The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-04-20
dered . change OF base. In accomplishing

this movement his command, in the dark
ness, ran right square against battery of
the enemy's light artillery. The alarm wss
given, they fred, and we returned the COM
pliment, both Armies became aroused and
the battle had at last begun.
Soon Hsrrington's men became engaged,
and rushed into the fight at close quarters
with the war cry, Remember the Alamo"
1t was too dark for the Mexicans to use cav
airy or artillery, and their infantry had no
show against the ferocious Americans. Soon
one of their batteries was captured and
turned on themselves. Houston's men real
lied that the time had come and the
whole command was precipitated on Santa
Anna's front, while Cabler and Harrington
were slashing at his TANKS. The Mexicans
began to WAIVER, and for want of better
word l may say to "huddle." The terrible
bowie knives of the Americans, with their
fierce cry of Remember the Alamo, struck
CONSERVATION to every part of the army.
Then, when daylight broke and their own
artillery, which we had captured, were
opened on them, they believed that rein
| forcements had arrived for US and again
wavered. 1t was here that they tried a cav
airy charge which, had we not had the ar
tillery, might have changed the fate of the
| day. But it failed because of the terrible
storm of grape and canister poured into
their ranks. This broken, their lines began
to go The Americans saw their advantage
and with wild wells of triumph charged in
ali directions. Houston himself opportune-
ly appeared from somewhere, and was car.
ried forward by the enthusiasm of a charge
into leading it. Some of the Mexican bugles
began sounding the retreat, and the retreat
once began soon became rout-the flight
of broken and beaten army. There was
no quarter shown-none, in fact, asked for
The Americans had not forgotten the
Alamo; they certainly had not forgiven it
Within three hours after the fight began
the remnant of Santa Annals splendid army
had been reduced to mob of tugitives, and
his killed and wounded exceeded the entire
strength of the American forces This fight
was wOn-the battle of San Jacinto had
been lost and won.
CAPTURE OF SANTA ANNA.
And now to bring to the close and tell Of
the last scene, the capture of Santa Anna
Houston bad been wounded; Bennett
wounded; Harrington wounded. The fight
was over and we were lying-lnyself with
an ugly lance wound that had ripped my
arm from wrist to shoulder-in one tent
Sam Houston was in his improvised bed
drunk. There can be no mistake about it
drunk. Haiti who comes therep sang out
the sentry at the entrance to the tent. Ser
geant of the guard with prisoner, who asks
for General Houston" The Sergeant-his
name was Sylvester-advanceda and was ad
mitted to the tent. The prisoner was 8
small man with piercing black eyes and 9
remarkably swarthy face, even for Mexi
can. 1t required no great scrutiny to see
that he was not common soldier. The
Sergeant stood there in the dim light afforded
by a single candle and told how he had cap
tured his prisoner under an oak tree neal
our camp. "And he says" concluded the
Sergeant, - that he wants to be taken to see
General Sam Houston"
"Who are your" asked General Rusk, ad
dressing the stranger, who stood standing
still, his eyes meeting the steady gaze fixed
upon him.
i There was deep silence in the tent
Then came the reply in Spanish: 81 am
General Santa Annap
Harrington was the only man present
who spoke Spanish. ''Are you really SAINTS
Anna" he asked.
81 am, and l desire protection from Gen.
eral Houston" was the reply. He repeated
exactly the same words in French and in
italian as if to make them known to all
present
awake up, SAM" shouted Felix Houston;
'.here is Santa Anna"
damn Santa Anna" was the reply OF
Sam Houston, as he woke from his slumber
1t was morning before he could be made
to realize the situation, and when he did he
sent courier off to Gaines with the news
Arson Jones drew up document which
history records. Santa Anna signed the
paper. 1t was the formal recognition by
the Mexican General that his defeat had
settled the future of an Empire-it was his
acknowledgement of the American conquest
of Texas. j. II. GREENE.