The morning call., 1894-05-29
SONORA CANDELARIA.
The Last Survivor of the Historic
Fight at Alamo.
Now York Tribune.

NOW 10TH
A recent dispatch announces that sonora
Cand eIarla is III. This woman links two cen
turtles together and has almost entered upon
The third. and now suffers the first Illness IN
all her life OF 100 years.
On the San Pedro River, where 1t Wlnds
through the Mexican quarter OF san Ahton'V'
Tex, stands a little adobe house, scantly Iur-
nlshed and quite bare OF all that one couid
term luxury. 1t is the home of the woman
who lived through the hell OF the Alamo
massacre who AYERS that she nursed
Bowie when he lay Ill In the vaulted
chamber at the left OF the mission
door, and who was supporting him upon her
arm as the Mexican soldieiy fusneu III anu
butehered him in his bed, lntiictlng uEon her.
his faithful seTvitOF, a wound in the chln, the
scar of which she viii carry TO her grave.
In the old Spanish settlement OF LAREDO, on
the Rio Grand del NOrte, was born Andrea
CaStanOn upon the DAY sacred 10 St Auule" ia
November, 1885. $500
Her hearts first love was won by Silberto
Flores Abrigo. and how they were wed ana
lived il romance so old that even Andrea
herself fOrgets il, and looks back only 10 ner
second nuptlals. when she married CahGe
lario Vilaneuya and became "Senora canoe
laria."
How this Mexican came to leave her hus-
band, himself a landowner IN san Antonlo'
and go with the Texans into the Alamo, tbeh
fortified aud used as fort, no one seems 10
know
But she was there and was one of The fVe
survivors Unree women, ilItle Blil duu
Colonel Travis negro seTvanO who lived 20
come through that wonderful siege and assault
where III men fought against 5000 OF the
enemy from February % to March g. 49,,
During those twelve awful days the little
force depleted, Its strength exhausted,
its ammunition expended; yet When the
assault came and the swarmlng M~&lcans
broke through the mission walls and IN
upon the small remnant, they baItled still for
five hours, hand to hand. bOwi--knife and pistol
from room TO ROOM until the very last OF their
devoted band fell dead. But they died not
alone; the Mexican slain lay around them In
heaps. IL Is said that during the siege and
assault 172 TeXasAmerlcans fell and no less
than 1000 MeIicans were Killed, besides 3OO
more wounded.
Looking back upon her long life, what an ex-
perience has Sonora Candelaria had She has
seen The dominion Of Spain, the raid OF the
wild Indians. the revolt OF Mexico. Then came
the struggle Of Texas for separate existence,
and the successful establishment Of republic.
Soon the Lone Star flag waved over an indie
pendent nation no longer, but by the Will OF lis
own PEOPLE fiuttered below the ensign OF the
United States.
Next this little Mexican woman, already 81
years of age saw the sQuadroDs marching on
10 that war which extended the boundaries of
the UuiOn to the Pacific Coast and made the
Rio Grande the border line OF Texas.
-Four flags had thus fiOJied above her head,
each in its turn holding dominance, when
fifth for a time suDeTs eded them. and the south
cru cross famed upon the view. Then once
more the stars pangled banner waved over the
land that twenty years before had laid down
her sCepter as a recognized and sovereign Gov
eminent to become one of SisterhOod of
States.