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 20
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* The following figures are taken from Gouge's Fiscal History. The first column shows the receipts for the year 1841-the last year of the Lamar administration .. The second column shows the receipts for the three years of Houston's second term :
Lamar's-1841.
Houston's-1842-44
From customs
$151,990 45
$360,177 46
Direct taxes
170,503 91
80,335 89
Licenses .
42,686 37
16,503 50
Land and land dues
68,025 62
Miscellaneous
429 32
562 58
From the above it would appear as though the people very generally abstained from paying taxes. While these could be paid in a currency worth but twenty-five cents on the dollar, they were paid, But when par funds were required, they went unpaid. The requirement of par funds was a very unpopular measure; and in some portions of the Republic it is reported, meetings were held, protesting against the execution of the law. Even the revenue from customs was materially diminished by the introduc- tion of smuggled goods; especially in East Texas, along the line of the Sabine river.
321
ARRIVAL OF A LARGE ARMY.
In 1836 the United States declined to annex Texas, partly because the ability of the latter to maintain its independ- ence was somewhat problematical. Early in 1842, the question began again to be agitated, both in Texas and the United States. Six years had elapsed, and Mexico had made no serious attempt to recover her lost province. Now, when the subject of annexing Texas to the United States began again to attract attention, to keep up the shadow of a claim, the Mexican Government sent small mil- itary parties into the country, though with no expectation of permanent occupancy. Unheralded and unexpected by the Texans, on the 5th of March, 1842, General Rafael Vas- quez appeared in the neighborhood of San Antonio, and sent in a demand for the surrender of the city. After some consultation, Captain Jack Hays, with his small company of rangers, retired to the Guadalupe river, and on the 5th Vasquez entered the city, promising to protect the persons and property of the citizens. The city government was remodeled after the Mexican style, alcaldes taking the place of magistrates ; but after an occupancy of only two days, in which the soldiers behaved remarkably well, the Mexicans retreated again to the west side of the Rio Grande. About the same time, small parties of Mexican soldiers visited Refugio and Goliad, but remained only a day or two, when they retired again to their own country.
In September a still more formidable army arrived in the neighborhood, under the command of General Adrian Woll. This raid was as unexpected as the other had been. The District Court was in session, and Woll captured Judge Hutchinson and the former Lieutenant-Governor, J. W. Robinson, and a number of other lawyers and officers of the court, in all, fifty-three. This party behaved very well in the city, protecting private property from plunder. It was on the 11th of September that Woll entered the city. A considerable force of Texans had collected on the Salado, six miles east of the city. Woll went out to attack this
322
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
force, and a battle was fought on the 17th. Colonel Cald- well, in the official report of the battle, says : " We com- menced fighting at eleven o'clock. A hot fire was kept up until about one hour by sun, when the enemy retreated, bearing off their dead on the ground, and very many dead and wounded were taken from the field by their friends. We have a glorious band of Texan patriots, among whom ten only were wounded, and not one killed." As Woll was retreating toward the city, he fell in with a company of fifty-three Texans, from Fayette county, on its way to join Caldwell. After nearly one-half of his men had fallen, Dawson raised a white flag; it was fired upon. Dawson was an old soldier, having been in the United States army, and was a Lieutenant at the battle of San Jacinto, but see- ing the hopelessness of fighting such overwhelming num- bers, he surrendered his pistol. Unarmed as he was, a Mexican lancer assaulted him. He wrenched the lance from his opponent, and would have slain him, but was kill- ed by another Mexican soldier. Thirty-three of his men were killed in battle; fifteen surrendered, five of whom were wounded, and two escaped unhurt. One of the latter, Henry G. Wood, who had lost his father and brother in the fight, after giving up his arms, was assaulted by a lancer. He seized the lance, killed the Mexican with it, and mount- ed his horse. and escaped. At daybreak on the morning after this battle, Woll left the city and started for the Rio Grande. A misunderstanding among the Texans, as to who was entitled to the command, prevented a pursuit.
President Houston believed the archives of the Govern- ment, especially the records of the Land Office, unsafe at a point so exposed as the city of Austin. On the 5th of Feb- ruary, 1842, he sent a message to Congress, suggesting the propriety of removing these archives to a place of greater security. Congress took no action on the subject ; and after the adjournment, President Houston paid a visit to Galves- ton. While in that city he heard of the raid of Vasquez,
Pricho
DAVID CROCKETT.
325
THE ARCHIVE WAR.
and the Mexican occupancy of San Antonio. He immedi- ately directed the members of his Cabinet to meet him in Houston. This abandonment of their frontier exasperated the people of Austin, and they determined to retain posses- sion of the archives. This produced what has been digni- fied with the name of "The Archive War." A vigilance committee was formed, composed of the best citizens of the county, who took possession of the Government books and papers, boxed them up, and kept a constant guard over them. A committee was also formed at Bastrop, to patrol the roads, and permit no wagons with public property to pass down the country. An exception was made in favor of the property of the French minister, who was permitted to leave with whatever he chose to take with him. During the extra session of Congress, in June, the President again called attention to this subject ; but no action was taken.
On the 10th of December, President Houston ordered Capt. Thomas I. Smith, to secretly muster a company of men, and secure the most necessary books and papers, and transport them to Washington, where Congress was to con- vene in regular session. Smith, with twenty men, and three wagons, quietly entered Austin on the night of Decem- ber 30, and commenced loading. The visit was unantici- pated by the people of the city, but a volunteer company soon rallied, under Capt. Mark B. Lewis, procured a can- non at the arsenal, and fired upon the transportation party. The Land Office was hit, but no serious damage done. The wagoners commenced a hasty retreat, taking, by Houston's order, the road to Caldwell, to avoid the patrol at Bastrop. They reached Kinney's Fort, on Brushy creek, fifteen miles from the city, when they camped. The next morning, when they prepared to start, they found Capt. Lewis with his cannon planted directly in their front. After a parley, the same wagons carried their loads back to Austin, and no other attempt was made for their removal. The commit- tee preserved them, and when the Government returned to
326
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
the capital, under Jones' administration, they were surren- dered to the proper officers. But during the absence of the Executive Department from Austin, Colonel Ward, the Commissioner of the Land Office, returned to the city and opened his office, and transacted such business as was deem- ed of importance to the public welfare.
The Mexican raids under Vasquez and Woll had awak- ened a martial spirit in Texas. Moreover, there were a good many Texans held as prisoners in Mexico, belonging to the Santa Fe expedition, and taken by Woll in San Anto- nio. It was the opinion of some of our leading men, that it would be good policy to organize an expedition for aggres- sive warfare, with a view of taking Mexican citizens, to be exchanged for the Texans detained as prisoners in Mexico. Under the influence of this new military enthusiasm, many companies of soldiers made their way to San Antonio, ready to join the proposed expedition. These men wished Burleson to command them ; but Somervell was a personal friend and favorite of the President, and was perhaps, as Brigadier-General of the militia, entitled to the command. At any rate, he was directed to take charge of the expedi- tion. When Somervell arrived at headquarters, he pro- posed, in deference to the wishes of the men, to turn the command over to General Burleson ; but the latter declined the responsibility. General Somervell was somewhat tardy in his movements, and some of the men became dissatis- fied and left for their homes. While camped on the Medina, at a mass meeting of the men, Col. James R. Cook was requested to take command; but, after some discus- sion, the men consented to march under Somervell. They left the Medina on the 25th of November, for Laredo. For some unexplained reason, they deflected from the main route of travel, and soon found themselves on flat, boggy prairies, where they made but slow progress. The com- mand reached Laredo on the 8th of December, and took possession of the place without opposition. The men
327
SOMERVELL'S EXPEDITION.
expected to cross the river, and pass down through the towns of Guerrero, Mier, Comargo and Reinoso, to Mata- moras ; but after a few days' rest, they were ordered to move down on the Texas side of the stream. The first night out was spent in a dense thicket. The next morning, after reaching water, the General, learning that there was great dissatisfaction at his not crossing the river, assem- bled the men, and assured them that he was willing to lead them into the enemy's land; but at the same time, unac- countably announced that all who desired to do so, were at liberty to return home. Out of the 700 men then in the ranks, about 200, with Colonels Bennet and M'Crocklin, left the army.
The next day, orders were given by General Somervell to march for Guerrero. They were still in the dense chap- arral, and it took five days to make the distance that ought to have been traveled over in two. When they reached the Rio Grande, six miles from the town, December 14th, Major Hays and Captain Bogart, and a few of the men, crossed the river, and the whole army crossed on the 15th. The Mexican officer in command, Colonel Canalis, retired on the approach of the Texans. The place was comparatively destitute of supplies, and on the 17th they recrossed to the Texas side. Here, on the 19th, the following order was issued :
Order No. 64. The troops belonging to the Southwestern army will march at ten o'clock this morning for the junction of the Rio Frio and the Nenaces, thence to Ganzales, where they will be disbanded. By order of Brigadier General Somervell.
JOHN HEMPHILL, Acting Adjutant General.
This order astounded the men, who were anxious to avenge the insults which the raids of Vasquez and Woll had in- flicted upon Texas. To this day it is still a mystery why the General abandoned the aggressive movement undertaken by order of the President. We copy the closing paragraph of his report to the Secretary of War:
328
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
"It was from no apprehension of the scarcity of stores of subsistance, that the army under my command was ordered to withdraw on the 10th ult. But having been eleven days on the river, and knowing the various positions of bodies of the enemy's troops, I was satisfied that they were concentrating in such numbers as to render a longer stay an act of impru- dence."*
About three hundred of the men remained after General Somervell left. Some of them were without horses, and all wished to make a hostile demonstration before returning to their homes. William S. Fisher was elected commander. Companies were organized under Captains Eastland, Cam- eron, Ryon and Pierson. They were near the river, and boats were secured to transport the baggage down to a point opposite to the town of Mier, their first objective point. A guard was placed on the boats, under the command of T. Jefferson Green. All arrived safely at a point opposite to the town. On the 21st a detachment of Texans entered the city and made a demand for provisions and horses, taking
*It has been conjectured that President Houston never intended an aggres- sive movement against Mexico, and that Somervell acted under secret orders, in disbanding his men. If the General had intended to make the expedition a failure, he could not have done it more effectually than he did; but with the fatality that attended so many of the military enterprises of Texas, General Somervell, instead of ordering his men home, permitted a fraction of them to remain, and enter upon the disastrous Mier expedi- tion. Better material for an army was never collected in Texas, than those in the Southwestern army when it left San Antonio. We give a few of the names of those who returned with General S .:
John Hemphill, Wm. G. Cooke, C. N. Winfield, John H. Herndon, A. M. Austin Bryan, B. J. Gillaspie, James R. Cook, George T. Howard, E. S. C. Robertson, Clark L. Owen, J. B. Robertson, Shelby McNeil, T. S. Lub- bock, John P. Borden, Thomas Green, Memucan Hunt, Ben. McCulloch, Jack Hays, P. Hansborough Bell, Bartlet Sims, Capt. Bogart, J. N. Mitch- ell, Capt. Lowery, Robert Smithers.
We subjoin the names of a few of the Mier men :
William S. Fisher, Thomas J. Green, Wm. M. Eastland, Ewin Cameron, Claudius H. Buster, Wm. Ryon, Harvey Sellers, Freeman Douglas, George B. Crittenden, Dr. R. F. Brenham, F. M. Gibson, Pat. H. Lusk, Henry Journey, G. W. Pilant, J. G. Peerson, Thomas W. Cox, John R. Baker, S. H. Walker, James C. Wilson, Wm. A. Wallace, Chas. K. Reece, John Shipman, W. P. Stapp, and many others worthy of mention. A failure in an army with such material is both humiliating and unaccountable.
329
THE CONFLICT AT MIER.
the Alcalde as a hostage, until the provisions were delivered at their camp on the river. While the Texans were quietly waiting for the delivery of the supplies, Ampudia, with about 2,000 Mexican soldiers, took possession of the town, and of course the provisions were not delivered. The Texans were encamped on the Texas side of the stream, and not receiving their supplies, they, on the afternoon of Christmas day, crossed the stream and started for the city. The troops of Ampudia were encountered on the Alcantra creek, near the city. The Mexicans were driven into the town, though still fighting. The Texans were then pressing their way towards the main plaza. The Mexicans continued to resist, firing from the tops of the flat-roofed houses. A little after daylight Colonel Fisher was severely wounded. Early in the engagement five of the Texan scouts were taken prisoners. During a temporary slack in the fire from the assailants' ranks, consequent upon the wounding of their commander, Ampudia sent Dr. Sennickson, one of the pris- oners, with a flag of truce. Up to that time the Texans had been completely victorious, and might possibly have taken the city had the fight not been intermitted. But the Mexicans outnumbered them five or six to one. Fisher, weak from the loss of blood, and affected by the use of powerful stimulants, felt unable to continue the combat, and advised' a surrender. Ampudia offered most generous terms. In the meantime, before any conclusion had been reached, two or three old men, and then others, went over on the Mexican side and laid down their arms. As this process went on, there were too few left for successful combat, and all finally surrendered. "The prisoners were to be treated with the consideration which is in accordance with the magnanimous Mexican nation." The Texans had 265 men engaged in the fight, of whom sixteen were killed and about twenty wounded. The wounded were left in charge of Dr. Sennickson, and the others hurried towards the city of Mexico. They reached Matamoras on the 9th of January,
330
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
and Monterey on the 26th of January, 1843. Passing Saltillo, they arrived at the Hacienda Salado, February 10th, where they resolved to make an attempt to regain their liberty.
On the morning of the 11th, the prisoners, after an early breakfast and while the most of the guard were at their breakfast, leaving but two sentinels on duty, Captains Cameron and S. H. Walker, in a careless manner, approached the sentinels. Cameron gave the signal agreed upon, "Now, boys, we go it," and suddenly seized one and disarmed him, while Walker disarmed the other. The Texans rushed out of the inclosed area and supplied themselves with such weapons as they could pick up. The guards rallied, and for a few minutes maintained a sharp conflict, but finally gave way, and the prisoners were free .*
The Texans started immediately for home, passing around Saltillo on the 13th of February. The next night they abandoned the road, and attempted to make their way through the mountains ; became bewildered and scattered, and suffered for food and water. On the 18th most of them were recaptured. Of the 216 at Salado, eighteen refused to join in the attempt to escape, five were killed, sixteen were lost in the mountains, and probably perished, four made their way back to Texas, and 173 were recap- tured. On reaching Salado the second time, on the 24th of March, an order was received from Santa Anna to shoot every tenth man. The men were paraded and required to draw a bean out of a box, containing 159 white and seventeen black beans. Those drawing the black beans were taken out of the ranks and securely guarded. They asked to be shot in front, but this poor boon was denied them. Such as were Catholics accepted the services of a priest; the
* In this conflict the Texans lost in killed, Dr. R. F. Brenham and Lieu- tenant Fitzgerald, both of whom had been in the Santa Fe expedition, and Messrs. Rice, Lyons, and Higgison. Wounded, Captain Baker, G. Wash Trahern, Hancock, Harvey and Stansbury.
331
A DEATH-LOTTERY
others requested one of their number, Robert Dunham, a pious member of the Methodist church, to pray for them. He knelt down and offered a most fervent prayer. Religious services having been concluded, the men were blindfolded and tied, and made to sit down with their backs to their executioners ; when the word was given-Fire! All were killed but young Shepherd, who, though still alive, feigned death, and during the night crawled off. He was subse- quently recaptured-and shot ! *
The black beans had been placed on the top, and the offi- cers required to draw first, but most of them escaped. A few days later a positive order was received from Santa Anna, to shoot Capt. Cameron. It was said that this order was given at the request of Canalis, who had a quarrel with Cameron when in the campaign of the Republic of the Rio Grande. The survivors shared the fate of other prisoners in the hands of the Mexicans. They were chained together, imprisoned, put to work on roads and other public improve- ments, half fed, and subjected to various insults from dom- ineering officers. A number died; some were released at the solicitation of influential friends, (Col. Green at the re- quest of General Andrew Jackson). During Santa Anna's detention in Texas, he was for a considerable time at the home of Dr. Phelps, and remembered with gratitude the kindness of the family. He released Orlando Phelps, Dr. Phelps' son. First Ampudia, and then Santa Anna, took a fancy to a mere lad by the name of Hill; and young Hill's father and brother were released ; and the young man sent to the best college in Mexico. He adopted the profession of a mining engineer, and is still a citizen of Mexico. In September, 1844, the wife of Santa Anna died. It has been
* Names of the victims: Wm. M Eastland, Robert Dunham, L. L. Cash, James D. Cocke, Edward Este, a brother-in law of D. G. Burnet ; Robert Harris, Thomas L. James, Patrick Mahon, James Ogden, Charles Roberts, Wm. Rowan, J. L. Shepherd, JJ. M. N. Thomason, James H. Torrey, James Turnbull, Henry Whaling and M. C. Wing.
332
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
stated that on her death-bed she requested that the Texan prisoners might be set at liberty. At any rate, during this period of grief, the Mexican President released the 104 survivors of the ill-starred expedition.
A large strip of country belonging to Texas, situated north of Red river, was uninhabited. Traders, in going from St. Louis to Santa Fe, passed through this uninhab- ited district. It was expected a large party of Mexican merchants, with valuable stocks of goods, would pass along this route early in the year 1843. Some adventurers in Texas looked upon this party as belonging to our Mexican enemies, and therefore subject to legitimate plunder ; and under instructions of President Houston, the War Depart- ment authorized the organization of a military company for its capture. The command of the expedition was given to Colonel Jacob Snively, a member of the President's staff, as Inspector-General. Colonel S. was instructed to remain on Texas soil ; make his captures only in honorable warfare, and deposit one-half the spoils in the Texas treasury. But as the men were required to equip themselves, when they organized for the march, the requisition to give the treas- ury one-half the spoils, was unanimously rejected. The place of rendezvous was on Red river, near where the town ' of Dennison now stands. The command, numbering 180 men, left that place on the 25th of April, and struck the Santa Fe trail at the crossing of the Arkansas river, about the last of May.
Snively's party failed to meet with the caravan ; but, on the 20th of June, fell in with a company of Mexican sol- diers, sent to guard the train. In the fight which ensued, seventeen Mexican soldiers were killed and about eighty taken prisoners. The Texans obtained a good supply of provisions and horses. After this brilliant achievement, the men became dissatisfied and demoralized, and separated into two parties ; one party choosing Captain Chandler as their leader.
.MINTON
THE URSULINE CONVENT, SAN ANTONIO.
335
SNIVELY'S SURRENDER.
The St. Louis papers having published an account of Snively's departure from Red river, General Gaines sent 200 U. S. dragoons, under Captain Phillip St. George Cooke, to protect the caravan. On the 30th of June, the dragoons discovered Snively's camp, surrounded it, and under pre- tence that it was on the soil of the United States, compelled the men to surrender and give up their arms. Cooke offered to such of the Texans as preferred to go to St. Louis, an escort to that city. A few accepted the offer; but the most of the men wished to return to their homes in Texas. Cooke furnished such as chose to return, a few guns to pro- tect themselves against the Indians. Snively's party now numbered 107. Chandler and his men were still in the neighborhood, and had escaped the dragoons. On the 2d of July, the two parties united. On the 4th, they had a skirmish with the Indians; and another a few days later. Finally, August 6th, the command reached Bird's Fort on the Trinity river, where the men were disbanded. Subse- quent investigation proved that Snively was on Texas soil when disarmed by Cooke, and after annexation, a paltry sum was paid into the Texas treasury by the United States, for the arms taken at that time. *
* After examining the published accounts of this expedition, and two sketches in manuscript, by persons connected with it, we still find it diffi- cult to fix accurately the dates and the connection of the different incidents. We have just obtained a new sketch, by Colonel Hugh F. Young, of San Antonio, who was with Snively from the organization to the breaking up of the party. The account is interesting, but too long to be copied. The following are the leading points in this sketch: 1. The legal character of the party. It was authorized by President Houston, and regular instruc- tions given by the Secretary of War. While Gen. Houston was Senator, he declared that the expedition was without authority. We have seen the letter of instruction, signed Sam Houston. 2. The object of the expedi- tion was to make reprisals for the raids of Vasques and Woll. 3. Lieutenant James O. Rice was guide, and under his direction the company took the old Coahuila trail to the mouth of the Little Wichita river, where they forded Red river, at a place where it is from 400 to 600 yards wide. They then passed through the Wichita mountains, crossing the south and north forks of the Canadian river and the Cimarone, and struck the Arkansas river about twenty-five miles below the Fort Leavenworth and Santa Fe road. 20
336
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Among the prisoners taken by Woll, in San Antonio, was the former Lieutenant-Governor J. W. Robinson. From his prison, Robinson wrote to Santa Anna, suggest- ing possible terms for the adjustment of the difficulties between Texas and Mexico. It is likely that this course was adopted by Robinson primarily to regain his personal liberty. At any rate, he was released and sent home by the substitute President, with important letters to Mr.
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