Lone Star Nation
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“The land which . . . for moving about”: ibid., 235.
“The more conflict”: ibid., 237.
“The field is now open”: ibid., 261.
“I have seen . . . citizens of Texas”: ibid., 263–64.
“all the Tribes”: James, 185.
“It has been my first . . . of that place”: WSH, 1:267–70.
“He said he had been fired at”: “Mr. Ham’s Recollections of Col. Bowie,” in unpublished memoirs of John S. Ford, p. 110, Ford Papers; Haley, 93.
“I found them”: WSH, 1:272.
“Can Mexico ever”: Washington Daniel Miller Papers.
“Colonel Crockett”: Papers of Clay, 6:1098.
“if some skulking”: Davis, 79.
“I was, without disguise”: Crockett, 205.
“Fellow citizens”: Davis, 166–67.
“His friends admit”: ibid., 170.
“To return from the capitol . . . Lions of the West”: Heale, 406.
“Two years ago”: Tocqueville, 254.
“Rely upon it”: Correspondence of Polk, 1:230.
“To General Jackson”: Davis, 175. Shackford, 126, suggests that this letter was ghostwritten. Perhaps, but it nonetheless captures Crockett’s feelings.
“I have not left”: Shackford, 130.
“I have not got”: ibid., 118–19.
“I would rather be beaten”: ibid., 133.
“I think Crockett”: Correspondence of Polk, 1:414.
“obscure as I am . . . hypocritically immortalized”: Crockett, 1, 7, 10, 118, 135, 139, 163–64, 206.
10. The General Is Friendly
“They were all bound . . . begin life anew in Texas”: Holley, Texas, 21–22, 29–30, 37–39, 123–25, 127–31.
“She is a very superior woman”: AP, 2:725.
“Brazos Boat Song”: Lee, 232.
“Mrs. H. is a divine woman”: AP, 2:726.
“There is a pleasure . . . we can have”: ibid., 727–29.
“I had a wretched trip”: ibid., 992.
“There were 43,000 sick”: ibid., 1006.
“I explained at large . . . serious reflection”: ibid., 990.
“I told the vice president . . . he was reconciled”: ibid., 1008.
“I believe that Texas . . . inexpedient and ruinous”: ibid., 990–91.
“I have had a hard trip”: ibid., 997.
“And in my opinion . . . God and Texas”: ibid., 1007–8; Cantrell, 271.
“Texas matters are all right . . . at home soon”: AP, 2:1016.
“All I can be accused of . . . in the colony”: AP, 2:1024–25.
“Time drags on heavily . . . impatience and imprudence”: S. Austin, “Prison Journal,” 196–97.
“What a system . . . or common sense”: ibid., 209–10.
“I am in such a condition”: Callcott, 98.
“I swear to you”: ibid., 102.
“Say to Mr. Poinsett”: Wharton, 64.
“When I returned to the capital”: Santa Anna, Eagle, 48.
“We were perishing”: Callcott, 112.
“Our doors are now open”: AP, 2:1051.
“I have no doubt”: ibid., 1085.
“President Santa Anna is friendly”: ibid., 1077.
Part Three: Blood on the Sand (1835–1836)
11. The Sword Is Drawn
“It awakened”: WSH, 1:294.
“I have even been told”: AP, 2:1077.
“As to Texas . . . so to remain”: WSH, 1:289–90.
“General Houston was here. . . . I was a spy”: Featherstonhaugh, 2:161.
“The plans of the revolutionists”: Wooten, 1:173.
“Chingaba una mujer”: Travis, 15.
“No pudiera”: ibid., 129.
“Pagaba un peso . . . malo”: ibid., 144.
“Venereo mala”: ibid., 145. Davis, 687, suggests alternative interpretations of Travis’s phrase. In light of Travis’s traffic record, venereal disease seems the most likely.
“Proposals &c agreeably received”: Travis, 128.
“Spent day pleasantly”: ibid., 143.
“Started to Mill Creek”: ibid., 139.
“Reception cold”: ibid., 151.
“a simple understanding”: ibid., 151.
“I landed at this place”: McDonald, 110.
“In a very short time”: ibid., 114.
“As it is impossible”: ibid., 120–21.
“I discharged . . . I glory in it”: ibid., 122–23.
“Strong man that he was”: Smithwick, 137.
“Why, Jim . . . plenty of them”: ibid., 138.
title to more than a half million acres: Davis, 423.
“You must look upon me . . . at liberty”: AP, 3:2–4.
out-of-pocket expenses at ten thousand dollars: ibid., 48.
“I have been much more faithful”: ibid., 6.
“If that change gives Santa Anna”: ibid., 8.
“Santa Anna leaves”: ibid., 63.
“All the rest of the country”: ibid., 48.
“I do not understand”: ibid., 68.
“I believe that the most of them”: ibid., 90.
“It is well known . . . for the worst”: ibid., 102–3.
“A grand dinner . . . such enthusiasm”: ibid., 120.
“His arrival unites all parties”: ibid., 119–20.
“My efforts to serve Texas . . . in the future”: ibid., 116–19.
“Things have come on us”: ibid., 128.
“The substance of this information . . . without effect”: ibid., 128–29.
“War is upon us. . . . War is inevitable”: ibid., 129–30.
“There must now be no half way measures”: ibid., 130.
12. Lexington on the Guadalupe
“The glowing terms . . . lazy man’s paradise”: Smithwick, 17–18.
“I had a strong aversion”: ibid., 19.
“A league of land . . . shot him dead”: ibid., 37.
“Padre Muldoon was a bigoted . . . swallowing his medicine”: ibid., 66–67.
“I have seen him sit . . . any other hypothesis”: ibid., 67–68.
“gamblers’ heaven . . . Declaration of Independence”: ibid., 75.
“I told him”: ibid., 84.
“an overbearing man . . . this iniquitous town”: ibid., 84–86.
“just at the time”: ibid., 99.
“Some were for independence”: ibid., 102.
“Our whole available force . . . being necessary”: ibid., 104–6.
“The Mexican commander”: Wooten, 537.
“Your Lordship’s orders”: PTR, 2:36; Hardin, 12.
“It was our Lexington”: Smithwick, 101.
“The same blood”: Hardin, 9.
“No more doubts . . . not all at one jump”: AP, 3:160–61.
“It is not in the nature . . . control its destiny?”: Smithwick, 106.
“200 stands of muskets”: AP, 3:181.
“War in defense of our rights . . . down with the Usurper!!!”: WSH, 1:302.
“with full powers”: ibid., 303.
“The time has arrived”: ibid., 304.
“committee of vigilance and safety . . . of a Jackson”: ibid., 299–300.
“It certainly bore little resemblance”: Smithwick, 109–10.
“all spoiling for a fight”: ibid., 112.
“A large number of the citizens . . . starved out”: AP, 3:202.
“Permit us to again suggest”: ibid., 206–7.
“When the fog lifted . . . by all the furies”: Smithwick, 114–15.
“The overwhelming superiority of force”: AP, 3:217.
13. Behind Ben Milam
“He made a speech to us . . . touched the ground”: Smithwick, 111.
it lost by a vote of fifteen to thirty-three: Wooten, 190.
“My health has been very bad . . . to require rest”: AP, 3:262–63.
“It is an office”: ibid., 247.
“He made the best speech”: ibid.
, 238.
“Of these I think”: Briscoe to Austin, c. November 21, 1835, Austin Papers.
“We are all captains”: Hardin, 8.
“While we were busy”: Dewees, 156.
“The army at present . . . or the people”: WSH, 1:305–6.
“By express . . . the head knocked out”: AP, 3:241.
“An immediate organization . . . defending the country”: WSH, 1:311–13.
“Citizens of Texas”: ibid., 317–18.
“I have at various times . . . such a service”: AP, 3:263.
“Would it not be best . . . an eligible position”: WSH, 1:305–6.
“the insidious attempts . . . command of the next”: PTR, 2:248.
“All day we get more”: Maverick, 44.
“Reports of the events . . . appalling blackness”: Ehrenberg, 1–35.
“Colonel Milam is a native . . . all my sufferings”: PTR, 2:194–95.
“Ben Milam and Frank Johnson”: Taylor, 62–63.
“Remain like men”: ibid., 63.
“The hollow roar”: Ehrenberg, 71.
“Not a word . . . unable to reach it”: ibid., 71–77.
“But she laughed . . . unfortunate woman”: ibid., 81.
“The enemy’s fire increased . . . another dead Mexican”: Taylor, 67.
“At daylight of the 6th”: PTR, 3:161.
“Yet our labors”: Ehrenberg, 84.
“Boys, load your guns . . . at his heels”: ibid., 69–71.
“It appeared we were to be swept off”: Papers of Lamar, 5:97.
“The reaction of those”: Huson, 196.
“The fact that many”: Filisola, Memoirs, 2:93.
“We entered the town . . . has never surrendered”: Huson, 190–93.
“We were surrounded”: ibid., 194.
“retire with their arms . . . price of the country”: PTR, 3:156–57.
14. The Army of Operations
“Some journalists had tried”: Santa Anna, “Manifesto,” 7.
“Our country found itself”: ibid., 17.
“The foreigners who are making”: PTR, 3:114.
“I have been unable . . . provisions and supplies?”: Martínez Caro, 100.
“In an immense . . . part of another”: de la Peña, 6–9.
“The great problem . . . to my genius”: Santa Anna, “Manifesto,” 12.
“I propose placing . . . spring will open”: WSH, 1:319–20.
“It will give me . . . state of defence”: ibid., 321.
“The brave men . . . for God’s sake!”: ibid., 332–33.
“In the event you can obtain . . . Copano is important”: ibid., 1:322–23.
“Matamoros rage . . . abandon the place”: ibid., 339–40.
“Our party now mustered . . . difficult to achieve”: Ehrenberg, 120, 124–25.
“must not be wasted . . . that very day”: ibid., 126–28. Crisp, “Sam Houston’s Speechwriters,” dissects the problematic nature of the various accounts of Houston’s speech. The present author agrees with Crisp’s principal conclusions; for this reason the anti-Mexican and anti-Indian (Houston anti-Indian?!) remarks attributed to Houston by some authors have been omitted here.
“agents of the people . . . offensive and defensive”: PTR, 3:123–24.
“From the papers”: ibid., 18–19.
“A change of the basis”: AP, 3:283.
“When I left Texas”: ibid., 298–99.
“There is a Louisiana Battalion”: ibid., 301.
“We have effected”: ibid., 305.
“The universal wish”: ibid., 299.
“Resolved: That the proud dictator”: PTR, 3:165.
“I have never been”: AP, 3:314.
“I had no idea . . . in their independence”: ibid., 314.
“a principle . . . omnipotent God”: Holley (1836 ed.), 260–80.
“This reminds me”: Shackford, 202.
“You look tired . . . no use trying to”: Davis, 392.
“I am not certain . . . this will be”: Shackford, 173–74.
“wicked plan”: Correspondence of Polk, 3:182.
“How is it”: ibid., 190–91.
“If his vocabulary . . . carry such a skin”: Davis, 405.
“I have him bad plagued”: Shackford, 204.
“The great Hunter”: Correspondence of Polk, 3:261.
“We have killed”: ibid., 286.
“I am on the eve . . . before I return”: PTR, 2:274.
“I am told”: Davis, 413.
“It is the garden spot . . . among friends”: Shackford, 214–16.
15. Victory or . . .
“We had set out . . . inside their fortifications”: de la Peña, 26–37.
“Fortress Alamo . . . are all aiming”: PTR, 4:58–61.
“All I can say . . . to the enemy”: ibid., 237–38.
“Relief at this post . . . against thousands”: ibid.
“I must beg”: ibid., 4:185.
“I shall march today . . . few men I have”: PTR, 4:176–77.
“My situation . . . in the colonies”: ibid., 327–28.
“By the 15th of March”: ibid., 328.
“all the measures in his power . . . any way responsible”: ibid., 180.
“This country . . . to the British minister)”: ibid., 251–52.
“Comrades in arms!”: ibid., 373–74.
“The enemy in large force”: ibid., 420.
“Commander of the invading forces . . . the volunteers of Bexar”: ibid., 4:414.
“As the Aide-de-camp”: ibid., 415.
“the certainty that Travis”: de la Peña, 41.
“At the time . . . with laughter”: Swisher, 19.
“Let us dance”: Menchaca, 23.
“We have removed . . . for assistance”: PTR, 4:419.
“To the People of Texas”: ibid., 423.
“Today at 10 o’clock . . . Victory or Death!”: ibid., 433–34.
“‘Who is Dr. Grant?’” . . . resist them as such”: WSH, 1:348–53.
“From the hurry . . . Texian liberty”: PTR, 4:424–25.
“We have less than 350 . . . done our duty”: ibid., 427.
“Not a particle . . . complete the fortifications”: ibid., 443–44.
“In the present confusion . . . Victory or Death”: ibid., 502–4.
“Let the Convention”: ibid., 504–5.
“Take care of my little boy”: ibid., 501.
“With the speed . . . Sabine River”: ibid., 448.
“The night was very raw . . . munitions, and horses”: Urrea, 214–16.
“Foreigners invading the republic . . . suffer as traitors”: PTR, 4:501.
“Twelve days had passed . . . arguments were fruitless”: de la Peña, 42–44.
“The time has come . . . Army of Operations”: PTR, 4:518–19.
“a lady from Bejar . . . cover of darkness”: de la Peña, 44.
“He wanted to cause”: ibid., 44–45.
“The moon was up . . . shots and bayonets”: ibid., 46–51.
16. At Discretion
“Among them was one”: ibid., 53.
“As I was surveying . . . misrepresent the facts”: Labadie, 174.
“Santa Anna sent one”: Ruiz, 357.
a fourth eyewitness account: Martínez Caro, 103–4.
The details of Crockett’s death: For a discussion of the various accounts and arguments, see Kilgore.
“their negroes, God damn them”: Lack, 244.
“We, therefore”: Texas Declaration of Independence, March 2, 1836, Documents of Texas History, 98–99.
“commander in chief of the land forces”: WSH, 1:361.
The convention went on to write a constitution: Yoakum, 238.
“Goliad had been taken . . . in their commander”: Barnard, 608–16.
“I have about 420 men . . . sluggards forever”: PTR, 4:454.
“We are in hourly expectation . . . will not murmur”: ibid., 508–10.
“Previous to abandoning . . . highly important”: WSH, 1:365.
“As the affair . . . cheerfulness prevailed”: Barnard, 619.
“The country around us . . . all our equipment”: Ehrenberg, 169–70.
“His former experience”: Barnard, 622.
“Our army now waited . . . cavalry squadrons”: Ehrenberg, 171–72.
“We heaped, around our small camp . . . drop of water”: ibid., 179.
“I immediately ordered . . . terms I proposed”: Urrea, 228–29.
“After a long debate . . . almost every year”: Ehrenberg, 182.
“After some parley . . . liberty and home’ ”: Barnard, 623–24.
“Art. 1st . . . José Urrea”: Santa Anna, “Manifesto,” 60–62; PTR, 5:147–48.
“They doubtless surrendered”: Urrea, 235.
“the bravery and daring . . . all in my power”: Santa Anna, “Manifesto,” 58–59.
“Law commands . . . that wields it?”: ibid., 18.
“I am informed”: PTR, 5:175.
“At seven in the evening . . . restless night”: Urrea, 236n.
“Their indignation . . . on the ground”: Ehrenberg, 183–85.
Ehrenberg concluded: ibid., 185.
“I am now prepared . . . to indulge in”: Barnard, 624–26.
“Several of my comrades . . . : we were Texans”: Ehrenberg, 190–95.
“Grey clouds hung . . . in this direction”: ibid., 198–201.
“He was very serious . . . that bloody day”: Barnard, 626–28.
“A command to halt . . . my dying friends”: Ehrenberg, 201–7.
17. Runaway
“It is said that Santa Anna”: PTR, 5:40.
“The inhabitants of this country”: ibid., 40.
“I am convinced . . . from Mexican territory”: Santa Anna, “Manifesto,” 65–66.
“We reached home . . . announce their arrival”: Taylor, 118.
“There was not a soul”: Swisher, 30–31.
“We could have met . . . of the drill”: WSH, 1:374.
“Troops pent up in forts”: ibid., 367.
“By falling back”: ibid., 374.
“Sam Houston had . . . not to run”: John Warren Hunter Papers, “Literary Effort.”
“The declaration of independence”: PTR, 5:159.
“Then on a day . . . trudged along”: Taylor, 117–23.
“The army of Santa Anna . . . reduced to ashes!”: WSH, 1:374–75.
“The Mexican army . . . conquer our enemies”: ibid., 378–79.
“I am not easily depressed . . . in the lines”: ibid., 380.
“All would have been well”: ibid.
“If what I have heard . . . ill-fated man”: ibid., 381.