The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-10-31
BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO.
uow Santa Anna Was Captured-Rsmin-
iscences of the Wal for the Independ-
nnca of Texas.

ence OF Texas
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
The Commercial Gazette had the
Measure the other day of an interview
with an old gentleman whose reminis.
cnnccs Of the wal for the independence
Of the Lone Star state, in which he was
an active participant, are so bright and
vivid. and told in such a bright and
.nriobtly style, that they are we'll worth
martial reproduction for the entertain
ment of u readers, with that due re-
gard to the economy of space that must
necessarily deprive them of many points
of detail.
Lucien Hopson, now eighty-two years
Of age, and spending q few days in the
city. was born and reared and educated
in Geauga County, Ohio, Among his
scboolmates were David Tod, Calvin
Pease and Sebury Ford, all of whom
became governors of their state. He
lived some years in this city, and in
1894 went to Texas. He took part In
the struggle for a right to live there,
earned the right at the risk of his life,
and since then has held it. When u
representative met Mr.. Hopson he
found him decorated with O 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 tn warmly well
come to Texas the volunteers who went
down there from here, and he joined
them. They arrived in Texas in fine
form, splendidly armed and uniformed
bearing q large and beautiful banner OF
silk that had been presented by ladies
of this city. 1t bore an embroidered
figure of the Goddess of Liberty, life
size of a woman, and the legend, "Vic-
tory or Death" When presented here,
with great ceremony, g lady made the
speech of presentation, and placed her
glove upon the spear end OF the staff
and the man who received it, kneeling
upon one knee, declared that it should
be defended with knightly honor and
courage. It was under this beautiful
banner Nh. Hopson. then 81 years of
age, a man of good size, powerful frame,
keen eyes, Injured to fatigue, and prob
ably full of courage and enthusiasm.
swore to aid in driving the hated pow
er of Mexico out of Texas. He joined
at Nagadoches, but most of his service
was rendered as scout and spy on horse
back. But he participated m the bat
tie of San Jacinto, where the terrible
slaughter of the Mexicans occurred, and
after that stood guard over Santa Anna.
General Houston, by a feint at o re-
treat, had induced Santa Anna to di-
vide his powerful army of $4,000 men
into three commands, in order to cut off
the retreat of the little band of Amer"
cans and slaughter them as at the
Alamo. The three divisions were thus
widely separated, when, on the 2lst of
April, 1886, the Americans, under
Houston, only 600 or 700 strong, came
upon the main body intrenched under
Santa Anna.
Mr.. Hopson puts the strength of the
Americans at 673. General Houston,
IL his speech before congress, placedit
at 1888. But Mr.. Hopson explains that
the general didn't 60 into details about
the number who held back ON account
OF the appalling odds of the enemy be-
hind breastsworks. Itseems that Cen
eral Rush secretary of war, who was
present, warned them of the odds, and
gave those who chose to shirk a chance
to do so. Some did back out, but most
OF them We're made available as a re-
serve. The grand assault upon the
enemy's works was made at high noon,
and was in the nature Of a surprise, as
the Mexicans did not think the Ameri-
cans would dare to charge against such
odds. But charge they did and
over the b. eastworks they went and
iearfnlly slaughtered the enemy, with o
loss to themselves of only eight killed
and twenty four wounded. It seems
that the first volley of the Mexicans was
hfed too high and the second too low,
and by that time they were not in con-
ditlon to shoot any more to speak about,
and the desperate 600 were in the midst
shooting with rifles and pistols, slash
ing, stabbing with swords, bayonets and
those terrible bowie knives. The Mexi-
cans We're stampeded and slaughtered
ike sheep. Seven hundred were killed,
and as many more wounded and as
many escaped. When Santa Anna was
captured the scene around him was ter
fiiic. Remember the Alamo" was still
the cry, and the Mexican chieftain's
NE YVES in desperate jeopardy.
A lot of officers closed around him
and protected him at the risk of their
nves. These, in turn, were completely
surrounded by the men, some of whom
stuck at Santa Anna with their knives
over the heads and shoulders Of the Off
GERS. One officer had his clothing and
,he skin of his arm cut through. At
last the men were Quoted by the state
ment that after General Houston had
lntAFVroxun<1 Al A. x~.l1 Eli