The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1879-06-05
THE HERO OF SAN ANTONIO.

From the San Antonio Herald. April "a. -.---,
The creditable celebration of San ia
cinto day, at different places in our state
(not including the Alamo city, we confess
with ngrt1 have naturally caused the
imintlsof thinking men to revert to more
than one thrilling event of the war fol
Texan independence, and to contemplate
with more profound admiration thar
ever, the sublime characters of the
heroes. AS those events and patriots
pass before the minds eye, none stand
out with more prominence than Benja.
min R. Milan, the hero OF San Antonio
and genuine son of the ''dark and bloody
ground" The following interesting
sketch of his life, from Thralls recent
| history of Texas, should at this time be
read with peculiar interest by the people
of this city, 14}tE x 10
He distinguished himselfa as soldier in
| the war Of 1912, and at its close became
trader and avcnturer among the Indian
| tribes on the head waters of the Texas
| rivers. We next hear of him at Calves
ton, in 1916, then on his way to Mexico
to enlist in the ranks of the Republicans,
who We're trying to disengage themselves
from the Spanish yoke. After having
rendered valuable services in Mexico, in
1919 he visited New Orleans, where in
conf junction with Trespelatios, he organi-
zed an expedition to capture Tampico.
When sIturbide proclaimed himself elnper-
or, Milan joined the party opposed to
these pretentions. He was taken by the
imperial troops and thrown into prison,
where he languishcd for year. and was
finally released by an uprising among the
people. f.5s.l l'f' ,,s'-s ,.,'..S..
Milan was IN the fight at Nacogdoehes
in 1882. In 1885 he was at Saltillo, and
procured from the Legislature the exclu-
sive right to navigate the Colorado river
While there, the despotic plans of Santa
Anna began to be unfoldeds These We're
denounced in unmeasured terms by the
stern and incorruptible Milan. The re-
suit was Milan was again arrested and
thrown into prison at Monterey He soon
won the confidence Of the jailor, by whose
connivance, and the assistance of an out
side friend, who furnished fleet horse
he made his escape and fled. to aard Tex
as. He reached Texas at a most oppor-
tune moment. 1t was Just after the
skirmish about the cannon at Gonzales.
Capt Collinsworth had raised a company
for the capture of Goliad, Milan was
stealthily making his way eastward, when
he fell IN with ColIinsworth's men. He
at first supposed they were Mexican SOL
diers, and prepared to sell his life as dear
ly as psssible, preferring death to another
imprisonment. Listening closely, he
thought he heard his own, languaee ee
SPOKEN, and to his inexpressible. JOY soon
discovered that he was among friends.
Nothing could afford Milan more pleas
ure than to become one of the storming
party that captured Goliad
We have but meagre, accounts of this
distinguished patriot. He once remarked
to Judge Burnett that he had been in al
most every prison between the Rio Grande
and the City of Mexico. He WAS now
in Texas, and Texas was struggling to re-
sist the unsurpation of Santa Anna. At
terstaac capture Of Goliad,,s Milan went to
the Texas army, then preparing for the
capture of San Antonio. The prospect
was disheartening. The city was we'll
fortified, with a garrison of veteran troops
largely more than the Texans could mus
ter. A council of war in the Texas camp
haddecided that an attempt to take the
place by storm would be too hazardous
At this juncture, when the army ap-
peared undecided, and was in danger of
disbanding, through dissensions, by the
advice of Burlson, Milan step out in front
of the headquarters and announced that
Old Ben Milan was going into San An
tonic and wanted volunteers to go with
him. With a shout the men rallied to
the standard Of the brave old,soldier In
the hour Of victory, when reconnoitring
with his glass for the final assault, he was
pierced with rifle ball, which instantly
killed him. He was temporarily buried
in the yard of the Veramandi house