The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-08-26
WAR STORIES.


they liked best.
"When Bowie had got his 'cargoes'
Of negroes into good condition and
clean they would sell from $3.50 to
$500 each for men. Women about
one-third less. These Spanish slavers
we're very brutal. In feet Bowie had
to kill one or two Of them to compel,
es he said, the usual respect"
| In those days, as later, there were
many men in the South who were op.
posed to the slave trade. The Rev.
/. Newton Moaitt, most distinguish.
cd divine, preached notable sermon
against it and had weighty argument
Oh the subject at Gov. Wells table one
day with James Bowie. "Is it not
better" said Bowie in conclusion,
"that these poor creatures should be
decently clothed, kept cleanly and by
their labor add something to the
wealth of the State and the individ ual
citizen as they are now doing, than
that they shall continue in their de-
graded and barbarous condition, hard
ly degree above the wild beasts they
live among, constantly at war with one
another, not adding one whit to the
worlds progress?" II had not re-
ceived the question in that light be-
FORE said Rev. Mr.. Mofiitt, very
grayely. II don't know but that you
are right he said IN conclusion TO
James Bowie.
After he killed Col. Grain of
Shreveport, La, on Natchez island in
1929, Bowie became very restless.
"He very much regretted that Grain
duel all his life,'' said Gov. Wells
one day while talking of Bowie. "But
you must remember the time and the
condition Of things. Bowie could not
have acted in any other way than he
did and stayed in the State. He
would inevitably have been the target
of every cheap bully and fellow who
wanted to establish reputation as
lighting man." at some one else's
expense. No." said the governor in
conclusion, II don't see how he could
have avoided the fight OK its conclu-
sion.' In 1892 he became very much
interested in the colony OF Americans
who wero settling in Texas. A lot Of
Tennesseeans were there. They knew
Bowie and liked him. So they en-
Enthusiastically insisted on his becom-
ing member Of theyoung and -four
ishing colony. They obtained for
him o grant Of land three leagues
(nine miles) by two (six miles) in
width. So Bowie rather sadly said
good.bye 10 his few lifelong friends
sRa with his 25 negroes started for
the land OF pfomise from New Or.
leans.
| AZ Galses,ea islaad Travis, Hard
I've. Gam Houston. Ned Burleson, AL.
ssgs Sidney Johnston, then adjntant
esssssi Of aha colony but commanding
al ahe asgnsd forces, which meant
every American above IS years Of age
Whe gas any kind Of man, and the
other kind did not 80 there; BenD Dav-
is and deaf 6n' b." TIE man whom
the speaker Of the Texas house Of rep.
rssentatives. called out aud .Deaf
Smith" killed him with, rifle at 40
PAGES, all these were on hand to well
come Jim" Bowie to their homes
and hearts. II don't know when any
thing has touched me more deeply,
he said, than the welcome these gal
liant fellows have met to extend to me.
Some Of them had travelled 300 or 400
miles over bad roads all to see me and
tell me how glad they were to shake
my hand once more It touched
and softened Bowie very much. He
at once began to improve his estate
and was very fortunate.
But all at once the war between: The
| colony aud Mexico broke out and in
1886 ii declared itself a republic. 1
Meantime Mexico, under Gen. Santa
Anna, was preparing with all her re-.
sources to ''put down the rebellion"
Santa Anna vas president of Mexico
and he meant at one blow to squelch
these Americans. AT the beginning
of the war Bowie was made the colo
mel of the First Texas Regiment of ri.3
aes. This command was mustered in
by Gen. Johnston as numbering T2O
men, but one thing and another re-
duced it to 600 men in ranks. But
under Bowie they became d terror to
the entire Mexican border. They cap.
tured' all the border towns and levied
tribute ON them. chihuahua paid
| $3.50. 600 in Mexican nnzas tn Tas na as