The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 48, July 1944 - April, 1945 Page: 306
617 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 24 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Southwestern Historical Quarterly
and I crippled them." And yet, when we consider the type of
weapons the author had to work with 132 years ago, we
must admit that he has turned in a very creditable performance.
The historical knowledge of the author is wide and accurate.
For example, when a name was chosen for the chief villain,
it was the name of the man who so brutally punished the
Texan-Santa Fe prisoners on their memorable march from
Santa Fe to El Paso, Salazar. Again, when Jonathan and Sal-
azar fight a duel at Natchez, the logical place was the sand bar
across the 'river where some years later Jim Bowie had his
famous fight which brought him to Texas. No one will com-
plain that Colonel Augustus Magee dies from the knife of one
of Salazar's ruffians, in defense of Jonathan, when history at-
tributes his death to disease.
The men and women are introduced in interludes, and this
is done most skillfully. On the march or in the midst of battle,
one character after another is presented. These presentations
are so cleverly made that the thread of the story is not disturbed.
These characterizations are apt and accurate. This is one of
the noteworthy features of the book.
It is gratifying to report that Sun in Their Eyes is clean
and wholesome. It is pleasantly free from the hogwash and
bilge water so often introduced to pander to our baser natures.
When an author stoops to such practices, it may be an admission
that, like a man who is given to frequent outbursts of profanity,
his vocabulary is limited or that, like the politician who waves
the American flag, he is short on material.
One question might be asked. At the Battle of the Medina, one
of Arredondo's officers was a swaggering lieutenant of twenty
years. Here he learned his first lessons in cruelty which he was to
practice so successfully later. He was Antonio L6pez de Santa
Anna. Would the use of this name and debased character later
attached to it have added solidity and substance to the story?
Certainly, there are enough real and fictional rogues in the
book, American and Spanish, without calling on the self-styled
Napoleon of the West.
Sun in Their Eyes will find three types of readers. First,
those who know no Texas history. To them it will be pure
fiction. They cannot conceive of human heads displayed on
poles on the plazas of old San Antonio, grim warnings to
future patriots. Nor will they believe that after the battle306
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 48, July 1944 - April, 1945, periodical, 1945; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146055/m1/324/?rotate=90: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.