The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-22
A SAN JACINTo VETERAN.
Description Of the Deciding Battle
for Texas independence.
DEADLY WORK OF TWIN SISTERS
Fight Only Lasted About Fifteen
Minutcs--snnta Anna Was DndIy
Frightened When Captured.
To the Editor Of Tho Post.

| To the Editor CT The Post
| Clayton. Ala, February 20-Dear Sir.
| sixty-one years ago, the 2ist day Of next
April. about $50 lnyinciblcs, under COM
mand of General Sam Houston. met Santa
Anna near the confluence of San Jacint1
and Buffalo b1yous. engaged him IN bat
tie. vanqu,shed his army and Texas Is
| free. About the LIST of March, 1885, two
| sr.all companies were raised near san
Augustine, composed of sbout forty-two
men EACH one of them was commanded
by Capia'n Benjamin Bryant. in which
l enlisted as private. AS soon as they
were organized, a forced and RAPID march
was made and Joined General Houstons
army. then encampel IN the bottoms on
the west side OF the Brazos river, and
near Groces ferry. Houston was slowly
and sullenly retreating and Santa Anna
was in pursuit and crossed the Bre2os
a, San Felipe, several miles below where
We We're enoamped. Houston had seized
small steamer, called the Yellowstone,
TO enable HIM TO cross the river. He re-
NAMED in camp for several days, then
crossed the rver on the steamer and took
UP the line of march in the direction of
Harrisburg OH Buffalo bayou, where no
arrived ON Monday. the 18th day of April
The enemy ilio lust left the place, alter
destroying aAd burning the town. ON the
evening OF that day Smith brought a
Me>-can courier, or mad nder, who was
carrying the mall In an old fashioned
pair OF sdddiebags, upon which was writ
ten IN IL plain lcgible hand, William
barrett Travs.'
A detail was made to remain with Major
McNuet, - guard the baggage and SEX.
ana Oh Tuesday morning General Houston
crossed the bayou, IN whuch the most of
the day was consumed, swimming the
horses and taking the wagons and Twin
S.ytsrs' over on hastily itnproyised RATS
General Houston then went in PURSUIT of
the enemy and came up with him on
"Wednesday, The 10Th, and some sk.rmish-
armies seemed to be Lynchburg, just be-
low the confluence OF San Jac!nto and
Buffalo bayous.
Houston got possession and held the
ferry and went into camp on the banks
OF Buffalo bayou on Wednesday night.
ana the enemy encampcd not far off and
lust over "A little em.nence.
The information gathered from the Mex
lean mail which had been captured on
Monday. the 18th, was that Santa Anna
was IN command of the van of his army.
consistn of 1900 men, and General COS
ms brotner-!n-l aw) WAS in the rear sew
etal miles with 800 men. Our boys pleaded
W IN General Houston to let them engage
Santa Anna before Cos could reinforce
him. but he held them back. and sad he
was not ready; but at the proper time he
world lead them TO battle and victory.
once and during Wednesday night he |
oronsht up his command OF 100 men.
'. THURSDAY seemed to open auspiclously. |
II WAS Il beautIful day, without a cloud.
During the morning some little desu!tory |
firing was had, and our small army of |
$50 men becdme more and more anxious |
Tor the fray. and entered into most solemn |
pledges OF victory or death. Restlessness |
pervaded the whole camp and mutterines |
OF treason could he heard in every drec-
ton. AT about p. m. General Houston |
announced that he was ready. mounted |
his bob-tailed pony and shouted TO his fol
lowers TO come on,
my with the battle-cry "kemenber Co
lad! Remember the Alamo" The enemy
we're terrorized demoralizel, and were ut
The Twin Sih,ers" did effective service.
shooting off tho ammunition Nox OF a
hrass nine-pounder of the enemy the
mad. The guns mostly used by our army
were rifles, and after using up their am
munstion. they used the barrels of guns,
and many were killed In this way As
soon as the smoke of battle had cleared
away we could begin to see the fruits OF
our victory.
We had captured about half of the one.
ny's forces, the blsance lay dead and
wounded on the field of battle. and for
miles on me road and trails, Our loss was
comparatively light. about ten or twelve
killed. about the same number mortally
MoinieI and ten or fifteen slightly
|
ants company YVES killed III battle. being
.Hot through the body wit IN musket
nal. General Houston was wounded ia
the ankle and his pony was shct from
nnqer nm. Our spells consisted Of about
'lo."o In specie. 200 pack mrles and very
@rge I'iantliy of merchandise
Almonte and Cos were .apturea in bat
ne, pi8Hed IN r tent or marnue together, |
Under strong guard and Santa Anna was
saP,urei on saturday. the 2s1. by squad
y ,href men under the comnard of a Mr. |
fif.No |
,9mple,e, General Houston had ordered
, nee > bridge burnt to prevent any cs-
,@'e' These three men were securing the !
,%uhtry In every direction. ,1d finally {
lowered man at some d stance from
bo,ii ana pursued him. lie tried to elude
hheMl' and squaited IN the grass. When
r,shiened. They endcavorcd TO 6nd out ,
mo ne was, but he pretended he did not
a. i '.and English and they could not
lhiehstdnd What he said lie was dressed ,
Il disguise and had nothing about I'm c
. ind. c9te his STA ion. only a line en- >
,Io"'red shirt. He was conducted TO
~ tncampment, AMI when they arrived {
re- WelKin WAS made 10 ring Icy some
r,,b n ny M Nc ans who were in the bat,e
'Nh Us ny shouting aloud "San;a Annal
AZ ~. q Ahna. and our boys took M t'e
tun.un, ana never have / heard such c
',,""tHs ptiofe nor since .ihe tvglnt p
, IT, very nally frightened. IN wh.ch con n
t 19,%h nc was marched to General ,ious- d
ould@i on his couch, and ravo hIs nan,e u
=, Lon Ahtonlo Lopez de Santa Anna, ',
~ great spanish Napoleon. Hc vas ord q
~ ~ paced m the same mar1ue WITH Al s
""" Nos' More. anon.
Hardy w. B. Price =
a San Jacin.o Veteran
tssirnmcnt mt TrrrP,I