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 8
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TRINITY RIVER, SCENE NEAR LIBERTY.
CHAPTER VI.
THE REPUBLICANS AT GALVESTON-AURY, PERRY, MINA-EXPEDITION TO SOTO LA MARINA-LAFITTE, THE PIRATE-LONG'S EXPEDITION-DISPERSED AND DRIVEN FROM EAST TEXAS, LONG RALLIES A SECOND TIME AT GALVESTON- TAKES GOLIAD-IS SENT BY THE SPANISH REPUBLICANS TO THE CITY OF MEXICO WHERE HE IS MYSTERIOUSLY MURDERED-MRS. LONG HEROICALLY AWAITS HIS RETURN-CONCLUSION OF THE PERIOD. *
HOUGH the Republicans had been totally defeated in Texas, a new organization, under Monelos, had taken place in Mexico. One of the measures adopted by the new party included the occupancy of the coast of Texas ; one of the most important points on which was the island and harbor of Galveston. Here a glance at the earlier history of this locality may not be amiss.
We think it more than probable that La Salle, in hunting for the mouth of the Mississippi River, visited Galveston in 1685-6.
It is likely that the next visitant to the island were the irregular seamen, the buccaneers and fillibusters, who, in the latter part of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth centuries, preyed upon Spanish commerce in the Gulf of Mexico.t
* Sketches of most of the men mentioned in this chapter will be found in their appropriate place in our Biographical section.
Buccaneer was derived from bucan, dried meat, as these men lived principally upon dried meat and fish. In the map of Joutel there is a place on the Lavaca River, marked as Bucan, because there the French killed buffaloes and dried the flesh. As to the word fillibuster, DeQuincy says : " This word is constantly spelt by our own and the American journals as fillibustiers or fillibusteros; but the word of nearly two centuries back, among the old original race of sea robbers, French and English, that made irregu- lar war upon the Spanish shipping and maritime towns, was flibustier."
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Galveston afforded a good harbor and a safe retreat to this class of famous freebooters, and was with them a favorite place of resort.
On old maps the island has various names. On the map in the possession of the Galveston Historical Society, it is called San Louis, the name said to have been given by La Salle. On that map, Matagorda Peninsula is marked as Isle de Calabras-Snake Island-a name often applied in other maps to Galveston. On another old map the eastern end of the island is called Punta de Cal- abras, from its fancied resemblance to the head of a snake. The name by which the island is now called was from the Count de Galves, a governor of Louisiana under Spanish rule, and afterwards Viceroy of Mexico. While the Spaniards never conceded that the French had any claim to Galveston, yet when Louisiana was under Spanish dominion, Galveston was reckoned a part of Louisiana. It was during this period that we find the present name first used. Gayarre, in his history of Louisiana, in giving the population of the different parishes for the year 1788, gives the population of Galveston as 268.
The first attempt to occupy the island by any recognized government was by the struggling Republicans of Mexico during the period of her Revolution. Don Jose Manuel Herrera was the minister of the Mexican patriots to the United States. He spent most of his time in New Orleans, where he became thoroughly informed of the advantages of Galveston as a naval station for the Republicans, and he took measures to occupy it. He sailed to the island on the 1st of September, 1816, taking with him Commo- dore Louis de Aury with a squadron of twelve or fifteen small vessels. Aury was of French origin, but had been an officer in the navy of New Granada, stationed at Car- thagena. He had the reputation of a brave, skillful and
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XAVIER MINA.
humane officer. On the 12th of September a meeting was held on the island, and a goverment organized. Aury was chosen civil and military governor of Texas and Galveston island, He took the oath of fidelity to the Republic of Mexico ; the several branches of public ad- ministration were arranged ; the Republican flag raised, and Galveston declared a port of entry of the Mexican Republic. The vessels of Aury were at once dispatched to prey upon Spanish commerce; and they were so successful that they soon almost banished the Spanish flag from that Gulf which Philip II. had threatened to convert into a Spanish lake.
On the 24th of November, the party on the island was reinforced by the arrival of Xavier Mina, with about 200 men and a few ships. Mina was a native of Navarre. In 1808 he abandoned his studies in the University of Sara- gossa, and became a guerrilla chieftain against the French. He won distinction, and acquired the title of Captain General of Navarre and Upper Arragon. Having been captured and imprisoned, he succeeded in making his escape, and sought refuge in England. He found friends among some of the English nobility, and a special friend in Gen. Scott, of the United States army, then in London. He at first intended to attempt the conquest of Florida, in conjunction with Toledo; but Toledo having deserted to the Spaniards, Mina sailed for Galveston, intending from this point to make a descent upon the coast of Mexico. Mina threw up a mud fort west of the point occupied by Aury, and active preparations were made for his contemplated expedition to Mexico.
While Aury and Mina were occupying the island, Perry had taken possession of Bolivar Point with about 100 men. That enterprising officer, after escaping from the disastrous battle of Medina, in 1813, had returned to
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Louisiana, and at once commenced his preparations for another campaign against Mexico. While several of his associates were indicted in the United States District Court for a violation of the neutrality laws, Perry escaped, by fixing his encampment west of the Sabine.
This comparatively large number of men was well supplied with provisions and other necessaries by the captures of Aury's privateers. Avowedly, they only depredated upon Spanish commerce; but, unfortunately, Aury had taken into his service some men of desperate character, who made captures of any vessels found in the Gulf. Among the captures were a number of slavers; and the slaves were smuggled into Louisiana, in viola- tion of the laws of the United States, which denounced the slave-trade as piracy. This induced the Collector of Customs of New Orleans to write to Mr. Crawford, the Secretary of the Treasury, at Washington, as follows : "I deem it my duty to state that the most shameful viola- tions of the slave act, as well as our own revenue laws, continue to be practiced with impunity by a motley mix- ture of freebooters and smugglers at Galveston, under the Mexican flag, being, in fact, the re-establishment of the Barrataria band, somewhat more out of the reach of justice. The establishment was recently made there by a Commodore Aury, with a few small schooners from Aux Cayes, manned in a great measure with refugees from Barrataria, and mulattoes." Another letter to the Treasury Department says of Aury that " his principal dependence for men was upon one hundred and thirty brigand negroes, a set of desperate and bloody dogs." After the fall of Napoleon, Generals Lalleman and Ricaud of his staff, with about one hundred officers, entered Texas, ascended the Trinity River and erected a fort, intending to cultivate the vine. Not succeeding to their
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SLAVE TRADERS.
satisfaction, some of these officers enlisted in the service of Aury. Notwithstanding the efforts of the New Orleans custom officers to break up the slave trade at Galveston, it was still carried on, as the ships of Aury often captured slavers. The customary price of the negroes was one dollar per pound. Among the most noted of the slave traders, were the three brothers by the name of Bowie, John J., Re- son, and James, the hero of the Alamo. In 1818-19, the lat- ter was conveying a lot of seventy negroes up to Alexandria when they made their escape. He followed them to the Colorado River, but was unable to re-capture them. They probably fell in with the Indians and found protec- tion. And this may account for the fact that in Western Texas an Indian is occasionally found of decided African features and color. Debow's Review is authority for the statement that the three Bowies made $65,000 in their speculations in negroes.
The forces at Galveston consisted of those of Aury, who enjoyed the title of civil and military Governor, with between three hundred and four hundred men; Mina with two hundred more, and Perry with about one hun- dred on Bolivar Point. Each commander was independ- ent, and somewhat jealous of the others. Perry and Mina wished to invade Mexico ; but to this Aury objected, being content to maintain himself at Galveston. In March, 1817, one of the privateers brought word of the defenseless condition of the town of Soto La Marina, about sixty miles up the Santander river, and Aury consented to assist in its capture. The expedition sailed from Galveston on the 15th of April; Yoakum says on the 6th. The expedition turned out disastrously. After landing and taking possession of the town, the three com- manders disagreed, and in disgust, Aury, with the boats, sailed for the Texas coast. Finding Galveston Island
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
occupied by Lafitte, he landed at Matagorda, but soon afterward abandoned the Texas coast. Perry, believing the force left too small to effect anything, with about fifty companions, started back to Texas by land, a distance of five hundred miles through an enemy's country. He reached Goliad in safety and might have passed on into the United States, but he determined to capture the small garrison at that place. While negotiating for the poses- sion of the town, a troop of cavalry sent in pursuit by Arrendado arrived, and he was thus attacked in front and rear. After fighting until his men were all killed, Perry fell by his own hand ; at least that is the common report. It is not impossible that he and a portion of his men shared the fate which befell the heroic Fannin at the same point, twenty years later.
Mina, after having been abandoned by his companions, gained some splendid victories. On the 8th of June he gained one at Valley de Mais. At Peotillos, on the 17th, he defeated an army of 1,700, but lost sixty of his own. On the 18th he captured a garrison of three hundred men at Real de Rinos. But his force was gradually wasted away by continual fighting, and the Republicans of the country, did not, as he expected, rally to his standard. He was finally overpowered at Venadito on the 27th of September, and shot at Remedios, by order of the Vice- roy Apodaca, November 11, 1817.
When the expedition left for Soto La Marina, there were some thirty or forty persons left on the island. Some of these had formerly been associated with Lafitte. Six of the most influential of those remaining met on board the schooner " Carmalita," belonging to Bartholo- mew Lafou, late of New Orleans, and organized a govern- ment. L. Derieux was appointed Governor; John Ducoino, Judge of Admiralty ; Richard Espaonol,
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LAFITTE ASSUMES COMMAND.
Notary Public and Secretary ; A. Pirenneau, Major du Place, and Rousselin, Collector. Some others having arrived on the 20th, another meeting of about twenty persons was held on the schooner " Jupiter " for ratifying the new government. At this meeting Lafou was Secretary, and Jean Jannet was appointed Marine Com- mandant. This organization was professedly in the interest of the Republican party in Mexico. But unquestionably their main object was the plunder of Spanish commerce in the Gulf of Mexico.
It was probably as late as September, 1817, when Lafitte reached the island and assumed command. Jean Lafitte was a Frenchman by birth, the eldest of three brothers, who all became seafaring men. Visiting South America, he at Carthagena fitted out a privateer, and commenced his semi-piratical career. In a visit to Charleston, South Carolina, he became involved in a love affair, and had a quarrel with a rival, whom he killed in a duel. About the year 1811, he took possession of the island of Grande Terre, afterward Barrataria, on the coast of Louisiana. They so preyed upon commerce, and demoralized the trade of New Orleans, that the Governor of Louisiana ordered them to disperse. As they paid no attention to his order, Governor Claiborne offered a reward of $500 for the head of Lafitte. Lafitte, not to be outdone in that species of generosity, returned the compliment by offering a reward of $15,000 for the head of the Governor. The Barrataria establishment was broken up in June, 1814, by Commodore Patterson of the United States navy. During the war with Great Britain the British Government proffered Lafitte a com- mission as post captain in the British navy ; but while the pirate chief had not decided what course to pursue, Bean landed at the island, having embarked in one of
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Lafitte's vessels on the coast of Mexico. As Bean knew General Jackson well, Lafitte concluded to accompany the latter through the swamps to New Orleans, to Jackson's headquarters. By enlisting in Jackson's army, and fighting bravely in the great battle of January 8th, Lafitte won the confidence of Jackson, who secured for him a full pardon from President Madison. But at the close of the war he returned to his former haunts on the gulf, and re-commenced his piracies. When he arrived in Galves- ton he was in the prime of life, a well-formed and hand- some man, about six feet and two inches in height, strongly built, with large hazel eyes, black hair, and generally wore a mustache, dressed in a green uniform and an otter-skin cap. He was kind to his men, but a born commander. To strangers visiting the island, he exhibited a princely hospitality. He at once rebuilt the village formerly occupied by Aury, and called it Cam- peachy. His own house was the most conspicuous in the village and was painted red. The village was towards the east end of the island ; a location since known as Sacarac, from the timber landed there. The "Americans," says Littell's Living Age, "call timber ships, sacaraps."
Lafitte bore a commission from the Republican party in Mexico, as Governor of Texas ; his men gave him the title of Lord of Galveston, where he exercised almost absolute authority. Among his more conspicuous lieu- tenants, Latham was an Englishman; Jim Campbell, Churchill, Franks, Roach, Lambert, Brown and Francis were Americans. The two last named were hung by Lafitte for depredating on American commerce. Marotte, Jean Batista, Rio-Martin, Pluche, Girol and Felix were Frenchmen, who had probably entered Texas with Lalle- mand. Some of the men had their wives, or females claimed as such ; Lafitte had a Creole mistress, and there
LAFITTE.
/
135
BATTLE OF THE "THREE TREES."
were occasional balls and other festive scenes in which this mixed multitude participated. Lafitte's favorite ship was the "Pride," a foretopsail schooner, captured from the slavers. She mounted fourteen guns, and was always accompanied by two felluccas, and an armed boat, the Calebra. These buccaneers sometimes quarreled among themselves. On one occasion, Jim Campbell charged Marotte with concealing a box of gold watches taken in one of their prizes. When Lafitte was informed of the theft, he took up the quarrel, and when Marotte gave him an impertinent answer, a challenge passed between them. The two were preparing for a duel, when Marotte confessed the theft. Lafitte so far pardoned him as to spare his life, but expelled him from the island, thus illustrating the honor among that class of men. On another occasion, the crew of the " Pride " were preparing for a mutiny. Lafitte, who was surrounded with inform- ers, was notified of the intended mutiny, and was so thoroughly prepared, that at the first sign of an outbreak, he killed five or six of the men, and reduced the others to subjection.
In 1819, James Gaines visited the island in the interest of General Long, in the hope of enlisting the co-operation of the pirate-chief in Long's expedition ; but Lafitte, warned by the fate of Mina and Perry, while he expressed a sympathy with Long, did not join his enterprise. It was while Gaines was on the island that the battle of the " Three Trees " was fought. Some of Lafitte's men had taken forcible possession of a Caranchua squaw, and the Indians, for revenge, killed some of the buccaneers. It was said a party of 300 of them were encamped near the Three Trees. Lafitte marched against them with two pieces of artillery and 200 men. Fighting continued for two or three days, when the Indians, after suffering severe 10
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
loss, abandoned the island. While Gaines was enjoying the generous hospitality of the island chief, some rich Spanish prizes were brought into port, and the " doub- loons were as plentiful as biscuits." As an illustration of how little was known of the location of Galveston island, we may state that Long had also dispatched Randal Jones to intercede with Lafitte. But Jones went via the Brazos River, supposing that the island was at the mouth of that stream. Jones was at the mouth of the Navasot, prepar- ing to descend, when the party was attacked by the Mex- icans. Lafitte's men, in spite of his remonstrances, dep- redated upon the commerce of the United States, and that government sent Lieutenant Kearney with the brig Enter- prise, to break up the piratical establishment. Lafitte remonstrated ; but when he found that Kearney was in earnest, he discharged most of his men; and taking Lieutenant Cochran and about sixty men on the Pride, he bade a final adieu to the coast. Lafitte died at Sisal, Yucatan, in 1824. Cochran afterwards entered the Mexican navy, and rose to the rank of Commodore.
LONG'S EXPEDITION .- Dr. James Long was a native of Tennessee ; in 1812, was a surgeon in Jackson's army ; after the close of the war, married Miss Jane Wilkinson, resigned his position in the army and became a planter. In 1819, he was active in getting up a public meeting in Natchez, for revolutionizing Texas and Americanizing the province, and subscribed liberally to the scheme. It was then expected that Gen. Adair, of Kentucky, would lead the expedition ; but that gentleman declined, and Long was selected as commander. With seventy-five men, Long left Natchez, June 17th. Recruits continued to arrive, so that by the time he reached Nacogdoches, Long found himself at the head of about three hundred men. At that place he organized what he called a legis-
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LONG'S EXPEDITION.
lative council, consisting of Horatio Bigelow, (who started a newspaper, the first in Texas), Hamlin Cook, Stephen Barker, Jno. Sibley, Samuel Davenport, John C. Burnett, J. Child, (afterward on the Supreme Bench in Missis- sippi), Bernardo Gutierres, and Pedro Procillo. The independence of the country was proclaimed, and steps taken to survey and dispose of the public lands. During the month of July, Mrs. Long reached Nacogdoches, having left her two children with her sister, Mrs. Calvitt, at Alexandria, (the youngest child died soon after having been left). Mrs. Long traveled on horseback, in company with Randal Jones.
General Long, evidently, did not anticipate serious opposition on the part of the Spanish authorities. He wished to occupy a large scope of country, and hoped to establish an extensive and lucrative trade. With this view, he scattered his small force from Red river to Gal- veston bay, entirely too much for mutual support. On the 20th of July, Major Cook was sent to Pecan Point, to secure the co-operation of the citizens. Maj. Smith, who entered the country by water, was stationed with forty men at the Coshattie village, on the Trinity river. David Long, with another company, was sent to the Robinson crossing of the Trinity ; Captain Johnson, to the falls of the Brazos, and Captain Walker to the mouth of the Navisot river, at Washington.
Long deemed it of great importance to secure the assistance of Lafitte, and sent first James Gaines to Galveston, and then started for the same place himself. When he reached the Coshattie village, he heard of the approach of the Spanish army, under Colonel Perez, and at once dispatched couriers to the various companies, to concentrate at that point. His wife also sent him word that, owing to the drunkenness of Major Cook, who had
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
returned from Pecan Point and assumed command, the soldiers at Nacogdoches were very much demoralized, It was now too late to remedy the blunder of scattering his small force. On the 11th of October, Captain John- son was surprised at the falls of the Brazos, and himself and ten of his men captured. The Mexicans reached the mouth of the Navasoto on the 15th, when Walker, with his small company, hastily retreated towards the Coshat- tie village, leaving their baggage to the enemy. The fort on the Trinity was next attacked, and David Long, brother of the General, was killed. When news of these disasters reach Nacogdoches, a panic seized the popula- tion, and all fled towards the Sabine for safety. Long reached the place just after it had been evacuated. He had sent word to his wife to retire to the house of a mutual ยท friend for safety. When the General reached the house he found it deserted. Fortunately, both himself and wife safely reached the American side of the Sabine. The party at the Coshattie village retreated down the Trinity in boats to Bolivar Point.
Long, undaunted in spirit, hastened through the swamps, recrossed the Sabine, and joined his few remain- ing followers at Bolivar Point. To secure assistance, in an open boat he made his way along the coast to New Orleans. There he met with encouragement from General Ripley and other old friends. He also met Pelacios and Milam, who were preparing for a descent upon Vera Cruz. Having secured some recruits and munitions of war, he returned to the Texas coast, reaching Galveston the very day that Lafitte, in his favorite ship, the Pride, sailed out of the harbor for the last time. Gen. Long's object was the occupancy of Texas, and the establishment of a government over the country. He did not contem- plate an invasion of the country west of the Nueces, which was then the western boundary of the province.
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REPUBLIC OF MEXICO.
Long's first object was the capture of Goliad, so that he could have some claim to the control of the country. During the summer of 1821, with fifty-two men, in an open boat of Captain Williams, and with two pirogues, he started down the coast, towards Goliad. *
Long landed at Muskeet Point, and on approaching Goliad, the small garrison retired, and he took peaceable possession. In the meantime, Mexico had revolutionized and become Republican; and three days after Long took possession of the town, three hundred cavalry, belonging to the Republic of Mexico, appeared at the place. It seemed incongruous to fight, and Long was persuaded to lay down his arms, and enter into peaceable relations with the new comers. 'After being disarmed, Long's men were treated very much like prisoners of war. The General was sent forward, under a guard, to Laredo, where his soldiers, after a few weeks, joined him. At Monterey, they were kept eight months, when Long was again sent forward and his companions saw no more of him. After reaching the city of Mexico, at the solicitation of Joel R. Poinsett, American Minister, Long was liberated. A few days afterward, when stepping into an office to transact some business, he was shot dead by a soldier. The motive for this act of barbarity has never been disclosed. Some, without any sufficient apparent grounds, have surmised that Pelacios, dreading the influence of Long in Texas, where he was to be the Governor, had the brave General put out of the way. After Long had left his men, they were sent to Saltillo, where they were joined by Milam, who had been betrayed and arrested by Pelacios. When they reached the city of Mexico, they were first drafted
*Yoakum gives Long a much larger force; but the numbers here put down were furnished by John M'Henry, one of the party, who still lives in Victoria county.
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
into the Republican army, but afterward, at the solicita- tion of Mr. Poinsett, released and sent to Norfolk, Virginia, in the United States ship John Adams.
Mrs. Long had been left at Bolivar Point, with her child and a negro girl, with a few men to guard the fort. The men became impatient at Long's delay; their stock of provisions was low, and they threatened to leave the heroic woman in her lonely fort on the beach. She remon- strated : " You may all leave me," said she, "but I will never go from hence. My husband said he would soon return. If I die, he will at least see my bones, and know that I, at least, was faithful to him." In spite of this pathetic appeal, her guard left her with her child and negress. Her provisions gave out and she suffered intensely during the winter of 1821-22. To add to her critical situation, during this trying time, another child was born, which, however, did not live long. When the Caranchuas threatened to attack her fort, she fired the cannon and kept them off. In the spring of 1822 a ves- sel, having some of Austin's colonists, entered the harbor of Galveston. From them she learned the sad fate of her husband. Subsequently, she kept a hotel in Brazoria. From that point she went to Richmond, and opened a plantation on which she still lives. For more than sixty years she has borne the name of her cherished and honored husband, and will carry it to the grave.
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