extermination. First the military despots abolished the Con-
stitution of 1824 and abolished all civil courts and placed
every man's life, liberty and property at the mercy of a mili-
tary dictator. Second. Texas ports were all blockaded ex-
cept two. Third. All Texans were to be disarmed, and left
to the mercy of the bloody Comanches. Fourth. The homes
and property, of all patriots that resisted tyrants were to be
confiscated. Fifth. Santa Anna sent five military despots
with armed soldiers to enforce these outrages on the Texans.
Heroic, venerable fathers, you, like the heroes of 1776 sent an
earnest petition, by Stephen F. Austin, imploring Santa Anna
and the Mexicans not to trample on the constitution of 1821
nor blockade your ports and above all not to disarm Texans
and leave them and their wives and children to the scalping
knife of the savage. But your petition was spurned, and the
pure and exalted Stephen F. Austin confined in a loathsome
dungeon for two years. Then like all your Anglo-Saxon an-
cestors from Runnymede to Yorktown you girded on your
swords and in the name of the God of Liberty marched forth
to battle. You at once captured and expelled from Texas the
military despots, Piedras, Bradburn, Unleos. General Cos sent
General Castenado to Gonzales to sieze the guns and cannons
of the Texans. But a band of heroic Texans under Colonel

49



770 The Life akd Writings of

John H. Moore, repulsed and chased him back to San An-
tonio. Here General Cos marshalled one thousand two hun-
dred and fifty soldiers in a strongly fortified city of four
thousand Mexicans and deemed himself invincible against a
little band of six hundred half-armed Texans. But after
strategy and heroism unsurpassed for seven days, General
Cos hung out the white flag and surrendered the whole city
and all his munitions of war to General Burleson. When
General Santa Anna heard of the inglorious defeat of his?
generals he raved like a mad man. He had just crushed the
last vestige of opposition to his authority in Mexico, and left
two thousand dead patriots on the bloody field of Zacatecas.
He swore he would bring his eight thousand veteran troops,
who had followed him in thirty-two victories, also his one
thousand Guatemalian Indians, called "Black Angels of
Death," and sweep the Texans from the face of the eartli and
divide their land and property among his soldiers, and reign
supreme in the hall of the Montezumas as "the ^NTapoleon of
the West." Like a bloody hyena he came bounding over
the prairies of Texas forgetting that "pride goeth before a
fall and a haughty spirit before destruction." On the 23rd
of February, 1836, he marshalled his invading army around
the emblackened walls of the Alamo, and summoned Travis
to surrender unconditionally. Travis answered this insult
with a cannon shot. Travis assembled his one hundred and
eighty-two heroes in the court of the Alamo and drawing a
line with a sword, said, "Every soldier that is resolved to die
fighting and never surrender will cross over this line." All,
with wild shouts, rushed over the line, except the gallant
Bowie, who lay dying with consumption and grief at the loss
of his beautiful Senora Veremandis, and could not rise, but
cried aloud "Boys, carry me over that line, for I am resolved
to die fighting for liberty." With a still louder yell they took
up the dying hero on his couch and carried him over the lino.
On Sunday morning, March 6th, the eleventh day of the siege
while the church bells were ringing and calling the worship-
pers to early prayers bloody Santa Anna marshalled his whole
army and stormed and captured the Texas Thermopyljie, but
not till the last hero, perished. On that holy Sabbath even-



Dr. Eufus C. Burleson.



771



ing the monster of cruelty had the bleeding bodies of the dead
heroes gathered in a pile and burned. He was outraged that
an insignificant band of one hundred and eighty-two Texans
should delay his grand army eleven days and kill and wound
one thousand of his veteran troops. The Texas videtes before
San Antonio fled away to bear the news that the last hero per-
ished. When they rushed into the Texas camp near Gonzales
bearing the dreadful news, the soldiers were greatly excited.
General Houston had not yet arrived to take command and
the soldiers instinctively rallied around the tent of General
Burleson. "Who had conunanded at the capture of the Alamo.




SEIGE OF THE ALAMO-MARCH 6, 1836.

He made them a speech in plain, rough English that fired
every heart. In conclusion he used these immortal words,
"Thermopylae had her messenger of defeat, the Alamo had
none, so let it be with every Texan, if Texas goes down in this
unequal defeat, let every Texan die fighting like Travis,. Bon-
ham, Bowie and Crockett." The wildest shouts rent the air,
"We will die fighting, we will all die fighting." Santa Anna,
in order to spread consternation among the Texans, mounted
Mrs. Dickinson on a mule with her babe just eight weeks old
in her arms, both sprinkled in blood, and sent with her Travis'
body servant, hoping that her horrid recitals of the bloody



772 The Life and Whitings of

scenes of the Alamo would strike terror to the Texan hearts.
Little did the cowardly monster know of Anglo-Saxon hero-
ism. When the heroine of the Alamo rode into the Texan
camp the soldiers gathered around her to see the mournful
sight, she lifting her hand on high, shouted with a clanon
voice, "They all died fighting for liberty as every Texau
should." The thrilling voice of that blood-sprinkled woman
fired anew the soul of every Texan." And the wildest shouts
rent the air "We will all die fighting for liberty." When
Houston arrived he found the little army all on fire to attack
Santa Anna and avenge the death of the heroes of the Alamo.
But as Santa Anna with his black angels of death would
sweep over Texas burning houses and murdering as they went
all heads of families were compelled to return home and re-
move their families to places of safety. A few days later the
terrible news of the butchery of Fannin and his one thousand
three hundred and eighty-five soldiers at Goliad and of Grant
and King and one hundred and twenty men at Victoria. Gen.
Houston who combined the cool patience of Fabius and the
courage of Caesar said "Texas cannot afford another Alamo
or Goliad." We must retreat before Santa Anna and his
veteran hosts till they become careless and we see the golden
opportunity to strike the fatal blow." Besides it was a pro-
found state secret that there was an understanding between
Gen. Gaines of the United States army, and Gen. Houston
that if necessary the Texans should retreat near the Sabine,
when four thousand United States soldiers with guns should
desert, and annihilate Santa Anna at a blow. And with the
president and generals and munitions of war all captured
march to the banks of the Rio Grande and demand the recog-
nition of Texas independence or invade Mexico and make
her pay the expenses of the war. The Texans therefore against
many bitter protests retreated to the banks of the San Jacinto.
The stream was overflowing and the boats washed away.
Gen. Houston ordered Gen. Burleson to cut down Vince's
house and build rafts on which the Texans could cross the
San Jacinto river if necessary. Gen. Burleson replied, "I will
g-ive the order, but it v/ill not be obeyed, the boys did not come
here to build bridges, but to fight. Besides they have no saws.



Dr. Kufus C. Burleson.



773



axes or materials to build bridges." Gen. Houston said "Are
they all ready to die fighting?" Gen. Burleson replied,
"Every man is ready."

At that auspicious moment Deaf Smith the great spy, hav-
ing captured Santa Anna's courier and dispatches rode into
camp. Santa Anna wote,, "I am disgusted chasing these
Texans like mule-eared rabbits over the prairie, I will leave
to my generals the chase and will return to Mexico." The
eagle-eyed Houston saw the auspicious moment had come. He
immediately called a council of war and agreed to make the




SANTA ANNA TRYING TO MARSHAL HIS TROOPS AT SAN JACINTO.

attack at 3 :30 o'clock April 21st, when they knew every
Mexican would be taking his evening nap or Siesta, preparing
for a night of gambling. Deaf Smith was ordered to cut down
the bridge over Vince^s Bayou — a deep boggy stream, empty-
ing into the San Jacinto, and cut off all hope of escape or
recruits for Santa Anna. Precisely at 3 :30 o'clock seven hun-
dred and eighty-four Texas heroes with glad hearts heard the
command "Forward march." "Reserve your fire till in point
blank shot and take deadly aim then rush to the charge with



774 The Life and Writings of

the terrible battle crj, "Eemember the Alamo, Kemember
Goliad."

All of which, was done with such deadly aim that over
three hundred and fifty Mexicans fell dead or wounded. Santa
Anna aroused from his fatal nap, hun-iedly put on his magnifi-
cent uniform, mounted his fiery charger and rushed to the
front. But was horrified to see the veterans that had followed
him in thirty-two victories, falling like wheat before the
mower's scythe or throwing down their guns and fleeing in
wild confusion crying, "Me no Alamo, me no Groliad." Hor-
ror stricken he wheeled his fiery war horse and fled from the
field of battle.

Dashing up to Vince's bridge he sav\^ it was burned down
and all hope of escape gone. He plunged his fiery steed into
the boggy stream and immediately sank to the bottom.
Scrambling from the boggy stream drenched in water and cov-
ered with mud "the ISTapoleon of the West said these Texas
devils will know me by my uniform and murder me." So
hastily throwing of his military coat, hat, pants and boots
he fled like "a mule-eared rabbit across the prairie." Thus in
eighteen minutes the glorious battle of San Jacinto was won
by you and Santa Anna fleeing across the prairie about dark
reached a live oak grove and utterly exhausted and heart-
broken he sat down at the root of a tree and bewailed his utter
ruin. Very soon amid thick darkness, innumerable wolves
smelling the blood of the battle field gathered in the gror3
and howled fearfully. "The ISTapoleon of the West climbed
a tree and all night long listened to the fierce howling of the
wolves and the fiercer clamors of his o^vn guilty conscience.
As he reflected on his bloody career in Mexico and at the
Alamo and Goliad, methinks he saw the avenging ghosts of
Travis, Bonham, Bowie and thousands of heroes that he had
butchered. Next morning at daylight, with bleeding feet and
a heavy heart, he bent his steps westward, but soon he saw
three of Gen. Burleson's men on his track. Concealing him-
self in the high grass he pretended to be dead. But young
Lieutenant Sylvester said, "Come out of there old coon or T
will put another bullet hole through you." Trembling and
astonished he said, "I will give you this gold watch and chain



Dr. Rufus C. Burleson.



171



if jou will let me go." The heroic youth said, "I care noth-
ing for your watch, you are my prisoner." Santa Anna then
said, "I have a gold mine in Mexico worth millions which I
will give you if you will let me have your mule and escape."
The young hero said, "I care nothing for your gold mine, you
must go to Gen. Houston. In the meantime two other soldiers
joined him and driving Santa Anna before them with
limping and bleeding feet, till young Sylvester said, "Get
up behind me on my mule and ride." Thus the inso-
lent hero, who forty-five days before, mounted the broken-




SANTA ANNA BEFORE GENERAL HOUSTON.

hearted heroine of the Alamo on a mule and sent her
to the Texas camp, now takes "his mule ride across the
prairies." His only hope was that, without pants, boots or
hat, and covered with mud he would not be recognized. But
as he rode into the Texas camp the Mexican prisoners shouted
in horror "El Presidente, Antonio Lopez De Santa Anna,"
Entering Gen. Houston's tent he fell at his feet, crying, "Oh,
spare a ruined man, you are born to no common destiny, you
have conquered the Napoleon of the West." While scores of
infuriated Texans crowded around the tent and shouted.



776 The Life and Writings of

"Shoot him, hang him, burn him," Gen. Houston with the
magnanimity of a hero and a statesman requested Gen. Rusk
and Gen. Burleson to go among the soldiers and request them
to be quiet, that it would be a disgrace to the civilization of
Texas to murder a prisoner of war, however guilty. Soon all
was quiet, save the throbbing of the guilty heart and the groan-
ing of Santa Anna.

Santa Anna piteously begged for morphine or opium or
anything that would quiet his nerves and drown the horrid
memories of the past, and the more dreadful present. The
physician fearing that he intended suicide allowed him only
enough to put him to sleep. When he awoke from that horrid
stupor he issued orders to Filosola and all his other officers to
evacuate Texas at once, and to commit no depredations on
property or persons. Santa Anna also entered into a treaty
with Houston that war should cease and the Independence of
Texas should be recognized. Swift couriers were sent all over
Texas with the joyful tidings of victory, and requesting all
those fleeing from Santa Anna and his "black angels" to re-
turn home in safety.

Veteran Fathers : The world never ^vitnessed a grander
victory. Seven hundred and eighty-three half-armed militia
conquering in open field two thousand four hundred veterans
thoroughly equipped with cannon and all the munitions of
war. But your victory over Santa Anna and his hordes only
called you to a grander battle and a grander victory. For
as Gen. Houston said to the ten thousand people that crowded
the wharves at 'New Orleans to catch a glimpse of the wounded
hero of San Jacinto, Texas has conquered the Mexicans by
her own bare arm, but she has a grander battle to fight before
she can be truly free and truly great. She must conquer her
passions, her sins and herself, and in this second greater battle,
we must invoke the aid of the ministers of the gospel, the
ladies and of the God of Battle." The greatest danger of any
great struggle either in states, in churches or colleges is after
the battle is fought. A few "smart Alecks" and "thunder-
stealers" who stood aloof in the hour of danger come clamor-
ously to the front, claiming all the honors and demanding
supreme control. And scarcely had the din and smoke of bat-



Dk. Eufus C. Burleson.



777



tie died away from the plains of San Jacinto than these "smart
Alecks," came flocking like vultures to the carcass. They
stirred up the evil passions of the army and of the mob. They
declared that ''Houston and Burnet and their allies were old
fogies or traitors because they did not execute Santa Anna."
They demanded that Santa Anna be brought back from the
ship and turned over to them. And because President Bur-
net and his cabinet refused, these "smart Alecks" sent a body
of soldiers to arrest the venerable President and his cabinet.
But in this second and more dreadful invasion of the mob and
anarchy, venerable fathers you come boldly to the front and




BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO.

demonstrated to the world that you were as ^vise in council as
heroic on the battle field. Gen. Jackson declared "That your
treatment of Santa Anna and crushing the anarchists showed
greater heroism and wisdom than the battle of San Jacinto."
The world was surprised to learn that there were more states-
men, graduates of great colleges in the Convention of
1836 than any Constitutional Convention that ever assembled
on this continent. There were also great men who had gradu-
ated in the great University of "Common sense and Neces-
sity." These grand statesmen, while invaded and threatened



778 The Life axd Whitings of

bj eight million Mexicans and thirty thousand Indians and
a fearful army of reckless men who never smelt gunpowder,
laid the deep and broad foundation of the Republic of Texas
in morality, religion and education. Your provision for free
schools, a university, railroads and commerce attracted the
admiration of the world. Thoughtful men everywhere saw
that Houston, Rusk and Austin were not giants among pig-
mies, but Titans among Titans. Venerable fathers you are
not only entitled to our love and gratitude for your heroism
on the field of battle and your profound statesmanship, but
you have added another star, the "Lone Star" and the brigJir-
est that glitters in the galaxy of freedom.

You have given the Paradise of the Xew World to God
and liberty.

The world is just beginning to realize the vast resources
of Texas. But all great and far-seeing men have long under-
stood the greatness of Texas. Eifty-six years ago the great
and venerable Jesse Mercer, of Georgia, gave $2,500 to send
two great missionaries. Dr. Tryon and Dr. Huckins, to Texas.
He said the soil and climate of Texas are the finest in the
world. It is located on the Gulf of Mexico the Mediterranean
of the JSTew AYorld, and must become the home of teeming
millions, and I want to send great and good men to write "^"Holi-
ness to the Lord" on the foundation stones. Thirty years ago
George Peabody, the millionaire and philanthropist of Lon-
don, gave $3,500,000 to enable the impoverished South to
establish a system of Free Schools. He repeatedly said to his
distinguished agent, Dr. Barnas Sears, "Look well to Texas,
and use my money freely in establishing schools of learning
there, for Texas must become the empire state of America."
But lest some may thirds these glowing statements are the
coloring of the imagination, let us look at the facts and the
figures. Texas has two hundred and seventy-four thousand
square miles and is twenty-six times larger than Rhode Island.
Texas is larger by ten thousand square miles than Maine, 'New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecti-
cut, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and West Virginia. And
this vast dominion is no desert of Sahara or "Dismal Swamp."
It has less waste land than any territory of equal size on the



Dr. Kufus C. Bukleson. 7Y0

globe. Its mountain ranges above San Marcos and San An-
tonio equal the Alps, the Appennines and Blue Kidge in purity
of air and health. Her valleys, by actual measurement, equal
the Nile in fertility. Texas has an area of sugar and orange
land equal to Louisiana, an area of cotton land equal to Mis-
sissippi, an area of wheat and small grain equal to Tennessee,
and an area of pasture land for horses, cows and sheep equal
to Kentucky, an area for iron ore, coal and granite equal to
Pennsylvania, and an area of pine, juniper, Bois d'Arc, and
live oak equal to Maine. So that Texas has, in her broad
bosom all the productions, all the timbers, and minerals for
manufacturing and supplying all the wants and the markets
of the world. In addition to all these glorious blessings God
has bestowed upon Texas, He has given a climate just adapted
to the highest talents and development of civilization. The
climate of Texas is similar to Greece, Rome and Palestine.
And it is a remarkable fact that all the great nations and think-
ers of antiquity have lived within one hundred miles of the
Mediterranean Sea. Cold freezing climates freeze up the
bodies and dwarf the minds of men, while the torrid zone
relaxes the body and enervates the mind. Hence the grand
thinkers and the highest civilizations of the world have ever
been in a similar latitude and climate to this Paradise which
you, venerable fathers, rescued from barbarism and gave to
religion and civilization. For this priceless boon which you,
aided and encouraged by the Daughters of the Republic, gave
to us, all Waco welcomes and greets you with three-fold cheers.
And the world will inscribe your deeds and heroism high up
on the tablets of fame, among the names of Romulus, Alfred
the Great and Peter the Great, the few, the immortal names
that were not born to die.



ERA OP MISSIONS.

The second great era of Texas history is justly called the
Era of Missions. This era began in 1687, and ended about
1800, a period of one hundred and thirteen years. These
Missions were established by the Franciscan Monks. The
zeal, the sacrifice and the martyrdoms of these Monks have



780



The Life and Writings of



'excited the admiration of the world and were worthy of a
purer faith. These missions when fully equipped, had a large
church, a strong military fortification, with smaller houses for
the monks and barracks for soldiers, all of solia rock. To these
were added gardens, orchards and fields. The historic and well
known mission of the Alamo is a model of all Catholic mis -
sions. The object of the mission stations was two-fold. 1. To
convert the savages to the Eoman Catholic religion. 2. To
hold the territory for the sovereigns. How largely this latter
element entered into the glowing zeal of the Catholics may be
inferred from two facts. 1. The Spanish Catholics allowed




THE ALAMO.



the two hundred thousand Indians in Texas to grope in utter
darkness from the discovery of Don Espejo, in 1G20, to the
landing of La Salle, the Frenchman, without sending a single
priest, monk or nun. But as soon as the French colony under
La Salle, located in Matagorda bay, and erected Fort St. Louis,
the whole Catholic Spanish world was on fire. The gallant
Count Monclova sent Captain Alonzo DeLeon to drive out the
French and established missionary forts from the Rio Grande
to the Sabine. He at once founded the mission of San Juan
Baptista (St. John the Baptist), on the Kio Grande and pro-
jected another armed mission at the deserted fort of La Salle



Dr. Rufus C. Burleson. 781

at St. Louis. 2. A second fact illustrates the strong material
element in these Catholic missions. Marquis Casa Fuesta
visited Texas and seeing its vast fertility, induced the King of
Spain to spend $72,000 to introduce sixteen Catholic families
to strengthen the mission on the San Antonio, among whom
were the JSTavarros, Veremandis, Delgados, and others whose
names have become a glory to Texas. The difficulties of con-
verting the Indians was great. One pious priest laments they
first had to convert them from beasts to men, and then convert
them into Catholics. And as they regarded them as beasts,
they did not regard the Indians as possessing the rights of
human beings. This doleful fact was painfully exhibited by
that zealous Catholic saint, De Soto, and his associate knights,
who, in his work of converting the Indians, carried along
fourteen priests, a vast number of blood-hounds and handcuffs,
and who, having left their wives on San Domingo, captured
twenty-five beautiful Alabama Indian girls and carried them
in all their wanderings, as cooks and concubines. Such
harsh treatment often enraged the sons of the forest, who
murdered the missionaries and burned down their mission
forts as at San Saba. The result was, Catholic missions for
one hundred and thirteen years were an utter failure so
±*ar as converting Indians. No vestige of Christianity is found
among any tribe in Texas. All that is left of the toils of one
hundred and thirteen years are vast stone buildings, fast
crumbling into ruin, as San Jose, and others. Fit emblems of
the creed of the founders. But in a material point, as military
fortifications, they did succeed finally in holding Texas secure
against all the invasions of the Louisiana French and the
Fredonians under Nolan, Magee, Long and their brave but
misguided allies.

The various missions in Texas were established by Fran-
ciscan monks, under the auspices of the Spanish government,
and were called Presidios. These missions consisted of the
chapel for worship, the cells for the monks, the dwellings for
the inhabitants, and a fort for defense. The mission was under
an officer of the army, who, in most matters, was under the
control of the priest. In 1690 the Mission of San Francisco
was established on the Lavaca river, at Fort St. Louis, by



782 The Life and Writings of

the Spanish under Captain Alonzo De Leon. In the same year
that of San Juan Baptista was founded on the Kio Grande
river. In 1714 Captain Ramon established the Mission of San
Bernard, also Mission of Adaes, among the Indians of that
name, fifteen miles west of Natchitoches. In 1715 was estab-
lished the Mission of Dolores, west of Sabine, among the
Orquisaco Indians. In the same year a mission was founded
among the JSTacogdoches Indians, near the site of the present
town of that name; also another among the Adaes Indians,
near the site of the present town of San Augustine. The mis-
sion fortress of San Antonio de Talero was soon after this es-