Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-08-18
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third anniversary of the battle of
San Jacinto, which took place all
over Texas last month, was an event
of special significance to Alphonse
Steel, of Mexia, this State, who is
the sole survivor OF the little army
of Texans who, commanded by Gen.
Sam Houston, met and crushed COM
pletely the overwhelming force Of
Mexican soldiers upon that battle
field .t
Mr.. Steele is "a years old, but is
still full of strength and vigor.
He spent several weeks in Austin
during the past winter and was the
recipient of signal honors at the
hands of the Legislature. He accept
ed invitations and delivered an in
teresting address before the House
and Senate, which met in joint ses-
sion to hear him. He was voted q
handsome gold medal by the State,
and this insignia of his faithful mil
itary service was presented to him
with most impressive ceremony by
committee of legislators.
A large painting of Mr.. Steele was
also purchased by act of the Legisla-
ture and will be hung in the Texas
hall Of fame" in the State Capitol.
One other man, Capt. Zuber, of Aus
tin, who was in Gen. Houston's
n &c Of oil h,t ha
an actaul participant in the battle Of
San Jacinto. 1t was this battle that
won for Texas her independence
from Mexico and marked the over
throw of Gen. Santa Ana as a mill
tary despot
Mr.. Steele has in his possession
the original muster roll Of Gen. Hous-
tons army. He has used this roll
on several occasions to disprove
claims of persons that they were in
the famous battle.
When only seventeen years old
Steele left Hardin county, Kentucky,
where he was born, and went down
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in a
boat to Lake Providence, La, where
he worked until November, 1895,
when he Joined company of vol
unteers commanded by Capt. Dag
gett and marched to Old Washing
ton, this State. ......
1t was found on reaching that
place that Texas had not yet declared
her independence, and the company
Of soldiers disbanded. Steele re-
manned in Washington until the de-
claration of independence was
signed, wbereupon he Immediately
started for San Antonio to join
Travis and aid in defending the Ala
mo. While on his way he learned
that the Alamo had fallen.
In company with otf r p .triots he
then proceeded down the Colorado
river and joined the army which
Gen. Houston was gathering about
him. AS Gen. Houston and his gath
ering force of patriots and adventu-
rers moved onward toward the Ruf-
falo bayou and the San Jacinto
river, Gen. Santa Ana and his army
fol owed closely, hoping to get the
Texans in q close position and make
an attack.
The Texas army found itself In a
cornered position on April 21, 1886,
and in, order that it might be q fight
n q ha hr,I lno ;,,f
across the water course over which
retreat might be made was destroy
ed by order Of Gen. Houston. Mt.
Steele gives an interesting account
of the battle of San Jacinto, which
took place on that day. He says:
AFTER dinner on April 21 Santa
Ana, who was close upon us, re-
ceived about five hundred additional
troops under command Of Gen. Cos.
We received orders to prepare for
battle. We advanced upon the MeXi-
cans in the following order: Hous-
ton, with the artillery, in the center;
the cavalry on the right and Col.
Sherman with his troops on our left.
The Mexicans had thrown up breast
works out of their baggage about a
hundred yards south Of a belt of
timber, where they had stationed
their artillery.
"Santa Ana's right was placed in
thick grove of timber. When we
got up pretty close Gen. Houston
sent word to Col. Sherman to at
tack this position. We were ordered
to ,ove forward and hold our fire