The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-09-19
Who Captured santa ANN ,
To the Eiitor Of tho Herald.

anu Nn"rIes a. ObsDuFJ lIbo anu eAFlalu
or words TO that effect.
Other engagements have prevented ar
earlier reply on my part. Justice to an old
friend and the cause of truth, as long under
stood, demands IN answer now.
Never, until three or four years past have
/ heard tho capture Of Santa Anna credited
primarily to any one but Captain James A
Sylvester, then sergean. but afterwar DIS d
captain in the Texas army.
On the revival of the Telegraph newspaper
in the fall of 1885, the facts, as now stated
were eltorislly published,awsrding the credit
to Captain Sylvester resided nltcrward fol
several years as his neighb)r in Jacks OF
county, in which were several of the soldiers
OF San Jacinto, and it was rs thoroughly
understood MS any fact could be that he had
performed the act. Major David Murphree,
a noble man and soldier, often told mo that
he saw Sylvester ride into camp with SAINTS
Anna behind him. Judge John S. hIenefee
as truthful man as ever lived, was u soldier
tor nCterwards and ia now writin~. in n serie.
of chanters a history of his COUNTY in tbr
Jcckson County (Texans( Clarion. In hi,
thirteenth chapter published August II,
1880, speaking of the battle, he says:
next day parties were hunting and cap
turing Mexicans, and Captain james A. Syl-
vester captured Santa Anna, but didnot know
il to be him until he was brought
in to be turned in with the other prisoners.
when some of hem cried "San Tara? San
Tara El Presidente.n He then told the
guard TO take him to General Houston.
In his fourteenth CHAPTER. published Scr.
tomber 9th, Judge Menefee' speaking of old
citizens of jackson county. saws; "Captain
James A. Sylvester wss in the battle of San
.Jacinto, ceptured Santa Anna the dav alta,
the battle. and was deputy clerk of mi.
county from '37 to $50" will add that bo
filled other positions, civil and military. until
the spring Of 1913. when ne went TO New
Orleans. where no has ever since and still rs.
sides, being now connected with thu Missi'
sippi Valley TRANSPORTATION COMPANY
viii also state that ho was BaltimoreSn Inv
birth, printer by occupation,
and volunteer from Cincinnati to Texas 4
short time before tho campaign preceding
the battle. Ills last service to Texas was in
the Someryell campaign To tho Rio Grade
from which he and myself with soma twc
hundred Others, we're discberred on return.
ing to San Antonio. January 7 1Si9
Major Moses Austin BRYAN. now poslmas
ter Mt Brenhgm. was the i1tcrnretpr of Cen.
eral Houston at San Jarinto. and his MEDIUM
of communication with Santa Anna. Uc il
also secretary of the Texas Veteran nssoca.
ton. which held ia last annual re.union in
San Antonio, April l, 1880 On that occp.
sion Major BRYAN said
"Antonlo Lopcz do SANTA Anna WAS
brought into Camp in disguise during the af
Lernoon. He wore brown linen snit tha,
be had ,yideotly picked up at some deserted
house. Tho pan,s wero worn thres5h,re nj
me knees. Iio wore aid brncans moi m.tos
md without strings but when he sat down
We observed that he had ON very ina b.lc.
nose, md when we unbuttoned his o,d shirt
We found A fine embroidered one under il
lilo wore A glazed blnck sailor,s can.
He was brought intn conrn
by James A. Sylvester. 81 SERGEANT
Of Sidney Shermanis comnanv. "A Ia
passed the Mexican soldlera thew criad ont
FL Presidents. El Presidonte Cen SANTA
Anna Others told them to hush IN. rs il
would give santa Anna away. lie was INK on
before Sam Houston, who law on a couch
near post oak tree and told 10 sit down ON n
.ool chest that stood close Inv. Gen. Santa
Anna. striking his hand ON lis brcsst SAID
Am Gen. Antonio Lone Ia SANTA An's
President of Meyico Commond nr'i,, Gbi"c
If tho Army Of Oner,,ion and I mt mraeIf
# tho djsnosit Nm If tho brave Gen uoms,on
-, t., " - 49, N'"'N 'S''' "'N~' ~