Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-08-22
AT SAN JACINTO.
How Santa Anna Was Captured and
Said Isl, Generate"
An Aged Tcxas Warriors keminis-
ccnce. OF the War for the In
dependence OF the Lone
star state.


gentleman whose "reminiscences of the wal
for the Independence % the Lone star state,
in which hc was an u 'tlN' participant. are SC
bright aud vivid aud told N such bright
and spr,ghii> style that they are well worth
partial reproduction for the entertainment ot
our rca Ter. with that due regard to tho
economy 81 SPACE that must necessarily de-
prive them o. many points oi detail
Mr. lA,ciri l!ol,oH NOW :? years OF age,
and spending It few days in this city. was
born AMI reared and educate in Grauga
county. Ohio Among his schuoluatcs
were David Tot Calvin P"asn aud Scbury
Ford, all of whom brrnm" governors of their
state ilc lived some years IN this city, and
in 1894 went to Texas. II took part in the
strugelc for right to live there. earned the
right at the risk of his life aud since then
has held it, When our representative mot
Mr.. llopSon yesterday he found him decor
ated with n badge of the Texas Veterans. in
honor of the day, and very willing To talk
about it,
Having been identified with the city. Mr.
Hopson was one to warmly welcome to Texas
the volunteers who went down there from
here, aud he joined them. They arrived in
Texas IN fine form, splrndidly armed and
uniformed bearing a large and beautiful
banner Of silk that had been presented 10y
ladies of this city. IL bore an embroidered
figure of the Goddess of Liberty, life-size of a
woman, and the legend, "Nictorv or Death -
When presented here, with great ceremony,
a lady made the speech of presentation, and
placed her glove upon the spear-end of the
staff and the man who received 1t, kncelng
upon one knee. declared that it should I've de-
Tended with knighty honor aud courage
1t was under this beautiful banner
that Mr.. Hopson. thin - wear,
of age, Il man of good size. powerful franz"
keen cye, Injured to fatigue, aud probably
full of courage and enthusiasm. sworc To all
in driving the hated power Of Mexico ont OF
Texas. He joined at Nagndochcs but most
of his service was rendered as scout and spy
on horseback But he participated in the
battle OF San Jacinto. where the terrible
slaughter of the McXiCans occurred aud after
that stood guard o;cr Santa Anna Gen.
Houston, 10y a feint at Il retreat, had induced
Santa Anna to divide his powerful army of
900 men into three commands, in order to
cut off the retreat of the little band of Ameri-
cans and slaughter them as at the Alamo
The three divisions were thus widely seI,ar-
ated, when, ON tine ?l>t of April 1896, the
Americans, under I1ou>tol only 900 or 100
strong. came upon the main body ntrenchni
under Santa Anna
Americans at Gii Gcu. Houston in his
speech before congress- placed it at Isl
But Mr.. HolISon explains that the general
didn't 90 into some details about the mum
Der who held back on account of the appall-
ing odds of the enemy behind brcaStwOrks
1t seems that Gen Rush secretary of war;
who was present, warned them of the odds
and gave those who chose to shirii a chance
to do 50. Some did back out but most of
them were made available as reserve
The grand assault upon the enamv's works
was made at high noon, and was in the ma
ture OF surprise, as the Mexcans dill not
think the Am Iicans would dare to charge
against such odds. But charge they did and
over the breastworks they went and fearfully
slaughtered the enemy, with a loss to them
selves OF only eight killed and twenty four
wounded. 1t seem that the first volley of
the MeSlCans was fired too high and tn,
second too low, and by that time they were
not in condition to shoot any more to speak
about, and the desperate 600 were in their
midst shooting with rifles and pistols, slash.
ing and stabbing with swords, bayonets and
those terrible bowie knives The Mexicans
were stampeded and slaughtered like sheep.
Seven hundred were killed, and as many
more wounded and about as many escaped
When Santa Anna was captured the scene
around hin, ,vou to,,.;fo upo,,on,,o. +il
,;..mn" was e,in tbo cry aud tbn Mox;oar
chieftain's life was in desperate jeopardy. A
.oa.oa hin, -, tho ,iel, of tho;,. Eros RI,
II, tr,., ,yare cnmnlntelv surrounded ~. tho
mon some Of whom strTck at SAINT, Anna
81 t,ai, ,,i,,l ,|,.,,,. a., ha,,s a,1I ,,'i
w.. - ,l,' ari.,r- 0nn' onin,, Io,I III. aIa,t,
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