New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-15
SENORA CANDELARIA.
THE LAST SURVIVOR OF THE N,uo


a dispatch announces that Sonora Candelaria lies
ILL., This woman links two centuries togatbor 90
mas almost entered upon the third and now sunors
the hrst illness In all her life of one hundred and
nine years On the San Pedro River, where II
WINDS through the Mexican quarter of San Antonio.
Tex. stands little adobe house scantilv fur
hshed ana quite bare of all that one could tern,
luxury. 1t is the home Of the woman who lI,od
through the hell Of the Alamo massacre who AYERS
mat she nursed Bowie when he lay I'll in the
Naulted chamber at the left of the Mission door
ana who was supporting him upon her arm as the
Mexican soldiery rushed in and butchered him in
his bed-nflictng upon her. his faithful servitor. a
wound in the chin. the OF which she Will carry
10 her grave. The cup Of water she had brought
him 10 drink never moistened his parched lips
whose fever was then so barbarously quenched IN
death.
In the old Spanish settlement OF Laredo on the
Rio Grande del Nortc was born Andrea Castahon
upon the day sacred TO Saint Andrew in November
l'So The girl grew and learned from the grave
Spanish priests IN the Mission church, which the
women and children helped to build and where the
Indian neophytcs. in their new religious ardor lived
and labored. Her hearts first love was won by ST.
bero Flores Abrigo. and how they were wed and
lived is "A romance old that even Andrea herself
forgets 1t. and looks back only to her second nup-
tials. when she married Candelario Vilaneuva and
became "Sehora Candelaria." As such she Will so
down in history. and her name be ever remembered
and. dying. gave watchword to Texan patriots
with which to conquer liberty.
How this Mexican came to leave her husband
himself a landowner in san Antonio. and go with
the Texans into the Alamo. then fortified and used
as a fort, no one seems to know. 1t might be that
the question was too personal upon which TO
venture. for the aged lady had trick Of replying
with considerable asperity II the interrogatories
the interocutor did not please her. But she was
there and was one Of the five survivors three
women. little girl. and Colonel Travis's negro
servanO, who lived to come through that wonder
full siege and assault where III fought against
GOO of the enemy. from February % to March G.
During those twelve awful days the little force was
depleted. its strength exhausted its ammunition eX-
pended yet when the assault came and the swarm
ing MeXcans broke through the Mission walls
and In upon the small remnant. they battled stu
for five hours, hand TO hand, bowie knife and pistol
from room TO room. until the very last or their
devoted band fell dead. But they died not alone The
MeXican siam lay around them IN heaps. III Is sa.u
that during the siege and assault lI2 Texas-Amer
Killed. beside 800 more wounded The Alamo monu-
ment at Austin bears this legend: "Thermopyae
pemstb sr me namrs Of 10 Who fen on
that memorable 9th Of March, 1896. and TO these
Scnora Candelarla has said there should he added
the names Of four Mexlcans who joined the Amer
leans. and who living on Texan soil. laid their
lives down FOR her liberties
Looking back upon her long life. what an expe-
ricnce has Sehora Canlelaria had, She has seen
the revolt OF Mexico Then came the struggle Of
Texas for separate existence and the successful es-
flag waved over Independent nation no longer.
but 10y the will OF its own people huttcred below the
ensign OF the United States. Next this little Mex
lean woman. already siXty-two years OF age. saw
the squadrons marching on TO that war which eX-
, tended the boundaries Of the Union 70 the Pacihc
coast and made the Rio Grandc the border line OF
Texas. Four flags had thus noatod above her head.
each in It's turn holding dominance, when NTH Tor
n time superseded them. and the Southern Cross
famed upon the view. Then once more the star
Spanged Banner waved over the land that twenty
Years before had laid down her sceptrc as recog-
nized and sovereign government to become one oil
slsterhood OF States. . ,,...- -.
At 100 years Of age until her present illness the
Sehora was quite active and. alert, quick 10 PET
ceve and understand She is inveterate cigarette
| smoker wrinkled and scanned almost toothless.
| and with but little hair-not n pleasant oDJect
surely but still a wonder. and woman who is re-
garded with almost superstitious awe by the people
/ OF her own race among whom she lives