San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1890-04-24

Meanwhile all Texas east of the military
line was reorganizing the civil govern
ment, and on the Cd Of March, at WASH
ington, on the Brazos, the declaration
Of independence" was issued. David q.
Burnet was chosen provisional president,
and other officers named. The early sue
cesses of the Texans had relaxed their
energy and created dangerous conf
dence. Volunteers had arrived from the
United States, Fannin, Bonham, Crock
EFT and many others, and dissensions had
arisen among commanders. Houston
had called for 5000 volunteers, and was
busy attempting to organize an army.
Col. j. w. Fannin was at Goliad with
small force, designing a march upon
Matamoras. Col. w. B. Travis had 140
men in the Alamo. There was an un-
certainty as to the supreme command,
and the results were fatal.
Thirty-two men forced their way to
Travis, making his whole command
about 172. On the 9th of March the
government" received word from him
that he was closely invested and would
fight to the death; but it was too late
for relief to reach him. Santa Anna
bombarded the Alamo eleven days and
then carried 1t by storm March O. The
whole garrison was put to the sword,
every man fighting desperately to the
woman, child and negro servant were
spared. Yet it cost the victor ut least
1000 Of his bravest men, and by some
his loss is placed rs high as 1900. The
dead heroes had accomplished their OBJ
ject. Santa Anna was weakened and de-
layed and the young state was saved.
A greater horror followed soon. Col.
Fannin, after learning that the advance
expedition towards Matamoras had been
defeated, attempted retreat from Go
lad, but was surrounded March 10 at
the Coleta river by an overwhelming
force under Gen. Urea The Ameri-
cans fought bravely for two days, then
capitulated on guarantee that they
should be treated as prisoners Of war
and sent to the United States. On the
26th an order arrived from Santa Anna
that they should be shot, Four physi-
clans and their assistants were saved;
the remainder, 357, were marched out in
separated detachments, and at sunrise
on Palm Sunday, March q, the awful
massacre began. The "Yucatecos" ian
Indian regiment from Yucatan), to whom
the work had been entrusted, fired by
volleys upon the prisoners; the unarmed
men rushed upon their murderers, in
some cases wrenched the arms from
them, and many broke through the lines
only to be pursued and shot down by the
cavalry. Yet it is believed that twenty
seven escaped. Of whom a few lived to
reach the States.
The bad news few fast. On all sides
the Texan families fled before the in
vaders, the latter following burning and
destroying. The government" dissolved.
Houston and a demoralized remnant of
an army was the only authority. Santa
Anna now divided his forces: the Goliad
murderers came on by the southern
route; Gaona, with motley band of In
dians and Mestizoes, started by the north
ern route, as if to march on Nacogdoches
and the Sabine, while Santa Anna, with
q much reduced force, aimed at Hous-
ton. Houston retreated from Gonzales
to the Colorado, and thence to the Bra
zos; the army, somewhat swelled by re-
cruits, was once more in spirits and will
ing to fight, but Houston's idea was that
the farther Santa Anna had to come the
weaker he would be- So
Here Houston first learned of the Go
lad massacre, but concealed the extent
of the disaster from his men,. He crossed,
moved up the stream and formed camp
on an island, while Santa Anna crossed
below and directed his course towards
Harrisburg and Washington. His north
ern division, under Gaona, was misled
by the guides and went too far north;
the southern, under Urea, was prevent
ed by high water from passing the Bra
zos, and Houston had for the time only
Santa Anna to deal with.
With about 800 men that general di-
rected his course, burning Harrisburg as
he passed, along the south side of Buffalo
bayou to San Jacinto and his fate
Houston followed along the north side of
the bayou, crossed and advanced to meet
the Mexicans, who were moving up 10
crUss the San Jacinto and carry destruc:
tion eastward. On the Goth Of April the
armies came near each other and there
were light skirmishes, the result Of which
somewhat encouraged the Texans. If
defeated, Santa Anna was in trap |
North and east were bayou and river; to
the west some miles was another bayou,
with high, steep banks, and the only
bridge over it was destroyed early in the
morning by Houston's orders. South
ward only did the Mexicans have open
ground. and not much Of that