USA > Texas > Henderson County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 5
USA > Texas > Freestone County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 5
USA > Texas > Leon County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 5
USA > Texas > Anderson County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 5
USA > Texas > Limestone County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 5
USA > Texas > Navarro County > A memorial and biographical history of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, Texas from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospects; also biographical mention of many of the pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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"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 refreshments which they had enjoyed for two days. The enemy in the mean- time extended the right flank of their in- fantry so as to occupy the extreme point of a skirt of timber on the bank of the San Jacinto, and secured their left by a fortifi- cation about five feet high, constructed of packs and baggage, leaving an opening in the center of their breastwork, in which their artillery was placed, their cavalry on their left wing. About nine o'clock on the morning of the 21st, the enemy were reinforced by 500 choice troops, under the command of General Cos, increasing their
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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,
effective force to upwards of 1,500 men, whilst our aggregate force for the field numbered 783. At half past three o'clock in the evening I ordered the officers of the Texan army to parade their respective commands, 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 any possibility of escape. Our troops paraded with alacrity and spirit, and were anxious for the contest. Their conscious disparity in number seemed only to increase their enthusiasm and confi- dence, and heightened 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 enemy. The first regi- ment, commanded by Colonel Burleson, was assigned the center. The second regi- inent, under the command of Colonel Sher- inan, formed the left wing of the army. The artillery, under special command of Colonel George W. Hockley, Inspector- General, was placed on the right of the first regiment; and four companies of in- fantry, under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel Henry Millard, sustained the ar- tillery upon the right. Our cavalry, sixty- one in number, commanded by Colonel Mirabeau B. Lamar (whose gallant and daring conduct 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 first despatched to the front of the enemy's left, for the purpose of attracting their notice, whilst an exten- sive island of timber afforded us an oppor-
tunity of concentrating our forces and dis- playing from that point, agreeably to the previous design of the troops. Every evo- lution was performed with alacrity, the whole advancing rapidly in line, and through an open prairie, without any pro- tection 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 canister.
"Colonel Sherman, with his regiment, having commenced the action upon our left wing, the whole line, at the center and on the right, advancing in double-quick time, rung the war cry, 'Remember the Alamo!' received, the enemy's fire, and ad- vanced within point-blank shot before a piece was discharged 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 breastwork, our artillery having gallantly charged up within seventy yards of the enemy's cannon, when it was taken by our troops. The conflict lasted about eighteen minutes from the time of close action until we were in possession of the enemy's encampment, taking one piece of cannon (loaded), four stand of colors, all their camp equipage, stores and baggage. Our cavalry liad 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, commanded the pursuers. The conflict in the breastwork lasted but a few
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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.
moments; many of the troops encountered hand to hand, and, not having the advan- tage 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 pur- suit by the main army continued 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 mor- tally. The enemy's loss was 630 killed, among whom were one general officer, four colonels, two lieutenant-colonels, five cap- tains, twelve lieutenants; wounded, 208, of which five were colonels, three lieuten- ant-colonels, twosecond 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 since 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 inconvenience of ex- tremely bad roads, ill supplied with rations and clothing; yet, amid every difficulty, they bore up with cheerfulness and forti- tude and performed their marches with spirit and alacrity. There was no mur- muring.
" Previous to and during the action my staff 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 Sherman'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 mien who were engaged in the action, which I re- spectfully request may be published, as an act of justice to the individuals. For the commanding general to attempt discrimi- nation as to the conduct of those who com- manded in the action, or those who were commanded, would be impossible. Our success in the action is conclusive proof of their daring intrepidity and courage; every officer and man proved himself worthy of the cause in which he battled, while the triumphi received a lustre from the human- ity which characterized their conduct after victory, and richly entitles them to the ad- miration 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 lias in the time of greatest need enabled us to arrest a powerful invader while devastating our country.
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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,
"I have the honor to be, with high con- sideration, your obedient servant,
" SAM HOUSTON, "Commander-in-Chief."
The condition in which Santa Ana was when captured was in accordance with the actions of all bloodthirsty cowards wlien entrapped by those they have wronged. He had torn from his body his gaudy uni- form and donned the garb of a commnon countryman, but he had forgotten to take from his shirt-sleeves a pair of cuff-buttons, which aroused the keen suspicions of James H. Sylvester, a printer, the man who found the sneaking despot hidden in the grass. The capture, as told by a writer who had knowledge 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 somne ob- ject in the tall grass. The man approached the spot and found lying on the grass a Mexican in common garb, but, upon dis- covering a gold button on his sleeve, took him back to his companions, who con- ducted him to camp, having no idea of his rank. As the company passed in, the Mexican prisoners exclaimed, . El Presi- dente!' Inquiry was made of General Almonte, who announced that the one just brought in was no less a personage than Santa Ana himself. He was conducted to Houston's camp, and his own officers allowed to remain with him, and his per- sonal baggage restored. Besides Sylvester, who found him and brought him to his companions, the captors were Joel W. Robinson, A. H. Miles and David Cole."
How that little force of 783 Texans, badly equipped, poorly clothed, and half
starved, could march out and crush to atoms, as it were, in less than half an hour (eighteen minutes, says Houston in his re- port), an army of 1,500 men, splendidly accoutered, ably generaled, and comfort- ably clothed and fed, is nothing short of marvelous; and with a loss of but two killed in battle and twenty-nine wounded to the victors, against 630 killed and 208 wonuded 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 cry of "Re- inember the Alamo!" rang out as they rushed to battle, every man was a Her- cules. Ten thousand inen could not have daunted their invincible courage. 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! He was so sure of victory that it is said that he contemplated with pleasure the close of the fight that he might show his power. Every man, Houston and all, of those San Jacinto heroes, would have been immediately shot if they would liave 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. A& it was, it was the best. No stain rests upon the escutcheon of the Lone Star State.
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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.
After much controversy, especially in regard to the disposition of the captive President of Mexico, a treaty was entered into by President Burnett and most of his cabinet and Santa Ana; but the clause providing for the release of the latter was bitterly objected to, and at one time the inatter bid fair to be the cause of serious troubles and internal complications. During these times a number of captures of vessels on the coast near Copano were made, especially by Captain Burton, wlio com- manded 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 strata- gems to induce passing vessels to stop at Copano, when his men would step aboard and take possession in the name of the Republic of Texas.
TRANSITIONAL.
On July 23 the President issued a pro- clamation, in accordance with the power vested in him, for an election for Presi- · dent, Vice-President and members of Con- gress, to be held on the first Monday in September, which election resulted in the selection of Sam Houston for President, and Mirabean B. Lamar, Vice-President. In due time these officials were inangu- rated, and thins the wheels of the new government were set in motion, and an- other star in the galaxy of nations shone fortlı.
At the inauguration of President Hous- ton he presented the Speaker of the House his sword, with the following remarks: "It now becomes my duty to make a pres- entation of this sword, the emblem 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 call for my services 1 ex- pect to again resume it and respond to that call, if needful, with my blood and life." The historians have somewhat criti- cised this little grandiloquent speech, say- ing that as he had resigned his office as Commander-in-Chief on May 5, and liad 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 pro- priety of the resignation. But then a statesman and a fighter like Sam Houston is entitled to say almost anything lie pleases. He gave evidence of the genu- ineness 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 adminis- tration of Houston, and the question what to do with him was still agitated; but the President cut the Gordian knot by send- ing him to Washington city, where he was finally released; and after all the magna- nimity shown him 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 Montezu- ma 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
3
.
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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,
the parting shots of the enemy at the peo- ple by whom they had been vanquished. They were the snarlings and snappings of the dying wolf.
SETTLED GOVERNMENT.
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 negoti- ated with Great Britain and France, though the former insisted upon considering Texas as a part of the Mexican Republic. At the election held September 3, 1838, Mirabeau B. Lamar was elected Presi- dent, and David G. Burnett, Vice-Presi- dent. 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 found- ation 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 settle- ment, the government made a number of contracts with various parties. In 1841- '42 W. S. Peters obtained two contracts obligating himself to introduce 800 fami- lies into the region around Dallas. Fisher & Miller took a contract to settle 600 fami- lies on the upper Colorado 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 Ger- man emigration company settled Comal and Gillespie counties; and Henry Castro introduced about 600 families into western Texas, settling Castroville in 1844; Quipi in 1845; Vandenburg in 1846, and Dhanis
in 1847. In 1840 France and Belgium recognized the independence of Texas.
The policy of President Lamar toward the Indians was entirely in opposition to that of General . Houston. The latter was for conciliation, whilst the former advo- cated the entire exclusion from the soil of Texas of every redskin to be found, and to do it, if necessary, with the sword. La- inar's ideas on this subject are very gener- ally endorsed at the present day by the citizens of the West and Northwest. The President had a very onerous task dnring his administration. The credit of the coun- try was at a very low ebb, and the expenses of the government were excessive. He was as President, as is usually the case, whether responsible for the condition of affairs or not, blamed for it, and to such an extent did the storm prevail that his sensitive nature could not stand it, and he asked permission of Congress to absent himself from the Republic, which was granted, and the government was admin- istered during the last year of his term by the Vice-President. At an election held in September, 1841, Sam Houston was again elected President, and Edward Burle- son Vice-President.
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 cher- ished the delusion that she could still sub- dne the Texans. When the subject of annexation to the United States began again to attract attention, Mexico, to keep np the shadow of a claim on her severed province, sent parties into the country at various points. One of those, unheralded
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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE AND LEON COUNTIES.
and entirely unexpected, under the com- mand of General Vasquez, on March 5, 1842, made its appearance in the neigh- borhood of San Antonio and demanded the surrender of the city, which, after consult- ation with the authorities, was complied with. Vasquez remodeled the city gov- ernment 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 force, under General Adrian Wool, arrived in the vicinity. 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 departure. Those Mexican raids had awakened a martial spirit, and preparations for agressive war- fare were made, but troubles arose in the commands and very little came ont of the 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 accordance with the magnani- mous Mexican nation." The details of the shooting in cold blood of hundreds of cap- tives, is a page in Mexican history well known to all Texans.
September 2, 1844, Anson Jones was elected President, and Kenneth L. Ander- son, Vice-President. During this admin- istration the subject of annexation was up- permost 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 comparatively safe in their proposal to violate the " Mon- roe doctrine" at that day, but they would hesitate a long time now to undertake the job. Texas was scarcely 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 resolution for " annnexation " was promptly passed by Congress, and as promptly signed by President Tyler. On the 5tlı of May, President Jones issued a procla- mation for an election for delegates to consider the proposition of the United States, which resulted finally in the adop- tion by the Texas Congress, on the 16th of June, of the annexation measure. And thus the Lone Star State was added to the grand galaxy of the States of the Union. As soon as the annexation bill passed the Congress of the United States, Mr. Al- monte, the Mexican Minister at Washing- ton, denounced the measure and demanded his passports. War with Mexico was in- evitable, and it came on, resulting, as all know, in victory for the Americans. The details of that strife are not in place here; they are matters of national history.
Gonernor Henderson, the first to fill that position, was inaugurated February 16, 1846, for a term of two years.
The first Legislature niet at Austin on the day of the inanguration, and gave its at- tention to the subject of the public debt. The select committee, appointed upon this
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HISTORY OF NAVARRO, HENDERSON, ANDERSON,
matter, reported that there was no other means of paying the public creditors than by the sale of the public lands, and rec- ominended that these be sold to the United States Government. The debts of the State were classified, with a practical repudiation of some of them, to the extent, according to Bancroft, of one-half the lia- bilities, which the State had engaged to meet, according to the face of the bonds.
While Governor Henderson was absent in command of the Texan volunteers, his place was filled by Lieutenant-Governor Horton.
On December 21, 1847, George T. Wood, a native of Georgia, who had served in the Mexican war with distinction, was inaugurated as the second Governor of the State, and John A. Greer as Lieutenant- Governor. During Wood's administation, a controversy arose between Texas and the United States, which could not fail to . make the former reflect somewhat seriously upon the surrender of her separate nation- ality. When war was formally declared between Mexico and the United States, General Kearny took possession of Santa Fé in the name of the latter power; and when, by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, New Mexico was ceded to the United States, Texas laid claim to all that portion of New Mexico lying east of the Rio Grande, and in 1848 the State Legislature passed an act extending her jurisdiction over it, and Judge Beard was sent to hold tlie district court. Colonel Munroe ig- nored the Texan Judge and ordered the election of a 'Territorial delegate to the United States Congress. Governor Wood threatened force, but was met by adverse
counsel at Washington, and he abandoned his contest. Soon this question was con- bined with that of the public debt.
At the election of 1849, P. Hansborough Bell was chosen Governor, and John A. Greer re-elected Lieutenant-Governor. At the end of the term Bell was re-elected. His administration was marked by the set- tlement of the two absorbing questions of the boundary line and the public debt.
At the September election in 1853, Elisha M. Pease was chosen Governor, and David C. Dickson Lieutenant-Governor. Pease was re-elected in 1855, thus holding office for four consecutive years. In his first message to Congress he recommended the adoption of measures providing ade- quately and permanently for the support of public schools and for the establishment of a state university. He also advised es- tablishing asylums for lunatics, orphans, and for the education of deaf-mutes and the blind.
The period of Pease's administration was one of great prosperity. After the annexation, emigrants flocked into the country from the United States, and, the war with Mexico having decided forever the position of Texas, and secured the pros- pect of uninterrupted peace, every branch of industry thrived; wealth and popula- tion rapidly increased, and progress in commerce and internal development was marked in an unprecedented degree.
The only interference with this steady advance was occasioned by Indian depre- dations on the frontier. Though the main body of each border tribe professed friend- ship, the outlying settlements sustained considerable damage, especially on the
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LIMESTONE, FREESTONE
AND LEON COUNTIES.
western frontier. These depredations were, for the most part, directed against Mexico, but frequent inroads were made into Texas. The cause for this was mainly due to the advance of the white race and the diminution of buffalo and other game, on which they had formerly subsisted. As a remedy for this evil, a system of coloni- ization was applied, means being furnished by the United States Government to aid and instruct Indian settlers in the cultiva- tion of land. In pursuance of this policy, two Indian colonies were established in Texas in the spring of 1855, on reservations in Young county, which were granted by the State. These were the Brazos and Clear Fork reservations, on both of which Indian settlements were made, 794 souls on the former and 277 on the latter. The reports of the agents of these reservations held out every prospect of success. Nor were these expectations without realization. Within three years these settlements at- tained a high degree of prosperity, espe- cially that of the Brazos agency. More- over, they afforded much protection to the frontier, from fifty to one hundred warriors being employed in ranging service. In 1858, the number of these natives thus re- claimed from barbaric life was 1,483. Had they been allowed, and a proper forbear- ance been extended to them, they would have developed into thriving and self-sup- porting communities. But they were doonied to be driven from the homes they had made for themselves, deprived of the lands they had put under cultivation, and removed, in almost a destitute condition, beyond the borders of Texas.
During the administration of Governor Pease a final adjustment of financial ques- tions between the State and the Federal governments was arrived at, and a settle- ment made with the creditors of the old Republic. Political parties, strictly so called, were first organized in Texas dur- ing Pease's administration. The party factions opposed to each other in the days of the Republic were more of a personal than a political nature. There being rival- ry between prominent men, they did not originate from differences in political opinions, but merely supported their re- spective leaders for office, without being materially influenced by principles of policy. When, however, Texas was an- nexed to the Union, under the auspices of the Democratic party, she soon became in- volved in tlie political antagonism which prevailed in the United States. Her con- stitution was framed on the principles of the Democracy, and during the first years of her existence as a State candidates for office were elected on personal considera- tions. When the disruption of the great national Whig party occurred in 1854, the abolitionists of the north gained there- by large re-enforcements, which were sup- plemented by defections from the Demo- cratic ranks of members who thought they had cause to be displeased with President Pierce's administration. At this time what was denominated the Native party, whose principles were opposed to natural- ized foreigners holding office, was in a moribund condition; but it was now re- suscitated, and, underdoing a kind of metempsychosis, developed into the "Know- nothing" party. By this later organiza_
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