Sam Houston

“ Sam Houston is no more. A great man has fallen. Texas' most distinguished citizen has ceased to exist among us, and it is but fitting and just that we, the representatives of the people, should betoken the high esteem in which he was held by them; and give expression to that deep feeling of regret which pervades the whole country in consequence of its great bereavement. As the representative of the county of his residence, and as his friend and admirer, I feel it incumbent on me to bespeak for the resolutions the favorable consideration of the House. ”

“ Trained as Sam Houston from childhood had been, sometimes side by side with negro and Indian laborers, as a hard-working yeoman, his whole heart from youth to old age centred on the interests of the agricultural yeomanry who tilled their own lands; and every one of his life-long appeals for union was inspired by the fact that the people at large wished to be left in peace to enjoy their homes, and not to be dragged against their will into what he to the last maintained were schemes of heartless politicians, only seeking personal ends of aggrandizement. ”

“ Human sagacity does not descry the future, nor apprehend how these agencies and instruments are to be provided. An erratic boyhood, a wild life among uncivilized men, a soldier's hard fare, and a hero's fate, contest with enmity, trial in station under difficulties, constitute the ordeal through which one remarkable agent was called to pass. That agent was Sam Houston, a name which forms no common part of American history. ”

“ The influence of such parents on Sam Houston was seen in every period of his life.
His early years exhibited a daring independence and self-reliance very remarkable, and to many minds indicated a disastrous rather than a prosperous future. Not until eight years old could he be induced to enter a school-house. In the imperfect schools then existing in Virginia, he learned to read and write, and obtained some skill in arithmetic. Up to the time of his father's death, which occurred when he was thirteen years old, he had hardly been to an "Old Field" school more than six months in all. ”

“ But the two other men, taking another trail, saluted civilly as they passed.
“Well,” remarked the Texan, to Ernest, and gazing after the rapidly receding form of the general, “I reckon Sam Houston’s bound for Texas, all right. Didn’t I tell that steamboat captain and the rest of you that Houston would rise again? He’s made up his mind and nothing can stop him.” ”

“ Sam Houston in Marion, Alabama, May 9th, 1840. It was not long before her influence induced him to give up strong drink, to which he never returned.
"There is a sorrow which even the hero can not bear. The storms of life may beat against the frail dwelling of man as wildly as they will, and the proud and the generous heart may still withstand the blast. But when the poisoned shaft of disappointment strikes the bosom where all we love or live for is treasured, the fruit of this world turns to ashes, and the charm of life is broken. ”

“ However, amidst the wild rumors, scouts brought word that Ugartechea had not yet marched out of the Alamo mission of Bejar, but that General Cos was nearing Bejar with his 500 soldiers. Something therefore must be done soon.
Ernest was a strong Sam Houston “man.” But when he tried a little electioneering, himself, for his candidate, he found, as Trapper Karnes had said, that the camp was all “split up.” He could not swing even Leo and Jim.
“Aw, who’s Sam Houston?” opposed Leo. “He may be a right smart of a man, but we’ve got a lot as good one’s who’ve been in Texas longer than he has. ”

“ General Houston was the leader of the Texan revolt. While these murderous events were taking place he had only four hundred men under his command, and was quite unable to prevent them. Defence now seemed hopeless; the country was in a state of panic; the settlers were abandoning their homes and fleeing as the Mexicans advanced; but Sam Houston kept the field with a spirit like that which had animated the gallant Travis. ”

“ Santa Anna’s nothing to us; he’s only one man; the United States is siding with us and we can take care of ourselves. President Andy Jackson himself is watching, and he and Sam Houston stand right together on what is what. Didn’t Jackson write to Santa Anna, telling him to depend on Houston to see him through safely according to the treaty, and saying: ‘Let those who clamor for blood, clamor on. The world will take care of Houston’s fame!’”
“That Santa Anna’s a murderer, just the same,” argued Sion, the stubborn. “He murdered our men at the Alamo and at Goliad. ”

“ Houston's remains are buried at Huntsville, while Mrs. Houston's remains are buried alongside of those of her mother, at Independence, Texas. A simple, small, plain slab is placed over the hero's grave, with these words: "Gen. Sam Houston, born March 2, 1793. Died July 26, 1863." Nothing as yet signalizes the spot where the remains of his companion lie. ”

“ Sam Houston wants it to run on the rope a bit longer; then he’ll lick it, and have time to tend to the others. That’s my notion of what Sam Houston is up to.”
“Where do you think they’re going, Dick?”
“Who? The centre column that crossed the Brazos? To Harrisburg, I reckon, and try to capture the government cabinet.”
[264]
“Is Santa Anna with them?”
“Don’t know. Nobody seems to know yet. But we’ll find out. About twenty miles beyond here the road forks: one fork continues on east to the Trinity and Nacogdoches, the other fork bends south for Harrisburg. ”

“ By courier through Gonzales, Lieutenant-Colonel Neill replied to General Houston that as he had no oxen or mules with which to drag his cannon, he could not obey the orders, and would hold his post, in hopes of reinforcements.
“He’ll stay; so will Bowie and Bonham!” groaned Dick Carroll, who was ill in bed, to Ernest. “And they’ll fight to the death. They’ll never surrender. After winning Bejar, we’ll lose it. If I was only on my feet——! Meanwhile, ’stead of sending reinforcements, Texas is fighting amongst itself, and at the same time depending on Sam Houston. ”

“ But General Houston, in a speech at Goliad and at Refugio nearby, assured the volunteers that by the direction of the governor he himself was here to be the leader in whatever was done—although he was sure that any invasion of Mexico, now, would result in only defeat and death to all concerned.
Listening to the advice of Sam Houston, many of the [197] volunteers decided not to go to Matamoros unless he favored it. Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson’s force for the march overland dropped to only sixty, and he did not go. ”

“ The capital is moved to Brazoria. And Sam Houston was made commander-in-chief of the armies of Texas, with rank of major-general, and told to raise a regular army of ’leven hundred and twenty men, like the regular army of the United States. Then some thought of making Austin commander-in-chief, but it looked like he could do better work in the United States. Anyhow, only one vote was cast against Houston, so I reckon he’s all right.”
“Right!” exclaimed Dick, amidst a general hum of approval. “He’s a soldier; he’s been trained in soldiering. And he’s as big inside as he is outside. ”

“ Some even called General Houston a coward—afraid to stand and fight. Only a few took a calmer view and stood up for him, pointing out that Sesma and Woll were being reinforced and that General Urrea was likely to come up at any moment, from below, with a new attack.
“As for Sam Houston being a coward,” spoke Dick Carroll, “you gentlemen misjudge him. No man who fought like he did under General Jackson, and had that arrow jerked out from him, flesh and all, is a coward. He charged those Creek breastworks away in front of his men. If he retreats now, he’s simply playing for time.” ”

“ Houston's Second Presidential Term— The Exchequer System of Finance — Annexation — Rumors of Invasion by Mexico — Veto of Bill to make him Dictator — The Excitement — Appeal to the Great Powers for Recognition of Independence. On the 13th of December, 1841, Gen. Sam Houston was inaugurated, for the second time, as President of the Republic of Texas. [1] The Government was now in a greatly worse state than when he took its reins five years before. The body politic had fallen into premature and inflammatory decay, not a disease merely, but a relapse. He had formed a Government out of chaos ”

“ Sam Houston, placed in so responsible a place by the Consultation, was born in Virginia, but removed when a child to Tennessee with his widowed mother. He had a strong imperious and wayward disposition which showed itself from his early boyhood. At the age of fourteen he left home and joined a band of Cherokee Indians, was adopted into their tribe, learned their language, and wore their costume. In 1813 he served under Jackson in the Creek war ”

“ No man ever left the city of Washington with such unanimous esteem for mingled nobleness of character and faithfulness in action as Sam Houston. The following mention of him in the National Intelligencer, which for half a century was esteemed throughout the United States and Europe as the impartial chronicler of passing events—a mention made during the memorable session of the Peace Commissioners, who met in January, 1861 — deserves to be added as the closing record of his Congressional life. The Intelligencer of February 28, 1861, has this statement: "Texas is raising an army. ”

“ Sam Houston closed. His valedictory, like all other papers and addresses emanating from his pen and tongue, ranks him among the first statesmen and patriots of the world. Texas was prosperous. Certain formalities, hereafter to be indicated, only were necessary to introduce her to the sisterhood of the United States. He anticipated the pleasure of retiring to domestic life, only to be disappointed by the call of his countrymen for further and long-protracted services. The following document places his administration in its true light before the world ”

“ Weak natures do not accept that verdict, or they take more pleasure in pitying themselves than in aiding themselves. Sam Houston sank; the world, disappointed, said that he was a failure, after all—he could not hold his course, and had abandoned the helm. ”

“ You and your staff can call as often as you please. From this time on I shall be a Houston man." And Col. Scott said that man was an inflexible friend of Gen. Houston ever afterward.
"St. Louis, Mo., April 9, 1881. "My Dear Sir: At the instance of our learned friend, the Rev. G. W. Samson, of New York, 'the pastor of Sam Houston' while a United States Senator, I sit down to write to you concerning our early association and correspondence, and the annexation of Texas. ”

“ This book deals with him chiefly as the six-months’ general who, out of seeming defeat, achieved the triumph of Texas arms, and at one stroke established Texas independence. But we ought to admire him as a patriot statesman, rather than as a military commander.
Some other commander could have won the victory for Texas. Freedom, well or poorly led, cannot be conquered by oppression. Justice cannot be combatted, forever, by injustice. But few other men have had Sam Houston’s rugged courage. ”

“ As regards his 'first marriage,' the version you gave me at Brenham is the one most current here, and is doubtless the true one. Be particular to notice that Sam Houston commenced the practice of law at Lebanon, Tenn. He is not the only man who has gone from Lebanon and become famous; still Lebanon is justly proud of Sam Houston, and would not have this fact omitted.
" Very respectfully,⁠ I V. Drake." The son of Isaac Golladay alluded to in Mr. ”

“ They held a meeting at Nacogdoches of Eastern Texas, the other day, and passed resolution to invite him to come down and help make Texas. He can have anything he asks for.”
“Who? Sam Houston?” laughed the steamboat captain—still in a bad humor. “Why, he’s turned squaw man; married to a half-breed Cherokee woman, up in the Cherokee nation. Went down to Washington on a scheme to get a government contract for selling supplies to the Cherokees, beat a senator there half to death, who dared [34] criticize him, and raised an awful muss. ”

“ Heroic in spirit, this family of four females and six males halted not till it had reached the verge of emigrants' wanderings sixty years ago. The Tennessee River was the boundary line between the white men and the Cherokee Indians. Eight miles from this river the Houstons pitched their tents. Here Sam and his brothers soon commenced breaking up soil never before touched by the plow, and providing subsistence for their mother and sisters. Here hard work and Sam Houston first became familiar. For a short time he went to an Academy, which at that time flourished in East Tennessee. ”

“ Sam will not risk the fate of the republic in a single foolhardy battle. The broad woods of the Brazos shall do us good service. Though you are brave, and willing to risk your lives, it would be small benefit to the country if you lost them. No, my boys, we'll give it to the vermin, never fear, they shall have it, as sure as Sam Houston stands in his own shoes."
"It's impossible for us to go back, General," cried another speaker; "can't be—must at 'em! What, General, our richest plantations lie between the Colorado and the Brazos, and are we to abandon them to these thieves? ”

“ We noticed several times the very men applauding the speech who had opposed the speaker and the speaking in the morning. The power of General Houston over a Texas audience was magical to the last degree, and doubtless well understood by himself; hence he feared no mobs.
During the first year of the war Colonel Moore had organized a splendid regiment of eleven hundred young men, volunteers mostly from Galveston, finely equipped, of which Sam Houston, Jr., was a member. They were on dress parade daily, and presented a charming appearance. ”