Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1886-11-25

EDllOkS DEtllllhlu Dan ct. d
| have received copy of the
Standard, Col. Charles DeMorsc
editor and proprietor, containing
an editorial notice of Judge Will
liam l.. Hunter, who was my fell
low soldier IN 1886. | many years
ago had related to me by the Judge
his miraculous escape from Goliad.
Yours, etc,
Moses AUSTIN BRYAN.
In our issue of the 9th We noted the death
and burial ut Austin, with military honors, of
VIM. l. Hunter one, of the veterans of the
Texas Revolution, leaving only one other
survivor of the massacre Of Goliad. The
last remaining is John Duval, brother Of the
former United States Judge, VIM. L. Duval.
Judge Hunter was u plain unpretentlous
man, Of small size, fair specimen of the
veterans of Texas, of clear intellect, positive
views and outspOken. We made his &C
quaintance when he was member of the
Texas Congress in 1871 and II, Senator
from the La Bahia district, resident at
Goliad. lie still retained residence ut
Goliad (where he had property when in
Texas, though he spent his summers usually
ut Elgin, ILL.,, where his wife and one son are
permanently resident. The writer of this
found Hunter at Goliad in 1888, and went
out with him and Gen. !. b. Robertson to
look ut the scene of the Fannin massacre in
the old town, across the river from the To-
calitl now occupied. On the summit ofthe
ridge, on which still remain n few Mexican
families, is the old mission which Fannin &C
cupied with his forces until the approach of
the Mexican army under Urea, rendered his
withdrawal necessary to maintain n supply
of food and water. This, as all the missions,
had large enclosure on one end and one
side with high stone wall, with q baStion
built by Fannin for two Cannons. The de-
fence might have been made good against a
considerable force but there was no water
within the walls, and no supply of food,
which had come from Copano on the coast,
before the place was invested. This supply
of cOmmisSaries had been in charge of Hum
ter with small detail. A few miles from
the mission was Mexican ranch which Hun
ter had been making way station, and Civ
ing some commissaries TO the family. After
the surrender, when surrounded, by Urera's
forces in the centre of the prairie q few
miles PaSt of the mission, the captured men
were taken back TO the mission and expected
fair treatment as prisoners, under the terms
of capitulatiou; otherwise they would have
cut their way through, and this is what they
should have done. The unwillingness TO
abandon their wounded who they knew
would be slaughtered if left behind, induced
them to surrender. The day of the slaugh-
ter they weremoved out in three detachments
to different localities, wholly unexpectant of
what was to ensue. All OF these fields of
slaughter are visible from the mission. The
hot
on the ridge in peach orchard, some of the
trees of which were yet visible three years
ago. This orchard was Immediately above
and close to the narrow bottom of the San
Antonio. They were formed in line as if for
Inspection, and, when the firing commenced,
four or five broke away, and Hunter fell as
if killed. Then the Mexicans went around
and dispatched those who were only wound
ed, and stripped the dead. Hunter was un-
touched, but had presence of mind enough to
give no sign of lie. They stripped him to
his calico shirt, stuck bayonet point into
his shoulder. haggled at his throat with a
duh knife, but he played dead, though much
lacersted and suffering much pain. Late in
the afternoon, when there was no one in
sight, Hunter cautiously surveying the
ground, crept down in the narrow line of
timber bordering the San Antonio, and get
along slowly to the Mexican ranch men,
toned, reaching it next morning, and beck
oning from distance, one little boy came to
him. He was kindly received, clothed with
shirt and old pants, placed on mule with
boy and sent to another ranch occupied by
an Irish family, u few miles off from any line
OF travel. and as soon as he was ableto travel
made his way to Meneiee's on the Colorado,
and thence found his way to the army, and
was in the fight at San Jaclnto. Hunter told
these events very quietly, never played the
hero, and meyer became excited. These men
who had the elements of heroism and did not
know it, are nearly all gone; quietly they
drop off one by one; and the places who
have known them shall soGI know them no
more forever; and they will leave no better
men behind them. 1t is part of their lofty
title to praise that they did not worship
money-but without any pretence discerning
what they were not, they did love liberty for
itself,
One of these days in the State cen etery at
Austin, they will have monument, the
voluntary tribute of grateful descendants,
simple, substantial, but lofty, like their vir-
tues; grand shaft of Texas Marble and the
after generations viii look upon their not yet
fairly, fully and comprehensive written re-
cord, and say of them as the Greeks did of
the 300 Spartans, and the soldiers of Nil |
tiades. Their exploits far excelled any re-
cord of the revolution of'76, except perhaps
the attack Of Montgomery at Quebec, and |
the capture of Stsny Point by Mad An
thony.