The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 25, July 1921 - April, 1922 Page: 104
306 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
perpetually green, abounding in evergreens of every description &
variety,-such as the live-oak ("the giant of the woods"), the wild
peach, the holly, the yupon, &c, all of which abound in & around
my father's plantation. In the first letter I wrote you on my re-
turn I described our plantation &c especially the yard which I
dignified by saying it was worthy of her, the lover of flowers &
plants. It has been perfectly green throughout the whole of the
winter. It is pleasant to a sore-eyed man to wander in the dead
of winter through walks embowered with roses & fragrant shrubs
of every kind & colour, to meet at every turn the orange the vine
the fig & pomegranate, all of which abound in my mother's yard,
the products of our genial clime & mother's guardian care. So
much for our climate & products. "Our neighborhood" for intel-
ligence & worth is equal to that of the same number in any coun-
try. I have found as much good judgment, real worth & intelli-
gence in Texas, as I ever met with in the U S & we have as much
refinement & intelligence among the fair sex of our country as you
will find anywhere. True it is not so general as in some parts
of the U S, but we have our circles of beauty & accomplishment
& intellect that will vie or bear comparison with the proudest &
best of your land. I intend visiting Matagorda in a few days.
I have been told that the society there is the best in the country
Gen. Somerville7 resides there. We expect him down from the
capitol in a few days & I will accompany him over home. When
I return I will let you know something of my jaunt.
You will learn before you receive this letter that part of the
small band of Texians that crossed the Rio Grande under Gen.
Somerville have beej captured by the Mexicans. No doubt you
will be somewhat interested in hearing a correct account of said
capture. My brother Austin who was Ist Lieu of the Brazoria
company & one other of our family Mr. Hammiken of whom you
have often heard me speak, who was Interpreter & Secretary to
Gen. Somerville, have returned & stated the following to me."
The whole number of citizens that turned out to meet the Mexi-
cans at San Antonio were about 1200. When Somerville took com-
mand he said if he could get enough to follow him he would march
'Alexander Somervell; thus throughout this letter.
8A fuller account of General Somervell's expedition to the Rio Grande
is printed in THE QUARTERLY, XXIII, 112-140.104
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 25, July 1921 - April, 1922, periodical, 1922; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101082/m1/110/?rotate=90: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.