Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-06-05
GRIM REMINDERS OF
A BLOODY STRUGGLE
Bayonet and Ball Found Near Epis-
copal Church in Brownsville
Souvenirs of Mexican War.


In the possession of Jack Roetzel
are two grim and silent witnesses of
the last bloody conflict fought on
the present site of Brownsville. One
is a bayonet, bent and rusted, the
other a canister shot. Both were
unearthed on Washington street
near the Episcopal church, in MAX
ing the grade for the paving. A
following brief summary of incidents
leading to this battle follows.
AS every student of American his
tory knows, when Texas won her
independence from Mexico. she laid
claim to the Rio Grande as the prop
er boundary of her domain. Mexico
insisted that the dividing line should
be the Nueces river.
When Uncle Sam annexed Texas,
he also annexed the quarrel over the
boundary, and, as everyone ought
to know also, Uncle Sam thereupon
SEM General Zachary Taylor down
to Texas to take charge of this end
of the three-sided campaign which
was set on foot to su~bstantiate Tex
as claim.
On February 4, 1916, General
Taylor, who was then stationed at
Corpus Christi, received a long mes
sage from Mr.. Marcy, secretary of
war, urging a movement to the ex-
IRENE limit of the territory then
in dispute-the Rio Grande river.
Everything at Corpus Christi was in
readiness by March II. Major Mon
roe proceeding by water with trans
ports, with a battery of field guns,
a siege train and several officers of
Taylor's permanent staff. All sup
plies not taken by the marching men
went this way to Brazos Santiago and
through the pass to Point Isabel.
General Taylor moved along with
a brigade until the army had passed
the Arroyo Colorado. He then sent
the main columns forward to the
Rio Grande, caTp being made on the
ground which afterward became Fort
Brown. Taking Col. Twigg's dra-
goons with him as an escort, he him
self turned eastward aiming to reach
Point Isabel, where he intended Sc
curing a base of supply.
After a march of 10 miles, he ar
rived on the oath day of March at
a point on the route from Matamoros
10 Point Isabel, is miles from the
former and s miles from the latter
place. Here he left General Worth
with instructions to proceed in the
direction Of Matamoros, while he
continued toward Point Isabel to
communicate with the transports,
which were supposed to have arrived
by that time.
q IL dloldnCS HUH lnlc
place, Taylor discovered Point Isa-
bel in flames. The advance of the
cavalry, however arrived in time to
check the fire, which consumed three
or four houses.
1t is evident that the Mexicans
misunderstood the movement of Tay-
Tor to Point Isabel. Taylor knew
well that General Arista, in COM
mand of the Mexican forces, which
were crossing the Rio Grande at that
time would regard his movement as
a retreat, and that Arista would
doubtless attempt to first clear up
Fort Brown.
This is precisely what the Mexican
general did. Shells and hot shot
were poured into the fort for sew
eral days. Some of the buildings
were burned, and it was then that
Jacob Brown, the commandant in
charge during Taylors' absence, for
whom the fort and town Of Browns
Vile were named, was mortally
wounded by a bursting shell. His
death was a great loss to Taylor.
Taylor remained at Point Isabel
long enough to rearrange the defense
there, accumulate supplies and pre-
pare a train for his subdepot at the
On the evening of May 7th
he started with his army Of about
600, escorting about 800 wagons.
miles out the army was
bivouacked for the night. AT dawn,
on the Sth, the column moved out
and pursued its steady tramp till
midday. Scouts at this time dis