The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-04-22
A LANDMARK GONE.
GTines-DeEnocrat.]

of Baltimore, Nd, aged 20 years, and
u discharging clerk on the landing fol-
the last 81 years, died Sunday after
noon, after brief illness, at the Hotel
Dieu, and was buried yesterday after
noon in the Odd Fellows Rest, his
funeral being largely attended, and the
following named friends serving as
pail bearers: Capt. John A. Stevenson
and Messrs. Geo. Swarbrick, J. T. Bel.
knap, Geo. E. Sears, f. II. Harris and
Geo. s. Curley.
Capt. Sylvester first went on the river
in 1882 as clerk of the Velocipede, rum
ming between this city and Cincinnati.
Between the years 1892 aud 1885 he
was also on the Splendid, Cincinnati,
Convoy, Tippecanoe, Peruvian and the
Mountaineer. In 1886 Capt. Sylvester
quit the river, and With several COM
panfons went to Texas and joined the
army of Gen. Sam Houston, and in the
following year distinguished himself
not only by his bravery, but by the
capture by himself of Gen. Santa Anna,
the famous Mexican general, the facts
of which are as follows: After the
Mexicans were beaten at San Jacinto
they became demoralized and fled into
the chapparal. Capt. Sylvester was
ordred with few men to follow and
capture what fugitives he could. He
and his men becoming separated, he
was hunting through the chapparal by
himself when he came upon a man
whom he first supposed to be a common
Mexican soldies, and took him prison
'er. He could not get him to give his
name, but noticing that his shirt was
of linen with gold studs, he was satis-
fed lie was man. Of rank. Starting
with his prisoner for the headquarters
of Gen. Houston he was met by some
Texans who wanted to kill the Mexi-
can, but Capt. Sylvester, placing HIM
self in front of him and telling them he
would protect his man if it cost him
his life, they passed on. Reaching
headquarters the prisoner stepped for
ward and addressed Gen. Houston az
follows: 81, Santa Anna, commander
iu-chief Of the Mexican army, surren-
der to Gen. Sam Houston, commander
OF the Republican army ofTexas."
Gen. Houston complimented Capt. Syl-
vester on having captured SO distin-
guished a prisoner. Santa Anna thanked
him for saving his life, and afterward
when he became President of Mexico,
invited the captain to visit his country
and partake of his hospitality. The
captain remained in Texas several
years, and in 1913 returned to this city
and again went on the river as clerk of
the Little Rock, in the Red river trade, !
making a voyage that lasted several
months to Fort Towson, then the head
of navigation. In 1916 and 1s46 he was
on the Cotton Plant, Capt Jos. Clai-
borne, and the City of Yazoo, Captain
Lev w. Cooper. both running to Red
river, and also the Creole. In 1S48 and |
1s49 he was clerk of the Princeton, in
the Ouachita trade. In 1850 he quit |
the river and commenced dischareipg
on the landing, and when the war broke
out joined the Confederate army and
remained in it to the very last. After |
the surrender he returned to this CITY |
and entered the service of the M. v. T. |
Company, in whose employ he re-
mained up to his death. Capt. Sylves-
ter was correct, reliable, Industrious
man, who earnestly tried to do right
by everybody, and whose familiar pres
cnce on the landing will be missed |
with regret for many days TO come.
A Georgia paper is responsible for
the following: A few days ago Geor-
gia politician went to Washington in
search of an office. Deceived by the