The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 4, July 1900 - April, 1901 Page: 168
366 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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168 liexas Historical Association Quarterly.
going to join General Houston. One .of them was Harvey Stafford,
our neighbor, who was returning from the United States with vol-
unteers. Father told them there had been fighting, and he in-
formed them that they could not cross the Trinity at Liberty.
They brought some good news from our friends. Mr. Stafford had
met his sisters, Mrs. Dyer, and Mrs. Neal. He said there had been
a great deal of sickness, but no deaths. He said also that General
Gaines of the United States army was at the Neches with a regi-
ment of soldiers to keep the Indians in subjection, but didn't pre-
vent the people from crossing with their slaves. General Gaines
said the boundary line between the United States and Mexico was
the Neches.
The young men went a short distance from us and camped.
Then we heard some one calling in the direction of Liberty. We
could see a man on horseback waving his hat; and, as we knew there
was no one left at Liberty, we thought the Mexican army had
crossed the Trinity. The young men .came with their guns, and
when the rider got near enough for us to understand what he said,
it was "Turn back! The Texas army has whipped the Mexican
army and the Mexican army are prisoners. No danger ! No dan-
ger! Turn back !" When he got to the camp he could scarcely
speak he was so excited and -out of breath. When the young men
began to understand the glorious news they wanted to fire a salute,
but father made them stop. .He told them to save their ammuni-
tion, for they might need it.
Father asked the man for an explanation, and he showed a des-
patch from General Houston giving an account of the battle and
saying it .would be safe for the people to return to. their homes.
The courier had crossed the Trinity River in a canoe, swimming his
horse with the help of two men. He had left the battle field the
next day after the fighting. He said that General Houston was
wounded, and that General Santa Anna had no-t been captured.
The good news was cheering indeed. The courier's name was
AMcDermot. 'e was an Irishman and had been an actor. He
stayed with us that night and told various incidents of the battle.
There was not much sleeping during the night. Mr. McDermot
said that he had not slept in a week. He not only told various in-
cidents of the retreat of the Texas army, but acted them. The
first time that mother laughed after the death of my little
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 4, July 1900 - April, 1901, periodical, 1901; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101018/m1/190/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.