The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-02-24
Texas Historical Quarterly.

~
The quarterly of the Texas State Histori-
cal association for January is out with its
usual quota of good reading matter. have
time for only passing notice OF the lead
ing articles in scrintlm.
''The "Reminiscences OF Mrs Dime lIar-
ris' presents a good social picture of the
stirring times of the Texas revolution and
In that respect Is valuable contribution
to our literature. II is not reliable, how
ever, as history. Many Of Its statements
are vague and indefinite, with a tendency
to mlslead. shall challenge only such
statements as without any foundation re-
fleet upon the character OF distinguished
individuals.
On page 100 Of the Quarterly the writer
referring TO Colonel Travis, says: "He was
hcadstrong and preclpitated the war with
Mexico" Neither proposition Is true. Many
people blamed Travis for the capture of
Tenarlo at Anahuac In June, 1895, calling
It an act Of madness. In his own vlndlca.
tion Travis said: al was casually elected
the commander OF the expedition without
soliciting the appointment. discharged
what conceived to be my duty TO my
country TO tho best Of my ability. Time
alone will show whether the step was cor
rect or not And time will show that
when this country is in danger that I will
show myself as patriotic aud rendy to
serve her as those who, to save themselves,
have disavowed the net and denounced me
to the usurping military
There is a brave modesty In these words
and no unparalleled mind would consider
the author q headstrong man. These pa
trotic utterances have the genuine Travis
ring and were afterward sealed with his
hearts blood at the Alamo. Where, then,
were the detractors of Travis? Nor did
Travis preclpitate the war with Mexico,
The precipitation was done at Gonzales
In the affair of the cannon and Travis
was not even present In that opening fight
near Lexington. The disturbance about
the capture of Travis had long before been
settled.
But the most lnexcusable error is found
on page 1856, where the writer SAYS: "li
Colonel Travis and Colonel Fannin had
obeyed orders and retreated until they
could have Joined General Houston at Con
zales, the Mexican army could not have
crossed the Colorado, These erroneous
statements may have been believed once
but they have been long since refntcd b.
the published facts of history. Travis neve
received an order from Houston or any on
else 10 retreat from the Alamo.
And the story of Fannins surrender OF
the Colorado, etc, could not be told with
out telling also that he was on the retrea
from Goiad In obedience TO Houston's OF
ders. That he was delayed several days a
Golad before setting out on the retreat b
his effort to draw in his attachments unde
Ward and King is creditahlc alike to HI
sense of duty as soldier aud his generou
impulses as man,
"sketch Of the Early Settlement Of Leo
, County: It's Organization and Some Of tn
Early Settlers" In this rather difhc,I
kind of composition Judge Ward, the al
thor, has acquitted himself so well tina
the readers attention never flags froi
start to finish. and this is the same q
!, TO say that the usual duh aud monotonou
5 style of treating such subjects is not fo
lowed in this Instance More OF sue
y writeups of counties would be appreciate
e by the public.
;. "Dffcultles Of a Mexican Revenue OFT
e cer,p by Eugene c. Barker. Captain senari
3 was the revenue officer referred TO and hi
e experience at Anahuac from January I
IS July, 1885, IS the burden of this papel
N The writer brings to his task true splr
|, | OF lnNCSllRdtlou uuu iihpoi tihitA9f
- with panstaking industry as shown by IA
u array of numerous authorities. Mr. Barkc
It Is TO be congratulated on his satlsfact or
e treatment OF the Tcnario episode, In whiG
Travis, the coming hero OF the Alamo, al
- pears to fine advantage.
y ~
:, .'The First Period OF the Gutierrez Mage
u Expedition" by Walter Flavius McCalei
n This paper evnces considerable researc
% and ability Though we can not Away
II agree with the author In his conclusion
4. We admire him for his impartaity an
fearless style Of expression. 1t Is hope
Is that DR.. McCaleb will follow up his wOr
It on the Texas hlibusters by other contrib
lr lions T. w. halhes'