The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-04-20
"RIMEMBER THE ALAMO.v
An Old Soldier Who Fought at San Ja-
cinto Tells the Story OF the Awful
SLAUGHTER
louisville Courier-Journal.l


Mexico, the lost cause and the restored Uniol
are frequently heard of in annual reunion
and the advancement of the claims upor
the Government for bounty, there is an
other little band, who, though silent in tn,
matter of compensation for theil
services, are the survivors of a cam
paign that attracted the attention
of the entire country. During the re
cent reunion in this city of the Veterans oil
the Mexican War two or three of these gray
haired men stood by and paid silent homage
70 the heroes of Buena Vista and Saltillo
who should have occupied prominent
positions in the parades and exercises, This
little squad, whose deeds of ,valor are SO
seldom heard of, are the survivors of the
memorable struggle for Texan independ-
ence, which preceded the war between the
United States and Mexico They responded
to the call of the infant Republic of Texas for
assistance in throwing off the yoke of
Mexican tyranny, and aided the band under
General Sam Houston in routing the Next
cans under Santa Anna on the bloody but
| decisive field of San Jacinto on the 2lst day
of April, 1886. Mr.. Samuel o. Fowler, who
resides at No. 300 Fourth avenue, this city,
| was a member of the band which left Ken
lucky To aid the Texans, and heard General
Houston's address to the Army on the banks
of the San Jacinto River on that eventful dav
The State of Texas has never forgotten the
"a
movement Is on foot now in the Legislature
of that State to provide for the veterans in
their old age, q Courier-Journal reporter
conveyed the news TO Mr. Fowler and
learned some interesting "reminiscences
The State of Texas Is discussing a PROPOSE
ton TO present each of the survivors OF that
struggle with magnificent grazing farm
ana i'll regard to that Mr.. Fowler said:
81 received letter from an old comrade
I'M ha infa NJ fha 70 g.
formation on the subject, and / wrote to a
lawyer in Austin about it, but he did not
think the effort would amount to any
thing"
The reporter handed him the clipping
from the proceedings of the Texas Legisla-
ture of February %, which read as follows:
"Mr. Lightfoot called up Senate bill No
12l, giving $50 acres of land to each of the
survivors of the Texas Revolution and
signers of the declaration of Texas indie
pendence and widows of the same sub
Stitute not materially changing the bill was
adopted and the bill passed."
After reading it Mr.. Fowler said THAT
has the ring of true Texas gratitude. Her
liberality is as boundless as her plains, and
she manifestS it with frequency seldom
practiced by Republics. On one occasion
she gave each of US $40 acres of bounty land,
and on another she donated ,476 acres as a
head-right, and in 1875 she gave us 81 900
each, and it seems that she feels indebted
to the soldiers who drove the 'greasers' from
her soil"
"Where did you enlist under the Lone
Star banner" asked the reporter.
'In Owensboro. KY" he replied. when
was nineteen years old my father sent me
from Fredericktown, in Nelson County, to
greensboro to study medicine, and in the
early part of 1884 Captain Holmes, of that
place, opened q recruiting office for the
Texan army, and / caught the contagion
and enlisted. Captain Holmes raised a
ments from other parts of the State swelled
the number to 500.
Colonel Charles L. Harrison, who died
about three years ago, a few miles from the
city, was in command of the Kentucky re-
cruits and chartered a steamboat to trans
port us to New Orleans. When we reached
that city We were regarded as filibusters, and
a man who claimed that the Captain of the
boat was indebted to him took out an at
tachment against the boat and placed it in
the hands OF the United States Marshal to
be served. The Marshal jumped aboard
just as We were pushing out from the wharf,
and commanded the Captain to sur
render, but we laughed at him
a while and then told HIM he was
our prisoner. We took him with us to
Natchitoches, on Red River, where we dis
u.
He was very mad at first, but he cooled down |
after while. and became so agreeable that |
we became very much attached to him. |
From Ntaehitoches We started on foot to Join |
General Houston'S army. We found il en- |
camped on the Gulf, near the eastern boun- |
dairy of Texas Soon after reaching camp |
General Houston heard of Santa Annals at |
vance and began to retreat northward. |
The Mexicans outnumbered the Texans |
~ nrnl
Houston determined to draw Santa Anna as |
far into the interior as possible before risk |
ing an engagement, and it was whispered /
around that little grapevine diplomacy was |
being conducted between President Jackson |
at Washington City and General Gaines at
Fort Jessup 1t was stated by our officers |
and believed by our men that the Secretary |
of War had given General Gaines permission |
to furlough his garrison for forty days, it |
being understood that the men were to spend |
the time as guests of General Houston, |
and it was believed that General Houston |
was falling back in order to let them join |
him before offering battle. This and many |
other reasons were given for our continued |
retreat In order to keep down dissatis- |
faction in the army, but there was great |
complaint and the men began TO speak very |
of General Houston. The re-
treat had been continued about ten DAYS |
when the army halted on San JacintO River |
Santa Anna was endeavoring to outfank US |
and prevent us from forming junction with |
General Gaines furloughed soldiers, and |
when our army halted the Mexicans crossed |
the river just a few miles below us. General |
Houston, who was well acquainted with the |
country, saw that he had Santa Anna |
at a disadvantage After crossing the |
river the Mexican army camped |
on point formed by the junction |
of bayou and the San Jacinto River
and General Houston determined to cross |
and march down on them. By the time we |
got across heavy rains set in. and the river |
ran very high, which increased the danger |
of Santa Aannas position. General Hous-
ton got everything ready, and on the morn |
ing of April 81, 1896 he marched his Army |
ont on the plain, and issued an address I'd the |
men. He said they would retreat no
further, but would face about. and, with the !
battle-cry, Remember the Alamo drive
the Mexicans into the river and make buzz
zard bait out of them. 1t was understood
that we were to take no prisoners; We were
to ask no quarter andgrant none. We marched
down on the Mexicans, and in short time
the tight became general across the strip of
land lying between the river and the bayou
Santa Annals superior numbers availed him
nothing, as he had no ground on which to
execute flank movement, and he could do
nothing but make a square fight. 1t was
but short time until the Mexicans began
to see that the Texans were determined To