USA > Texas > History of Texas : from 1685 to 1892, volume 1 > Part 27
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He then reviews the financial impoverishment of the State - its great need of money - the prior sale to Mason and others - and avows his devotion to the interest of Texas and says: " If the land purchase or monopoly is an obstacle to prevent a happy adjustment of any misunderstanding between Texas and the general government, I promise, as one, not to be backward in an endeavor to remove such obstacle ; and in that particular, as in everything else, I am willing to abide by the laws of the nation to which we belong. Consequently, if I have offended any law, by that law and the constitution I am willing to be judged."
The constitution of the republic in March, 1836, out- lawed all such sales and there the matter ended. Mr. Williams heartily sustained the revolutionary cause with his purse and personal influence; was for many years in business in Galveston ; represented it in the Congress of 1839, was employed in several important missions by the government and died at an advanced age, enjoying general esteem. This summary is due to his memory and the truth of history.
On the 19th of September, 1835, Austin, in behalf of the committee of safety of San Felipe, sent forth an address breathing a very different tone from that in his Brazoria speech on the 8th. It was patriotism condensed into practi- cal action and was worthy of the cause and the man. He said : " Information of the most important and decisive character has just been received from Bexar, from unques- tionable authority, which in the opinion of this committee, calls for the prompt attention of the people. The substance
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of this information is, that General Cos was expected at Bexar (San Antonio), on the 16th of this month with more troops; that there was a plan to try to foment division and discord among the people, so as to use one part against the other and prevent preparation, and that the real object is to break up the foreign settlements in Texas. This committee has no doubt of the correctness of the information, and therefore recommend that the people should maintain the position taken by them at their primary meetings, to insist on their rights under the Federal constitution of 1824 and the law of the 7th of May, of that year, and the union of the Mexican confederation.
" That every district should send members to the general consultation, with full powers to do whatever may be neces- sary for the good of the country.
" That every district should organize its militia, where it is not already done, and hold frequent musters, and that the captains of companies make a return without delay, to the chief of the department, of the force of his company and its arms and ammunition, in order that he may lay the same before the general consulation of Texas. Volunteer companies are also recommended.
" This committee deem it to be their duty to say that, in their opinion, all kinds of concilliatory measures with Gen- eral Cos and the military of Bexar are hopeless, and that noth- ing but the ruin of Texas can be expected from any such measures. They have already and very properly been re- sorted to, without effect. War is the only recourse. There is no other remedy. We must defend our rights, ourselves and our country by force of arms. To do this we must unite ; and, in order to unite, the delegates of the people must meet in general consultation and arrange a system of defense and give organization to the country so as to produce con- cert. Until some competent authority is established to direct,
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all that can be done is to recommend this subject to the peo- ple and to advise every man in Texas to prepare for war and lay aside all hope of conciliation."
In view of what had previously transpired in the isolated actions of the people, it was perhaps well enough for Austin, in this address, to prolong the phantasm of insisting " on their rights under the Federal constitution of 1824, and the law of the 7th of May of that year, and the union of the Mexican confederation ; " but his own statement of the ills and perils of the country, would seem amply sufficient to show the ab- surdity of that position, unless intended to pave the way to greater union and concert among the people. Besides, the term, "Mexican confederation," though often used, was a misnomer. A confederation in the sense intended, is a volun- tary union of independent States for specified purposes, to be accomplished through such agencies as the confederating parties may desire, as in the case of the thirteen original American colonies, afterwards thirteen independent States, in establishing the government of the United States. In Mexico the facts and the application of the facts were the very reverse. The national government, as the unit of one people, was first formed, germinated from the imperial unit or oneness of Iturbide's despotism ; and it proceeded to cut the country up into districts and call them States, as a State of our own Union divides its territory into municipal districts, called counties. The American Union is a confederation. The Mex- can republic a centralized nation.
In a letter of the same date to Peter W. Grayson, Austin again speaks in patriot tones, saying : . " The final answer of General Cos has just been received. It is positively declared that the persons who have been demanded shall be given up, and that the people of Texas must unconditionally submit to any reforms or alterations that congress choose to make in the constitution, etc. I give you the substance, which is that we have no rights except what the government thinks
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proper to grant us as a favor. Can, or will, the people of Texas submit to this? "
Couriers were passing to and fro over the country, bearing communications from individuals and committees ; but they were too numerous and too much of the same general tenor to justify reproduction. Only such as afford light necessary to a clear understanding of facts are given.
CHAPTER XXXIII. THE WAR OPENS.
War Opens - First Declaration of Independence - Gonzales at the Front - Austin's Patriotic Appeal - Houston's First Orders as Department General.
The first actual hostilities and clash of arms between the American colonists and the troops of George III, King of England, occurred in a battle on Alamance Creek, in North Carolina, on the 16th of May, 1771.1 But history accorded to Lexington, Massachusetts, the honor of the first passage of arms in the actual revolution, on the 19th of April, 1775.
The first declaration of American independence from the dominion of the British crown was made at Mecklenberg, North Carolina, on the 20th of May, 1775, immediately on receipt of news that American blood had been shed by British soldiers at Lexington, one month and one day before. A convention of delegates from all parts of the county of Meck- lenberg, was then in session at Charlotte, and made the declaration, while the great declaration of history promulgated at Philadelphia and handed down to posterity, was not made till the 4th of July, 1776, thirteen months and fourteen days afterward.
The Mecklenberg declaration of independence, after
1 The royal governor, Tyron, had over eleven hundred troops - the col- onists two thousand. The battle lasted two hours, when the colonists retreated, leaving twenty dead and having several wounded. The royalists lost sixty-one in killed and wounded. " Thus," says Wheeler, the accom- plished historian of North Carolina, "and here was the first blood spilled in these United States, in resistance to exactions of Erglish rulers, and oppres- sions by the English government."
(347 )
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victory crowned the revolution, was long allowed to almost entirely pass from the knowledge of men. Patriotism, how- ever, at a later day, restored it to its rightful place in Ameri- can history. An incident connected with it gives it a peculiar interest to the sons of Texas. When adopted it was enrolled, signed, and sent by Captain Patrick Jack, on horseback, from Mecklenberg to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Among the descendants of that first messenger to bear such tidings in America, were three grandsons, brothers, who cast their lots with Texas from 1828 to 1831, viz. : Patrick C., William H. and Spencer H. Jack, all of whom were men of lofty patriotism, brilliant talents and private virtues, and one of whom, as we have seen, was one of the first victims (with Travis and others ) incarcerated by Bradburn on false accusa- tions to be sent to Mexico for trial before military tribunals.
Texas had her Alamance at Velasco, June 26th, 1832, sup- plemented at Anahuac and Nacogdoches ; and her Mecklenberg declaration at Goliad, December 20th, 1835.
In the year 1831 the Mexican government presented to De Witt's colony a valuable four-pounder cannon, for defense against the Indians. It was held, always subject to duty, by the authorities at Gonzales, and was highly prized. The first step toward disarming the people of Texas, in accordance with the late act of Santa Anna's self-made congress, was to get possession of this gun. For this purpose a force of 150 dragoons, under Castinado, was dispatched from San Antonio to Gonzales, where they arrived on the 28th of September. But the people of Gonzales heard of their approach in time to organize a company under Captain Albert Martin, a mer- chant of the place. Captain Martin took position at the ford, half a mile below the town, and disputed their passage, upon which they went into camp in the valley immediately opposite the town.
Immediately upon receiving information of this Mexican advance upon their town, the people of Gonzales sent mes-
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sengers to Bastrop; to their trusted friend on the Colorado, John H. Moore, and to their brethren on the Lavaca and in Victoria. The people of Gonzales and Bastrop, so long exposed to a common danger from hostile savages, and so often co-operating in mutual defense, were bound together by the strongest ties of interest and affection.
Among those fearless men of Gonzales were their chosen leaders, Captain Albert Martin and George W. Cottle and thirty men destined to swell the list of martyrs at the Alamo, the gallant Mathew Caldwell, the Fuquas, Hodges, Pontons, McClures, McCoys, Lockharts and others. The recognized leader at Bastrop was the then well-tried and afterwards dis- tinguished Edward Burleson, whose memory is sacredly em- balmed in every surviving true old Texian heart. He was supported by the gallant and dashing Robert M. Coleman and others, brave and true. John H. Moore had a certificate of courage and fidelity in the heart of every man in the country, and was in physique, voice and bearing, the nearest approach to the Highland chief of the legends in the country. At the tap of drum, blast of bugle or shout of courier, such men were ever ready, with or without rations, to mount and away. So too, of the less exposed men of the Lavaca and the Navidad.
And as the tidings reached the various localities, no time was lost in reaching their threatened brethren of Gonzales. They stood not upon the order of going, but went - quickly went, and were soon joined by a gallant band under Capt. Ben Fort Smith, from Brazoria, Columbia and Old Caney.
A day or two after the arrival of the Mexicans, during which some unimportant interviews took place, the Gonzales people merely seeking delay, Captains Moore, Coleman, Smith, Goheen, from below on the Guadalupe, and Alley, from the Navidad and Lavaca, arrived, each with a few men, besides a few others, making in all about a hundred and sixty men, of whom Robert M. Williamson was one, James Kerr of the Lavaca, and John J. Linn of Victoria were among the privates
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in Alley's company. These detachments elected John H. Moore as their commander, and Castinado was then informed that they had determined not to surrender the cannon, to which he replied that his orders were emphatic and he would take it by force. He thereupon took a strong position on De Witt's mound, further up the valley. Colonel Moore believed his intention was to await reinforcements and determined not to allow him that advantage. He quietly crossed the river during the night of October first, and, on the morning of the second, while yet a heavy fog shrouded the earth, attacked the Mexican camp, opening the engagement by a shot from the disputed four-pounder and advancing rapidly. Very soon the fog lifted and the Mexicans were in rapid retreat, leaving four dead on the field and having a number wounded, while the. Texians met with no casualty, the fire of the enemy, from their elevated positions, passing over their heads. And thus actual war was inaugurated.
Cos, with six hundred additional men, reached San Antonio and assumed personal command about this time, while Ugar- techea was dispatched across the Rio Grande to bring on more troops.
The news of this collision, making war an existing fact and not a speculative possibility, flew over the country as rapidly as fleet steeds could carry it and aroused an almost universal determination to drive every menacing Mexican soldier from the soil of Texas.
Without concert from any quarter, a company of fifty-two men was made up of citizens of Matagorda, the lower Colorado, Navidad and Lavaca, who, after electing George M. Collins- worth, of Matagorda, their captain, moved forward, deter- mined to capture the Mexican garrison at Goliad and hold that place. After a night march on foot they arrived in Victoria, weary and hungry. In a little while they were feasted with a good breakfast, their knapsacks filled and received words of good cheer.
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Captain Collinsworth so arranged his march as to arrive in the vicinity of Goliad some time after nightfall. Passing along the narrow roadway, three miles east of Goliad, a voice from an adjoining thicket called out in distinct English :
" Who are you ?"
" American volunteers, bound for Goliad. Who are you? " promptly answered Colonel Collinsworth.
" I am Ben Milam,1 escaped from prison in Monterey, try- ing to reach my countrymen in Texas. Hearing you ap- proach, I thought you were Mexican soldiers and sprang into this thicket ; but hearing your voices in my mother tongue, was too much, so I called out to determine who you were."
" God bless you, Colonel Milam. Come out in the road and go with us to capture Goliad. We are all your friends, and George Collinsworth is our captain." Such was his greeting from numerous voices.
Milam, who had in 1822-3 been in prison in the city of Mexico and had otherwise passed through many vicissitudes of fortune and danger, wept, on embracing his old friends in the party. He was inexpressibly happy in falling into the ranks as a private soldier.
The march was resumed, the river crossed by wading, and the fort quietly reached at 11 o'clock at night. The church door, entrance to the quarters, was battered down, and the whole company rushed in, firing at every moving object. The sentinels on duty and the men fired a few shots, but the surprise was complete and the little garrison surrendered at discretion, having been reduced two or three days before to Lieutenant-Colonel Sandoval, Captain Savriego, Ensign Garza and twenty-four soldiers, three of whom were killed and one wounded. Samuel McCulloch of the Navidad, received a
1 Colonel Milam had escaped from Monterey, and traveled above four hundred miles by night, resting by day. His companions (Governor Viesca and Dr. John Cameron), escaped soon afterwards, en route to Saltillo and reached Goliad in November.
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musket ball in his shoulder, and nearly fifty-five years later, still carried it there. Otherwise, Collinsworth's men met with no casualty. This was in the closing hours of October 9th, 1835.
Captain Collinsworth, knowing that Captain Ben Fort Smith, with his company, had previously left Brazoria for Gonzales, wrote him next morning, detailing the result of his movement, and added that the Mexicans had sent couriers for reinforcements to several points and requesting his aid, and at 8 p. m. added a second letter, based on further information and more urgent in tone. These he dispatched by courier, with this note to Mrs. Margaret C. Linn, Victoria :
" Dear Madam :
" I take the liberty of requesting you to forward the ex- press which the bearer has to Captain Smith, as it is of the utmost importance that it should be done forthwith; or send a pilot with the bearer towards Gonzales or any other way Captain Smith may have taken. I am now in possession of Fort Goliad."
Pause a moment, reader, to reflect that this note was written to a young bride, not yet a mother, educated, refined and ac- complished, as were many whose graces gave tone to society in that period of excitement and danger.
Mrs. Linn promptly complied with the request of Captain Collinsworth. The next movement is given in the following extract from a letter from Major James Kerr, to the author- ities at Gonzales, dated in Victoria, 11 p. m. October 10th. " On the arrival of Captains Smith and Alley, from Gonzales, yesterday evening, at Burns' place, 22 miles above here, we were informed that Captain Collinsworth had passed here for Goliad yesterday morning. The two companies en- camped for the night, and this morning crossed the Guada- lupe and pressed forward for Goliad. John J. Linn and my-
HISTORY OF TEXAS. 353
self came this way to hurry on supplies, etc. This moment Ben R. Milam, with an escort of a few men, in charge of the three officers captured at Goliad, arrived, bound for San Felipe."
No reinforcement of Mexicans, however, arrived at Goliad, and all eyes were turned towards San Antonio, and the citi- zen soldiers were unanimously in favor of advancing upon and capturing that place. The various committees of safety throughout the country were using every exertion to uphold the popular cause.
Still, a spirit of conservatism held many in restraint. Colonel Austin was performing herculean labor. After hearing of the written demand on Gonzales for the four- pounder, made by Ugartechea before sending the force to take it, he wrote, on the 29th of September, the most patri- otic assurances to those at Gonzales and justified their refusal, but concluded the communication with this extremely con- servative advice :
" This committee beg leave to suggest that, inasmuch as the position taken by the country is purely defensive, it is very important to keep this principle constantly in view, and to avoid making attacks, unless they should be necessary as a measure of defense."
Yet five days later, after the collision at Gonzales, in a com- munication to the committees of Nacogdoches and San Augus- tine, this admirable expression of patriotic fervor sprang from his pen, dated October 4th :
" War is declared against military despotism. Public opin- ion has proclaimed it with one united voice. The campaign has opened. The military at Bexar has advanced upon Gonzales. General Cos has arrived, and threatens to overrun the country. But one spirit, one common purpose, animates every one in this department, which is to take Bexar, and drive all the military out of Texas, before the campaign closes. There are about three hundred volunteers at Gonzales at this time, and
23
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there will be upwards of five hundred more in a few days. It is confidently believed in this quarter that the people of the department of Nacogdoches will turn out and join the army of the people, now in the field and facing the enemy. Arms and ammunition are needed; we have more men than guns. Could not some muskets be procured from the other side of the Sabine? This committee will contribute, and is respon- sible that the people here will do the same, to pay a full pro- portion of the expense. This is all important ; a few wagon loads of muskets and fixed ammunition would be of the utmost service at this time. Could not volunteers be had from the United States? Our cause is one that merits the moral and physical aid of a free and magnanimous people, and those who now step forward may confidently expect that Texas will reward their services. This committee relies on you to forward copies of this communication to other commit- tees in that quarter and enclose papers to some printer in the United States for publication, in order that the public may be generally informed of the present state of affairs in Texas. An express has been sent to San Jacinto and Trinity. It would, however, be important for that committee to com- municate with the people of the Trinity and of Bevil's settle- ment, as it inspires confidence to know that the whole country is acting in unison, and with one and the same spirit and purpose. This, as I before observed, is to take Bexar and to drive the military out of Texas before the campaign closes."
This eloquent utterance met with popular approval every- where and drew many to Colonel Austin who had considered him as in the rear of a well-formed and rapidly strengthening public opinion. No one at the moment proposed to go further ; but Independence stood as a beacon, still farther on the highway, beckoning the multitude to come up higher, and her votaries were many and rapidly growing in numbers. But the election for delegates to the grand consultation was to occur next day, October 5th, and that body was to assemble at San Felipe on
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the 16th - so that all were willing to await the action of that body.
The state of the public mind may be learned from the fol- lowing correspondence of the committees of safety :
The Committee of Safety at San Felipe issued the following circular, September 19th, 1835 :
" Information of the most important and decisive character has just been received from Bexar, from unquestionable authority, which, in the opinion of this committee, calls for the prompt attention of the people. The substance of this information is that Gen. Cos was expected at Bexar, on the 16th of this month, with more troops; that he intended to make an immediate attack upon the colonies; that there was a plan to try and foment discord and division among the people so as to use one part against the other, and prevent preparation; and that the real. object is to break up the foreign settlements in Texas. This committee have no doubt of the correctness of the information and therefore recom- mend -
" That the people should maintain the position taken by them at their primary meeting - to insist on their rights under the Federal Constitution of 1824 and the law of the 7th of May of that year, and union with the Mexican confederation.
" That every district should send members to the general consultation with full powers to do whatever may be necessary for the good of the country.
" That every district should organize its militia where it is not already done and hold frequent musters, and that the captains of companies make a return without delay, to the chief of this department, of the force of his company and of its arms and ammunitions in order that he may lay the same before the General Consultation of Texas. Volunteer com- panies are also recommended.
" This committee deem it to be their duty to say that, in their opinion, all kind of conciliatory measures with Gen-
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eral Cos and the military at Bexar are hopeless, and that nothing but the RUIN of Texas can be expected from any such measures. They have already been resorted to, without effect. War is our only recourse. There is no other remedy. We must defend our rights, ourselves and our country by force of arms. To do this we must unite, and, in order to unite, the delegates of the people must meet in general con- sultation and arrange a system of defense and give organiza- tion to the country so as to produce concert. Until some competent authority is established to direct, all that can be done is to recommend this subject to the people and to advise every man in Texas to prepare for war and lay aside all hope of conciliation.
S. S. AUSTIN, Chairman."
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE COMMITTEES OF SAFETY OF MINA, GONZALES AND SAN FELIPE.
I am directed by the Committee of Safety of Gonzales to address you for the purpose of procuring immediate assistance to repel an expected attack of the enemy : The circumstances which influence us to this measure are these: A demand at the instance of Ugartechea, has been made for a piece of cannon, which has been in this town upwards of four years. This cannon is not needed in Bexar, for they have eighteen pieces there, all unmounted, besides those which they have mounted ; this piece was given us unconditionally, as we are informed, for the defense in the colony. From every circum- stance and from information, we are justified in believing that this demand is only made to get a pretext to make a sudden inroad and attack upon this colony for marauding and other purposes.
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