Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-05-04
Mistellaueuns &eading
STORY OF THE ALAMO.

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STORY OF THE ALAMO.
HOW BOWIE, CROCKETT AND TRAVIS MET
THEIR DEATHS.
This sketch is an account of the burning of
the bodies of the heroes of the Alamo, after
the storming of that fortress by the forces of
Santa Anna, on the 9Th of March, 1886, and
includes the murder of Col. James Bowie.
The facts were related to me by the Mexican
tifer, Fermine Cassiano, who was then but a
small boy, who was an eyewitness of the
scene. He is known in Texas now by the
name of "The Masher." l knew him during
several years, and feel that I can vouch for
him as truthful Greaser, if such can be found.
After the fort (the celebrated church of the
Alamo at San Antonio) had been stormed and
all it's defenders had been reported to have been
slain, and when the Mexican assailants had
been recalled from within the walls, Santa
Anna, accompanied by his staff, entered the
fortress. Cassiano, being a fifer, and there
fore privileged person, and possibly the more
so on account of his tender age, by permission
entered with them. He desired to see all that
was to be seen, and for this purpose he kept
himself near to his general-in-chief Santa
Anna had ordered that no corpses should be
disturbed till after he should have looked upon
them all, and seen how every man had fallen.
He had employed the following citizens of San
Antonio, who are, in most part, living in ad-
vanced ages, Josefa G. Fortere, E. o. Steven
so, Jack Harrisio, "Pablo, and other persons,
to enter with him, and point out to him the
bodies of several distinguished Texans.
The principal corpses that Santa Anna de-
sired to see were those of Col. w. Barrett
Travis, Col. James Bowie, and another man,
whose name Cassiano could not remember. l
asked him if the other mans name was Crock
EFT, to which he req led, ''Maybe so 1 can't
remember
On entering the fort, the eyes Of the con-
querors were greeted by scene which my in
| formant could not well describe. The bodies
of the Texans lay as they had fallen, and many
| of them were covered by those Of MeXicanS
who had fallen upon them The close of the
struggle seemed to have been hand-tO-hand
engagement, and the number of slain Mexicans
exceeded that of the Texans. The ground was
covered with the bodies of the slain. Santa
Anna and suite wandered from one apartment
of the fortress to another, stepping over and
upon the dead, and seemingly enjoying this
scene of human butchery.
After general accommodating of the premi-
ses, the dictator was conducted to the body OF
Colonel Travis After viewing his form and
features fora few moments, Santa Anna thrust
his sword through the dead mans body and
turned away. He was then conducted to the
body of the man, whose name. CaSsianO could
not remember. This man lay with his face
upwards and his body was covered by those OF
many Mexicans who had fallen upon him. His
face was forid, like that of living man, and
he looked like a healthy mall asleep. Santa
Anna also viewed him for few moments,
thrusthis sword through him and turned away.
Then detail Of Mexican soldiers came into
the fort. They were commanded by two OFF,
GERS a captain and a junior officer, whose title
Cassiano could not explain to me, but whom
shall for convenience call the lieutenant.
They were both quite young men, very fair,
very handsome, and so nearly alike in COM
plexion, form, size and features that they were
supposed to be brothers, the captain being ap-
parently little older than the other. Cas-
sano did not remember to have ever seen them
before, was confident THAT he never saw them
afterwards, and lie did not learn their names.
After the entry of the detail, Santa Anna
and his suite retired but the two officers,
with their detail, remained Within The two
kept themselves close together. My infor-
mant was desirous to know what was to be
done and remained with the detail and, to
enable him to see all that was to he seen, he
kept himself near the two officers, never losing
sight of them.
AS soon as the dictator and suite had re-
tired, the detail began to take up the Texans
to bring them together, and lay them in pile.
Mexicans at the same time performed the ad-
ditional work of ritiing the pockets of the slain
Texans.
The two officers took stand about the GEN.
tire of the main area. The first corpse was
brought and laid as the captain directed. This
formed a neuceus for the pile. The bodies
were brought successfully, each by four men,
and dropped near the captains feet. In imi-
tation of his general the captain viewed the
body of each Texan for few moments, then
thrust his sword through him, and then, by a
motion of his sword, directed the four men
who had brought him, to throw him upon the
pile which pantomime was instantly obeyed.
When the Texans had all been thrown upon
the pile, four soldiers walked around it, each
carrying a can of camphene, from which he
spurted the liquid upon the pile.
This process was continued until the bodies
were thoroughly wetted. Then match was
thrown upon the pile, and the combustible
fluid instantly sent up flame to an immense
height.
While the fluid was being thrown upon the
pile four soldiers brought a cot, on which lay
a sick man, and set it down by the captain,
and one Of them remarked: "Here, captain, is
a man who is not dead" Why is he not
dead 20 said the captain. "We found him III
a room by himself" said the soldier. "1le
seems to be very sick, and l suppose he was
not able to fight, and was placed there by his
companions, to be in safe place, and out of
the way'' The captain gave the sick man a
searching look and said: IL think have seen
the man before'' The lieutenant replied, II
think have, too," and, STOPPING down, he
examined his features closely. Then raising
himself up, he addressed the captain. sHe is
no other than the infamous Bowie !"
The captain then also stopped, gazed intent
ly on the sick mans face, assumed an erect
position, and confirmed the conviction OF the
lieutenant.
The captain then looked fiercely upon the
sick man and said "How is it, Bowie, that
you have been found hidden in room by
Yourself, and have not died fighting, like your
comrades ?'' To which Bowie replied, in good
Castilan II should surely have done so, but
you see am sick. and cannot get off my cot"
Said the captain, "You have come to fearful
end-and we'll do you deserve it. AS an i'm
migrant to Mexico you have taken an oath be-
fore God to support the Mexican government
but now you are violating that oath by fight
ing the government which you have sworn to
support. But this perjury, common to all
your countrymen, is not your only oftense.
You have married a respectable Mexican lady,
and are fighting against her countrymen::
Thus YOU have not only perjured yourself, but
YOU have also betray your own family"
II did, " said Bow.a, ''take an oath to sup.
port the laws of Mexico, and in defense of
those laws am now fighting. You took the
same oath when you accepted your commission
in the army you are now violating that oath,
and betraying the trust of your countrymen,