San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-05-11
SAN JACINTO.
III, Anniversary OF an Important Event In the
Mexican War.


Mexican War.
Auril 81, was the forty-sixth anniver
..ry of the battle of San Jacinto. the
Yorktown OF Texas independence, il
rS;cb General Sam Houston won @
SIGNAL victory over General ANTONIO
Ionez de Santa Anna, president Of
Mexico, and in which the Mexicans
we're routed and Santa Anna taken
prisoner. On the afternoon OF the 2lst
Houston ordered an advance on the
Mexican myrmidons, attacking them
front and rear ON both sides, opening
frat with artillery, which on the second
fire dispersed to atoms the powder
boxes of the Mexicans, and then with
rifles. The Texans then poured in
from their ambuscade with hatchets,
and SO consummated the work of de-
struction, leaving six hundred killed
on the plains. This lasted about fifteen
minutes when Santa Anna ordered o
retreat. The persuers captured Gen.
Santa Anna who, unknown to the, cap
TORS. was brought to the headquarters
of Houston who was recovering from a
wound he had received under u tree,
when some of the Mexican prisoners
exclaimed, GET general! Et General
Santa Annap The loss on the part OF
the Texans was
SEVEN KILLED AND TWENTY-FoUR
30 - % ss- WOUNDED.
Among the former were Lieuts. Lamb
ana Hales and DR.. Motley, and among
the latter Gen. Samuel Houston, who
was wounded in the. ankle and had two
horses shot under him; what is curious
is the fact that had such an event hap
pened to-day, the news would have
been received in st. Louis, New York,
London and st. Petersburg the next
morning, but at that time the news was
not received in New York until one
month after the battle, when even then
the leading papers. were inclined to
doubt the reports.
Greeley's paper said: 1--WE lack the
faith altogether in the current reports
that the main body of the Mexicans
has been cut up and that Santa Anna
is among the prisoners" But such was
the fact.
Official confirmation was very soon
received from Gen. Edmund p. Gaines,
commanding the western department
of the United States at Camp Sabine,
on the Southern border, and also by
the following, which is copied from an
old newspaper:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY (oF TExAs)|
April %, 1886.
To the People Towards Nacogdoches:
We met Santa Anna on the 21st. We
attacked him with 600 men; he had
], 100 infantry and two howitzers. We
entirely routed his whole force,
KILLED HALF OF HIS MEN.
And took the rest prisoners. Santa
Anna himself and all his principal Of
ficers are our prisoners. The history
Of war does not furnish parrellel to
the battle. We had six killed and 20
I have no time or [ would
send on full report. I will do that
in the course of tomorrow. L again
call on my fellow-citizens to come to
;he field; let us fall in and conquer the
troops and our country is
rec; turn out at once. There is no
excuse now. Let us do the work at
,nce. THOMAS j. RUSH,
Secretary of War.
I certify the above to be true copy of
he express just received from the secre-
airy of war. who was himself in the
)attle. A. HOUSTON.
It now remains only to add that the
,aptor of Santa Anna, Capt. James A.
Sylvester, died in New Orleans about
wo weeks ago and was buried in the
)dd-Fellows' cemetery. ... B.
The New Orleans Iames-DemocTat
ave full account Of Sylvester's ex-
lofts on ...-r
CAPTURING THE MEXICAN PRESIDENT
rom which the following extract is
aken:
ct was by accident while hunting
trough the high grass which covered
he plain on which the battle of San
acinto was fought, that Private Syl-
ester stumbled upon Mexican envel-
ped in O common soldiers blanket.
he first impulse was to shoot him, but
he Mexican, throwing IN his arms, |
ried out for quarter and surrendered !
imself. Sylvester viewed him closely,
nd on inquiry was told by the prisoner /
hat he belonged to the Mexican cav I
Try, and was only common soldier, ,
ointing to his coarse shoes and cloth
Dg in proof thereof. But the sharp eyes
f the young soldier could not thus be de- s
eived, and on showing aside his jacket
nd the cuffs, he discovered that the {
nderolothing of his captive was of the t
nest linen, very valuable diamond {
tuds and pin were revealed. Thus [
elected the prisoner admitted that
E BELONGED. TO THE PRESIDENTS
STAFF, '
nd that his captor could not only have ,
is costly jewelry, but it would be {
- haa :