The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918 Page: 65

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The "Twin Sisters" Cannon, 1836-186'5

and armaments, and will probably leave us to pay for them.
They are now removing from our limits the very guns that were
placed on the battery at Galveston by the Republic of Texas to
defend the harbor. Can any one tell where the "Twin Sisters,"
which did such good service on the field of San Jacinto, are now
to be found? Was it too much to leave them on the soil which
they had defended? Have we not a generous, a just, even a
paternal Government ! It leaves us utterly exposed on all sides-
our towns on the coast to an attack by sea and our settlements on
the frontiers to Indian foray and depredation. But this is only
a part of the price of our confiding patriotism. The end is not
yet."1
The removal of the "Twin Sisters" to Baton Rouge would in
all probability have been the end of them but for the fact that
the events of 1861 again turned attention to military prepared-
ness. George Williamson, commissioner for Louisiana to Texas,
arrived in Texas during the interval between the first and second
sessions of the Secession Convention, when matters were in charge
of the Committee on Public Safety. John C. Robertson, chair-
man of this committee, on February 14 addressed Mr. William-
son as follows:
The Committee on Public Safety regret to have to make known
to your State through yourself the unfortunate condition of Texas
as to arms for her people. Should coercion be the policy of the
incoming administration at Washington, we hope to bring into
the field as many strong arms and brave hearts as our Southern
sisters, but in this crisis we must ask them to lend us whatever
spare arms they have. The committee beg to know of you what
assurances you can give to Texas in behalf of your gallant State
on this subject. Especially, sir, would we ask of you your in-
dividual efforts in our behalf to secure for us the two pieces of
ordnance, well known in the history of Texas as the "Twin Sis-
ters." We are informed that they are now in the hands of the
State of Louisiana, having been lately taken from the Federal
government."
Mr. Williamson reported on March 13 his efforts to recover the
"Twin Sisters" in the following letter to 0. M. Roberts:
On the 16th ultimo, while in your State, I was requested by
the Comnittee of Public Safety to use my "individual efforts"
"State Gazette (Austin), October 20, 1849.
"2Journal of the Secession Convention of Texas, 308.

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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918, periodical, 1918; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101073/m1/71/ocr/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.

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