Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-18

defeat cost him his life, as he imme-
diately journeyed to his death in
Texas. Crockett wrote the life of
Martin Van Buren,, which was well
spiced with, satirical filings. His pow
erful address at Benton, Miss, spoke
his ability.
The Alamo massacre, which is al
ways spoken of with horror, did not
compare in numbers or atrocity with
the massacre at Goliad, where on the
9th of the same month-March-Col
Fannen and his forces, over 500 men,
after n persistent and hard-fought
battle, were, by order of the Mexican
commander, Gen. Urea, marched out
of the fort in four divisions and over
400 shot, in violation of the terms of
their surrender. \ few broke through
the armed lines of the MeXicans and
made their escape by swimming the
San Antonio river. \ portion were
saved to perform labor in moving
Mexican military stores. Almost ev-
Goliad, like those of the Alamo. were
United States volunteers.
y large number of the Texans, up
on the approach of Santa Annals in
vading army-principally those with
families-fled toward the United
States border, promising to return as
soon as they deposited their families
in safety. But very few returned
during the war, leaving the volunteers
To- defend their homes. In recording
these facts we do not mean to imply
that the masses of the Texans were
lacking in duty or bravery, for they
were not.
Santa Anna, flushed with victory,
continued his march eastward with
1,S00~of his best troops, and on the
evening of April 20 he camped on the
San Jacinto, in sight of the Texans.
On the 21st. Gen. Houston, with his
little army of some $50 men. amid the
war cry of Remember the Alamo and
Goliad!" made Il charge of despera-
ton on the MeNicans. leaving 700 dead
upon the field, while over 700 were
taken prisoners, with their command
Ell, Uen. Santa Anna.
The general feeling of the Texans
was to put Santa Anna to the sword.
but he was a diplomatist and equal to
the emergency. Few men with the
blood of the Alamo and Goliad fresh
upon their hands could have so coolly
faced the Infatuated soldiery.
He told them that Santa Anna alive
was more valuable to them than San
ia Anna dead: that as the ruler of
Mexico he possessed power. although
Stipulations were enter
4 IL L +
invading army under Gen. Urea
should leave the state, and that he.
for Mexico, acknowledged the indie
pendence of Texas. with the Rio
Grande as the southwest boundary.
and would never more invade the
state of Texas. Then the flag of the
lone star of liberty was unfurIed on
the banks of the San Jacinto, which
reduced MeXico's 16 states to Is.
Fully one-half of Gen. Houston's
victorious army were United States
volunteers, representing every state
in the union. Most of these from the
north and west enlisted at New Or
leans; but the southern states furn-
iShed about 60 per cent of the Volun-
teers. Francis Moore, of Ohio. arriv-
ed in Texas in 1885. with his company
of buckeye hangers while Sidney
Sherman, of Cincinnati. Ohio.
raised cavalry company sixty
strong. which he commanded at
San Jacinto. Santa Anna was sent
from Texas to Washington, ID. c., in
January, 1887, and returned from
there to Mexico. to be twice there
after banished from his country, and
twice elected president. In 1868, while
in exile in New York, he planned an
expedition against President Juarez.
and was arrested on landing at Vera
Cruz and sentenced to death, but was
leaving the country.
One of the objects of this CON
densed history is to do justice to
Mexico. where il is due; also for the
long neglected volunteers from the
United States. most of whom sacri-
feed their lives in producing for Tex
as its independence, and for which
they suffered every privation and
hardship through hunger and thirst,
through sickness and painful death.
No commiSsary stores followed their
marches; no skilled surgeons or hos
pitaI nurses administered to their
wants; the earth was their couch,
and heavens broad arch their canopy.
Their resolution was unbounded. No
sooner had they driven the Mexicans
out of Texas in 1885 than they equip
ped force commanded by Col. John
son and Maj X. c. Norris. of the New
Orleans Grays, for the capture of
MatamoraS.
This expedition proved a failure.
and cost the volunteers many lives.
Then in 1871 the remnant of them,
in connection. with Texans. number
ing in all 335 men, formed an expe-
dition for the subjugation of New
Mexico. This expedition also proved
very unfortunate. They suffered
greatly in the mountains and lost
several of their number. and were
fsr.n Ill hot 81. 4