The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-10-03
BATTLE OF SAN JAUNTo.
How Santa Anna was OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
isosncss OF h War for the ~1ndspsnd,

enos Of Texas.
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
The Commercial Gazette had the
pleasure the other day Of an interview
with an old gentleman whose reminis.
cences of the war for the independence
OF the Lone Star state, in which he was
an active participant, are 80 bright and
vivid, and told in such q bright and
sprightly style, that they are we'll worth
partial reproduction for the entertain
ment OF our 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
n Geauga County, Ohio. Among his
schoolmates 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
1884 went to Texas. He took part in
the struggle for o right to live there,
earned the right ut the risk of his life,
and since then has held it. When our
representative met Mr.. Hopson he
found him decorated with q badge of
the Texas Veterans, in honor of the day,
and very willing to talk about it.
Having been identified with the city,
MIR. Hopson was n to warmly well
come to Texas the volunteers who went
down there from here, and he Joined
them. They arrived in Texas in fine
form, s%plendidly armed and uniformed
bearing a large and beautiful banner OF
silk that had been presented by ladies
of this city. It 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, a lady made the
speech of presentation, and placed her
glove upon the spear-end Of the staff T;
upon n knee, declared that it should
be defended with knightly honor and
courage. It was under this beautiful
banner Mr.. Hopson, then "a 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 IN 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 q feint at a re-
treat, had induced Santa Anna to di-
vide his powerful army Of 1 1000 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 we're thus
widely separated, when, on the 21st 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,
i'll his speech before congress, placed it
at 1888. But Mr.. Hopson explains that
the general didn't go into details about
the number who held back on account
of the appalling odds of the enemy be-
hind breastsworks. Itseems that Gen
eral Rush secretary of war;, who was
present, warned them of the odds, and
gave those who chose to shirk a chance
to do sc. Some did back out, but most
of them were 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 Mexisans did not think the Ameri-
cans would dare to charge against such
odds. But charge they did and
over the breastworks they went and
fearfully 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
fred too high and the second too low,
and by that time they we're not in con
dition to shoot any more to speak about,
and the desperate 800 were in the midst
shooting with rifles and pistols, slash
ing, stabbing with swords, bayonets and
those terrible bowie knives. The Mexi-
cans were stampeded and slaughtered
like 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
rifle. Remember the Alamo" YVES still
the cry, and the Mexican chieftain's
life was in desperate jeopardy.
A lot Of officers closed around him
and protected him at the risk of then
lives. 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
the skin of his arm cut through. Al
last the men were quieted by the state
ment that after General Houston had
interviewed the prisoner they could kill
him. Once in the presence of Houston,
as a prisoner of war, Santa Anna was
comparatively safe, for he Immediately
agreed to all terms.
Mr.. Hopson overheard the converse.
ton and gives m interesting account Of
it. All that Santa Anna had to say
was, Isl, generate" eyes general
Said Houston: "Do you acknowledge
the independence OF Texas?"
Isl, generate"
DO youagree to pay all the damages
and expenses of the WARP"
Isl, generale."
"Do you agree to leave all the plum.
der on this side of the Brazos?"
Isl, generale."
"Doyou agree to cause all your troops
to evacuate Texas immediately"
Isl, generate"
"Will you send your orders by your
officers, accompanied by ours, to see
that this is carried OUT"
Isl, generate"
These orders we're carried out, though
not before the divisions mad effected q
junction in such q force as to be too
powerful for the Americans still.