San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-05-29
An Old Soldier OF the Texas Reyolu-
tiOn Remembered.

ti0n Remembered.
The San Marcos FREE Pass OF Friday,
Sept o, 1876, contained the following no.
ticei
DEATH OF Texas YErERAs.-Walker
Wilson died at his home In this place on
Yesterday morning, aged 70 years. Mr..
Wilson emigrated from Tennessee TO Texas
In 1888. lilo engaged in the wars Of the
Texas revolution, was at the siege Of Bexar
In 1885, was a member OF Capt. Billingsly's
company Ia the battle Of San Jacinto in
! 1896, aud probably figured in other import
ant scenes OF those eventful days. but we
arc not advised rs 10 particulars. We have
heard him say that he was well acquainted
with Col. David Crockett, both in Tennes-
see and Texas, and he gave us some quite
interesting particulars concerning him,
which we may notice at another time.
Mr.. Wilson in his primo was no doubt a
useful and prominent citizen, but ago and
infrrmity had reduced him 10 low estate.
We learn ho expressed willingness TO de-
part. His widow-tho daughter of another
Texas veteran-and children commend them
selves TO tho good offices OF our charitable
and patriotic people.
We are indebted to our veteran friend
Capt. Ragsdalc for several of the above
particulars.
Mr.. Wilson was buried in tho old grave
yard. Rev. Mr.. Fisher led the funeral cere-
monies in his usual appropriate and i'm
pressye manner, aftor which the San Mar
cos Greys fired two volleys over the grave
of the departed veteran and patriot
One might naturally have supposed that q
collection would have been promptly raised
to erect q memorial at the grave of such a
man; but nothing of the sort was done or
suggested. Not very long after, however,
his widow procured Of local agent resid-
ing at this place small, awkwardly gotten
up tablet of the soft Texas stone common
here, and had it erected at his grave; but
not paying for it as soon as said agent re-
quired, he very magnanimously removed
and resumed possession of the valuable
stone, leaving the grave again unmarked,
save by piece of board. Passing the place
daily, we could not but be unpleassntly i'm
pressed by such neglect, and in the FREE
PRESS of March 80, 1882, called attention to
it as follows:
DIsaRAcEFUL. The remains of the late
Walker Wilson, Texas veteran and soldier
of San Jacinto, and who was long resident
of this place, lie in our old grave yard with
out q stone to mark the place. Who will
start contribution for headstone to his
grave?
Soon after the appearance of the above
R. M. Caldwell handed us 80 SO and ]. M.
Killough so cents to be applied to the
purpose suggested; these were all the
contributions made. We continued to refer
to the subject from time to time August
Sd of the same year, the FREE PRESS spoke Of
this continued neglect as follows:
We think all right minded people will
agree with us that this is o shameful state
of facts. Mr.. Wilson's record as n veteran
we believe is questionable. He was an
old Tennessee compatriot of David Crockett,
and we have heard him relate that Crockett
stopped q his house in Bastrop county when
he was enroute for death and Immortality at
the Alamo. After that bloody sacrifice, and
the kindred massacre of Fannin and his men
at Goliad, Gen. Houston was compelled to
retreat almost tho whole width Of the State,
till he made the final stand at San Jacinto.
There the fate of the Republic of Texas
hung in the balance. Had the result been
adverse, her lone star flag would have gone
down for years, perhaps forever. These
were the times that tried mehs souls in
Texas. OF every man of the gallant band
there led by Houston, confronting the vastly
greater army commanded by Gen. Santa
Anna, it might well have been said, in the
language of preat writer of the American
Revolution'of 1776-"he who stands it NOW
deserves the love and thanks of man and
woman" The subject of this notice
Walker Wilson-was one of this band OF
of heroes. Said we not then truly,
ory unhonored to SO small degree, is
utterly disgraceful to us of the present day,
who are reaping the rich harvest resulting
from the valor, tolls and sacrifices of the
men of San Jacinto? Ought we not to show
| to the world, and to the rising generation
of our great State. that they who then went
forth, taking their lives in their hands, thai
their country might live, are not and never
can be forgotten by us? 1t seems to III
there can be but one answer to this question
Thus the matter passed on till last Sar
Jacinto day, which we remembered by or
dering the proposed hea dstone, and it il
now in position. It is broad, solid
tablet of American marble, having at The
top handsome etching of the lone Sta
Flag" of the Republic of Texas, with the
following inscription underneath:
WALKER WILSON,
A Texas Veteran