USA > Texas > A pictorial history of Texas, from the earliest visits of European adventurers, to A.D. 1879. Embracing the periods of missions, colonization, the revolution the republic, and the state; also, a topographical description of the country together with its Indian tribes and their wars, and biographical sketches of hundreds of its leading historical characters. Also, a list of the countries, with historical and topical notes, and descriptions of the public institutions of the state > Part 11
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CHAPTER V.
BUSTEMENTE'S FAMOUS DECREE-CUSTOM HOUSES-GARRISONS ESTABLISHED- BRADBURN'S ARBITRARY PROCEEDINGS AT ANAHUAC-THE TEXANS PRONOUNCE FOR SANTA ANNA AND THE CONSTITUTION OF 1824-FIGHT AT EVLASCO-AT NACOG- DOCHES-PEACE PROSPECTS IN 1832.
TT was evidently the intention of Bustemente to thor- oughly Mexicanize the population of Texas. On the 6th of April, 1830, he issued a decree prohibiting any further immigration into Texas from the United States. This was followed by another, and still more odious one, directing that Mexican convicts should be transported to Texas, thus virtually converting the province into a penal colony. Teran, an uncompromising centralist, was appointed commander of the eastern internal provinces. Custom houses were to be established at San Antonio, Nacogdoches, Copano, Velasco and Anahuac, at the head of Galveston Bay.
To effect the complete subjugation of the colonists, about a thousand soldiers were sent to the province, and distributed at such points as their services might be needed. These soldiers were many of them discharged convicts, and enlisted vagabonds, and were to be supported by the money collected from customs, and by taxation. Their officers were of the same stripe with Bustemente and Teran, and were supposed to be willing to carry out the measures of their superiors. Piedras was the ranking officer, and had the largest force. He was at Nacogdoches, apparently, to prevent any further immigration from the United States ; and when Alexander Thomson arrived with a number of families for Robertson's colony, he interposed every obstacle in the way of the further progress of these families. Pie-
179
AN INDIGNATION MEETING.
dras had 320 men ; Bradburn, at Anahuac, 150; Ugarte- chea, at Velasco, 120; Bean a still smaller force at Fort Teran, on the Neches; and there were companies at San Antonio and Goliad. Bradburn was the first to manifest a directly hostile spirit. His arbitrary acts are thus summar- ized in a pamphlet published in 1832, by T. J. Chambers : " He introduced martial law for the citizens ; he took from them their property without their consent and without consideration ; he had many of them arrested and impris- oned in the fort of Anahuac; and his troops, who were guilty of robbery and stealing, were by him protected from punishment." To specify a little more minutely, his
arbitrary acts : He, in 1831, arrested Madero, the commis- sioner sent to issue land titles to the colonists on the Trinity. It was said Madero was giving titles to those prohibited from entering Texas by the decree of April 6th. Again, he abolished the municipality established by Madero at Liberty, in the midst of a population, and erected one at Anahuac, a town laid out by Teran, when he visited Texas in 1830. But Bradburn found it difficult to thwart the will of the people The officers he appointed to constitute the Ayunta- miento, left Anahuac, and sought refuge in Austin's colony. Again, by the joint act of Bradburn and Ugartechea, all the ports of Texas, except Anahuac, were closed to commerce. This was intended to concentrate all business at Bradburn's headquarters. But Anahuac was outside of Austin's colony, and was inaccessable to vessels drawing over six feet of water. This was a severe blow to the citizens of the Brazos, who carried on a larger trade by water than all the rest of Texas. "An indignation meeting," says Burnet, " was promptly held at Brazoria, and Dr. Branch T. Archer and George B. Mckinstry were appointed a committee to wait on Colonel Bradburn, the senior officer, and demand the abrogation of the order. Bradburn equivocated, and required time to consult his superior, General Teran, then at Tampico. The committee were not to be cajoled ; they
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
demanded an instant revocation and it was granted. It was probable, therefore, that the injurious order was based on the sole authority of the two subalterns."
Bradburn appears to have taken a delight in annoying the Texans. Having failed in his attempt to close all the ports in Austin's colony, he next assayed to set the Negro slaves free, and proclaimed himself their special guardian, protecting those who threw themselves into his fort. Among the negroes who there sought refuge were some from Louisiana. These were demanded on the authority of a requisition from the Governor of that Commonwealth. Bradburn refused to surrender them, alleging that they had enlisted as soldiers in the Mexican army. His next act of oppression was to send a file of soldiers and arrest and imprison certain citizens-among them Patrick C. Jack, William F. Travis, Monroe Edwards and others ; and though there were no formal charges against them, he threatened to send them to Vera Cruz for trial. Tidings of these outrages flew through the country, producing the most profound alarm and indignation. Numbers flocked towards Anahuac, both from the Brazos and the Trinity rivers. They met, to the number of about sixty, and effected a mili- tary organization ; Frank W. Johnson being elected first, and Warren D. C. Hall second in command. When ap- proaching Anahuac, a small party of Bradburn's soldiers were encountered and made prisoners. This was early in June. A deputation of the citizens was sent to Anahuac, to intercede for the release of the prisoners. At first this failed, and when a collision between the citizens and soldiers seemed inevitable, a liberal Mexican officer, Colonel Souverin, profferred his services as mediator. The Texans then had nineteen of Bradburn's soldiers, and Bradburn had seven- teen citizens under arrest. At the instance of Souverin, it was agreed that the Texans should release their prisoners immediately, and that Bradburn would discharge the citi- zens under arrest on the following morning. The soldiers
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SANTA ANNA.
were released and sent into the fort. But Bradburn, having heard of the approach of Piedras from Nacogdoches, violated his plighted faith and kept his prisoners. The citizens then resolved, at all hazards, to take the fort, and dispatched John Austin and William J. Russel to Brazoria for a cannon.
At this juncture of affairs, news arrived that Santa Anna had pronounced against Bustemente, and in favor of the abrogated constitution of 1824. On the 13th of June, 1832, a meeting of about one hundred citizens was held at Taylor White's, on Turtle Bayou. This meeting declared for the new movement of Santa Anna, looking upon him as the representative of Republicanism and popular liberty. No doubt the influence of Santa Anna's agent, Souverin, was felt at this meeting.
At this juncture, and while the Texans were waiting for the return of Austin with the cannon, Piedras, with a part of his command and a band of Cherokee Indians, arrived in the neighborhood. He sent an officer to the Texas camp, to know their object. Commissioners were appointed to confer with him, and an accommodation was soon had. Piedras proved himself a gentleman.' Bradburn was relieved from command, and sent to New Orleans; and the prisoners in the fort unconditionally released.
As we have stated, Captain John Austin was sent from Anahuac to Brazoria for a cannon to assist in the capture of Bradburn's fort. Although the difficulties there had been adjusted, that was not known on the Brazos. Brazoria county was the most wealthy and populous in the province, producing more cotton and carrying on a more extensive trade than all the other districts. Bradburn's order, closing their port, had rendered them justly indignant, and at a meeting in the town of Brazoria as early as May 11th, a proposition to capture the fort of Velasco had failed by only one vote. Ugartechea, the commander, had, however, promised to remain neutral in the contest with Bradburn,
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
and had thus rendered himself popular with the people. But when Austin asked permission to transfer the cannon from the town of Brazoria, and by his fort, in a vessel, Ugartechea refused. Austin at once called for volunteers to capture Velasco and its garrison. One hundred and twelve men responded to this call. The fort was garrisoned by 125 soldiers, and protected by artillery. At Brazoria, Austin placed his cannon, with a few men, on a small sail vessel under command of Captain William J. Russell, and started it down the river, while most of the men went by land. The vessel moored near the bank, within easy range of the fort. Arrived at the mouth of the river, Captain Austin separated his men into two companies, commanding one himself, and placing the others under Capt. Henry S. Brown. The latter took a position near the beach, where he was partially protected by a pile of drift wood. Under cover of darkness, Captain Austin, carrying plank with which to erect palisades, advanced very near the fort and threw up temporary breastworks. About midnight, June 25th, the battle commenced, and continued till daylight, when a shower of rain damaged the ammunition of the Texans. The breastworks not affording sufficient protection, Austin changed his position. In the meantime, every Mexican whose head appeared above the parapet was picked off by the riflemen. When Ugartechea found it difficult to induce his men longer to mount the parapet to fire his gun, he boldly mounted it himself, and stretched himself'up to his full height. The Texans were so struck with this exhibition of personal heroism, that they spared his life. In a short time after- ward, a white flag was hoisted and the fort surrendered. *
Ł
* In this engagement the Mexicans lost 35 killed and 15 wounded. Loss of the Texans, 8 killed and 27 wounded. Among the killed was Aylott C. Buck- ner, a noted Indian fighter from Buckner's Creek, on the Colorado. The mate of the vessel was killed, while lying in his berth. He was a poor man, and a non-combatant, and the planters raised a subscription for the benefit of his family. Among the Texans wounded was Henry Smith, afterwards Governor, James P. Caldwell, Edwin Waller, and Robert H. Williams, who lost an eye.
2
.ORR.Co
FORT ON THE WESTERN BORDER.
185
WARLIKE COMMOTIONS ENDED.
During the month of July, succeeding these events, Colonel Jose Antonio Mexia, one of Santa Anna's officers, arrived with four vessels at the mouth of the Brazos, bringing with him our member of Congress, Stephen F. Austin. The object of Mexia's visit was to place Texas in thorough accord with the new Republican departure of Santa Anna. At the same time, the political chief of the department, Don Ramon Musquez, visited San Felipe. At a session of the Ayuntamiento, after a full canvassing of the subject, that body, while denouncing "the tyrannical and illegal acts of Colonel Bradburn," solemnly declared their adherence to the principles of the Republican party headed by Santa Anna, and disclaimed having in view any other object than to contribute in sustaining the constitution, and the true dignity and decorum of the national flag. This satisfied Mexia, and he returned to Matamoras ; but before his de- parture he addressed a letter to Piedras, inviting him to join the Republican party.
Though Colonel Piedras had acted nobly at Anahuac, he was a monarchist, and in principle opposed to Republican- ism, and he utterly refused to adhere to the party of Santa Anna. At a public meeting of the citizens of Nacogdoches, a committee, consisting of Isaac W. Burton, Philip A. Sudlett and Henry W. Augustin, was appointed to confer with him. He still proved obstinate, and the citizens then proceeded to organize a military company for his capture. The first conflict took place near the old stone house, which, after a severe fight, was captured by Captain Bradley and Lieutenant Looney. A body of Mexican cavalry, sent to recover the house, was repulsed with severe loss in this en- counter. Don Engarnacion Chirino, Alcalde of the town, who had warmly espoused the Republican cause, was killed. At nightfall Piedras threw his ammunition into wells, and left the place, retreating to the west. The next day a party of Texans intercepted the retreating foe at the Angelina River. At the water's edge the Texans fired, and killed
186
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Lieutenant Marcos, the officer in command of the advance party. Piedras knew that most of his men sympathized with the Republicans, and to avoid the effusion of blood, turned over the command to Major Medina, who, with his men, at once pronounced for Santa Anna. In this engage- ment the Mexicans lost about forty killed, and a like num- ber wounded. The loss of the Texans, three killed and five wounded.
The three most important garrisons sent to Texas by order of Bustemente had now been disposed of. Both soldiers and citizens harmonized in the movement inaugu- rated by Santa Anna for the restoration of the constitu- tion of 1824. There was no longer any use for soldiers in Texas, and Colonel Souverin, who had become commader at Anahuac, collected the men formerly composing the commands of Bradburn, Ugartechea and Piedras, and sailed for Tampico, to assist in the revolution against Buste- mente.
" Thus ended," says Edwards, "the warlike commotions of these colonies, On the 2d of September, 1832, just as ths inhabitants were informed that their greatest arch- enemy, General Teran, and his troops, on their way from Mexico to Matamoras, had been surrounded by the Liberal forces of General Montezuma-and that too, on the identical plain where the injudicious Iturbide lost his life-Teran, having determined within himself neither to unite with the Liberals nor submit to them as a prisoner, retired to a private place and fell on his own sword-appearing, to those who found him still alive, as inexorable in the hour of death as he was uncompromising in political life." " Texas," says Burnet, " now breathed one enthusiastic feeling of admira- tion for Santa Anna as the undoubted hero and main support of the Federation," an opinion which subsequent events materially modified.
CHAPTER VI.
HOSTILE LEGISLATION-MOVEMENT FOR A SEPARATION FROM COAHUILA-CONVEN- TION OF 1833-AUSTIN SENT AS COMMISSIONER TO MEXICO-SANTA ANNA DESERTS THE LIBERAL PARTY-REVOLUTION IN COAHUILA-AUSTIN IN PRISON-SANTA ANNA'S ULTIMATUM TO TEXAS.
TN April, 1822, the Legislature at Saltillo, doubtless by the direction of Bustemente, repealed the liberal gen- eral colonization law, and promulgated another, based upon the decree of April 6th, 1830, excluding Americans from the State. By the new law, none but Mexicans could become empresas. But the influence of the Texas delegation was so far felt, that a law was enacted creating new munic- ipalities, and allowing the people to elect their officers.
When Texas was, in 1824, attached to Coahuila, it was understood that the arrangement was only temporary, and as soon as Texas had a sufficient population, it was to be erected into a State of the Mexican Federation. Her population was now equal to that of the smaller States. Her people were in perfect accord with the Government under Santa Anna, and it was thought the time was favora- ble for a dissolution of its unnatural connections with its trans-Rio Grande sister. In October, 1832, a number of leading citizens held a consultation at San Felipe, and advised the election of delegates to meet and form a consti- tution for a separate State. *
* In this movement the people of Bexar perfectly harmonized with those of Austin's colony. A memorial was sent forth from San Antonio urging the measure, signed by Jose de La Garza. Angel Navarro, Jose Casiano, Manuel Ximenes, Juan Angel Seguin, Jose M. Sembrano, and Ignatio Arocha. At Brazoria, a public meeting of those favoring the separation was called, and presided over by Henry Smith. Among those participating were L. Rainey, S. Bowen, C. D. Sayre, A. G. Miles, J. Calvit, Sterling Me- Neil, Dr. Council, J. H. Polly, J. W. Cloud, P. Smith, P. R. Splane, Oliver Jones, Dr. Parrott and David Randon.
188
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
The election for delegates was held in March, 1833, and the Convention met in San Felipe in April following. William H. Wharton was elected President and Thomas Hastings, Secretary. We have no means of knowing the exact number of delegates, as their proceedings were never published, and were probably lost when San Felipe was burned in 1836. Among the more important committees, Sam Houston was chairman of the one to draft a Constitu- tion, and David C. Burnet of the one to draw up a memorial found in Edwards' history. It is Republican in form, and
to the General Government. The Constitution may be secures the right of trial by jury, and is very much like the constitutions of the States of the North American Union, with modifications to adapt it to the situation of the Mexican Federation. The memorial prepared by Burnet may be found in Yoakum's history. It is a long and very able document. We copy a paragraph relating to the evils of a continued connection with Coahuila :
" That conjunction was in its origin unnatural and constrained, and the longer it is continued, the more disastrous it will prove. The two territo- ries are disjunct in all their prominent respective relations. In point of locality, they approximate only by a strip of sterile and useless territory, which must long remain a comparative wilderness, and present many serious embarrassments to that facility of intercourse which should always exist between the seat of government and its remote population. In respect to commerce and its various intricate relations, there is no community of interests between them. In point of climate and natural productions, the two territories are equally dissimilar. Coahuila is a pastoral and a mining country, and Texas is characteristically an agricultural district." -
For these and many other reasons, the memorialists pray that Texas may be erected into a separate State. Three commissioners were selected to proceed to the city of Mexico, to lay the Constitution and Memorial before the Congress and the executive authorities of the nation. Stephen F. Austin was the only one who undertook the journey.
Immediately after the adjournment of the Convention,
189
AUSTIN IN PRISON.
Austin started for the city of Mexico to fulfill the objects of his mission .* (See Austin.) He found Farias, the Vice- President, occupying the place of Santa Anna, who had retired to his hacienda to mature his plans for abandon- ing the Republicans, forming an alliance with the Church party, and overthrowing the Constitution and establishing a central despotism. Though Austin failed in his main purpose, he succeeded in having modified the oppressive edicts of Bustemente against Americans. After several months delay, and ineffectual attempts to secure a separate government, he finally started home; was arrested at Saltillo, and taken back to the city and thrown into prison, where he languished for nearly two years ; part of the time deprived of the light of day and of the use of books and papers.
Texas was comparatively quiet during the early months of 1834; but Coahuila was in a state of revolution. The Legislature had transferred the seat of government from Saltillo to Monclova. To this the inhabitants of the former city objected, and on the 10th of July, pronounced against the State government and elected Jose Maria Goribar, Governor. The Ayuntamiento of Monclova, in conjunc- tion with some members of the Legislature, elected Juan Jose Elgurzabal, Governor. The rival parties were pre- paring for war, when commissioners from each met and agreed to refer the question in dispute to Santa Anna, who ordered a new election.
Santa Anna now began to give serious attention to the situation in Texas. On the 5th of October, 1834, he con- voked a meeting to consider the Texas question. It was
* No complete list of the members of the Convention of 1833 can be found. We subjoin a partial list : Stephen F. Austin. David G. Burnet, Sam Houston, W. H. Wharton, Henry Smith, Ira R. Lewis, Oliver Jones, Gail Borden, Jr., R. M. Williamson, Jesse Grimes, F. Bingham, James Kerr, Jared E. Groce, John D. Newell, R. R. Royall, George Sutherland, and Eli Mercer. The com- missioners sent to Mexico were, besides Austin, J. B. Miller, William M. Wharton, or, as Kennedy says, Erasmo Seguin, in place of Wharton.
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
composed of his four Secretaries of State, the three repre- sentatives from Coahuila in the Federal Congress, three of his confidential generals, Lorenzo de Zavalla and Stephen F. Austin. The latter strenuously urged the separation of Texas from Coahuila. This was bitterly opposed by Victor Blanco and the other members from Coahuila. After a three hours' discussion, Santa Anna resolved
1. "That he would meditate maturely the decree repealing the 11th article of the law of the 6th of April, 1830, and, if no objections were pre- sented, he would give it his sanction.
2. " That a corps, composed of cavalry, infantry, and artillery, four thousand strong, should be stationed at Bexar for the protection of the coast and frontier of the country, to be under the command of General Mexia.
3. " That proper steps should be taken to have regular mails, and to remove all obstacles to the agricultural and other industries of the inhab- itants, who are viewed with the greatest regard.
4. " That Texas must necessarily remain united with Coahuila, because it had not the elements warranting a separation; nor would it be con- venient. And although it might be allowed to form a Territory, if the inhabitants called for it, yet, the dismembering of a State was unknown to the Mexican laws, and he would be at a loss how to proceed."
The above conditions, especially the second and fourth, were hard on Texas. What a large force and how strangely located to protect either the coast or the frontier! And then the objection to dismembering a State was puerile, as the union of Coahuila with Texas was conceded to be only temporary. However, Austin appears to have con- fided in the President's professions of friendship, and although he was still held "in durance vile," wrote on the 2d of December, after the settlement had been effected "All is between the contending factions in Coahuila : changed since October of last year. Then there was no local government in Texas ; now there is, and the most of your evils have been remedied, so that it is now important to promote union with all the State, and keep down all kinds of excitement. All is going well. The President, General Santa Anna, has solemnly and publicly declared
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CIVIL LIBERTY.
that he will sustain the federal representative system, as it now exists, and he will be sustained by all parties."
The Texans generally failed to view so favorably the plans of the aspiring President, and doubted his profes- sions of attachment to a representative government. The real purpose of Santa Anna was soon disclosed. Of this purpose, and its results to Texas, we will treat hereafter.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN.
PART IV THE REVOLUTION.
FROM 1835 TO 1836.
13
CHAPTER I.
SANTA ANNA DEVELOPING HIS NEW POLICY-AUSTIN STILL A STATE PRISONER -- CITIZENS DISARMED-ZACATECAS RESISTS THE USURPER-FRAUDS IN COAHUILA -LEGISLATURE DISPERSED BY COS-MILAM AND VIESCA TAKEN PRISONERS- REPUBLICANS DEFEATED AT ZACATECAS-SANTA ANNA DICTATOR-PARTIES IN TEXAS -- CAPTAIN THOMPSON AND THE CORREO --- PROSCRIBED PATRIOTS.
V IEWED from a material stand-point, the infant settlements in Texas were, at the commencement of the revolutionary period, in a most prosperous and encour- aging state. The colonists had found what they sought- delightful homes in a most desirable country. Population was steadily on the increase; herds of cattle and horses were multiplying ; cotton, sugar, corn, etc., were produced with little cultivation, in the greatest quantities. With such an abundance of the necessaries, and even the luxuries of life, the planters were contented and happy. But the prospect, so pleasing to contemplate, was overhung with dark and portentous clouds in the political horizon. In Mexico, Santa Anna had resumed the reins of government, and was gradually developing his plans for the overthrow of the Republic and the establishment of a centralized despotism. He was ambitious, unscrupulous, and whimsi- cal. He had betrayed and abandoned the party that elevated him to the presidency, and was now in full accord with the aristocratic and church party-a party against which he had been contending all his previous life. He had somewhat mitigated the rigors of Austin's imprison- onment, but kept him in confinement. He still held out hopes to Austin, that his petition in reference to Texas might ultimately be granted. But Austin was ignorant of
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
the charges under which he had been arrested, and had vainly sought a tribunal competent to take cognizance of his case.
Among the concessions to Texas, was an additional dele- gate in the legislature of the joint State. But owing to the revolution in Coahuila, this proved of no advantage. In the elections in the fall of 1834, the Centralist party, now headed by Santa Anna, was everywhere triumphant, except in Zacatecas, and Coahuila and Texas. At the meeting of Congress, Zacatecas was declared in a state of rebellion ; and to secure perfect quiet, an act was passed reducing the number of militia to one soldier for each five hundred inhabitants, and disarming the remainder. Congress also claimed the power to modify, at will, the Constitution of 1824, under which they were elected. These acts of usurpation not only justified, but demanded resist- ance on the part of the real Republicans of the nation. Zacatecas prepared to resist, and the legislature of Coahu- ila protested.
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