The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-24
SANJAcINTO BATTLEFIELD.
To the Editor of The Post.

To the Editor of The Post
recent number of the Texas Magazine
alludes in splendid style to some neglected
duties of the State. calling attention es-
pecially to the graves OF Ben Milan at San
Antonio, of Stephen f. Austin at Peach
Point and of General Houston at Hunts
VILE This is timely. but we regret ex-
ceedingly that the writer should have
Cancelled the effect OF his beautifully writ
ten article by the closing paragraph In
which he attempts TO score the govern
ment for "diverting funds from the public
treasury for the purchase of an unin-
habitable marsh at the mouth OF the San
Jacinto."
The writer condemns himself by his own
words, and 1t is because such u spirit as
this, always crying out against the break
ing of the alabaster box too often gives
the keynote to our State literature and
thus moulds public taste. For this very
reason our State has few monuments and
fewer sacred places, although more thrill
ling and brilliant history has never been
written, This latent sneer is a true feature
OF much that is depiorable, a spirit of greed
and false economy. Today the guns of the
old Texas navy are either entirely forgot
ten or have been sent TO a Chicago smelt-
ing house as useless metal. The sword OF
Santa Anna, which should have been kept
as one OF our proudest trophies lies rust
ing in its scabbard in a Cincinnati
museum, and the State OF Tennessee would
fain snatch from that unhonored grave At
Huntsville the ashes of hor famous SON.
and today the Texas veterans, as they
wend their way to some city which has
hidden them welcome, review but scant
and freezing courtesy from the railroads.
We do not ignore past Alyors and most
thankfully acknowledge many such. but
what matters 1t to these great iron bands
which stretch across this young empire
conquered from barbarism by these same
veterans? What matters ii whether or not
they came in SO or '38 or in 40? They will
still have ample time to do good work for
Texas, blazing the way with the axe for
surveyors chain or standing. half-ciad
and worse fed, sentinel by some lonely
camp fire. 1t is feeble gray and totterins
band marching on its last campaign, and
TO many this annual reunion Is the one
bright spot in all the year for them. Why
not let them have the keys OF the city.
go TO speak? But beautiful light Is break-
ing upon this picture and the Daughters
OF the Republic watch its beams with deep
emotion. it comes bursting from the grave
of Henry Rosenberg, was reflected from The
dome OF our capitol when the Twenty fifth
legislature decreed: Thus and thus 1t
shall be done. and IL acintillates today
around the heads Of Mr.. Ed Mccarthy at
Galveston and Nj. II. A. Lloyd of st.
Louis.
All honor to the Texas Magazine which
would see the graves OF our heroes rescued
from oblivion, but let 1t not depreciate
the battlefield OF San Jaeinto II the writer
has visited the Ipot he will have seen
much Of natural beauty there and the
Daughters OF the Republic hope at no dis
tant day to show him bright flowers bloom
ing and graceful palms waving where sleep
the Immortal nine.,, Truly marsh"
Ia there, TOO, int which Santa Annals
minions fed panic stricken. In dreadful
carnage. horse aud rider trodden ID
mass OF seethiag flesh. until the blue
shyacinths growing there We're dyed red
In Mexican gore
Farhars, even &c these intrepid spirits
of the Texan army, II would have been "a
little less terrible could they haze faced
death In some other locality. Doubtless
they would have fdt q little less lonely
and nearer Heaven toliid they have looked
up to the everlasting hills around Dallas
or to tine ayethystiie crowns which en-
circle proud and rtgal Austin. But the
great God Of battles wiiled that this con-
fIict should occur at tpe mouth OF 4 mndiy,
swollen river meal an uninhabitabe |
marsh" and here II defant despair Sam
Houston's 700 LOOKED into the faces Of
Santa Arna's 1000 Here. indeed, but for
this marsh the rsilf made BY Almoute |
might have been general and ths ragged !
fsintinE Texas army mizht have met ~
other tragic Goiad or dark and b'opdy
Alamo. INSTEAD Of rs ever glorious San
Jacint0 Yes. It's truly ian unlnhsb'table /
marsh" but verify uAn take thy shoes !