The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 34, July 1930 - April, 1931 Page: 325

                                
Reminiscences of Mrs. Annie Fagan Teal

him  to stay there until ordered away. Mr. F., without under-
standing the strange command, did as he was told and had barely
reached the designated place when he heard the heartrending cries
of his comrades: "Don't shoot; for God's sake don't shoot me."
Shot after shot followed in quick succession till the last voice was
hushed--in eternal silence.    Mr. Fagan's Mexican friends had
used this device to save his life. Some selfishness was mixed
with their friendship, for he was a fine blacksmith and wheel-
wright, and they could ill afford to lose his services. But had it
not been for the interposition of these Mexican friends he too
would have been one of the victims of the most barbarous treach-
ery and cruelty to be found in the annals of the world. "Good
in all and none all good," so again did a Mexican show kindness
to the enemies of his people. After the Fannin massacre he stole
away to the battle ground to see if perchance there might be any
left alive on the field. He found one man, Colonel Hunter, very
badly wounded, whom he took on his shoulder to the Coletto.
Afraid to keep him with him, he consulted with Mr. Sedick and
Dan Wright as to what should be done with him, as without at-
tention he would die. It was decided to conceal him in a field
near Mr. Wright's home, which was done, and Mrs. Wright,'
grandmother of Mrs. Fox, of Victoria, fed and attended to his
wants until he had sufficiently recovered to go to his friends.
Colonel Hunter lived to tell the wondrous story of his escape
from death to children and grandchildren, for fifty years more
on earth were given him.
Mrs. Teal says that, just before Santa Anna was taken prisoner,
men mounted on fine horses rode through the country, crying:
"Run, run for your lives; Mexicans and Indians are coming, burn-
ing and killing as they come." A panic ensued; men, women
and children on foot, on horses, with or without saddles, fled the
country. She with others and with a child on her lap, made for
Sabine, riding all day over the prairie, through woods or water.
Many sickened and died on the road. They were met by a small
band who took their guns from them. The alarm given the set-
tlers proved to be a plan concocted to rob and pillage the coun-
try, which was done on a magnificent scale; as of all the cattle
owned by this colony, one cow only was left them, she proved
to be too refractory to drive. Mrs. Teal's party went further
'Called by Sam Houston "The Mother of Texas."

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