The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-31
A Green Country Girl.

Texans confess keen Interest in facts
affecting the history and fortunes of Da.
vid Crocket. San Antonio;is indebted
for much of its famt to that Of the heroic
martyr 10 liberty, who fell--within the
thickest of the fight within the Ala.
mo. Have you lislened 10 the sim,
plest recital Of ,hesfacts given by Mrs
Hannig, formerly Mrs. Dickenson, nee
Wilkerson, in Green county, Georgia :?
She went, when very young, to Bolivar,
Hardeman Co., Tenn. When hardly
sixteen she married Dickenson, New
England tradesman, and in 1885, went 10
Texas. When the revolt occurred and
Mexican inyasloaoWas threatened, Dick
cnson removed .liis youthful wife to San
Antonio. When Santa Anna appeared
before the little city one bright spring
morning in, 1886, Dickinson, who was
lieutenant of captain in local cOmpa-
ny, mounted mustang, with his vile
behind him and, child six months old
seated on his lap. He entered the
Alamo. He and bis wife had an
apartment given them in the base
ment Of the stone church, Cr0ckct
occupied an adjoining room. Here,
when not engaged in loading aud firing q
sort Of "long Tom," primitive 18-poun-
der, he was accustomed 10 saw mis- fiddle
and abhor confinement within stone
walls. He was impatient Of imprison,
ment, aud always anxious to have fight
with the Mcxicans in all open field, where
be might use his native weapon, "Betsy,"
his old fashioned soap stick rifle. Through
ten days, Mrs Hnnnig was within the
Alamo, cncounterng Crockett almost
hourly till the last day of the siege, when
the massacre occurred. That fatal morn.
ing, Dickenson, long before the sun rose,
came to his wife aud bid her adieu.
have heard her tell the story with fearful
eyes forty.three years after the sun vent
down on the terrible day. She saw
Dickinson but once aftcrward He was
then fighting, sword in hand, at the door.
way oi her apartment. Mcn rushed into
her room When consciousness was re.
stored, her room was full Of gunpowdci
smoke. a bullet had pierced her LEG
just below the knee. She was lying ON
the bed. her infant, six months old, he.
side her, richly dressed Mexican officer
standing near. She remembers, as
forgot to state, that simultaneously with
the hand to hand fight between her hus
band nnd tho Mexicans at the doorway
two little boys SONS of q German gunner
ran into her room. They were pursued
by Mcxicans, shot down and bnyonctted
in her presence, the smoke from the gun;
filling her room and enabling her 10 escape
observation. Alm0ntereceived his educa
ton in the city Of New Orleans. He inter.
posed wlIen:tkc Mexcans sought 10 bike
her life, and caused her to etaken, tc
Santa Anna. This man sought'to intluce
her 10 accompany him 10 McxicD. When
she refused, he concluded tn send her, ,ltl
Sam Houston, that the terrible story she
would. tell might. intimidaie the little
band of Texas patriots. Wounded rs
she WAS, she set out aoncsoon n mons;nng
with her child in her lap, across the open
prairieS for Gonzae. She, her infunt
and the negro Ben, the servant-"f Travis
who was in command, wcrc- the sole
American survivors. But San Antonio
should hear Mrs. Hannig. now growing
old, tell the story rs ] hive heard It.
She would TELL 100, Of her flight, accom-.
panied by the negro Ben; of the inter.
vention of Deaf Smith, who saved, her
when almost dying Of thirst, fatigueand
the pain caused by her wound. Hear her
tell of her interview with Houston, and
how the hero of Texan independence
used the hideous story to cxasperate his
followers. She told him that when SHE
was leaving San Antonio the town and
country were perfumed with odors arising
from the holocaust made OF tho bodies oi
those who fell within the Alamo. She
beheld the flames that consumed the
body Of her husband and Of Crockett and
Travis, and wns instructed by Santa An
na to describe the horrible scene to Sam
Houstonland his followers. She executed
the order with painstaking care. The
effect was little dreamed of by The
bloody Mexican leader r,"T