USA > Texas > Johnson County > A memorial and biographical history of Johnson and Hill counties, Texas : containing the early history of this important section of the great state of Texas together with glimpses of its future prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens of the present time, and full-page portraits of some of the most eminent men of this section > Part 5
USA > Texas > Hill County > A memorial and biographical history of Johnson and Hill counties, Texas : containing the early history of this important section of the great state of Texas together with glimpses of its future prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens of the present time, and full-page portraits of some of the most eminent men of this section > Part 5
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had their erities at their respective seats of government, yet the names of Ilouston, Lee and Grant live on; but where are they, who were they, who sought to teach those great soldiers? The battle of San Jacinto was the response of the great Texan to his official, not to say offieions, superior. And the best report of that decisive battle is contained in the official report of the commander who, by that one blow to Mexico, secured the inde- pendence of Texas, the annexation of our great State to the greatest nation on earth, and finally led to the acquisition of the vast interior region stretching from the Rio Grande to the Pacific ocean :
"HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, "SAN JACINTO, April 25, 1836. ) 1 "To His Excellency, D. G. BURNET, Presi- dent of the Republic of Texas:
"Sir :- I regret extremely that my situa- tion since the battle of the 21st has been such as to prevent my rendering you my official report of the same previous to this time.
"I have the honor to inform you that on the evening of the 18th instant, after a foreed march of fifty-five miles, which was effected in two days and a half, the army arrived op- posite Harrisburg. That evening a conrier of the enemy was taken, from whom I learned that General Santa Ana, with one division of his choice troops, had marched in the direc- tion of Lynch's Ferry, on the San Jacinto, burning Harrisburg as he passed down. The army was ordered to be in readiness to march carly on the next morning. The main body effected a crossing over Buffalo bayou below
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Harrisburg on the morning of the 19th, having left the baggage, the sick, and a sufficient camp guard in the rear. We con- tinned the march throughout the night, making but one halt on the prairie for a short time, and without refreshment. At daylight we resumed the line of march, and in a short distance our scouts encountered those of the enemy, and we received informa- tion that General Santa Ana was at New Washington, and would that day take up the line of march for Anahuac, crossing at Lynch's Ferry. The Texan army halted within half a mile of the ferry in some tim- ber, and were engaged in slaughtering beeves, when the army of Santa Ana was discovered to be approaching in battle array, having been eneamped at Clopper's Point, eight miles below.
"Disposition was immediately made of our forces, and preparations for his reception. He took a position with his infantry and artillery in the center, ocenpying an island of timber, his cavalry covering the left flank. The artillery, consisting of one double-forti- fied medium brass twelve-pounder, then opened on our encampment. The infantry in column advanced with the design of charging our lines, but were repulsed with a discharge of grape and cannister from our artillery, consisting of two six-pounders. The enemy had occupied a piece of timber within rifle shot of the left wing of our army, from which an occasional interchange of small arms took place between the troops, until the enemy withdrew to a position on the bank of the San Jacinto, about three quarters of a
mile from our encampment, and commeneed fortifieation. A short time before sunset our mounted men, about eighty-five in num- ber, under the special command of Colonel Sherman, marched out for the purpose of reeonnoitering the enemy. Whilst advaneing they received a volley from the left of the enemy's infantry, and after a short reneonter with their cavalry, in which ours acted ex- tremely well, and performed some feats of daring chivalry, they retired in good order, having had two men severely wounded and several horses killed. In the meantime the infantry, under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel Millard, and Colonel Burleson's regi- ment, with the artillery, had marched ont for the purpose of covering the retreat of the cavalry if necessary.
"All these fell back in good order to our encampment about sunset, and remained without any ostensible action until the 21st, at half past three o'clock, taking the first re- freshments which they had enjoyed for two days. The enemy in the meantime extended the right flank of their infantry so as to ocenpy the extreme point of a skirt of timber on the bank of the San Jacinto, and secured their left by a fortifieation about five feet high, construeted of packs and baggage, leav- ing an opening in the center of their breast- work, in which their artillery was placed, their cavalry on their left wing. Abont nine o'clock on the morning of the 21st, the enemy were reinforced by 500 choice troops, under the command of General Cos, inereas- ing their effective force to upwards of 1,500 I men, whilst our aggregate force for the field
1
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Lumbered 783. At half past three o'clock in the evening I ordered the officers of the Tevan army to parade their respective com- mands, having in the meantime ordered the bridge on the only road communicating with the Brazos, distant eight miles from our encampment, to be destroyed, thus cutting off all possibility of escape. Our troops paraled with alacrity and spirit, and were anxious for the contest. Their conscious dis- parity in number seemed only to increase their enthusiasm and confidence, and height- rned their anxiety for the conflict. Our situation afforded me an opportunity of making the arrangements preparatory to the attack, without exposing our designs to the whemy. The first regiment, commanded by Colonel Burleson, was assigned the center. The second regiment, under the command of Colonel Sherman, formed the left wing of the army. The artillery, under special com- mand of Colonel George W. Hockley, In- spector-General, was placed on the right of the first regiment; and four companies of infantry, under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel Henry Millard, sustained the artil- lery upon the right. Our cavalry, sixty-one in number, commanded by Colonel Mira- bean B. Lamar (whose gallant and daring conduet on the previous day had attracted the admiration of his comrades, and called him to the station), placed on our extreme right, completed our line. Our cavalry was tirat despatched to the front of the enemy's left, for the purpose of attracting their notice, whilst an extensive island of timber afforded us an opportunity of concentrating
our forces and displaying from that point, agreeably to the previous design of the troops. Every evolution was performed with alaerity, the whole advancing rapidly in line, and through an open prairie, without any protection whatever for our men. The artil- lery advanced and took station within 200 yards of the enemy's breastwork, and com- menced an effective fire with grape and can- ister.
"Colonel Sherman, with his regiment having commeneed the action upon our left wing, the whole line, at the center and on the right, advancing in double quick time, rung the war ery, ' Remember the Alamo!' received the enemy's fire, and advanced with- in point-blank shot before a piece was dis- charged from our lines. Our line advanced without a halt, until they were in possession of the woodland and the enemy's breastwork, the right wing of Burleson's and the left of Millard's taking possession of the breast- work, onr artillery having gallantly charged up within seventy yards of the enemy's can- non, when it was taken by our troops. The conflict lasted about eighteen minutes from the time of elose action until we were in pos- session of the enemy's encampment, taking one piece of cannon (loaded), four stand of colors, all their camp equipage, stores and baggage. Our cavalry had charged and routed that of the enemy upon the right, and given pursuit to the fugitives, which did not cease until they arrived at the bridge which I have mentioned before. Captain Karnes, always among the foremost in danger, com- manded the pursuers. The conflict in the
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EARLY HISTORY OF TEXAS.
breastwork lasted but a few moments; many of the troops encountered hand to hand, and, not having the advantage of bayonets on our side, our riflemen used their pieces as war clubs, breaking many of them off at the breech. The rout commenced at half past four, and the pursuit by the main army con- tinued until twilight. A guard was then left in charge of the enemy's encampment, and our army returned with their killed and wounded. In the battle our loss was two killed and twenty-three wounded, six of whom mortally. The enemy's loss was 630 killed, among whom were one general officer, four colonels, two lieutenant-colonels, five captains, twelve lieutenants; wounded, 208, of which five were colonels, three lieutenant- colonels, two second lieutenant-colonels, seven captains, one cadet; prisoners, 730: President-General Santa Ana, General Cos, four colonels (aids to General Santa Ana), and the colonel of the Guerrero Battalion are included in the number. General Santa Ana was not taken until the 22d, and General Cos on yesterday, very few having escaped. About 600 muskets, 300 sabres and 200 pistols have been collected sinee the action; several hundred mules and horses were taken, and near $12,000 in specie. For several days previous to the action our troops were engaged in forced marches, exposed to excessive rains, and the additional incon- venience of extremely bad roads, ill supplied with rations and clothing; yet, amid every difficulty, they bore up with cheerfulness and fortitude and performed their marches with spirit and alacrity. There was no murmuring.
"Previous to and during the action, my stalf evinced every disposition to be useful, and were actively engaged in their duties. In the conflict I am assured they demeaned themselves in such a manner as proved them worthy members of the army of San Jacinto. Colonel T. J. Rusk, Secretary of War, was on the field. For weeks his services had been highly beneficial to the army; in battle he was on the left wing, where Colonel Sher- man's command first encountered and drove the enemy; he bore himself gallantly, and continued his efforts and activity, remaining with the pursuers until resistance ceased.
" I have the honor of transmitting here- with a list of all the officers and men who were engaged in the action, which I respect- fully request may be published, as an act of justice to the individuals. For the com- manding general to attempt discrimination as to the conduet of those who commanded in the action, or those who were commanded, would be impossible. Our success in the action is conclusive proof of their daring in- trepidity and courage; every officer and man proved himself worthy of the cause in which he battled, while the triumph received a lustre from the humanity which character- ized their conduct after victory, and richly entitles them to the admiration and gratitude of their general. Nor should we withhold the tribute of our grateful thanks from that Being who rules the destinies of nations, and has in the time of greatest need enabled us to arrest a powerful invader whilst devas- tating our country.
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EARLY HISTORY OF TEXAS.
"I have the honor to be, with high con- -ideration, your obedient servant,
"SAM HOUSTON, "Commander-in-Chief."
The condition in which Santa Ana was when captured was in accordance with the netions of all bloodthirsty eowards when entrapped by those they have wronged. IIe had torn from his body his gaudy uniform and donned the garb of a common country man, but he had forgotten to take from his shirt-sleeves a pair of cuff-buttons, which aroused the keen suspicions of James Il. Sylvester, a printer, the man who found the tweaking despot hidden in the grass. The capture, as told by a writer who had knowl- edge of the facts, are these: "Some of Burleson's men were out hunting for the fugitive, when one of them saw a deer on the prairie looking intently at some object in the tall grass. The man approached the spot and found lying on the grass a Mexican in common garb, but, upon discovering a gold button on his sleeve, took him back to his companions, who conducted him to camp, having no idea of his rank. As the company passed in, the Mexican prisoners exclaimed, . El Presidente! Inquiry was made of Gen- eral Almonte, who anyouneed that the one just brought in was no less a personage than Santa Ana himself. Ile was conducted to Houston's camp, and his own officers allowed to remain with him and his personal baggage restored. Besides Sylvester, who found him and brought him to his companions, the cap- tors were Joel W. Robinson, A. II. Miles and David Cole." 3
Ilow that little force of 783 Texans, badly equipped, poorly elothed, and half starved, eould march out and erush to atoms, as it were, in less than half an hour (eighteen minutes, says Houston in his report), an army of 1,500 men, splendidly aceontered, ably generaled, and comfortably elothed and fed, is nothing short of marvelous; and with a loss of but two killed in battle and twenty- nine wounded to the vietors, against . 630 killed and 208 wounded of the enemy, to say nothing of the prisoners; for all, or nearly all who were not killed or wounded, were captured, hardly a man escaping! But oh! the Texans had the fate of those two brave martyrs, Travis and Fannin, in their minds, and when the battle ery of " Remember the Alamo!" rang ont as they rushed to battle, every man was a Hercules. Ten thousand men could not have daunted their invincible eour- age. They knew that defeat meant death to every one of them, and it were better to die in harness than to be led out like sheep to the slaughter. They shot and struck to kill. Death had no terror for those patriots, and woe betide the brutal Santa Ana had he been caught in the action! lle.was so sure of vietory that it is said that he contem- plated with pleasure the elose of the fight that he might show his power. Every man, Ilonston and all, of those San Jacinto heroes, would have been immediately shot if they would have been so unfortunate as not to be killed in battle. Knowing this, how those Texans could have refrained from killing this man has always puzzled the friends of liberty. As it was, it was best. No stain rests
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EARLY HISTORY OF TEXAS.
upon the escutcheon of the Lone Star State.
After much controversy, especially in re- gard to the disposition of the captive Presi- dent of Mexico, a treaty was entered into by President Burnet und most of his cabinet and Santa Ana; but the clause providing for the release of the latter was bitterly ob- jected to, and at one time the matter bid fair to be the canse of serious troubles and inter- nal complications. During these times a number of captures of vessels on the coast near Copano were made, especially by Cap- tain Burton, who commanded a company of mounted rangers. Cavalry does not seem to be the best arm of the service in naval warfare, but this bold captain used very
ingenious stratagems to induce passing ves- sels to stop at Copano, when his men would step aboard and take possession in the name of the Republic of Texas.
On July 23 the President issued a procla- mation, in accordance with the power vested in him, for an election for President, Vice- President and members of Congress, to be held on the first Monday in September, which election resulted in the selection of Sam Houston for President, and Mirabeau B. Lamar, Vice-President. In due time these officials were inaugurated, and thus the wheels of the new government were set in motion, and another star in the galaxy of nations shone forth.
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EARLY HISTORY OF TEXAS.
SETTLED GOVERNMENT.
T the inauguration of President Hons- ton, he presented the Speaker of the House his sword, with the following remarks: " It now becomes my duty to make a presentation of this sword, the em- blem of my past office. I have worn it with some humble pretensions in defense of my country; and should the danger of my country again eall for my services, I expect to ngain resume it and respond to that eall, if needful, with my blood and life." The historians have somewhat eritieiced this little grandiloquent speech, saying that as he had resigned his office as Commander-in-Chief on May 5, and had just been re-invested, by virtue of his position as President of the Republic, with the command of not only the army but also the navy, they cannot see the propriety of the resignation. But then a statesman and a fighter like Sam Houston is entitled to say almost anything he pleases. He gave evidence of the genuineness of the mettle of which he was composed. Pericles was not only the greatest general of his time in Greece, but also the vainest man.
Santa Ana was still held as a prisoner after the commencement of the administra- tion of Houston, and the question what to do with him was still agitated; but the Presi- dent cut the Gordian knot by sending him to Washington city, where he was finally re- leased; and after all the magnanimity shown bim he repeated his former butcheries by
ordering several parties of Texans shot after they had been captured. Several attempts were made at different times to invade Texas. Filisola, stationed on the Rio Grande, was about entering Texas, but the revolution under Montezuma gave the Mexicans enough to do at home.' Trouble was experienced by the appearance of a Mexican fleet in the Gulf and many captures occurred. These were the parting shots of the enemy at the people by whom they had been vanquished. They were the snarlings and snappings of the dying wolf.
SETTLEMENT.
The Congress of the United States, on March 2, 1837, passed the bill recognizing the independence of Texas, and during the next year commercial treaties were negotiated with Great Britain and France, though the former insisted upon considering Texas as a part of the Mexican Republic. At the elec- tion held September 3, 1838, Mirabeau B. Lamar was elected President, and David G. Burnet, Vice- President. Lamar took ground against the annexation of Texas to the United States, but he was a very able man, and during his administration Congress laid the foundation of the school fund, by setting aside fifty leagues of land for a university and three leagues for each county in the Re- public. To induce a more rapid settlement the government made a number of contracts
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EARLY HISTORY OF TEXAS.
with various parties. In 1841-'42, W. S. Peters obtained two contracts obligating him- self to introduce 800 families into the region around Dallas, Fisher & Miller took a con- tract to settle 600 families on the upper Col- orado and Llano rivers; C. F. Mercer two contracts for settling 600 families in the region of country above the Peters colony, toward Red river. A German emigration company settled Comal and Gillespie coun- ties; and Ilenry Castro introduced about 600 families into western Texas, settling Castro- ville in 1844; Quipi in 1845; Vandenburg in 1846, and Dhanis in 1847. In 1840 France and Belgium recognized the inde- pendence of Texas.
The policy of President Lamar toward the Indians was entirely in opposition to that of General Ilouston. The latter was for con- ciliation, whilst the former advocated the entire exclusion from the soil of Texas of every redskin to be found, and to do it, if necessary, with the sword. Lamar's ideas on this subject are very generally endorsed at the present day by the citizens of the West and Northwest. The President had a very onerous task during his administration. The credit of the country was at a very low ebb, and the expenses of the government were excessive. Ile was as President, as is usually the case, whether responsible for the condi- tion of affairs or not, blamed for it, and to sneh an extent did the storm prevail that his sensitive nature could not stand it, and he asked permission of Congress to absent him- self from the Republic, which was granted, and the government was administered during
the last year of his term by the Viee- President. At an election held in Septem- ber, 18-11, Sam Houston was again elected President, and Edward Burleson, Viee-Presi- dent.
Matters seemed to be, and were, as far as the growth of the country was concerned, progressing smoothly enough, but there was still trouble ahead. Mexico still cherished the delusion that she could still subdue the Texans. When the subject of annexation to the United States began again to attract at- tention, Mexico, to keep up the shadow of a elaim on her severed province, sent parties into the country at various points. One of those, unheralded and entirely unexpected, under the command of General Vasquez, on March 5, 1842, made its appearance in the neighborhood of San Antonio and demanded the surrender of the city, which, after con- sultation of the authorities, was complied with. Vasquez remodeled the city govern- ment after the Mexican style, and no citizen was disturbed. Other parties of Mexican soldiers temporarily occupied Refugio and Goliad, but in September a more formidable foree under General Adrian Wool, arrived in the vieinity. The raid was unexpected, and the District Court being in session, Judge Hutchinson, J. W. Robinson and a number of other lawyers and officers of the court were arrested. A small battle near the city in which Wool was defeated, caused his de- parture. Those Mexican raids had awakened a martial spirit, and preparations for aggress- ive warfare were made, but troubles arose in the commands and very little came out of the
-
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EARLY HISTORY OF TEXAS
project; but numbers fell into the hands of the cruel Mexicans who murdered them after surrender, as Ampudia said, when negotiating for a delivery of prisoners to him, "in ac- cordance with the magnanimous Mexican nution." The details of the shooting in cold blood of the hundreds of captives, is a page in Mexican history well known to all Texans.
September 2, 1844, Anson Jones was elected President, and Kenneth L. Anderson, Vice-President. During this administration the subject of annexation was uppermost everywhere in Texas and the United States, and James K. Polk had been elected on that platform. England and France, jealous of the growing power of the great republic, offered to guarantee the independence of Texas on condition that she should not be annexed to the United States, but Texas had too many natives of that country to accept the kind offer. Those countries were com- paratively safe in their proposal to violate the .. Monroe doctrine" at that day, but they would hesitate a long time now to undertake the job. Texas was seareely in a condition to keep up a government at the time, and a large majority of her citizens were anxious to become citizens of our country. A reso- lution for " annexation " was promptly passed by Congress, and as promptly signed by President Tyler. On the 5th of May, Presi- dent Jones issued a proclamation for an elee- tion for delegates to consider the proposition of the United States, which resulted finally in the adoption by the Texas Congress, on the 16th of June, of the annexation measure. And thus the Lone Star Stato was added to
the grand galaxy of the States of the Umou. As soon as the annexation bill passed the Congress of the United States, Mr. Almonte, the Mexican Minister at Washington, de- nonneed the measure and demanded his pass- ports. War with Mexico was inevitable, and it came on, resulting, as all know, in vietory for the Americans. The details of that strife are not in place hero; they are matters of national history. Governor Henderson, the first to fill that position, was inaugurated February 16, 1846.
A very perplexing question soon arose; by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 22, 1848, Mexico had ceded to the United States the section of country now known as New Mexico, usually called at the time Santa Fé, and the latter country set about putting the wheels of a territorial government in motion; but Texas claimed New Mexico as a portion of her territory. The matter eansed very bitter feelings on the part of some hot- heads, who threatened to dissolve the bonds that bound Texas to the Republic, but better counsels prevailed, and a bill finally passed by which Texas was to be paid $10,000,000, under certain conditions, and the disputed territory passed to Unele Sam. Elisha M. Pease was inaugurated Governor December 21, 1851, was re-elected in 1853 and served four years. During the administration of Governor Pease the public debt and other financial questions were nppermost. Decem- ber 21, 1857, Ilardin R. Runnels was in- augurated. During this year a severe dronth prevailed in Texas, but numbers of settlers came in. Peace generally prevailed through
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EARLY HISTORY OF TEXAS.
out the State, but the Indians got to be troub- lesome, and had to be removed from our soil. The famous Juan Cortina also commenced depredations, and carried them to such lengths that the United States had to take the matter in hand. Among the commanders sent to put down the bandit was Colonel Robert E. Lee, who is now embalmed in the memory of all Southerners as well as Texans. In 1859 Sam Houston was again elected to the chief office in Texas. February 1, 1861, Texas passed the ordinance of secession, thereby
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