Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas Page: 779 of 894
762 p., [172] leaves of plates : ill., ports. ; 30 cm.View a full description of this book.
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INDIAN WARS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
669
in a short time 500 armed men net within two miles
of Nacogdoches and sent to Col. Piedras, under a
flag of truce, a demand for the prisoners' liberation.
In reply a company of cavalry came out with a
counter demand for the surrender of the whole
party. Immediate hostilities followed. The Mexicans
were driven back to town after one or two
ineffectual stands, and eventually forced to evacuate
the fort and seek safety in flight. Quite a number
of Mexicans were killed, but only three Americans,
one of whom was G. P. Smith, an uncle of
G. W. Slaughter. At that time the Angelina river
was swollen with recent rains, its bottom lands
flooded and impassable except at one point, some
eighteen miles from the fort, where a bridge had
been built. Here all the men who were provided
with horses were directed to hasten and stop the
retreat of the panic-striken Mexicans, while the
remainder of the force followed on, thus bringing
the enemy between two fires and compelling the
entire command to surrender. Col. Piedras was
allowed to return to Mexico under promise of excusing
the colonist's acts and interceding for their
pardon, but he proved false to his trust and his
report of the affair at Nacogdoches only still further
incensed the government. Mr. Slaughter was under
fire for the first time in this skirmish or battle.
During the temporary lull which followed previous
to the general outbreak of war, he was occupied in
freighting between Louisiana and Texas points, and
one of his loads -perhaps the most valuable of
them all
consisted of the legal library of Sam.
Houston, which he hauled to Nacogdoches in
1833. He had previously met Houston while
attending court at Natchitoches, La., and he mentions
the fact that upon this occasion the future
President of the Texas Republic was dressed in
Indian garments and decked out in all the glory of
scalp-lock, feathers and silver ornaments. Mr.
Slaughter was an earnest admirer of Houston and
was more than pleased when the latter assumed control
of the Texian forces. The company in which he
enlisted reported to Houston for duty at Sah
Antonio, and was in several of the engagements
which immediately followed, among others the
famous "Grass Fight," one of the hottest of the
war. Houston then advanced toward Mexico, but
halted near Goliad upon intelligence that Santa
Anna was approaching with an army of 15,000 men.
Col. Fannin with the forces under his command was
encamped in a strong position in a bend of the
river below Goliad. Travis was in the Alamo with
those gallant spirits who were tp remain with him
faithful and uncomplaining until death. Houston,
safe in the consciousness that on the open prairielay perfect safety from beleaguerment, watched the
approach of the Mexican army and pleaded with
Fannin and Travis to abandon the fortifications
and join him. Mr. Slaughter served as a courier,
making several trips to Fannin and Travis in the
Alamo. On one of the latter, in obedience to instructions
from Gen. Houston, he delivered into the
hands of Col. Travis an order to retreat. After
reading it, Travis consulted with his brother officers,
acquainted his men with the contents of the message,
and then drew a line in the sand with his
sword and called upon all who were willing to remain
with him and fight, if need be, to the death,
to cross it. The decision was practically unanimous
to defend the fort to the last extremity. Only one
of the little band chose to make his way to the main
army; he was let'down from the walls and effected
his escape. Travis hoped for reinforcements that
would enable him to inflict upon Santa Anna a
bloody and decisive repulse that would check him
on the outskirts of the settlements, or, failing in
this, detain his army a sufficient length of time to
enable the colonists to mass an adequate force to
meet him successfully in the open field. He fully
realized the peril of his situation and concealed
nothing from his comrades. They determined to
stake their lives upon the hazard and were immolated
upon the altar of their country.
Mr. Slaughter returned to headquarters and reported
the result of his mission. Later while on a
hazardous trip to the Alamo, then known to be
invested with Santa Anna's army, he encountered
Mrs. Dickinson and her negro slave, survivors of
the massacre, who had been released by the Mexican
commandant and instructed to proceed to Gen.
Houston with tidings of Travis' fate. The butchery
of Fannin and his men followed shortly after, and
Santa Anna pressed on after Gen. Houston, who
had retreated to the east side of the Brazos.
Meantime Mr. Slaughter was employed in carrying
messages and in procuring subsistence for the
army, accepting many dangerous missions and
performing them all to the satisfaction of his commanding
officer. History relates how Houston
retreated and how the Mexican army followed until
they were led into the trap at San Jacinto, where
the tables were turned and Santa Anna defeated
and captured; his troops slaughtered, and his invasion
brought to an ignominious end. The victory at
San Jacinto was not the end of hostilities; but, following
it, there came a breathing spell, of which
Mr. Slaughter hastened to take advantage. Gaining
a leave of absence, under promise of returning
at once in case he was needed, he hastened to his
home, and on the 12th day of the following October
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Brown, John Henry. Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas, book, 1880~; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth6725/m1/779/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.