The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 9, July 1905 - April, 1906 Page: 199
ix, 294 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Capt. John Sowers Brooks.
regretted that I did not make an effort to save some papers which
were shown me and which I think I could have preserved without
danger. On my return to Texas I will make diligent inquiry for
the journal, which you have reason to believe was left with Mc.-
Kinney and Williams.
In answer to a letter from Mr. Norborne C. Brooks, I gave a
short account of some papers that were found in your son's trunk.
Except those, I do not remember to have seen any after his death.
The first opportunity for a display of military prowess which
was presented to Col. Fannin's army after my union with it, was
the expedition sent to the relief of Capt. King to the Mission
Refugio under Lieut. Ward in which your son volunteered as the
representative of Col. Fannin.
But some of his companions being dilatory in making prepara-
tions for their departure caused a disaster to them on their way.
Their guide, being bewildered in the prairie, lost his way, and
after wandering all night, the light found them near their place
of starting to which they returned. Mr. Chadwick was his com-
panion in this, as on all other occasions of a similar nature, and
as I have reason to believe shared a common fate. The next occa-
sion on which he manifested a wish to be useful, was the morning
previous to our retreat. Our company of horse had got into a
skirmish with th enemies' cavalry upon the other side of the San
Antonio river near a dilapidated fortress in which our troops had
taken shelter. Capt. Brooks, voluntarily put himself at the head
of a company of infantry, and waded the river for the purpose of
bringing on an engagement, but the Mexican horse retreated too
soon. In the retreat he was very active and useful. During the
engagement I had no opportunity of seeing him nor did I know
that he was wounded until I was informed by Col. Fannin, who
requested me to go to him. He made no complaint, except from
thirst. One of the many comforts denied us at this time was water,
the best refreshment to a wounded soldier, but after an hour or
two's search I found one solitary dram in a gourd, suspended from
the horn of the saddle of a wild mule, used for packing. This
was the only comfort within my reach. The next morning we
were separated and I saw him no more until he was brought into
the fort in a cart with the other wounded. At my request he was199
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 9, July 1905 - April, 1906, periodical, 1906; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101036/m1/203/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.