The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-02-28
THE "TwIN SISTERS. %

John NJ. Wade is historical charac-
ter in Texls. His recitals of fact are
final. Whether the Twin Sisters''
were transferred TO the ladies of Gin
cinnati by others, or how these guns
were originally obtained is not stated,
and it signifies nothing. Their story
Is well told in the following letter
from him who used them on the field
of San Jscinto:
AUSTIN, February %, 1873.
Editors Democratic Stdtesmaa-In at =
cordance with your request to jot down
all l know touching the history of the
Twin Sisters" l cheerfully DO so, IS
the memory OF them Is very dear to me,
as wei! as TO every old veteran of Tex IS,
all of whom desire that no perverslon
of fact concerning them may be re-
ceived as history.
On the eleventh of April, 1886, the
| steamer Yellow Stone AIRED at Groce's
plantation, on the BRACES river, pesrly
opposite which was Houston's encamI-
ment, On the west side of the river.
This steamer came after Col. Groce's
crop of cotton, and brought with her
the two pieces of artillery and a few
supplies for the Texan army. The
'xes containing the guns, Carriages,
caissons and about eighty rounds OF
round shot If the calibre of the pieces
were marked hollow ware. They were
landed on the east side of the river by
direction of Gen. Houston, who select
ed sixteen young men to man them, at
the same time assigning Isaac N.
Moreland as captain, and w. Stillwell
as lieutenant. The gallant old Co.
J. G. Neil, an officer OF the regulsr
army OF the young republic, and who
had commanded artillery under Milan
and johnson before San Antonio in
1885, took the chief command. Whon
the pieces were unlocked we found
them to contain pair of iron medium
six Founders, with all parts of the
carriages, caissons, rsmrods, etc., COM
plete. The pieces were bran new, not
letter or device upon them. Col.
John A. Wharton, who was adjutant
general of the army, informed Col.
Neil, in the presence of the artillerists,
that they were present from the la
dies of Cincinnati, Ohio, and had
been shipped to the Texas army by
brothet of the Hor. David G. Burnett,
at the same time telling the boys that
he knew they were being placed in the
hands OF those WHO would appreciate
such present from the fair sex.
1t is needless here to describe our
march from this point to the battle
field of San Jaciuto, over bad roads,
an with one pair OF old, broken-dov n
horses to each piece. but / will stale
that they were gotten there mainly by
man power. Arrived at Harrisburg,
we found the place reduced to
hes; but timing some old tin and
other debris at mill, which had been
burnt down, we Improvised grape
and cansister shot by filing ten cases
with screw nuts and other small pieces
of iron, and by cutting bar lead into
pieces about three -fourths of an inch
In length and sewing them into small
bags of bedticking.
On the twentieth of April, when
Santa Anna made demonstration on
our camp with ebout 100 we'll
mounted, finely equipped lancers, the
first shot was fired from the Twin
Sisters, loaded with our homemade
grape. Shortly after the Mexlcans
opened on our camp with brass nine
FOUNDER, loaded with copper grape
shot, one of which took effect on the
thigh of our brave old Col. Neil, who |
had to return from the field, danger
ously wounded. We returned their |
fire, a gun being sighted by Dick |
ScurrY, and ascertained next day that |
it killed a mule, wounded an officer |
and struck their ammunition box |
When we went into action on the |
twenty first. we found the brave ana
Col. G. w Hockey at our
head. The battle of San Jaclnto has
been well and often described. and as
you request nothing but what pertains
to the "Twin Sisters" 1 confine N.Y.
self 20 their conduct alone. We were
not engaged more than twenty-five
We fired eleven shots In
that tlme-six from one piece and five
rom another-but every one told. The
asst shot was fired seventy yards from
the enemy's works, when we ceased,
Tor fear of striking our own men, who
we're then commipglipg with the enm'.
Where are the "Twin Sisters?" B.
ng called to the command of an infant
y cOmpa y a short time after the bat
lie, lost eight of them; and as truth
s what you are after, Twill not in
iulge in surmise based upon any of the
many rumors l have hesrd of their
JOHN NJ. WADE.