USA > Texas > A School History of Texas: From Its Discovery in 1685 to 1893. For the Use of Schools, Academies, Convents, Seminaries, and all Institutions of Learning > Part 11
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Colonel Ward, hearing the firing at the ranch, left the mission (Refugio) with his men, to go again to Captain King's relief, when they were met by a Mexican force of six hundred men. They retreated into the mission, where they not only defended themselves, but with the true aim of their rifles changed the charge of Urea's men into a flight, leaving many
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dead Mexicans on the field. Colonel Ward left three wounded in the mission, who were afterward shot. Colonel Ward and his men retreated in the night into the coast country, with which they were unacquainted, crossed the Guadalupe, and on the 21st they were captured near the mouth of the Garcitas Creek, taken back to Goliad, and afterward shot with Fannin and their comrades.
Colonel Fannin began making his preparations for retreat as soon as possible after receiving General Houston's order on the 13th. He awaited the return of the Georgia battalion. On the 17th one of the messengers returned and gave infor- mation of the death of Captain King and his men, and of the retreat of Colonel Ward.
On the morning of the 18th preparations began in earnest, when a party of the enemy came in sight. Captain Horton of Matagorda, who had arrived on the 14th with thirty fresh horsemen, started in pursuit. The Mexicans fled, but, being reenforced, they in turn chased the Texans back. Horton sent for all the mounted men in the fort to join him, which was done. They went out of sight, but soon came flying back, pursued by the Mexicans. Horton and his men took refuge in the old Aranama Mission. Captain Shackleford with his company, and the artillery men with a gun, went to Horton's relief. The Mexicans soon, however, disappeared. Nothing was accomplished on either side, and a day of valu- able time-they little knew how valuable-was lost. Early on Saturday, March 19th, they left the fort, the artillery and baggage in wagons drawn by oxen, which were poor and weak: They crossed the San Antonio River, Horton's men acting as scouts. Travelling slowly, at the end of seven miles they came to a spot of fresh grass where they halted an hour to let the oxen graze and to refresh the men. No enemy appeared.
The oxen soon wearied, and their progress was slow ; but, as four mounted men were in the rear to give due notice of danger, no apprehension was felt. Soon the enemy came in
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sight from the timber of the Manahuila Creek, which they had crossed, and the four scouts came riding furiously under whip and spur, but all passed on except one man, Ehren- berg, who wheeled and joined the Texians. Colonel Fannin ordered a halt, unlimbered a four-pound cannon, fired three shots, and then renewed the slow march, the enemy retiring. In a piece of low ground, about half a mile from timber ahead of them, they were halted by the breaking down of their ammunition wagon. Before this could be repaired they were surrounded by about five hundred Mexicans, whose advance had been concealed by fog. The number was soon after in- creased to one thousand or more men. The Mexican cavalry made repeated attempts to charge, but the Texas riflemen reserved their fire until the right moment, and compelled them each time to retire.
Just at dusk a regiment of Yucataco Indians, under Colonel Portilla, advanced, crouching in the tall grass, and opened a destructive fire ; but these were silenced by the Texas rifles, aimed wherever the flash of an escopeta was seen in the tall grass. A night of intense darkness, cold and wet, closed the fight, the Mexicans surrounding them with their guard.
The Texians dug a ditch around themselves on less than one-fourth of an acre of ground, and made breastworks of their carts, the carcasses of the last two of their horses and of their oxen, and lying down occasionally to sleep. The ground was wet and cold, and they gladly worked for exercise and warmth.
Early in the morning, just as day was breaking, the enemy received a reenforcement of three or four hundred men, with a fresh supply of ammunition and two pieces of artillery, from which they began the day with shots of grape and canister.
The Texians now found that their provisions had been forgotten. They were all, and especially their wounded, suf- fering for water, and were worn out with the exertion and
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exposure of the day and night. The question of surrender or a rush for the timber began to be discussed.
Colonel Fannin said : " We fought them off yesterday, and we can do it again to-day."
The rush for the timber involved the leaving of their wounded men. Dr. Shackleford, who was a surgeon, also had command of a company of very young men, " The Red Rovers," sons of his neighbors, who had come out to " have a brush with the Mexicans," his own son and two nephews being of the number. Many of these were of the number wounded. He, of course, refused to leave them.
They could scarcely hope for a better fate than that of Johnson's men, or of King and his thirty Georgians, if they surrendered.
The cries of the wounded and dying for water, and the faint hope of a capitulation in which their lives should be spared, at last prevailed; failing in this, they resolved to fight to the last and die in the trenches. They then raised a white flag to which the Mexicans quickly responded, and the officers on both sides, with writing materials and interpreters, agreed upon terms of capitulation on the 20th of March, 1836.
They surrendered as " prisoners of war," according to the usages of civilized nations, with a verbal pledge that they should be paroled and sent to New Orleans as soon as possible. Colonel Holtzinger, who received their arms, said pleasantly : " Well, gentlemen, in ten days, liberty and home."
Of the Mexicans, fifteen dead bodies were lying within rifle shot of the Texians, and one hundred of their wounded were placed under the care of the Texas physicians. Their full loss was never ascertained. By the 22d they were all removed to Goliad. On the way they met General Urea with about one thousand men, on their march to Victoria. They spoke kindly in passing, and endeavored to cheer up the spirits of the prisoners.
On the 24th Major Miller and eighty men from Tennessee
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and Kentucky were brought prisoners from Capano. These were captured on landing, and had only time to throw their arms into the bay, and, claiming to be immigrants, were spared at the killing.
On the 25th Colonel Ward, with the missing Georgia bat- talion, arrived in a miserable condition.
QUESTIONS .- What order had Fannin received ? Of what was he soon after apprised ? What had he done on the 11th of March ? What was the result ? Who was sent to his relief ? What was his next move ? What was their fate ? Describe Ward's movements. What was his fate ? Why did Fannin wait ? Describe Horton's encounter with the Mexicans. When did they finally begin their retreat ? How was it conducted ? What occasioned the second halt ? What change was made in their mode of attack ? How were the Texians occupied during the night ? What occurred on the following morning ! What was now the situation of the Texians ? What became the question ? What was Fannin's belief ? What was involved in the rush for the timber ? What could they hope from a surrender ? What finally prevailed ? What was done ? On what date ? What were the terms ? What was the Mexican loss ? To what place were the prisoners taken ? Whom did they meet on the way ? Who arrived on the 24th ? Why were they spared ? What prisoners were brought in on the 25th ?
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
SHOOTING OF FANNIN AND HIS MEN-RESPONSIBILITY DENIED.
ON the 26th Colonel Fannin returned with his adjutant and Colonel Holtzinger from Copano, where he had been sent on some mission. His wound, which he received in the first encounter, was dressed, and they were all in fine spirits. Although they had only the bare floor of their prison for beds, they talked and sang " IIome, Sweet Home," and slept the night away-their last night on earth. The order for their execu- tion had already arrived.
Early on the morning of the 27th, Palm Sunday, the Mexican Colonel Garay, by birth a Greek, managed to with- draw from the fort the three physicians, Shackleford, Barnard, and Fields, and nine of Fannin's men ; also two men whom he concealed in his tent, which was three hundred and fifty yards
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from the fort, with Miller's men, unarmed when taken prisoners, detaining them there under "special orders."
Under various pretenses the prisoners were marched out of the fort in three companies-one on the San Antonio road, one on the Corpus Christi road, and the third towards the lower ford. They were halted about a half mile from the fort. The men had no suspicion of their fate until the guns were levelled upon them, when several shouted : "They are going to kill us, boys !" They cheered each other, and exhorted all to die like men, while some shouted : "Hurrah for Texas !" Simultaneous shots from the soldiers, under three captains, silenced all. Colonel Fannin, on account of his wound, was not marched out with the other prisoners. When told that he was to be shot, he heard it with apparent composure, handed his watch and money to his executioner, and requested that he might not be shot in the head, and that his body might be decently buried. He was shot in the head, and his body stripped and thrown into the funeral pile with his men. Colonel Fannin's wounded, sixty in number, were dragged out of the hospital, shot, and their bodies thrown aside. A small number broke ranks and ran at the instant of firing. These were pursued, and most of them shot; twenty-seven escaped. Sixteen of Horton's men were with Fannin, Horton himself and the remainder having been cut off from them while scouting in advance.
The three physicians were kept at Goliad until the wounded Mexicans no longer required their services, when they were sent to assist the Mexican surgeons among the wounded in the battle of the Alamo.
Miller's men, not being found armed, were after some time set at liberty.
The responsibility for these atrocities was shifted from one to another of the officers at Goliad, and Santa Anna shifted it from himself to his government. Portillo of the Yucatacos deplored that the miserable deed was to so large an extent
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required of his " poor Indians ; " and Filisola condemned Urea for needlessly assassinating so many brave young men, "when the same results could have been effected without it." The Mexican troops, excepting a guard of about eighty men, left Goliad to move easterly. Thus ended the Matamoras expedi- tion.
The Mexican Government, regarding the subjugation of Texas as completed, sent messages to Santa Anna, compli- mentary in the highest degree of the "brilliant triumph he had achieved over the perfidious colonists." "Ever patri- otic," wrote the Minister of State, "your Excellency has gar- nished your temples with laurels of unwithering fame." Santa Anna did not receive this letter, it being intercepted ; but in his manifesto he seemed to have been crowned with thorns. Among other similar complaints he said : "I am represented as being more ferocious than a tiger-I, who was ambitious of being distinguished by nothing so much as my clemency."
Santa Anna now decided that his officers with a few soldiers could penetrate and take possession of the country, while his secretary, Almonte, should resurvey and parcel out the lands to any foreigners, save Americans, and especially to Mexican families, several of which had come in the wake of the army, much to Filisola's disgust, while he himself should return with the cavalry and artillery to perfect in his capital his plans for a central despotic government in Mexico.
Almonte, who had spent the summer of 1824 among the people of Texas, at which time he studied the character and habits of the people, and their "unexampled success," now reminded Santa Anna of the fact that the people who claimed the soil of Texas had not been conquered, and Filisola joined his remonstrances against taking the army out of the " uncon- quered country."
QUESTIONS .- How did Fannin and his men spend the night of the 26th ? What had already arrived ? What occurred on the early morning of the 27th ? How were the prisoners arranged ? Did they suspect their fate ? What was their first knowledge of
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it ? What were their shouts ? Was Fannin among them ? What was his request ? Was it granted ? What was the fate of the wounded ? How many escaped ? What of Horton's men ? What became of the three physicians ? Of Miller's men ? Who was responsible for these atrocities ? What was now done by the Mexican forces at Goliad ? Of what was this the end ? How did the Mexican Government regard these matters ? Did Santa Anna receive this letter ? What was his complaint ? What were now his plans ? How was he dissuaded from his purpose ?
CHAPTER XXXIX.
HOUSTON'S RETREAT-ORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY-PANIC.
ABOUT midnight of the 13th of March, 1836, General Hous- ton left Gonzales with five hundred men, moving easterly, most of the families moving in advance. Many of the residences and other buildings in the town were burned after the people left, but not by Houston's orders, to prevent their furnishing shelter and supplies for the Mexicans. General Houston con- tinued his retreat eastward, and crossed the Colorado between the 17th and 20th of March, when his number of men was reported to be thirteen hundred to sixteen hundred. This number, not organized as to the majority, diminished as the families continued to flee. On the 22d Captain IIenry Teal joined the army with a company of regulars.
From his scout, Captain Henry W. Karnes, who had sev- eral successful skirmishes with those of the enemy, General Houston learned that Sesma, with over seven hundred men, was camped on the opposite side of the Colorado, two miles below. General Houston's men were eager to attack them, and at one time he decided to do so on the 27th ; but believing that reinforcements would soon arrive, and that his own army would soon be increased by men from Nacogdoches and Red River, as well as from the United States, and yielding to ad- vice from the Secretary of War, General Thomas J. Rusk, he decided not to hazard a battle, as he could not yet foresee the " tolerable certainty of a victory," as the President had advised on the 16th. Here two regiments were organized of which
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Edward Burleson and Sidney Sherman, who had arrived from Covington, Kentucky, with eighty men from that place and Cincinnati, were elected colonels.
It was necessary to defend other points, and Colonel Ed- ward Harcourt was ordered to "defend Velasco with such resources as might be at hand." Colonel Alanson Huston was to protect and remove public stores from Coxe's Point to Gal- veston Island, which was defended by Colonel James Morgan. General Houston had the upper and lower crossings of the Brazos guarded by Captain Mosley Baker on the east bank, op- posite San Felipe ; and Captain Wyley Martin was placed near the ferry, opposite Fort Bend, each with a few men.
It had been hoped that a further retreat eastward would not be necessary, and especially that the Brazos should not be crossed, but it became the policy of General Houston to retreat. He did so on the 26th of March, and reached the Brazos on the 28th. During this retreat they were joined by one hundred and fifty men-parts of companies-who had made their way up from the mouth of the Brazos.
On the first day of April, General Houston made his en- campment without tents, in the Brazos Bottom, in the midst of timber, mud, and water-the last increased by a rise in the Brazos River. From this place his scouts kept track of the movements of the enemy, and here he endeavored to intro- duce into his ranks some of the discipline and order necessary for successful warfare. From this place he addressed letters to committees of safety and to the panic-stricken citizens, assur- ing them that the safety of their families would be best as- sured by swelling the ranks of the army. At this place they were joined by eighty Red Landers.
The menacing attitude of the Cherokees and their associate bands, together with rumors of Gaona's advance into that region, not only deterred men from leaving for the army, but those who were already on the way to join, meeting the panic, were turned back, many believing the whole country would
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. soon follow. This also caused a few desertions from the ranks already enlisted ; and, on the 26th, news of the disasters to Johnson and Grant, Ward and King, and to Fannin, increased the impatience and excitement in camp.
General Houston broke up his camp in the Brazos Bottom, and, on the 12th of April, commenced crossing that stream on a small river steamer and a skiff. This occupied two days. They rendezvoused three miles east of the crossing, where the Nacogdoches and Harrisburg roads cross each other. From this place, with the company of Baker and the ." Twin Sis- ters," two small cannons presented by citizens of Cincinnati, they proceeded towards Harrisburg, by forced marches, in pursuit of Santa Anna. They reached opposite Harrisburg on the 18th of March, camped, and sent out scouts to reconnoitre for the enemy. The enemy had burned that town as they moved down.
It was found that the measles had broken out in the army, and it was necessary to prepare a camp for the sick, and detail nurses. This reduced their number about one hundred and fifty men.
QUESTIONS .- When did General Houston leave Gonzales ? What of the families ? The houses ? What was Houston's course ? What was his force ? Did all of them con- tinue with him ? Who joined the army on the 22d ? What did Houston learn from his scout ? Why did he not attack them ? Who were elected colonels of the two organized regiments ? What were Colonel Harcourt's instructions ? Colonel Alanson Huston's ? Mosley Baker's ? Wyley Martin's ? What had been the hope ? Did they retreat ? When did they do so ? By whom were they joined ? Where did Houston make his encampment ? What were his efforts while there ? What letters did he write ? How were the citizens of cast and northeast Texas held back from joining the army ? What news caused great excitement in Houston's camp ? When did Houston cross the Brazos River in pursuit of Santa Anna ? Give an account of his movements between the 12th and 18th. What calamity here befell the army ? What was done in consequence ?
CHAPTER XL. THE BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO.
SANTA ANNA planned for three divisions of his army to enter and sweep over the country, driving the population across
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the Sabine, and, "according to instructions from his govern- ment," shooting all prisoners as pirates found in arms against Mexico. Santa Anna himself, with the main army of four thousand under Filisola as second in command, formed the central col- umn, including his secre- tary, Almonte, and staff of engineers, and other officers of the new civil government about to be established in Texas. Urea, who had given melancholy evidence of his presence in the coast country, with upwards of seventeen hundred men, was to continue his line SANTA ANNA. of march through Mata- gorda, Galveston, and the coast, easterly ; while Gaona should sweep over the upper route to Nacogdoches-all of which, to the general-in-chief, inflated with his recent successes, seemed easy of accomplishment.
Partly from swollen streams and bog, but chiefly from over self-confidence, Santa Anna was led into the misfortune and folly of scattering his army, and placing his own immediate command, as well as his person, in peril. On the 31st of March he had left San Antonio with about seven hundred choice troops which he had retained, and followed Filisola through Gonzales, marching easterly towards San Felipe and Fort Bend. Ordering Sesma, with his thousand men, to re- main at Fort Bend, and Filisola to stop between those two places, he crossed the Brazos on the 14th of April, and with his small force and escort of five hundred men, with one small cannon, he reached Harrisburg about midnight of the 15th.
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The idea of so brilliant an achievement as the capture of the president, cabinet, and archives of the new Republic of Texas, led Santa Anna to undertake the march to Harrisburg ; and, learning of the removal of the government from that place, which he caused to be burned, to rush on with only his es- cort to New Washington. This he expected to accomplish and return in three days.
As President Burnet, with the only remaining member of the cabinet, Bailey Hardeman, was about fifty yards from the landing at New Washington, in a small boat containing his family, making their escape to Galveston, Almonte, who with a body of men was several hours in advance of Santa Anna, rushed forward, firing after the receding prize, which was soon beyond the reach of his escopetas. Santa Anna sent out scouts to reconnoitre who met the Texan scouts. These ex- changed a few shots and retired to report.
On the morning of the 19th the Texan army crossed Buf- falo Bayou, leaving their sick and baggage in camp, followed Santa Anna's trail down the right bank of the bayou, and took the direction of Lynch's Ferry across the San Jacinto, where the scouts had learned Santa Anna would attempt to cross, going to Anahuac. The two armies came in sight of each other, on the 20th, about half a mile from the ferry. The ยท Texans halted in some timber, and the Mexicans took position near the bank of San Jacinto Bay. Occasional skirmishings took place, in one of which Colonel Neill, who had charge of the " Twin Sisters," was badly wounded.
Later in the day quite a force of Mexicans advanced rapidly to within one hundred and fifty yards of the Texas cannon, which opened upon them, when they fell back. The Texans were elated with each success, and exhibited some impatience at General Houston's delay in ordering an attack.
Late in the afternoon of the 20th, about an hour before sun- set, Colonel Sidney Sherman obtained permission of General Houston to call for volunteers of mounted men to advance
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towards the Mexican line. Eighty-six responded. They were supported by Colonel Burleson's regiment, and were promised the cover of Colonel Millard's infantry in case of retreat. Colonel Sherman's purpose was to charge upon the Mexican cannon, which was in plain view in the centre of their line. The cannon was withdrawn, and the attack was met by a brisk fire of small-arms. A general engagement seeming imminent, the infantry were recalled ; and, after some pretty heavy skirmishing, in which the gallant young colonel and his brave comrades, many of them young men, bore their part with a courage worthy of veterans, they retired in good order to the camp. They had six horses killed, and two men wounded, one of whom afterward died.
On the morning of the 21st, about nine o'clock, a body of armed men was discovered approaching the Mexican camp, a reenforcement of seven hundred men for Santa Anna's army, increasing it to sixteen or seventeen hundred. They received their reinforcements with every demonstration of joy.
The Mexicans arranged their plan of defence, erected a breastwork of pack-saddles and baggage for their cannon, and a barricade of brush and trees for their front. General Cos and his men, much wearied with their march, withdrew to rest and sleep. Many of the men, also Santa Anna, did the same ; others were occupied in riding their horses bare-back to and from water ; all was in repose. In the Texan camp all was life and excitement. They had not known positively until the 19th that Santa Anna was with the army, and they were eager for an encounter. There was much counselling among officers and men. General Houston did not doubt the courage of his men, but felt the responsibility of confronting sixteen hundred of the flower of Santa Anna's army, with seven hundred and eighty-three of his untrained citizen soldiers. An order of attack was agreed upon, and four o'clock, P.M., was the hour set. The bridge over Vince's Bayou, over which Cos made his
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approach, and the only means of retreat, had been destroyed by Houston's order.
QUESTIONS .- What was the next great battle? How did Santa Anna divide his forces ? What was Santa Anna's folly ? What was his course on March 31st ? What were Sesma's orders ? Filisola's ? What capture did Santa Anna expect to make ? How long did he expect it to take him ? How did the scheme succeed ? What was the next move of the two armies ? Who was wounded in one of the skirmishes ? What occurred later in the day ? How did the Texans feel ? What took place about an hour before sunset on the 20th ? What was Colonel Sherman's purpose ? How did it result ? How did the men bear themselves ? What was discovered on the morning of the 21st ? How were they received by the Mexicans ? Describe the movements in the Mexican camp. Those in the American. Why did Houston delay to make the attack ? What was his force ? What had he ordered burned ?
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