The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-27

for the frontier style of guerrilla Skin
mishing than for regular warfare. To
Houston success seemer possible only
through weakening santa Anna by
drawing him further and further away
from his base. To retreat, retreat and
still retreat was his plan of campaign.
As Santa Anna, flushed with the vic
tory of GOliad, hurried eastward, HOus-
ton began to retreat from Gonzales.
Across river after river Houston led
the way. Part of his force was panic
stricken, part of it openly insubOTdin-
ate. Marauding parties of MeXiCans
robbed and murdered all the defense
less inhabitants of the district through
which they passed. Farm houses and
villages were destroyed and the cOun-
try laid waste. Still Houston retreat
ed How a man Of his imperious spirit
withstood the covert charges of cow
ardice that some of his subordinates
made is hard to understand, but as day
followed day, and his force 1essened
through desertion. the Mexican force
lessened far more through spreading
out over a wider and a wider field,
and through the dropping off of stray
glers. And at this time up in Washing
ton a soldier of many campaigns, who
had a map Of Texas before him. put a
finger on a spot near the San Jacinto
est. Hyacinth) river. and said; ''Ir
Houston knows his business there is
where he will make his stand" Such
was the opinion Of Andrew Jackson.
Houston's Triumph.
Queer prophecy, but it was true. On
the banks of the San Jacinto Sam
Houston did make his stand. What
70
diverging to the north. burned Harris
burg, where the Texas government, on
the jump since the war began, had
made its headquarters for a time only
to seek a safer haven in Galveston
He had chosen his battle ground and
there Santa Anna must engage him.
If ever a general deliberately planned
a slaughter Sam Houston did at San
Jacinto. Into a cUi-de-sac he led his
own men and then drew the Mexicans
after him. After ne got the Mexicans
in he secretly sent Deaf Smith and
some companions around to the rear
and they with axes destroyed Vince's
bridge practically the only route Of es-
cape for either army. Buffalo Bayou,
which skirted the battlefield on one
side was in flood. San JacintO bay,
which bOrdered it on another side. was
broad and deep. To the south and
partly TO the west was a mOrass. When
Santa Anna and Houston met on April
p, 1895, the Mexican army numbered
l,700 the Texan, zoo. The invading
force was worn by long marches and
had no idea the Texans would hazard
a general engagement. As for the Tex
ans. they had to conquer then and
there or be butchered But Houston
had no doubt of the result. That morn
ing when he awOke and saw the bIaz-
ing sun, he said; The sun Of Austen
litz has risen" And it had.
As battle San Jacinto stands
unique. The Texans charged once. Re
member the AlamOi Remember .Goliadr'
was their battle cry. In fifteen min
utes the Mexican army was routed
OF the whole LOO more than zoo were
slain, $50 were wounded or taken pris-
oners, and only a few escaped. The
Texans lost 9 killed and 30 wounded.
Houston was shot through the ankle
and his horse, after being wounded ten
times, dropped dead
An empire had been wont
Santa Anna In the uniform Of a com
mon soldier. was captured the following
day. He was on the bank Of the bavou
trying to escape. It was not until he
was brought into camp and the prison
ers shouted FL Presidenter' that his
identity was discovered.
But for Houston Santa Anna would
have been killed; but, wise man that he
was, ne knew that Santa Anna alive
was invaluable to Texas. while his as
sassination would bring upon the young
republic the condemnation of the world.
only the VIII Of Houston saved Santa
Anna that day and in the later DAYS
OF MS captivity when he was condemned
to death.
Houston's wound was so serious that
II nearly cost him his life He had to
De taken to New Orleans for treatment.
When ne returned in September he was
elected president Of the republic 70
serve Two years. Out Of the chaos Of
the republic of that day he brought
0raer and system, but his successor.
N. MiIaoeau B. Lamar, plunged Texas
INTO an abyss OF debt In 1871 Hous-
toh again was elected president. Mean
WINE WINE ne had made trip east and on
Nay j. 1910, he married in Marion. Ala.
margaret Moffeffa Tea a fo4or,so5