The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 4, July 1900 - April, 1901 Page: 321
366 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The San Jacinto Campaign.
which he had never been. * * * As the troops filed out in the
direction of Harrisburg, without an intimation being given to any
one, two companies that had been stationed at San Felipe and below
that on the Brazos, and ordered to concentrate at Donoho's, arrived.
The officers were sullen and refractory; they had "nort eaten."
* * * At that moment a negro came up, and said he had been
made a prisoner by the Mexicans and was released, and announced
the fact that Santa Anna had crossed the Brazos, and was marching
to Harrisburg. These companies were ordered into line. One of
them obeyed; the other objected to going, as they had no refresh-
ments. The whole management, and the entire responsibility of
every movement at that time devolved upon the general. He told
the refractory captain, whom he had known for many years, to
march directly to the Trinity and protect the women and children,
if the Indians should prove turbulent; and at all events to kill beef
for them, and see that their supplies were sufficient. The general
acted upon no orders. given to him during the campaign; but
assumed the sole responsibility of all his acts.
* * * The remarkable success of the march brought the
army in a little time to Harrisburg, opposite which it halted. Deaf
Smith-known as such his proper name was Erasmus' Smith-
had gone over by rafts with ,other spies, and, after crossing, arrested
two couriers and brought them ,into camp. Upon them was found
a buckskin wallet containing dispatches of General Filisola to Gen-
eral Santa Anna, as well as from Miexico, and thereby we were satis-
fled that Santa Anna had marched to San. Jacinto with the elite 'of
his army, and we resolved to ,push on. Orders were given by the
general immediately to prepare rations for three days, and to be at
an early hour in readiness to cross the bayou. 'The next morning
we find that the commander-in-chief addressed a note in pencil to
B enry Raguet, of Nacogdoches, in these words:
CAMP AT HARRISBURG, April 19, 1836.
"SIR: This morning we are in preparation to meet Santa Anna.
It is the only chance 'o'f saving Texas. From time to time I have
looked for reinforcements in vain. The convention adjourning to
Harrisburg struck panic throughout the country. Texas could
have started at least four thousand men. We will only have about
'It was really Erastus.-E. C. B.321
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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/m1/353/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.