Deep in the Heart

by Gilbert, Morris

  “But that would be insane! It would take men we need to stay here and defend our own people—especially at San Antonio.”

  “Exactly what I think. And even worse, they’ve appointed a clown called James Walker Fannin to command the expedition down there.”

  “I don’t know him,” Houston said.

  “Oh, he’s a tall, gangling fellow from Georgia. Served well enough in the attack on San Antonio, but he’s got an exaggerated sense of his own ability.” Governor Smith whirled and almost ran over to his desk. Feverishly, he pawed through a stack of papers and came up with a single sheet, which he handed to Houston. “I sent Colonel James Clinton Neill to command at the Alamo, and look at what he writes.”

  Houston read the words aloud, squinting down at the paper:

  Things could not be worse, Governor! Two hundred men have already left here for the rendezvous at Goliad. That only leaves me about a hundred men to defend both San Antonio and the Alamo. They took the pick of the supplies, most of the food and virtually all of the medicine. It will be appalling to you to learn our weakness. Many of my men are destitute and have but one blanket and one shirt. I must tell you that I do not feel that we can hold this position with the force that is left here.

  “But this is terrible!” Houston exclaimed. “We’ve got to do something.”

  “You’ll have to go down to Goliad. You’ve got to stop them, Sam.”

  “But I have no authority to do that. Not over Fannin.”

  “Find a way!” Smith said frantically. He popped his knuckles again and shook his head. “The only men I can trust are you, Colonel Neill, and William Travis. We’ve got to do something, Sam.”

  Houston handed the paper back and said vehemently, “The Alamo isn’t the place to fight, Governor. Santa Anna will march along the El Camino Real all the way from the Rio Grande to the Sabine River. He could have as many as five thousand men or more, if our information is true. We simply can’t defend a place like the Alamo.”

  “Are you saying we should abandon it?” Smith asked in surprise.

  “Yes. We need to pull the walls down and take all the supplies, including the cannon and get out of there. We’ve got to get Santa Anna out into the open where our long-range rifles can cut them down. It’s the only thing that’ll work. We’ve got to feint, strike, fall back, and cut them to pieces with our Hawkins.”

  “But that’s guerrilla warfare. We’re up against troops in well-trained formations.”

  “Yes, exactly!” Houston nodded vigorously. “That’s what we have right now, Henry, a guerrilla force! We don’t have a trained army, and it would take a large one to hold out at the Alamo. If I know Santa Anna, he’ll bring plenty of cannon along. They’ll blow the walls down, and he’ll leave a force there to starve out the men while he comes straight down El Camino Real.”

  Smith shook his head. “I hate to abandon the Alamo, but I can see that you’re right. I’ll write out an order for Neill to move the guns, blow up the walls, and get away.”

  “Write it out,” Houston said grimly. “I’ll have Jim Bowie take the order in. I know he could do more good there than he can anywhere else. Tell Neill to trust his judgment.”

  Governor Smith sat down, wrote out the order, and handed it to Houston. “I’ll locate Travis. Perhaps he could help some there at the Alamo.”

  “What’s he doing now?” Houston asked.

  “I put him to recruiting men, but it hasn’t been going well. He’ll do more good at the Alamo helping Bowie and Neill with the men to destroy it. We’ll fight this battle your way, Sam.” He handed the sheet over and said, “I been worried about those men in the Alamo. If they got trapped in there and ringed by Santa Anna’s big army, there would be no hope. They’d be lost.”

  “We mustn’t let that happen,” Houston said. He took the sheet of paper and turning quickly left the room.

  Two years of military dictatorship had given Santa Anna a great deal of confidence. He was the absolute ruler in Mexico now, controlling the government with an iron fist. Even as he dressed, he admired the brilliant uniform he had designed himself. He also had separate coaches to carry his linen bed sheets and gold ornaments, and courtiers arranged for pretty women wherever he went. Power corrupts, and Santa Anna had been thoroughly corrupted. Anyone who challenged him was struck down immediately. He had destroyed the state government of Zacatecas with a cruelty that shocked even his own men. He was, however, a charismatic man, and despite his harsh treatment, his troops admired him and feared him.

  As Santa Anna gave a final brush to his hair, he thought about the large army he had formed. He had spent seven and a half million dollars to build this force and train them into a disciplined and loyal group, unlike the ones the Texans had faced and defeated so easily. He had amassed six thousand of these troops, and now most of them were gathered at Saltillo, in the state of Coahuila, two hundred miles south of the Rio Grande. An advanced force of fifteen hundred men was already camped near Laredo at the Rio Grande.

  “General, are you ready for the review?” came the voice of his aide from outside the door.

  Santa Anna clapped a hat on and went outside at once. “Yes, are the men ready for inspection?”

  “Yes, Your Excellency, they are indeed!”

  “Get me that young scout. What’s his name?”

  “You mean Mateo Lebonne?”

  “That’s the one.”

  The aide turned and rushed away, and Santa Anna was greeted by his staff as he stepped outside into the bright sunlight. They all greeted him with smiles, and he said, “Well, gentlemen, I think our men are in excellent shape.”

  “They are indeed!” General Sesma smiled. “We are ready to annihilate these North Americanos.”

  Santa Anna walked along to the field where the troops had been gathered. Before he got there, he saw Mateo Lebonne and motioned him to come over so he could speak with him.

  “Your Excellency.” Mateo beamed. He was wearing a uniform with a shiny sword at his side. He saluted and said, “I’m at your service, Your Excellency.”

  Santa Anna had the ability to command intense loyalty despite the fact that he was an evil man in many ways. He smiled and said, “Mateo, I am glad to see you. Are you ready for our attack?”

  “Yes, sir. Ready and anxious,” Mateo said as he stood at attention. He felt honored that the general had singled him out to be a scout.

  “I will depend on you a great deal to scout out the territory. You will need the best horses. I want you to find the enemy and report back to me personally. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, sir. I can do that.”

  Santa Anna leaned forward and spoke so quietly that only Mateo could hear him. “You know, Mateo, some of my officers tell me that I am wrong to trust a man who is not one hundred percent Spanish, but I do not believe them. You have told me that you will be completely honorable in this matter, even though you are going against some of your own people.”

  Mateo stiffened. “Sir, I have sworn my loyalty to you. I feel no compassion for the Texans, for they have ruined our glorious country. After all, this is Mexico, and the North Americanos need to be driven back to their own land.”

  “Exactly what I wanted to hear! I feel the same way. I want you to go now. After this review, my army will be on the march. Find out where the strength of the Texans is and come and report it to me.”

  “I will not fail you, sir.” Mateo saluted, whirled, and dashed away.

  General Sesma had been watching their exchange, and now he came over and said, “Are you certain you can trust that boy?”

  “Absolutely certain. I have his complete loyalty, and we need him. He knows that land like the back of his hand. He’s lived there all his life. Furthermore, I have given him orders not to wear his uniform. He can go and mingle among the Texans. He will be the best of all possible spies.”

  Sesma shrugged. “As you will, Your Excellency.”

  “The plan is simple. We will march four hundred and fo
rty miles along El Camino Real all the way to the Sabine River. We will have to pass by the Alamo. We understand by our reports that there is a force there.”

  “They would not be foolish enough to get themselves trapped inside those walls, facing an army such as this one,” said General Sesma.

  Santa Anna waved at the amassed troops. “They will flee and destroy the place. When we attack, everyone will flee. You will see, General!”

  Julie was standing inside the kitchen looking out the window. “Look at that Fergus, will you? Sometimes I think he’s crazy as a coot.”

  Jerusalem moved over and stood beside Julie. Fergus evidently was learning more of the customs of the Indians he was studying. The two Cherokee Indians were showing him how to do an Indian war dance. The three of them were going around in a circle, bending and stooping and making strange cries as they did so.

  Jerusalem shook her head. “You’d think a man as highly educated as Fergus would have a little dignity, but he doesn’t.”

  “He certainly doesn’t. Isn’t he ridiculous?” Julie said.

  The two women stood there watching the antics of the tall Englishman.

  He had long legs and arms like a spider, and his long, homely horse face was lit up. Having him around brought a sense of security to Jerusalem, and Clay had mentioned that he had enough hunting rifles stashed in his wagons to hold off a tribe of Comanches. His three hired men were good shots also, but it was ludicrous to watch him as he spun around outside.

  “Those Indians eat like there’s a famine comin’,” Julie said. “I don’t know how the food’s going to hold out.”

  “They do eat a lot, but we’ve got plenty put away. Clay says they’ll fight if the Comanches come. He’s got them out all night long running around scouting. He says that no Indians could come within ten miles of the place without them finding out about it and giving us warning.”

  “That’s good. I hope they don’t come, though,” Julie said as Jerusalem went back to her work. After a few minutes, Julie came over and sat down on a chair and looked at her. She studied her sister’s face and said, “You’re plain tuckered out, Jerusalem, and you’re worried. Is it about Jake?”

  “No, Jake can take care of himself. He always has. It’s Brodie I’m worried about.”

  Julie gave her a surprised look. “But he didn’t go with Jake. He wanted to. You could tell that.”

  “Yes, he did. You know how young men are. They’ve got romantic ideas. He sees war as a big adventure.”

  “Why are you worried about him, then?”

  Jerusalem came over and sat across from Julie. She put her hands out and clasped them together and stared at them for a moment, then looked up. “He’s so in love with Serena he forgets to eat.”

  “Oh, that. He’ll get over that,” Julie said carelessly.

  “Most young men go through it, I suppose, but you know Brodie’s always been different. He’s not like most other young men.”

  Julie, of course, had been well aware of Brodie’s sensitive feelings. He was mooning around and hardly had a word for anyone. Still, Julie was not too concerned about it. “He’s young. Does a young fellow good to break his heart once in a while. Don’t worry about him. He’ll come around.”

  Jerusalem did not answer, and the two sat there listening to the whoops of the two Indians and the Englishman coming from outside. Finally Julie said, “Did you and Jake come to some kind of understanding?”

  “What do you mean?” Jerusalem asked.

  “Well, I mean Awinita’s dead. I know everybody’s wondering if you’ll have him back as a husband.”

  “He’ll never come back, Julie.”

  Julie looked up sharply. “But why not?”

  Jerusalem did not answer right away. She thought for a moment, then said, “Sometimes, when someone bends over to pick up something and then straightens up, the whole world has changed. It took a lot longer than that, but somehow, whatever love Jake and I had when we first met just isn’t there anymore. He hasn’t wanted me for a long time. I see that now.”

  “What about you?” Julie asked. “What will you do for a man? You’re a young woman.”

  Jerusalem looked Julie directly in the eyes. “I’ll do without.”

  Julie immediately shook her head. “A woman can’t do without a man.”

  Jerusalem said in short, clipped words, “As long as Jake Hardin is alive, he’s my husband, Julie. Let’s not talk about this anymore.”

  Clyde Biddle was a tall young man, limber and active. He piled off the mule he had ridden into the yard and said, “Hey, Brodie!”

  “Hey, Clyde. What are you doing?”

  Biddle’s eyes were sparkling with excitement. “Me and Tim Beringer are going to join up with the army.”

  “Ah, your folks won’t let you do that. You ain’t but sixteen.”

  “I ain’t tellin’ ’em. Me and Tim have got it all figured out. We’ll wait until everybody goes to sleep tonight, and then we’re sneakin’ off and join up with Jim Bowie and his army.”

  “Jim Bowie! Where’s he?” Brodie asked.

  “We heard he was at Goliad. That’s where the whole army’s gathered together now. They’re gettin’ ready to fight the Mexicans. Me and Tim are gonna get in on it. You want to come with us?”

  “I promised Pa I’d stay here.”

  Clyde was disappointed. “Shoot! We counted on havin’ you. Look, we won’t be gone long. We go down, we fight those Mexicans, run ’em back to Mexico, and then we’ll come right back. Why, shucks, we’ll be back in two or three weeks! No more than a month at the most.”

  Brodie longed to go with his friends, but he had given his pa his word.

  He listened as Clyde kept urging him and said, “I just cain’t do it, Clyde, much as I’d like to.”

  “Well, I wish you was goin’,” Clyde said. “Me and you and Tim have had a lot of fun together, and this is gonna be a humdinger.” He got on his mule with an easy leap and said, “Hey, did you hear about Serena?”

  Instantly, Brodie was alert. “What about Serena?”

  “You didn’t hear? Why, Tim told me about it. Serena told him she was gonna marry Albert Watkins.”

  “That old man! Why, he must be thirty-five, if he’s a day, and he’s got two kids anyway!”

  “He’s got a mighty big fancy place, though, and lots of money.

  Anyhow, I know you used to be sweet on Serena, but she’s just like all other women, I reckon. She’s out for the fellow with the big money. If you change your mind, me and Tim will be out at the river sometime around midnight by the two big oaks where the swing is.”

  Brodie watched Clyde ride off, but his mind was elsewhere. “Albert Watkins! That can’t be right,” he muttered. He stood there for one moment, then with a resolute motion, he ran toward his horse. He didn’t wait to saddle it but leaped across him bareback and tore out of the yard at a gallop.

  The minute he came riding into the yard, Serena could tell Brodie was upset. He piled off his horse and came straight toward her. She was standing outside the house, where she had been mixing maíze flour for tortillas. “What’s wrong, Brodie?”

  “I heard somethin’ about you, Serena. What’s this about you and Albert Watkins?”

  Serena had been expecting Brodie’s coming. She loved to tease him and now said, “Oh, you heard about him asking me to marry him.”

  “He’s an old man! Put that dough down and look at me when I talk to you!” Brodie walked over and pulled Serena to her feet. She was taken off-guard, for he had never been harsh with her before. He was so tall she had to tilt her head up.

  “Why, Brodie, take your hands off me!”

  “I’m telling you, you can’t marry him, Serena! I want you to marry me!”

  Serena’s eyes flew open. She had known for a long time that Brodie was infatuated with her, but his declaration came as a complete surprise. “Why, Brodie, you’re only seventeen years old! We’re not old enough to get married.”

 
“You thought you were old enough to marry Albert Watkins.”

  Serena was very fond of Brodie, but she was also a stubborn young woman who did not like to be told what to do, especially by a young boy no older than she herself. She had no idea in the world of marrying Albert Watkins, who, in her eyes, was a homely old man. Pulling her hands free, she said, “I’ll marry anybody I please, Brodie.”

  Suddenly Brodie came forward. He wrapped his long arms around Serena and held her close and kissed her soundly. Serena had been kissed before, but it was Brodie’s first real kiss. He was shocked at the softness of her form, and he lost control of the emotions that swept through him.

  Serena put her hand on his chest, not displeased with the kiss, but still determined to control the situation. “You just calm down, Brodie Hardin.”

  “Serena, you know how I feel about you. You’re not marrying him.

  You’re going to marry me.”

  Anger flared in Serena. “I told you I’ll marry anybody I please!”

  Brodie stared at her, taking this for an admission that she intended to marry Watkins. He felt something die within him, and without another word, he turned and walked back to his horse. He did not speak nor look back as he leaped astride the horse and drove the animal out of the yard at a hard run.

  “Brodie, wait! Come back!” Serena called.

  “What’s all that about, Serena?”

  Serena turned to see her mother, who had come outside. “It’s Brodie.

  He was mad because he heard that Albert Watkins wanted to marry me.”

  “Why is he riding off like that?”

  “Oh, I teased him a little bit, Mamá. He should have known I would never marry that old Albert. I don’t care for him.”

  “You shouldn’t tease him, Serena. You know how sensitive he is.”

  Serena felt a touch of shame. “I did make him feel bad. He’s so shy and sensitive. I don’t know how to act without hurting his feelings.” She looked in the direction of the horse as it disappeared in the distance. “I’ll make it up to him tomorrow, Mamá. I promise.”