Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-15

ans from Punishment or extermina.
1886.
ms conIncidence, or act, was the
assembling, equipping and marching
TO the battlefield of Texas many hun.
dreds of volunteers from the United
States, but principally from New Or
leans. Of those volunteers nearly 400,
all young men, embarked at one time
on one vessel, and several hundred
followed, and arrived in time to be
engaged in the first battles of the
campaign of 1885, the battle of the
Mission, and the storming of the for
titled town of San Antonio, under
the command of Col. Milan until his
death on the field, then under Gen
Burlston to the final surrender OF
the Mexican forces of Gen. Co.'S on
Dec. IL, 1885, and after a siege of sew
eral days, with many hand-to-hand
contests. Under this capitalization
large, valuable and much-needed mu
nitions of war fell into the hands of
the Texans The surrender of Gen.
Cos terminated the campaign. of 1885.
A ma jority of the soldiers actively
engaged in those memorable battles
were the United States volunteers.
Those from Louisiana were known
throughout the campaign as 1.-The New
Orleans Grays." .ohn c. Calhoun, at
the time of the enlistment of those
volunteers. was bitterly denounced by
many northern journals as the origi-
nator of the movement, with view
to extending slavery. This aceusa-
tion was unjust, as he could not even
know of the movement until after
many hundred had embarked.
1t becomes necessary to life's voy-
age to say that the first move or call
for United States volunteers to aid
Texas in her struggle for independ
ence was made by Sailor i, without
any concert of action or consultation
with even single individual. When
word arrived at New Orleans by yes
sci that the representatives of Texas
who were Americans had been cast
into prison ut the City of Mexico. and
that President Santa Anna had issued
"A manifesto requiring the Texans to
leave the state, / felt that they were
not properly treated and that they
merited aid. On Oct. II, 1885, L wrote
is now before me:
The friends of Texas are requested
to meet at Banks Arcade tomorrow
evening. Oct. u, at o'clock, to CON
suit and adopt measures for the re-
lief of the oppressed Texans"
i took this notice to Editor Putnam
T.. Rea. of the New Orleans Bulletin,
and asked him if he would publish the
call. He replied, Certainly. with
pleasure" The meeting took place,
but the big men rushed in. took pos
session of the meeting and crowded
the boys into the background. Will
liam Christy, Esq, was called to the
chair. and James Ramage, Esq, was
appointed secretary; Randall Hunt,
Esq. an attorney of eminence, made
n stirring and patriotic address, and
Sailor 1 talked to the vast assembly,
but was awfully scared at standing
before so many big men-more scared
than / was when the pirates of the
Bahamas gave us chase and fired
their cannon at us, and when Gloomy
Joe reckoned the extent of our lives
to be two hours.
Lists were opened for volunteers.
and over $50 names We're Immediately
entered, and those volunteers adjour-
ned to meet in the Custom House
square next day at z O'Clock a. m. for
drill. On the 18th of October, just five
days after the first call for volun-
teers, $50 cleared from the port on
board of sailing vessel, name oblit-
Grated, as the act would forever af-
feet her intercourse in the Mexican
trade, and it would also affect her Off
GERS and owners.
(To be Continued)