The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-04-21
SAN JACINT0.

To-day, the 2lst, is the forty'htth ami
yersary of the battle Of San Jacinto, the DE-
Icisiye battle in the war between Texas aha
Mexico, indeed it was decisive battle IN tne
destiny of the American union. 1t gave to
the world the republic of Texas and gave
Texas to the American union. To-day the
surviving veterans of that short! and herce
conflict, but few feeble, gray haired old men,
have met together to celebrate this anniVer-
sary and as with trembling limbs they come
together for the last, last time Tor
some of them no doubt, they will
clasp hands in remembrance OF
this day forty-fve years ago, and with tal-
teripg voices talk over the olden, olden time.
They will look about them, but the manly
form of Houston, their leader, will not be
there; his flashing eye will lot beam upon
them in its kindlness, his magnetic voice
will not be heard. Rusk will be missed,
and Sherman, and Deaf Smith, and Lamar,
and Hockey, and gallant Tom Green, who,
as boy, fought for Texas on that field, and
who, as man, laid down his life for Texas
in Louisiana, leading on her sons in fearful
contest in hopeless struggle. None OF
these grand pslsdins, whose voices rang
out over the field of San Jacinto'
will be there to bless these few remaining
comrades. They, with hundreds and hum
dreds of 1888 who went into the resstess
charge on that Hateful day, have been gath
cred to their fathers. Theirs is "the bivouac
of the dead" "on fame's eternal camping
ground" On the morning of the 2lst OF
April, 1886, the little Texan army of patriots,
1888 strong under the command OF General
Sam Houston, found themselves in close
proximity to the army Of General Santa
Anna, which was that morning reinforced by
five hundred choice troops under General
Cos, thus swelling its strength to
upwards of fifteen hundred men.
After some maneuvering during the day, in
which time General Houston had sent Deaf
Smith back to vpce's bayou, eight miles
away, and had him destroy the bridge. the
only avenue of escape for either army, at
half past three General Houston formed his
army in line and advanced upon the enemy,
General Sherman flushing the game first
The fight lasted but eighteen minutes, in
which space of time the Texans made the
prairie and timber resound with the slogan
of "Remenber the Alamo" had captured
Santa Annals Notifications and cannon, had
routed his army, killing $50 of them, wound
ed $50 and captured 73O prisoners. Among
the killed were one general officer, four colo
nels, two lieutenant colonies, several captains
and twelve lieutenants. Among the wounded
" ere five colonies, three Observation-Disclosures,
two second Observation-Disclosures, seven cap
tisns and one cadet. Of the prisoners there
we're, besides Generals Santa Anna and
Cos, neither of whom were captured during
the battle, however, four colonies, six leu
tenant colonies and various captains and
lieutenants. Six hundred muskets, three
hundred ssbres and two hundred prisoners
were gathered up after the fight with several
hundred mules and horses and Sl2 900 In
specie in the money chast. This was quick
work, terrible work, especially when we re-
member that only two Texans were killed,
tweuty-three wounded, six OF them
MORALLY. General Houston was
himself painfully wounded in the foot.
What the achievement of this victory |
has wrought, what it has effected in the des
tiny of the American union, We can but
family begin now to appreciate. we look
about US and see an empire in domain with
every variety of soil, timber and natural pro-
ducts necessary to make it an empire in its
commercial strength. We see that 10 these
forty-fve years Texas has grown In popula-
ton from less than $4,000 to 10000, thirty
times as much. We look about US and see
more than three thousand miles OF railroad
and as much more Of telegraph lines. We
see flousishing cities and towns; foe colleges
and schools and church buildings. Our
,eaports are dotted with vessels and
the white wings Of commerce are
constantly bringing us the products
of the world for which we give in exchange
our cotton, sugar, fruit, corn, small grair,
vegetables, cattle, horses, wool, hide, lumber
etc. We sec our system of railroads gradu-
ally nearing the Rio Grande, where they will
connect with system now being developed
within the confines of ihsi Mexico, from
whose grasp Texan proves this day forty
five years ego wrung our great Texas. No
longer is there bitterness snd strife between
Us. but instead there is peace and good will,
and the princely dOmsin thst Was taken
from Mexican grasp. is about 10 become the
means Of building up that republic, devel-
oping all its grand possibilities and proving
20 Il Of more value than had Texas remsiDed
/. Msricsn stsis. These are few Of the
things this day has wrought.