San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1880-01-10
The Time which Tried Mems
Souls In Texas.

We make another extract from the
autobiography Of Col. j. NJ. Swisher,
| in the American Sketch Book. Alter
the surrender of the Mexioans up.
der Gen. Cos, at San Antonio, the
Texans were so elated that an invasion
of Mexico was planned and attempted,
which came to grief. Still no appre.
hension was entertained in Texas till
the receipt of Col. Travis manifesto
announcing the siege and imminent
danger of tho Alamo. Col. Swisher
writes
This put different aspect on the
face of affairs. A few days before, l
had joined a surveying company under
Adolphus Hope, tor two or three
months expedition on the upper Bra
zos river, and we were all ready and
intended to start next day on that ex-
pedition; but in place of this We faced
west and started for the Alamo, on the
first of March. Our surveying parry
was composed of seven or eight men,
all of whom volunteered.
Others joined us, and we left home
with ten or twelve men. More Joined
US on the march and before we reach
ed Gonzales we had organized full
company and elected w. W. Hill,
captain, H. H. Swisher and Adolphus
Hope, first and second lieutenants'
We arrived at Gonzales Oh tho fifth of
March and found about two hundred
| volunteers from the Colorado and the
more contiguous points already there.
These troops had no commander save
their company officers, and each cap
tain seemed to be acting on his own
responsibility. Gen. Edward Burle.
son, who was lately in command of all
the troops at Bexar, was drilling in the
ranks as private soldier in Captain
Billingsley's company of Bastrop vol
unteers. Our force was considered too
small to justify further advance in
the direction of the Alamo; so we had
nothing to do but remain in camp and
await reinforcements which were daily
arriving in small squads. On the
tenth of March to the great gratifica
ton of the troops. Gen. Houston with
some of his staff arrived. He imme-
diately assumed command and went to
work in earnest organizing his army.
Gen. Edward Burleson was elected
colonel of the First Regiment. Captain
Sidney Sherman of the Kentucky vol.
unteers, lieutenant colonel. and Alex
ander Somervell, major.
Shortly after the organization, news
was received of the fall of the Alamo
and that every man had been slaugh-
tered. Notwithstanding all in camp
believed the report, it was not deemed
conclusive, and scouts were sent out
in the direction of San Antonio to as
certain if possible, the facts in the
case. They returned about sundown
bringing in Nlrs. Dickinson, Col. Ira.
Wis servant, and another. who had es-
capped aud who confirmed the unwel-
come news. Orders were Immediately
issued for a retreat.
While the news Of the fall of the
Alamo fell like blow upon the hearts
of all Texans, no where was it so se-
yerely felt as by the people Of Con-
zales. Only few days previous, thir-
ty.tvo men, residents of that place, in
fact the very flower Of Its male citizens,
had gone to the relief of the besieged
fortress at San Antonio, and Fighting
their way through the guards, hal sue
ceeded in getting into it. only TO fall
victims to the enemys sword litile
later. There Wss not a soul LEFT
among the citizens OF Gouzales. who
had not lost father. husband, broth
sr. or son, il that terrible massacre. /
shall never forget the scene Which fol-
ilszei the coueru2iior q The dread