The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-28
ISLAND CITY NEWS ITEMS.
Investigation Of the History Of Two
OLD Cannon.
A LETTER CONCERNING THE GUNS,
n. ". Thompson, n Leading Business
Man. Dcnsl--Dr. West viii Attend
the Meeting OF Doctors.

(The branch office of the The Post sn
Galveston f. NJ the fremont Noeel where
items OF news, Communications and adver-
tsscments VIA be recelvcd1
Galveston. Texas. December a7,--Tho 10.
cal chapter Daughters OF the Republic OF
Texas Us taking active stcre 10 prove the
gcnuinenoss OF the two old cannon recently
sold to junk dealer. as being the original
armament OF the old war schooner Tom
Toby. Tho chapter at Austin has taken
up the matter aud is now waiting proof
that the guns are what IL claimed for
them. Mrs, II, A. Landcs. president OF the
local chapter. expects to be able 10 furnish
such proof at an early day.
In connection with these old gums the
following extracts from letter written by
MIR. H., q. Heartt of New Orleans 10 the
late A. g. Mills OF this city. at that time
AZ lieutenant in the artillery company may
he OF interest. The letters bear the date
cf April 4. 1874. and say.
In 1886 |, resident OF this city, and u
partner OF the mercantile firm OF James
Reed 4 Co. along with other friends,
took an activc interest In tho struggle for
Texas Independence then going on. In
May of thai year | purchased the Baltl-
more clipper schooner Swift, had her
pierced for guns, and fitted out ut Aigiers
by MIR Hassam, ship builder. aud named
her the Tom Toby, in honor Of my good
friend Thomas Toby. a strong syinpathizer
with aud an active supporter OF the Texas
movement.
Tho armament obtained from my
friend James w, Brcedlove. collector OF
the port OF New Orleans, two fine brass
guns, which had been taken from Span
ish vessel arriving here from Havana. ana
which had long remained Ia his possess
sion, The 5wo guns bore the monoSran
Carlos Ill. and were named respectively
lei Cruel and Bl Fuerte. and further bore
the inscription, Santa Fo de Dogota. liSS.
Cobres dc America. Mongulrn,
"A commission was obtained 10, the
Tom Toby as a Texas priyateer, and she
was put IN command of the first lenten-
ant OF the Texas schooner OF war Brutus,
Nathaniel Hoyt a scothman. james II.
Tire. formerly of the royal navy also q
Scu,chman, was assigned TO her as sail
INK master.
Tho vessel sailed hence and proceeded
TO the coasts OF Mexico and fucatan, whore
she captured several prizes. She then re-
turned to the Texas coast. and sold her
10 Shreeve " Grayson, merchants OF Gal
weston. Some time afterwards she was
wrecked in Galveston bay during n storm.
For many years after the loss OF the
schooner Captain Hoyt resided in Havana,
but returned 10 New Orleans, whore he
died
Had time to look over my old papers,
/ could give you much information about
Texas matters in those early days. In
which your uncles. Robert aud David q,
Mills, figured along with s. NJ. Williams,
Y. T.. Mckinney, Gall borden. Shaokie-
ford, Grayson, my venerable friend DR.
Levi Jones aud others, AS one OF the Texas
committee here, | shipped arms ammuni-
| ton. etc. to DR.. JONES aud Gail Borden.
the latter then being the collector OF the
port of Galveston"