APPENDIX.
197
which Santa Anna denied that any treaty had been made with
Fanmin, and proceeded to say that the execution of Fannin and
his men was in obedience to the orders of the Mexican Government.
" You are that Government, and it has been represented
that a treaty was made with Fannin," said Gen. Houston; and then
remarked, that, any way, even had the massacre at Goliad been
ordered by the Government of Mexico, it was of a nature not to be
justified by modern usages of war, and that in disobeying such an
order, he would have shown himself a magnanimous commander,
and would have been justified by the world; whereupon Santa
Anna remarked that the Mexican Government could not consider
Americans in Texas as in any sense a nation; that they had not
even been fighting under a Revolutionary standard, and could only
be considered as banditti or land pirates. Upon this the subject of
conversation was waived, and, it being night, the General asked
Santa Anna if he would have his camp bed, which, being desired,
the General ordered it to be brought into his tent. Santa Anna
reclined upon it, but did not sleep during the night, being in constant
dread of assassination. A majority of the Texans in camp
were anxious for his execution; and, had it not been for the firmness
of Gen. Houston, his life would immediately have appeased
the just vengeance of his enemies.
It is the opinion of Gen. Houston that Santa Anna is one of the
ablest men of the age, and that he sustained himself after his cap.
ture as well as any man in like circumstances could. It is the opinion
of other Texans that Santa Anna exhibited great address and
knowledge of human nature whilst a prisoner, and that, indeed,
they never met with a more talented man.
Gen. Houston with difficulty preserved the life of Santa Anna,
and with still greater difficulty effected his liberation, which he did
in the firm conviction that it would result in good to Texas. He
believed that to keep Santa Anna a prisoner would only be a useless
expense, but that, if sent back to Mexico, his presence would
be at least a constant check upon the Government in any movement
it might make to effect another invasion of Texas, because,
besides Bustamente, he was the only sufficiently popular man to
command a strong party in Mexico, and that Bustamente could
never, with safety to himself, lead or send an army into Texas
whilst Santa Anna was in Mexico. Santa Anna himself, if reinstated
in power, would not, Gen. Houston believed, lead another
army into Texas, because he was evidently too well convinced of
the great uncertainty of success to try the experiment again; and
he would not, the General believed furthermore, confer the command
of an army, destined to operate against Texas, upon another,
lest his own glory should be yet more eclipsed in a more succssfill
rival.* * * * * *
The blade of the sword which Santa Anna wore in the battle of
17'
