William Carey Crane

“ For Fame's clarion has sounded their praises, and earth is the only limit of their renown. But as in the sheer magnitude of its results, the battle of San Jacinto has but few, if any, parallels, allusion to those results may not seem improper. Never before has the surface of a land changed with such marvellous rapidity as has Texas in the last four or five decades. Only a few years back and the plumed and crested Algonquin roamed over magnificent Texas, sole lord of its vast wastes, save where a few isolated missions sought vainly to weave religion's silken fetters over the savage mind. ”

“ I believe in my heart that the young men of Texas are worthy of the glorious burden borne by them. Listen not to the serpent hiss of him who would counsel State or national division. He that would wish to dim and divide the splendor of the Lone Star's beams is as little a patriot as one who would seek to shatter the constellation of which Texas is the brightest member. ”

“ The Texan pursuers as they came up, poured a deadly fire upon the Mexicans struggling with the flood. Escape was impossible. By hundreds, men and horses rolled together. Blood discolored the stream; dying gurgles mingled with the plashing of waters.
Never before has history recorded an event in such words: "The deep, turbid stream was literally choked with the dead." In the rear of the battle-ground near the Mexican encampment, on the southern verge of the Island of Trees, a spectacle of equal strangeness and horror was witnessed. ”

“ Rarely in human history has there been such a scene. The shock of the Texan advance and attack was resistless. Everywhere the Mexicans staggered,—officers and men, whether in regiments or battalions, cavalry or infantry, were thrown together without order, each bent on individually signalizing himself. Driven from their position they fled before their pursuers. The battle was won. Riding over the field Gen. Houston gave orders for the carnage of the wounded to cease. But he had given the Alamo as the war-cry, and his men could not forget the Alamo, its horrors were too fresh in their memories. ”

“ To suppose that the Mexicans acted the coward on that fatal day would be a serious and sad mistake. Where they stood in the ranks when the battle began they were slain by hundreds. The vengeance which fired Texan breasts was fierce and resistless. Striking for their homes, their families, their dead kindred, and the undying rights of civil and religious liberty, they battled as none but men free-born, and determined to die free, can ever fight. ”

“ Strike down your men of eminence, to-day, those who fill your highest seats, and with a wave of your hand you can summon around you hundreds like them—for the gifted sons of Texas are many—but when one of these old warriors drops from the line, earth has none to fill his place. Bitterly do we know that they leave us forever, for of all the manly forms laid low beneath the rod of Death, none have ever risen ”

“ The mould in which the great are cast is yet unbroken. Let your patriotism be like that of the young Irishman serving in England's armies, who was mortally shot in the breast on a battle-field in Spain. ”

“ The decay of monuments, the forgetfulness ot departed greatness, are sure precursors of a nation's fall. It is with a proud consciousness that I view the sea-girt city, the island queen, first in honoring the memory of our dead heroes, as she is first in population and commercial greatness, wearing with the jewels of her wealth a patriotism that seems all the brighter for adorning the metropolis of the Southwest. While this patriotic reverence dwells in the hearts of our people, the flames on the altars of Texan liberty will never cease to burn. ”

“ With well-selected and finely appointed troops he advances on San Antonio and retakes it. He summons Travis and his immortal band to surrender the Alamo. With death staring them in the face, either while fighting or by massacre, they refuse to surrender, and die martyrs to liberty, immortal heroes, and in their death insunng victory at San Jacinto and liberty forever. Animated by his savage purpose of extirpating AngloSaxon blood from Texan soil, the despot advances, causing Fannin's immortal heroes to be slaughtered in cold blood at Goliad. ”

“ To the right will be the words of Houston two days before the battle:
'"This morning we are in preparation to meet Santa Anna. It is the only chance of saving Texas. From time to time I have looked for reinforcements in vain. We will only have about 700 men to march with besides the camp guard. We go to conquer. It is wisdom growing out of necessity to meet the enemy now. Every consideration enforces it. No previous occasion would justify it. The troops are in fine spirits, and now is the time for action. ”

“ It is a victory which the civilization of the age, and the honor of the human race, required him to gain: for the nineteenth century is not an age in which a repetition of the Goliad matins could be endured. Nobly has he answered the requisition; fresh and luxuriant are the laurels which adorn his brow.
"It is not within the scope of my present purpose to speak of military events, and to celebrate the exploits of that vanguard of the Anglo-Saxons who are now on the confines of the ancient empire of Montezuma; but that combat of San Jacinto! ”

“ The Texans chased the flying Mexicans far over the prairie, following up the indiscriminate slaughter, and leaving on the ground where the battle began, a larger number than their own, living, dying, or dead. Attempting to escape through the tall grass, multitudes were overtaken and killed. The enemy's cavalry were well mounted. When they saw that further resistance was fruitless, spurring their fast horses, they directed their course toward Vince's Bridge. ”

“ Six hundred Mexicans are dead; six hundred more are prisoners, half wounded; the President-General himself is a prisoner; the camp and baggage all taken; and the loss of the victors, six killed and twenty wounded. Such are the results, and which no European can believe, but those who saw Jackson at New Orleans. Houston is the pupil of Jackson; and he is the first self-made general, since the time of Mark Antony, and the King Antigonus, who has taken the general of the army and the head of the government captive in battle. ”

“ No ducal star glitters on their breasts, no shining coronet encircles their brows, but around their gray locks beams a glory, by the side of which kingly splendors are dim. Cling tenderly to these old men, lor when they are gone nothing like them is left. ”

“ But with the swift footsteps of the future there is coming an hour when banded gold, soulless wealth, will oppress the lowlier classes—an event that marks an era in every republic, when leagued capital, not claiming worth or services as its right to sway, but wielding as its scepter only so much yellow dust, seeks to force men to bow to its ignoble supremacy. ”

“ The usual three taps of the drum (always beaten heretofore by Gen. Houston) were beaten by a stranger as the morning of the last day of Texan servitude dawned. The 700 comrades of the chieftain springing to their feet, engaged in union in preparation for battle. The chieftain hero still rested quietly and calmly. His men had taken the final meal before independence was won. The sun shone with no intervening cloud in the face of the hero, and waked him to battle. He surveyed his men under arms, ready for battle, " the sun of Austerlitz has risen again." ”

“ Practiced riflemen prevented the escape of any one likely to escape. The bodies of dead mules, horses, and men made a bridge across the morass.
Almonte, with two hundred and fifty cooler, if not braver, men prepared on the Island of Trees to resist or surrender rather than fly. Rallying as large a body of men as could be assembled, Houston prepared to lead his men to a charge,but his noble horse, that had gallantly borne his rider throughout the battle, staggered and fell dead with seven balls in his body. ”

“ Each man reserved his fire until he could choose some particular soldier, and, before a Mexican could reload, into his breast a Texan would discharge his rifle-ball. Without bayonets, rifles were converted into war clubs, and deadly aims levelled at the heads of Santa Anna's men, A desperate struggle, hand-to-hand, took place along the breastwork when the fire of musket and rifle had ceased. When the Texans had, by smashing in the skulls of their enemies, broken off their rifles at the breach, they flung away the remnants in their hands and then drew their pistols ”

“ Our Cavalry was first despatched to the front of the enemy's left, for the purpose of attracting their notice, whilst an extensive island of timber afforded us an opportunity of concentrating our forces and displaying from that point, agreeably to the previous design of the troops. Every evolution was performed with alacrity, the whole advancing rapidly in line, and through an open prairie, without any protection whatever for our men. The Artillery advanced and took station within two hundred yards of the enemy's breastwork, and commenced an effective fire with grape and canister. ”

“ Our army consisted of 750 effective men The sun was sinking in the horizon as the battle commenced, but at the close of the conflict the sun of liberty and independence rose in Texas, never, it is to be hoped, to be obscured by the clouds of despotism. ”

“ Participants in the contest have frequently undertaken to give the writer some idea of the scene. In fifteen minutes the victory was won, more by a slaughter than a battle. Houston and Gen. Rusk, the Secretary of War, were agreed as to the plan of the battle; the former led the centre, the latter had command of the left wing; seven hundred Texans engaged in mortal conflict with over eighteen hundred Mexicans. The sagacious, soldierly mind of Houston, and the lion heart of Rusk, were assured of success. The army was drawn up in battle array, waiting for the charge. ”

“ The spoils of victory were indeed valuable to men who owned nothing in the morning but the arms which they carried, their scant and coarse clothing, and the resistless desire to be free and own a free country. "About 900 English muskets (besides a very large number lost in the morass and bayou) , 300 sabres, and 200 pistols; 300 valuable mules, 100 fine horses, and a good lot of provisions, clothing, tents, paraphernalia for officers and men, and twelve thousand dollars in silver, constituted the principal spoils." ”

“ Seven hundred and fifty citizens, miscellaneously armed with rifles, muskets, belt pistols, and knives, under a leader who had never seen service, except as a subaltern, march to attack near double their numbers—march in open day across a clear prairie, to attack upwards of twelve hundred veterans, the elite of an invading army of seven thousand, posted in a wood, their flanks secured, front intrenched ”

“ The enemy, in the meantime, extended the right flank of their infantry so as to occupy the extreme point of a skirt of timber on the bank of the San Jacinto, and secured their left by a fortification about five feet high, constructed of packs and baggage, leaving an opening in the centre of the breastwork in which their artillery was placed, their cavalry upon their left wing. ”

“ The Texan army halted within half a mile of the feriy in some timber, and were engaged in slaughtering beeves, when the army of Santa Anna was discovered to be approaching in battle array, having been encamped at Clopper's Point, eight miles below. Disposition was immediately made of our forces, and preparation for his reception. He took a position with his infantry and artillery in the centre, occupying an island of timber, his cavalry covering the left flank. The artillery, consisting of one double fortified medium brass twelve-pounder, then opened on our encampment. ”

“ It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon; the Mexicans, concealed behind their breastworks, manifested no disposition to come to an engagement. The plan of attack may be best understood from the language of Gen. Houston's official report after the battle was over: " The ist Regiment, under the command of Col, Sydney Sherman, formed the left wing of the army. The artillery, under the special command of Col. George W. Hockley, Inspector-General, was placed on the right of the ist Regiment, and four companies of infantry, under the command of Lieut. ”