Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-09-19

uD0 dICuIfCS vi bIC hcW CUdpc, anu
marched away, after having a rear
guard action with Houston S men, who
came up as Santa Anna marched off.
| Here one of Houston's spies captur-
ed a Mexican post rider and Houston
learned for the first time that Santa
Anna had divided his army into three
parts, one march ng down the west
side of the State, one down the east
and the third, under Santa Anna,
marching down the central part.
The Mexican post rider was carry
ing bis mail in pair of saddlebags on
which was printed the name "William
Travis Baird" who commanded the
Alamo, and who, with 1853 men, in
Guiding Bowie and Crockett,and many
of tle bravest men in Texas, were
murdered by the Mexicans. There was
an effort made on the part of the Tex
ans to Kill the mail rider, but Houston
prevented this.
AS soon as he learned that Santa
Anna had divided up his army he de-
termined to attack that part of the
army which, under Santa Anna, after
having burned Harrisburg, had march
ed away a few miles and lay encamped
at San JacintO. Santa Anna, fearing
lest he was to be attacked, had ordered
General Cos, his brotherlnlaw, who
commanded the rear guard, to bring
up his men, so that Santa Anna had
about l 500 men, while Houston had
about 400. Houston, in his narratives.
stated that he had only few over 700,
but Colonel Price states that Houston
underestimate his force to make the
victory appear the greater
"We were stationed about half mile
away from the Mexican army" says
Colonel Price. "They had fortified
themselves at San JacintO and thought
they were safe from attack.
''On the afternoon of April 20, 1886,
Houston called his men out and told
them that he was ready<to attack the
Mexicans and bade us remember the
Alamo.
ssAt 2:30 o'clock, while the Mexicahs
were taking their afternoon siesta, we
were ordered to charge We had two
iron six.pounders, which the Texans
bad dubbed the Twin Sisters, and the
Mexicans had one brass nine FOUNDER.
The first shot of the battle was fired
by one of our cannon. The second shot
from the Twin Sisters exploded the
powder chest of the Mexicans and they
were unable to use their cannon at all
during the battle. We charged, and
the Mexicans, awakening from their
sleep, stood ready to receive us.
"The Mexican troops fired with their
guns at their hips, and invariably fired
too high. In few minutes we were
among the Mexicans, and in half an
hour the battle. after waging for a
time in hand-to hand conflict, was
over. Eight hundred Mexicans lay on
| the field of battle and 800 more had
surrendered.
Santa Anna was nowhere to be
found, but three days late three young
men, while walking in the outskirts
of the camp, found man creeping
through the grass. They halted him,
and be fell at their feet and kissed
| them. He had no Insignia of office.
but be was taken before Houston and
as he reached the American General
he f, Il On his knees, saying:
81 am Don Antonio Lopez de Santa
Anna, the great Spanish Napoleon.
am your prisoner of war and claim
YOUR clemency. The brave are always
generous
Houston asked him what he wish
ed done with his dead soldiers, but the
Mexican general, Struggling his should
ers, replied:
"sThey are dead. Let them stay
where they are. And the dead Mexi-
cans were allowed to remain there and
were never buried
1T often has been said that Santa
Anna had only one leg at the battle OF
!, San Jacinto, but that is false. He had
two as good legs as l ever saw, and he
, lost his leg some time after this battle
AFTER the battle of San Jacinto al
of the things captured from the Mexi
, cars were sold. Santa Annals saddle
sold for 1926, and good Mexican p0nch0'
: sold for $50 apiece. Atlanta Jodrnal