
four colonies, two lieutenant colonels,
five captains and twelve lieutenants,
and 206 wounded, OF which FIVE were
colonies, three lieutenant colonies, two
second lieutenant eolonels, seven cap
tains and one cades." Santa Anna
was captured on the twenty-second and
Cos on the twenty-fourth; very few es-
capped.
By this victory Texas achieved her
independence and il, as Hallam as
serts, great battles are not to be esti-
mated by the numbers engaged or
slain, but by the results and benefits
to the cause, then must the battle Of
San Jacinto be reckoned As one Of the
greatest battles Of the nineteenth cen
tury. w.
Reau Hrumnel,n Lasa ReeenfFaws