The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-25

e various directions. Fannin with trooI
at Goliad; Travis in the Alamo; Fran
johnson and Grant at San PatriclC
e medltatlng descent on Matamoro.
t Santa Anna crossed the Rio Grand
I with overwhelming numbers and lai
s siege to the Alamo; while Gen. Urre
a advanced by the coast route on Sa
, Patrlclo, Refugio aud Golisd. John
son, after q gallsnt defense with fort
men at San Patrlcio, on March 9, wa
defeated with the loss of all his fore,
except four QncludiHg HIMSELF, VIII,
made good their escape. Grant wa!
surrounded on the same day on tn,
Aqua Dulce, and his force put to death
On the sixth day of March the Alamo
fell, and every man fell with it. Here
Travis and his more than Spartan com.
rades yielded up their lives on the altar
of their country. On the eleventh
Capt. King was surrounded and de-
teated by Urrea's troops near Refugio.
On the twentieth Col. Fannin surreu-
dered. On the twenty first Col. Ward
was captured, and on the twenty-sey-
eoth these gallant men, who had been
betrayed into a surrender, were bru
tally and tiendIshly butchered while
priconers of war. These atrocities
have passed into history and horrified
the civilized world ana created in the
heart OF every true Texan q spirit of
vengeance that could only be appeased
with blood.
On the first of March, 1896, a con-
vehtlon met at Washington, on the
Brazos. On the second, independ-
ence was declared. On the fourth.
Sam Houston was appointed COM
mander in-chief of the army of the
Republic. On the seventeenth the
convention adopted the constitution
OF the Republic, and on the same day
made government dd interim, with
David G. Burnet President. By this
time the news Of the fall of the Alamo
had reached Washington, and fearing
too close proximity to the enemy,
the convention hastily adjourned with
out signing the constitution, and the
government al interim Withdrew to
Harrisburg, on Buffalo Blyou, and
soon afterwards to Galveston Island.
On the sixth OF March, Gen. Houston,
with w. G. Cooke, and others of his
stall, with few members of the con-
vention, who preferred the field to the
forum, left the Brazos with what few
volunteers they could pick up, and
started for the scene OF action. On
the same day the Alamo had fallen.
Houston arrived at Gonzales Just as
rumors of Travis's defeat had reached
there. These rumors were verified by
Mrs. Dickinson, who reached Gonzales
about the thirteenth of March. Intelli-
gence reached Gen. Houston that San
ia Anna was advancing with 1000, men
and was to encamp on the Salado on
the night of the twelfth twelfth. There
were now at Gonzales about $50 Tex
ans, with scarcely two days provisions.
many without arms, and Others with
out ammunition. Houston's army
here, if it could be called an ar nv, had
at Gonzales but two wagons and two
pair of oxen. In two hours from the
time he received the news of Santa
Annals advance. which was about
nine O'Clock on the night of
the thirteenth, after firing the town
and leaving some scouts and spies be-
hind, Houston and his hungry, rag
ged, undlsciplined band were in full
retreat towards the Colorado, reaching
the Navidad on the evening of the
fourteenth. The panic-stricken citi-
zens of Gonzales and surrounding coun-
try accompanied the retreating forces.
Next day the retreat was continued,
the last of the troops reaching the Col
orado about P. NJ. ON the seventeenth
OF March. A Teag. eag.vgA ggAsTd, .bQ.gegsG,
lilies who had travelled q different road
from that taken by our army. Hous-
ton established his headquarters at Bea-
sins crossing, on the Colorado, and
stationed some 200 men at Dewees's
crossing, few miles above, opposite
to where the town Of Columbus now
stands. Tramps were coming il daily,
and by the time encampments were
thus established Houston's force
amounted to 700 or 800 men, aud con-
stantly augmenting. Texas, west of
the Colorado, was for the time aban-
doned to the Mexicans. Shortly after
our arrival on the east bank of the Col
orado, say the nineteenth of March,
the Mexican Gen. Sesma, with force
estimated by some scouts, sent over the
river by Col. (then captain) Sherman,
who was in command of the upper en-
campmenr, at 800 men, with two small
field pieces and about seventy cavalry.
Sherman's command had now increased
to about $50 men; Houston's to about
$50. Many have thought this was the
proper place for Houston to strike his
first blow. No doubt we could haye
beaten Sesma here, but results have
proved that Houston adopted the bet
ter policy for the safety of the country,
and this is not the occasion to argue
that point. The retreat from the Colo
RADIO commenced On the twentieth of
March, the two commands meeting
where the respective roads from Bea-
sons and Dewess come together. At
this point we were joined by the com
panles of Capts. Reman and Fisher,
fine looking men and we'll equipped In
every particular requisite for field SER
vice, Continuing the retreat we reach
ed the Brazos on the twenty-eighth,
many of our men having left to see to
the safety of their families; and on the
twenty-ninth, when we made camp on
the west side of the Brazos river, OPP
posite Grocis, we had not more than
700 or 800 men; and from that time
until the battle of San Jacinto about
as many men left US on various pre-
lenses as we received volunteers to re-
inforce US. But here was commenced
regular system of discipline, and
drIll and guard duty enforced. will
here state that it is known to this
writer that from the first of April on
ward our commander was constantly
expecting reinforcements from the red
lands of East Texas, as well as succor
from Mississippi promised by Gen.
Quitman and others; and for days be-
fore we quit this encsmptment and on
every morning after we left Grocis un-
til we reached Harrisburg, the General
dispatched q messenger to meet these
expected reinforcements and inform
them how and where to join the army.
But high waters prevented these gallant
gentlemen from reaching US before it
was necessary to fight the battle Of
San JacInto. The chlvAlrous Quitman,
with about eighty well mounted
and equipped cavalry, reached
US the day after the battle.
The New York battalion, under
Morehouse, Stanley, Louis p. Cook
and other gallant officers, were also
strsining every nerve to reach rs; but,
with the exception of few of the gal
liant band. were too late to participate