CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
F394S2'S9T""'™""'""'"^ 
 
 olin 
 
 3 1924 032 293 700 
 
 Overs 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924032293700 
 
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 MrD 154r2 
 
 

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i>nuttfnt?r-^rn5ramm 
 
 3um 2lnbenfen an bk 
 abgeljalten 3U 
 
 ©an 5ltttiJttio, Xt^a^ 
 
 am 
 
 12., 13. ttttb 14. Se^tcmBer 1920 
 
 
 "Restaurare Omnia in Christo." j 
 
 „gurfl(J 3um roatjrcn (Eljriftcntum." 
 
 Ptuch 6oM I>tr ^tanbara Ptg. fflo. fg^J)' ^an ^ntonio, ®cxas 
 

 Seine fjeiligfcit, papft Benedict XV 
 
5ltt unfcre (ijafte! 
 
 So ift bcnit bocf) cnbftcf) bcr Sag gclommen oitf ben hiir, bie SatOolifcn icut- 
 fdjer ?l6fnttft fjicr int <Biaaic %e^a§, fo lange gcluartet fjafien; Sou bcm ioir ttn§ fo 
 biff iierf^)to(f)en fjabcit unb bon beffen £iif)t ititb SBSriiie unfer StaatSberbartb, foUuc 
 itnfere SScrcine nnb einselnen 9JIttgHeber neuen; 9trttrtc6 uitb frtfdje 2eien§tvafi 
 tTivaxttn. 
 
 giiieit iveitm 2Beg fcib SI)t gefontmcn, gro^je 3(it§(agctt ^abt ^sljr ge^abt unb 
 ))erfonIidje D^fcr Ijnbt Sf)r bringen ntiiffen unt 6uren Sritbcrn int fernen Sitbeni 
 Sure l^tlfreidje ^anb in iuoljrrjiift cOrijtndjer Sefinnung anjubieten. 5Kte bid 
 letdjter, bequentet unb fiittiger hiorc e§ fitr ®ud) gehiefen, Sure SJerfamntlung in 
 etner grii^eren linb Sudj gelegeneten Stobt objuljalten. 9l6er ^crfiinlidje 23e= 
 (tucmlir^feiten, llnfoften unb affeS ba§ fanb bei @ud) fein ©e^iir; bn gab e§ nuti 
 eine Stimme bie fitr dud) nta^gebenb inar, unb ba§ ift bie Stintnte bcr ^flidjt unb 
 d)riftlid)er SBruberliebe. 
 
 3n bollent SSetuufttfein biefer SatfocOen fotten luir nun fagen luie fe^r toir 6uer 
 ^ierfein hjttrbigen, toie fe^r uub bon ^er^cn 3§r unS iwtlHonttnen fetb. 2)o§ liifilf 
 fid) ntit alien ipijrafen uicf)t erflorcn unb neue p erfinben bie 9tffe§ ba§ fogeu 
 ItinS uufer ^ers fiifft, bn§ ift uuS unmbglicf). * 
 
 Unb fo bitten Wir 6uif) unfern guten SBitten, Surf) bon gonsent ^erjen ioitt- 
 Jotnnten su ^ei^en, aU genitgenb onjuneljnien. 3c »ueJ)r 31)r uufere iviittigen ^Jieufte^, 
 in 2lnf^rud) nefjtncu hierbet, befto Ijijijcr tuerben luir uu^ 6ecl)rt fii^Ien unb auiij 
 felbft jur Ueberjeugung gclongen, baft ^i]x luifit hiie fe^r, toie bon ganjent ^crjen 
 loir (Sut^ in unferer 9Ritte unb in unfcrer Stobt luiUfontnten fjeifjen. 
 
 Hub nun, tieber 93ruber unb ©aft: 
 
 (Bott grufte 2)id)! 
 
 Sein anbrer ©ruft glcic^t bent an Snnigfcit; 
 
 ©ott grille ^icf)! 
 
 Stein anbrer ©ruft pa^t fo ju jcber Beit. 
 
 ©ott grttfte 2)icf)! 
 
 SBenn biefer ©ruft fo rec^t bon ^erjen ge^t, 
 
 ©tit bei bent licben ©ott bcr ©ruft, 
 
 ©0 bid Inie ein &eitt. 
 
Seine €rcellen3, ^er papftlidje Pelegat, ZlTfgr. 3'^^?" Bon5ano, D. D. 
 
prngram 
 
 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1920 
 
 8:00 A. M. — Gathering of the Delegates and Guests in Beethoven Hall. Welcome 
 by the President of the Convention Committee. Roll Call and distribution 
 of badges. 
 
 9:00 A. M. — Clergy will meet at Menger Hotel. 
 
 9:15 A. M. — Lining up of delegates, local and visitmg societies at Bcetlioven Hall 
 for parade to San Fernando Cathedral. 
 
 10:00 A. M. — Address of Welcome by Rt. Rev. Arthur Drossaerts, D. D., Bishop of 
 San Antonio. Solemn Pontifical High Mass in San Fernando Cathedral, cele- 
 brated by the Most Rev. John W. Shaw, D. D., Archbishop of New Orleans, 
 and sermon by the Rt. Rev. .Joscpii Maria Koudelka, D. D., Bishop of 
 Superior, Wis. After Mass Blessing of the Staats-A'erband of Texas' new 
 Banner. The Mass will be sung by St. Joseph's Church Choir. 
 
 12:30 P. M. — Dinner — May be had at Beethoven Hall or at the various hotels, cafes 
 and restaurants. Dinner in honor of visiting Bishops, given by Rt. Rev. 
 Arthur Drossaerts, Bishop of San Antonio. 
 
 2:30 P. M. — Gathering of delegates and guests at Beethoven Hall where automo- 
 biles will be taken for a trip to the old Franciscan Missions. On the re- 
 turn trip there will be Eucharistic Services and sermon in Mission Con- 
 cepcion, (First Mission). 
 
 6:30 P. M. — Supper — May be had at Beethoven Hall or at the various hotels, cafes 
 and restaurants. 
 
 8:15 P. M. — Social Evening at Beethoven Hall. Address of welcome by Mayor 
 Sam C. Bell. Address by Hon. Michael F. Girten, President of Central 
 Verein. Address of evening "The Labor Question," by Rev. P. Viotorin 
 Hoffmann, 0. F. M., of St. Louis, Mo. Everybody welcome. 
 
 MONDAY, SEPTEMBEK 13, 1920 
 
 8:00 A. M. — Solemn Pontifical High Mass, celebrated by the Rt. Rev. Joseph Maria 
 Koudelka, D. D., Bishop of Superior, Wis., at Si. Joseph's Church. 
 
 9:30 A. M. — First business session of Central Verein at Beethoven Hall. Address 
 of Welcome by Rev. Peter J. Schnetzer, Pastor of St. Joseph's church. Re- 
 port of the President and officers of the Central Verein. Delegates to Staats- 
 Verband Convention are requested to attend this session. Business ses- 
 sions of Gonzaga Union and Frauenbund in their respective assembly halls. 
 
 12:30 P. M. — Dinner — May be had at Beethoven Hall, or at the various hotels, 
 cafes and restaurants. 
 
 2:30 P. M. — Committee meetings of Central Verein. Business session of Texas 
 Staats-Verband in St. Joseph's Hall; also business session of Gonzaga Union 
 and Frauenbund. 
 
 6:30 P. M. — Mexican supper complimentary to all delegates and guests. 
 
 8:15 P. M. — ^Second business session of Central Verein. Report of the Central 
 Stelle and of the Committee for Social Propaganda. All sections are ex- 
 pected to attend this session. 
 
Seiner (Snaben ber fjod^toiirM^fte 3. IP. 5l]air>, (£r5bifd7of r»on Zleai®rleans 
 
TUESDAY, Sfc;i» I l':\U5l<:!« 14, 1920 
 
 8:00 A. M. — Solemn Pontifical Rcquii'm Mass af SI. Joseph's Cliui'ch ccletirated by 
 the Rt. Rev. Abbott Paul Schaeubh.i, O. S. B.. of St. Benedict's Abbey, St. 
 Benedict, La., for all deceased mcmbiTs and officm-.s of Central Verein, 
 Staats-Verband, Gonzaga Union and Frauenbund, and sei'inon by Rev. 
 Placidus Occhsle, 0. S. B., of Alius, Ark. 
 
 9:00 A. M. — Third business session of Central Verein. Reports of the various 
 committees and adoption of resolutions; also business sessions of Staats- 
 Yerband, Gonzaga Union and Frauenbund. 
 
 12:30 P. M. — Dinner — May be had at Beethoven Hall, or at the various hotels, 
 cafes and restaurants. 
 
 2:30 P. M. — Final business session of Central Verein. Seleclion of next conven- 
 tion city and election of officers; also final session of Sterbekasse, Gonzaga 
 Union and Frauenbund. 
 
 6:30 P. M. — Supper — May be had at Beethoven Hall or at the various hotels, cafes 
 and restaurants. 
 
 8:00 P. M. — Solemn Eucharistic services and Sacramenlal Benediction at St. 
 Joseph's Church. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1920 
 
 Special entertainment and picnic in Koehler Park to which all delegates 
 and guests are cordially invited. 
 
 Central Verein and Frauenbund will hold their meetings in Beethoven Hall, 
 418 South Alamo St. 
 
 The Texas Staats-Verband will hold its meeting in St. Joseph's Hall, 219 East 
 Commerce St. 
 
 Gonzaga Union will hold its meeting in St. Cecelia's Hall, Blum St. 
 
 Sonntiifl, ben 12. ^cptcmbet. 
 
 8:00 Uljr MovQtnS — ajerfamtrtluiu] bcr ®elegaten imb ©ofte in bcr SeetE)oben» 
 .sjallc. SBiniommcn SRebc be§ ^^^raftbenten Dom geft=3[u§jii)ufe. 3Ser» 
 Icfung ber dlamm bcr Tclcgaten unb SSerteilung ber SlbjeicEien. 
 
 9:00 llfjr 9J{orgeng — 9}erfatnmluug bcr @eiftliii)feit im SRenger ijotel. 
 
 9:15 Uf)r MorgenS — ^^^ro3effton ber Dctcgaten, nustDartigeii unb lofalen SSereine 
 non ber 33eetf)o»en=^aItc nai) bcr (iatl)cbrale be San Acrnmibo. 
 
 10:00 llljr afJorgen-J — ai^iUfommen 5)kbc beg ftodjto'ften Strtftur ®roffaert§, T>. 
 2)., 93ifc£)of ber ©an Stntonio Xiogofe. geierIi(J)e§ ^Pontifilal ^odEjamt 
 in bcr Katftebrale, seteBricrt Don bcm f)oc£)lD'ften .s>crrn Sof)n SB. ©t)ato., 
 D. T}., ©r^bifdiof i:on ^ccln DrIeanJ. 5eftl,irebigt beS I)0{i)tD'ften ^errn 
 ^so'icpi) dJlavia S^oubelfa, T. "S., SifcEiof bon ©ulterior, aBt§. %ac^ bem 
 i^ontififal ^od^amt folgt bie 3Bett)e ber neuen Sa(}nc be§ Satfjolifc^en 
 ©taats=33er6anbe§ bon leraS. Tie aiJeffe mirb bom fiir(i)cnd)or ber St. 
 .o,LifepIi§ Oemeinbe gefiingen. 
 
 12:30 mt 9ladmitta0 — SJJittag^effcn. 5>Jqc£) ^clieben ber ©dfte, enttoeber in 
 ber '©eetf)oben=$at[c ober in ben Cerfdiiebenen ijotels nnb Steftnurationen. 
 
 2:30 nijr 9tad)mxtta0 — SCerfamntlung ber Tclegaten unb ®a\tc in ber 
 3Jeet£)oben=§Qi[e. 2tutomo6i[=i^aI)rt nod) aKen alten gransiSl'aner 3WiJfio= 
 nen, fotoie nad) bent neuen 2t. ..Jofin's ^rielter^Scminar. 9Iuf ber ^u& 
 jai)xt ©aframentalifcfier ©egen mit ^srebigt in ber SKiffion Konceticion. 
 
 6:30 llljr SlfienbH — Stbenbcffcn. dlad] 35elie6en ber (Safte, cnttDeber in 
 ber 33eetfioben45af(c ober in ben bcrfdjiebenen §oteB unb JReftourationcn.. 
 
 8:15 llljr 3l6ciib§ — ©ogiaier ?(6cnb in ber "Beetfjoben'^oHe. SegritfeungSrebe 
 be§ oc&tB. §errn ©am Ci. 33ett, $*iirgermeifter tion ©an Stntonio. 2Sor= 
 trag be§ ac^tBaren ijcrrn i)iicE)aeI g. ®irten, '•^rafibent be§ ®eutfcf)-- 
 $RiJmif(i)=^atf)oIifc^en EentroI=3Serein§. .spierauf folgt ber §ou|3t=35ortrag 
 be§ 3[Benb§: ,,'Si^e 2abov Que[tion", ge!)alten bon bem Ijodjh). $ater 
 aSictorin Hoffmann, D. g- 2«., ©t. «oui§, mo. 
 
fjod]unir^ta,fter tllrtbur 3- I^roffaerts, P. P., 
 i^ifd^of von San ^Intonio. 
 
SKontflfl, ben 13. 'Beptembn. 
 
 8:00 Uf)r 9)Jorrjen^ — AcicrlirfjeS ^^ontififal .s^oi^amt in ber 3t. ^sofcplis Siiviic, 
 seleBriert Don bent f)0(f)to'ften .'oerrn ^ofcpfi SOfaria ftoubelfa, 2). S)., 
 3?ifd)of t)on Superior, 2Bi§. 
 
 9:30 llfjr ^Jiorgcii^ — CJrfte @efc£)dft§=Sit3uni] bes gentrat=9Serein§- in ber 
 3?eetf)oOen=^aIIe. ©illfommen 9^ebe be^ (i^'i)*!'. ^^>eter ^s. Sc£)net3er, ^farrer 
 ber St. ^ofcpfi'e ©emcinbc. 5yericf}tc bee ^i>rdfibenten unb 93eamten be§ 
 Eentrol i^ereins. ^elecjatcn ,)Ur StaatsDcrbanbe-^^erfantmhtng toerben er= 
 furf)t biefer Si^ung bci3Utoot)nen. 05efcf)nfts-£il3ungen ber ©onjaga^llnion 
 unb be? Ji^auenbunbes in ben fiir fie bejeic^neten .s>aUen. 
 
 12:30 Uljr 9lacf)mittngg — Sfittaggejfen. 9iad) 5?elieben ber (3a\ts, enttoeber in 
 ber 'i*cetfiot)en=$aIIe ober in ben Ocrfdjiebenen .s>ote('> unb I'flcitaurationen. 
 
 2:30 Uf)r 9fncf)jnittnge — Komile-i^erfammlungen bc-J Eentra(=3}crein§. <Se- 
 f(i)dft§=Sil3ung be? fiatdolifdien StoatS'l^erbanbeS oon Jcras in ber 
 St. ^sofepf)§=§a£[e; ebenfattS Qicfdidft'o^Siljungcn ber GSonjaga Union 
 unb be§ g-rauenbunbc'i in ifircn ^^aEen. 
 
 6:30 lU)r Sl'fienbS — 9Jfejifanifd)ee Stbenbefjen, 5u toeldiem fdmmtliif)e Selegoten 
 unb ©dfte bom 5cft-?[u5fif)ui3 fjcrsHcfjft eingelaben finb. 
 
 8:30 Uftr 9(6enbs — 3toeite Q5efcf)dft5=Sitnmg be§ Ecntrat-i^ereine.. i'eric^t ber 
 Gentral^Stefle unb bc5 Gomitee fiir Sojiale i^ropaganba. (Je tnirb er- 
 luartct, baB fdmmtlic£)e Scftiouen biefer SBerfammlung beitoofjnen. 
 
 ■?tenftng, ben 14. Bcptcmhcv. 
 
 8:00 lUir fflJorgcnS — AL'ierlidie ^l^ontififal Slkquiem iWeffe in ber St. ^ofe^^^-^ 
 Sixvite fiir alle uerftorbencn ^Jiitglieber unb Q?eami:e be? Gcntral-SJereinS, 
 bes ^atr^oiifc^en Staat5=i'erbanbc5 Oon icras, ber Qionjaga Union unb 
 be? Jrauenbunbes, 5clebrirt bon bent .sjocfjto'ftcn 3[6t ^i.'aul Sc£)du6re, D. 3. 
 i^., Don St. i^enebicts Sfbbet), St. Senebict, 'L'a. ''l.^rcbigt be? f)ocf)to. 
 Pacibu? Ced)fle, C S. 9.^., Don iXttu?, Sfrfanfa?. 
 
 9:00 lUir SUtorgens — Trttte @efcf)dft?=Sil3ung be§ Sentra(=3>erein?. a9eri^i- 
 ber nerf(f)iebenen (iomites unb ?fnnaf)me ber 'i^cfct)(uffe. Q5ef(^dft§= 
 Sifeungen be§ Staats-i^erbanbe?, ber @on3Qga Union unb be§ 5rauen= 
 bunbes in i^ren .sJaUen. 
 
 12:30 Uf)t 9lttcf)tnittag5 — 9JJittag§effen, dladi 53elieben ber (i^dfte, enttoeber in 
 ber iBeetboben-iJaCe ober in ben bcrfdjiebenen .sjotel? unb Sfcftanrationeii. 
 
 2:30 ll^r 9Jad)mirtrtg« — Scbrui^-Silning be? Gentra(=i5erein?. ii^abl ber (Stabt 
 fiir bie nddjfte iagung. 33eomtentoat)I. (?benfaIIII§ Sd)Inf3=Siteungen be,§ 
 ©tQQt§=SerBanbe§, ©onsaga Union unb be§ grauenbunbeS in i!)ren fallen. 
 
 6:30 llfjr Slficnbg — SIbenbcffen. StacE) 'i^elieben ber Oidfte, enttoeber in 
 ber 9?eetfioben=§aIIe ober in ben berfc£)iebenen .'J>oteI? unb 9kftaurationen. 
 
 8:00 Hijr 9l6enbs — Seierlic^e 3[nba(f)t sum SiKerbeiligften 3[Itar?=Saframent 
 unb Segen in ber St. .Jofepli?=fiircf)e. 
 
 Mittwod), ben 15. Se^Jtember. 
 
 Sonber-ltnterfialtung unb ^^icnic im !SrJf)Ier ^sarf, 3u toeidiem fdmmtlidje 
 @dftc unb Selegaten fierglidjft eingelaben ftnb. 
 
 ®enttoI=2Jeretn unb ?yraucn6unb Ijolten i^re Serfammlungcn in ber S8eet^oi)cn= 
 paUe, 418 Siib=9Uonio=Stroic. — 2!er tntljofifrffe Stnnt^=2Jer6onb Don SepS pit 
 feine 2?erfnnintlungen in ber 2t. ^o^epi)^S'^aUt. — 2;ic ©onjogtt Union i\aU iljre 
 SSerfainmiungen in ber St. SociHa=^nIfe, an ber JSrnm Strnfje. 
 
 SBJidjttg! — 9Ran bergeffe ntd)t, fcin Kerttfifot tion $errn 3Sm. S8. J)telntann 
 unterjeidjnen 3tt laffen. 
 
if^^^^e^"^ f^iMh:Y'<Kyj» 
 
 1. ,J(.I.Si;i'Il .MAIIIA K(IUI)1;LKA. J>. 1)., 
 Biscbof v<.>u SiiiHTior, M'is. 
 
 -i. HOCIIW. p. VALERIUS NELLKS, U V. .\I 
 von St. Paul, Minn. 
 
 .luSEril I'ATIUI'K LYNCH D Ij 
 Bisfliof villi Dallas, Texas. 
 
Das fatf^olifd^e San Tlntonio 
 
 Dk ©ciftlidjfcit, ttrdjcn, ©d)ulcn iinb SDiifftoitcii. 
 
 Gntnommen qu§ „Xi)c Cfficial Gatfiofic 2}irectort) 1920." 
 
 Kotfjcbrnlc lion 3nn Jycrnnnbo, Main ^^ia^a — ©iianifdi unb (Jrtglifif) — 
 .t>o(Iitt). S[. ^^rat, 'ilJfarrer. Xic Snabeufcf)ule bicfer ©emeinbe toirb bon 240 @d)it- 
 lern Bcfucf)t; ben llnterricfjt crteileii brei DJcariett i9ruber. Tie 9}Zabd)enfii)uIe ad^lt 
 34() SdE)uIerinnen iinb biefe toerben Don ben Siftcre of t£)e incarnate SBorb 
 nnlerric^tet. 
 
 St. 9lnnc'^, 5&cacon .?>ta, $0(f)tD. ^v g. 9lid)ol, i^farrer. 
 
 St. Katfjerine'^ — fiir 9teger — Seal StrQf3C. 2Btrb bon St. $eter ©laber 
 cerfefien. S)ie £c£)itle ftel)t unter ber Settling ber Sifters of tfie ^olt) @f)oft unb 
 toirb bon 147 ®cf)iilern unb ©cEjiiterinnen fiefuc^t. 
 
 St Kecilia'^, ®iib=5Prefa- unb SBfiittier-Strafse, ,^ocf)fo. ftli. @. ©arriga, 
 ^Pforrer. 
 
 SI '©ernrb SJnjeHa. 1721 ^om Strafee. $oc£)n3. E. S- ©arnfon, e. ©@. Sft., 
 ■^^farrer. 3^ie ©cEiuIe ftel)t unter ber Seitung Con fectis ©ifter? of S^otre ®ame unb 
 toirb bon 156 ©diiilern unb ©cE)iiIerinnen befuc^t. 
 
 Socreb ^eart. 5pro§f)ect §ill. .'poif)ft). ^. "^ncnbi, ^farrer. ®ie ©rf)nle tcirb 
 bon ben llrfulinnen ©c^toeftcrn geleitet unb bon 189 ©djiilern unb ©cfiiilerinnen 
 befud)t. 
 
 ^nininculnte §eart of 3J}nrt). — ©]:)nnifcf) — §oif)to. St. Sopea, £. 9Ji. i?. 
 l^farrer. 
 
 St. ^enrlj's. — gngltfd) unb "JeutfiJ) — 1711 ©iib=gIore§ ©trafee. §od)to. 
 rs. 5- Sfobling, 5Pfarrer. S^ic ©c^ule toirb bon 197 Sinbern befu(f)t unb ftel^t 
 unter ber Seitung ber ©iftcr^J of 2;ibine '^^robibence. 
 
 St. ^soi)n SSerdjmanns. — ?3elgif(f) — .s>ocf)rt). ^same^ SBerntaat, ^^farrer. 
 
 St. Jofctifi'^. — Xeutfif) — 223 Dft Hommerce ©trafje. §0(f)tD. 'ilJ. |s. 
 ©cf)nel3er, ^pforrer. Xic ©t. ^ofe^^ft's ^(fabemie — S)idbcE)enfc!)uIe — 3d£)It 275 
 Sc^iilcrinnen unb ftefit unter ber Seitung bon 12 ©iftere of tf)e Xibine '^^robibence. 
 Ta§ ©t. ^ofe^f)'§ Collegium — ^nabenfcE)uIe — liiirb bon grtei Saien Sef)rern 
 gefiifjrt unb bon 46 ©(f)itlern Befudit. 
 
 St. 2eo^^. 152 .§Qfer Sfbenue. ^od^to. '$. ,^. (£rane, 5|Jfarrer. 
 
 St. SDfttrl)'^. ©t. Tlavt)'^ ©trafee. 5rei=©ct)ule. i5oc£)to. ^s. §. Qninn, D. 
 dJl. ^., ^Jfarrcr. S^ic ©c£)ule ftef)t unter ber (S-iifirung Don 12 ©ifterS of S)ibine 
 ^probibence unb toirb bon 465 ftinbern befuc^t. 
 
 St, Witt)tttV§. — ^^olnifd) — .s>oif)tD. J. ^s. a^oqogembo, ^Pfarrer. S)ie 
 ©i^ule fte^t unter ber Seitung bon 5 ©iftcrc of Xibine ^Probibencc unb toirb bon 
 120 IJinbern Befud£)t. 
 
 Dur $oIl) 9Jebeejncr. — 3-iir 'i'leegr -— (Jaft-Gnb. .*pocf)to. S. ^s. JMberS, 
 ©. ©. '^., 'ipfarrer. Xie ©diule ftefit unter ber giifirung bon 3 ©ifterS of tf)e 
 $oIr) gamilri unb toirb bon 75 ^inbern befuc^t. 
 
GEisTLiriit: iiATia;i;KK 
 
 HOCHW. ALBERT JIAYER, St. Louis. Mo. 3. HOCHW. RAPHAEL WITTIG. S. I>. iS.. Naziiiiiz. Wis. 
 
 Hi;iriIW. PETER TDEISEN', Mihviuikee. Wis. 4. HOCHWSTER DECHANT H. GEULACH, Erederic/kslnirg, Texas. 
 
Our £obl) of @uabnlu))e. — 'St)onifc^ — i^rajoS ©IniBe. SStrb bon I)er 
 Cfiurd) of tf)e immaculate §eart of SDfary au§ Derfe^en. I^ie @c£)ule ftel)t unter 
 ber 5Jeitung ton 4 3tf)erefian ©ifterS urtb toirb bon 300 S'inbern befuc^t. 
 
 D«r £nbt) of <Per|ichtoI ^cl^). — ®|)anifc^ — 2046 5)Ze6ra§!fa ©trofee. 
 .§0(f)lD. gr. ©oriono, ^farrcr. 
 
 Cur Snbt) of ©orro>o§. — ©partifd^ — 3iod QuarrteS. SBirb bon ber 
 (£ati)ebvale qu§ berfef)en. 
 
 i^urifiina Konce^tiou. — Sllte SWiffion — ©onceftion SRoab. SBirb bom ©t. 
 Jeter's 2BaifenI)ou§ aug berfef)en. 
 
 ©t. «Patrtcf'0. 1114 aSiCotD ©trofee. §o(i)to. S- ^innel, SS. @., ^forrer. ®tc 
 £(f)ule biefer ©emeinbe ift in SScrbinbung mit ber St. ^^^atrtcE'§ Stcobemi). 
 
 ©t. iprtcr Sloticr'g. — giir 9Zeger — dlolan ©troBe. ^odjto. K. g. ©c£)a^J)3ert, 
 a. ©. ^., ^Pfarrer. Sie ©d)ule totrb bon brei ©ifter§ of tf)e $oIt) @f)oft geleitet 
 unb bon 150 ^inbern befuc£)t. 
 
 ©t. 5P^iIt^) be SefuS. 125 SanI ©trafee. §od)to. @. Stlftna, 5Pforrer. ®ie 
 ©(i)ute ftef)t unter ber Ceitung bon brei ©ifterS of Sf)aritt) of tf)e incarnate SBorb 
 unb tnirb bon 175 SHnbern befucEit. 
 
 Sa^effen unb Sn^Ione. 
 
 %oi)iatiate of 9J}nrtft WitotffctS, 9?eto SraunfelS Stbenue. §ocEito. 30?. ©ilbo. 
 
 SKutterJjauS bon Dur £abt) of ^robibence. Cafe SSieto. ©ifterS of ®ibine 
 ^robibence. Serfitgen iiber 70 §aufer in S^ejag, Oflatjoma unb Souifiona. 
 
 Dur finbl) of t^e fiofe ©ottcge. Sole SBietD. ©ifter§ of ©ibifte 5|Srobibence. 
 
 3Wuttcrl)au§ ber ©ifterS of KJjartti) of iffe ^ncnrnatc SBorb. Stlamo §eigl)t§. 
 SSerfiigen iiber 64 ^ctufer in S^ejaS, €)lla^oma, SKiffouri unb ,2)?ejico. 
 
 Sncarnotc SBorb KoIIcgc. Stiamo §eig£)t§. Sifter? : of ©£)aritl;) of tfi? 
 tsncarnate SBorb. 
 
 ©t. j^rnnctS §onte. 2017 ©iib--Store§ ©trafee. ©ifterB of Kfioritt) of ' tf)e 
 incarnate 28orb. §ocf)tD/ g. a[)Z. $elta, Kaplan. 
 
 ©t. £out§ goffcge. 5Seft=enb. g3rotI)er§ of Wort). a3oarbtng ©c^ure fur 
 ^naben. $od)to. 2B. ©olatfo, S. 3K., ^a^jlan. 
 
 ©t. mat)^'§ goffegc. 110 ©oHege ©trafee. 33rot^er§ of SKarQ. S;og=©(f|uIe 
 fitr Jhxaben. $oc^to. S. SBerfcffer, @. m., Kaplan. 
 
 ©t. ^Peter's Dr^p^nnage. Eoncel^cion D^oob. Siosofan SBaifenfiauS fiir ^naben. 
 
 ©t. Zso^epi}'§ 9lnnej. ©oncebcion Dtoab. Siojofan 2BaifenI)au§ fiir SKSbd^en. 
 
 ©anta JRofo ^nfirntarl). 743 a!Beft=§oufton ©trafee. $od)to. S. atainbiCe, Kaplan. 
 
 UrfuHnc Konbent. 110 Slugufta ©tr.. §od)tt). ST. SBenbling, D. ©. S3., ^a^jlmt. 
 
 2)e§toeiteren finb gu ertoabnen bte fiiblid^ bon ©an Sfntomo ant <San Sin- 
 tonio glufe gelegenen bier 9Wiffffionen, toelc^e bor onndfierenb 200 ^oliren bon 
 ben grongiSfanern erbaut tourben. ®ine ndbere ©efcbreibung in englif(i^er 
 ©liroc^e biefer oIt=ebrtoiirbigen ©totten ift im le^ten ^Q^^itel biefer a3rof(f)ur2 
 3U finben. ^n fammtlid^en SJZiffionen iDtrb fe^t toieber ©otteSbienft obgebolten, 
 unb ein SSefud^ biefer febenStoiirbigen C^uinen ift befonberS gu entpfeblen unb 
 audj im offigiellen ^Progronrm borgefefien. 
 
Chas. Korz, Vizepi'afSKieiit 
 August Springob, Prot. Sekretaer 
 
 Beamteii des Central Yereiiis 
 
 John Q. JueneniaiHi, Kur. uml Fin. Sekretae 
 Michael F. Oirteti. Praesideut 
 
 Lud^vlg .T. Annas, Scbatsnieister 
 

 'i^mfibcnt — aifidjael a. ©irtcn, (£f)tcago, ^^sQ. 
 
 grfter lsicc='israft&ent — Ghae. ftors, 4*utlcr, il^ ^s- 
 
 Stoeiter SBicc^^rafibent — S\}ciex ^s. i^artii, Kfiicago, ^U. 
 
 'ivrotofoII^Scfrt'tar — Sfiiguft Springob, aiJilfnaufce, 28:5. 
 
 }Sorrcfponbcn3= unb 5inan,5 3cfrctar — ^soivx C. ^uenemann, St. 5|Jaul, 3[IHnn. 
 
 Sdja^meiftcr — ^ouie ^s. Stoia§, JfHentotcn, ^a. 
 
 gjeMtO=eomite — 9?t. SReD. ^^lasibue S-uerft, XX., C. S. 5?., mt. Stngel, Ore. 
 9teb. St. mat)ev, Bt. Cout§, SJfo. 
 ©eo. ©eriad), St. ^^aul, SOZinn. 
 St. S(i)ier, gort SJJabifon, Sotoa. 
 ©eorge 3:£)et§, San Sfntomo, Xeja§. 
 
 Xem Erefutib=(Iomtte gef)orcn aufserbem bie ^rdfibenlen ber (Staat§= 
 ajerbdnbe, bie Gfiren='l.^rdfibenten be§ Sentral-3.>erein§, ber geiftlic^e Se- 
 rotifer unb ^praftbent, bejto. ^rafibentin ber ©ongaga Union unb be§ 
 grauenfiunbeS an. 
 
 e^rcn-^Prdfibenten — 3tbo(pf) 2BeBer, D^ocine, SBiS. 
 9ticoIau§ ©onner, XuBuque, ^a. 
 5. ©. Delfere, Dfetoarf, 9^. g. 
 
 Sennitcn bcS ftatJjoItfcfjen (yroucnfiunbe^ fiir 1919 — 1920. 
 
 @eiftli(f)er 9lat!)geber: fiocbto. ^farrer ©. ^. ijoffmonn, Gffingf)am, S^. 
 ^rdfibenttn: grau 2)Jinnie (Springob, 711 Sootf) Str., SWiltoaufee, aStS. 
 
 1. aSice^^rdfibentin: g-rau ^ofepbine Jraenflo, 2276 8te SlPe., 9teto glorf Sitt). 
 
 2. iHce=^rdfibentin: Jyrau dJl. geflfjauer, 3546 iiallibati Sfoe., St. 8oui§, 2)io. 
 ©orrefponbens^Sefretdrin: grl. glijabet^ Sena, ^etooSfum, SSiS. 
 
 Sinan^-Sefretdrin: grl. Satberine §. XroBbagen. 873 34te ©trafee, 
 
 SWiltoaufee, 2Bi§. 
 @cf)a|meifterin: grau m. @aaSlee\, 1003 9?. 14te ©tr. ©pringfielb, ^H. 
 ard^iPorin: grau Sf. Siebfc^er, 9teto 23raunfeB, icjaS. 
 
 sRat^geber: grau ©baS. ^ora, Sutler, 21. S). 
 Sri. Dtofa «?altenbacb, ©rie, ^a. 
 Srau aj. ©cbtoegmann, San Stntonio, Sejo§.. 
 
 ©eiftl. Dtatgeber: 9teP. Sllbert Tlat)et, 307 ijoffmeifter 2tPe., St. SoniS, mo. 
 «ReP. SRapbael aSittig, S. X. ©., ©t. SJa^iana, 28t§. 
 iReb. *Peter Sfjeifcn, 2442 Socuft ©trafee, aKirtuaufee, aBi§. 
 
 ebren#rdfibentin : grau Stbeline ©ofodf, 5)JtttSburgI), 5po. 
 
COL. DANIEL J. CARR, U. S. A., 
 
 Signal Corps, Department Headquarters, Southern Department 
 Fort Sam Houston 
 
 Grand Marshal of the Parade. 
 
tiou ^eja^ fiir 1919—1920 
 
 ©eiftlic^er 9tatge6er — ^oc^tc. 5)Jeter S- ©c&ne^er, ©an Stntonio. 
 Organifotoren — 9Jorb=SLejQB : §o(i)to. Jrotoin Soerbt, D. S. 33., SWiinfter. 
 
 2ub=3;esa§: $o(f)rt). 9J. §elb, £). ©. »., D^obo, Eolorabo, Eountt). 
 @f)ren=^rdlibeTttert — 5of)tt 6. Sielmonn, 126 Sabaca Slrafee, San ?(ntomo. 
 
 Mnton ^af)Iid), $tg!) §ia, ^. D.__®(f|ureTiburg, 9t. 3. 
 
 ^sofcpf) Socobi, 218 Xilllrortf) ^trafse, San Hntonio. 
 
 t 5. @. a3odE£)oIt, 3Be[tpbaIia. 
 
 ^ofe|)f) Eouranb, 105 StbamS ©trase, &an STntonio. 
 
 t SBernf). @dE)toegmQnn, ©an Stntonio. 
 
 ^rof. eJ)a§. a. SBingert, ©t. Sofe)3E)'^° EoHege, San atnlonio. 
 
 SWartin «RoefeIer, 2Beft|)!)aIia, ^. O. Oenotiille. 
 <£^ren=3Sice=5|Jrafibenten — 3hc. ©onner, S)uBuque, ^oma. 
 
 Sen S- Sange, ©r., ^rubenttol Stfe SJutlbing, San Slntonio. 
 
 ^rdfibent: Seo 3W. S- Sietmann, ©an Stntonio. 
 
 2}tce=^rafibent: @eorge Zi)ei§, ©an Stntonio. 
 
 ©efretdr: 93en ©cbtocgmann, ©an Sfntonio. 
 
 ©(f)a^metfter : Sb. §. Songe, San STntonio. 
 Seiftljenbe — Sofet)f) ^acoBt, 218 S)iIItoorti) Strafee, San Stntonio. 
 
 granj ©cbmtbt, $igf) ijill, ^. D. a(f)ulenliurg, 9t. 3. 
 ©teHbertreter — SWaj ©telling, grebericf^burg. 
 
 granf Strnolb, ^aba. 
 5Prefe=©omite — Hermann ^aedfle, ^rof. 9JJ. S(f)umacber, 2Bm. ST. 2)Jenger, 9^ob. 
 
 Sturmberg, ©an SIntonio. 
 
 SegiBlatur=(Iomtte — Sb. $. Sange, (££)a5>. SS. 30Jet)er, Son 3tntonio. 
 
 So§. Sod), 5D'^§am§. 
 
 Stobert Slum, greberidsburg. 
 9iatPbaeI§=3Serein — ©efretdr: SBm. 2t. aWenger, 112 Sonbam ©tr., ©an Stntonio. 
 
 SSertrauenSmann : §o(f)to. ^. SW. Cennar^, (SalBefton. 
 
 aSertrauenSmann be§ gentraI=3Serein§ : ^sobn ^v ^feiffer, 1133 ®. 
 Commerce ©trafee, ©an SIntonio. 
 ®on5aga4lnion — ^rdfibent: (gbtoarb g. Z'iifoeppe, ©eguin, iejaS. 
 
 ©efretdr: SJfaj otebling, greberidSburg. 
 
 Organifator: Sobn ^. ^feiffer, ©an SIntonio. 
 
 ©omitc fiir Drganifation ber ©onjaga Union — Dtto ©d^toegmann, ©an Stntonio. 
 Julius S;onbre, eaftrobilfe. 
 Sobn Siebiger, Sa (£o[te. 
 
 SBeotttttnnen be§ Kotl)olifd)en iJraucnbitnbeg Bon Sejal. 
 
 ei^ren^^rdfibentin: grl. Stnna ^. S)ielmann, . 126 Sabaca ©trafee, ©an SIntonio. 
 ^Prdfibentin: grou SWarto ^aha, 503 ©iintber ©trofee, laan SIntonio. 
 aSice=5Prafibentin: grou So^n Sott, greberidSburg. 
 ©efretdrtn: gri. SKaria Slancbarb, greberidSburg. 
 ©djo^meifterin : grau Hermann ^aedle, ©on SIntonio. 
 
 9JottonnI-2^eottiten ber ©onjaga Union. 
 
 ^Prdfibent — Sllbert S. 3Ko^eI, ©t. SouiS, mo. 
 
 1. SSice=*Prdfibent - ebtoin ^. ©teffen, (£f)icago, ^sll. 
 
 2. a3ice=^rdftbent — giolonb S- Steinle, aWiltooufee, SBiS. 
 ©efretdr — greberid S[. §err, ©t. Soui§, SWo. 
 ©d^a^meifter — Stnu§ @. 2Bet), ©lebelanb, Obio. 
 SWarfd)aK — Sllbert Sldermann, g^icogo, ^U. 
 
2. EKXST KARA 
 ^ ('HAS. F. LANPAT'ER 
 7. W.M. A. iMENIiEl; 
 
 1. W.\f. V. DIELMANN 
 6. HERMAN .TAECKLE 
 9. JUS. NET'CEBAIJBR 
 
 3. HENRY R. DIELMANN 
 5. FRANK REININOER 
 8. HENRY J. MENGER 
 
gcft'5lu^fc^u^ fiir bic (General ^ ^crf ammhnig 
 be^ 2). m. t* i^tntxaU^txtm§ 
 
 abgelialten am 
 12., 13, unb 14. ©c^tcmkr 1920 in Sail Stntouio, Xt^aS 
 
 gf)rcit=@eiftIi(f)e=iRatgcber : 
 
 Seiner ©naben ber $od)tourbig= 
 fte ^s. '-&. 2t)atD, Gr3l)ifc£)of bon 
 dim £)vlean§. 
 
 6xid)to'fter 3frtt)ur ^s. Srofjaert^ 
 3?tf(i)of Oon San Sfntonio. 
 
 ^v (£. Xielmann, 
 
 So5. gouranb, 
 
 5o5. SacoM, 
 
 .s>. :£ittlinger, 9c etc iBraimfeM 
 
 3[nlon Saf)Iict), .s>tgf) §ill. 
 
 aiJarttn DloeBlcr, SSeftbbalio. 
 
 &ui\ 9ieininger,.D^eft) Q3raimfcl§ 
 
 Ghren^i^icc-'^rdfibenten : 
 33en 5- Sange, 
 ^sof))i A. SRiW§^ 
 aSm! .Sj&ring, iir., 
 ^^.^eter Cfiferlof), 2r., 
 grant §. Sange, 
 Garl Dtenttotg, 
 Seo dJi. S- 2)ieImonn, 
 ®m. y. ^uef)Ier, 
 
 9?eto SraunfeB. 
 grauf ^s. Sarle^ i:'$ant§. 
 Karl Konrab, ccguin. 
 :5d5. S'eller, eaftrotiilte. 
 
 @eiftli(f)er SRatgeBer: _^ 
 
 ,s^orf)tt). 'i^eter ^s. e(f)ne^er. 
 
 5cit=''^>raftbent: 
 
 aSm. i^. ®telmann. 
 
 1. 5}ice=*PrQfibent: 
 
 (Tbas. St. SBingcrt. 
 
 2. isice^^^srafibent: 
 
 aivm. 3t. aiienger. 
 
 3. ajice=''l?raftbent: 
 
 db. .sj. Sange. 
 
 *-)>rotof0l(=2efretar : 
 ©eorge SfjeB. 
 
 Gorrefbonbterenber=Scfrctdr: 
 e. SRaba. 
 
 2 c^a^meifter 
 
 ^sjenrt) 2}. Xielmann. 
 
 iUirfit3enber be;-. g-hmnj-SomitcS: 
 C£f)a5. as. aUeocr. 
 
 a?etft^enbe: 
 
 3t(6ert 2d|iffer§, 
 
 .^ermonn Jacrfle, 
 
 St. Sr. 3i3icf 
 
 ?[roi5 aUueller,,^ 
 
 JIico. SJfaggott, 
 
 Oieo. Stuebben, 
 
 CS. 9ieuner, 
 
 ?(. ';3. Sifeltng. 
 9>orfi^enbcr beS (fmbfangS'Somite-J: 
 
 Kbct*. S- Sanbauer. ' 
 
 a>orfif3enbcr be§ Unter[)a[tnng§= 
 .QomiteS: 
 
 (Vranf Steininger. t 
 
 aJorfifeenber be§ -.^allen^^omiteg: 
 .sjcrmann ^aecEIe. 
 
 i'orftiscnber be§ ^^^arabe=®omite§ : 
 aSm. 3[. aiJenger. 
 
 a3orfil3cnber be§ ^otel-^omiteS: 
 .s?enn) 5. 2)Jenger. 
 
 a>\ir|il3cnber bee ^reB= unb Soube- 
 nier-''^^rogram=Somttes: 
 ■ii. Sd)tt)egmann. 
 
 inirfifeenber bcS Xcforation§= 
 ff omite§ : 
 5o5. 9Jeugebauer. 
 
 a!^orfil3enbcr bes Cfifcnbabn'Somite^: 
 43. S- Sange, Sr. 
 
 a'orfilscnbcr bee Ginlabung§= 
 iTomiteS : 
 5of)n ^i^. ^pfeiffer. 
 
 Siirfi^enber bee ©on3aga4Imon" 
 .Oiomitc?: 
 CsO'j. 3)Zenger. 
 
 iNiirfi^enber bee SJhtfif =®omite§ : 
 ^^^rof. 0. SB. .<0i[ger§. 
 
 a^oifitscnbe ber lyrauen^Somiteen : 
 grau ai^m. a.v Xielmann. 
 Srou ajernabinc SIfenger. 
 
HOrnW FEOWIN KOEKDT O. S. B. 2. HOCHW. PETER J. KOHNETZEK 3. HOCHW. B. HELD, O. s. B. 
 
 4 LEO M. J. DIELMANN 5. GEO. THBIS 
 
 6 FRANZ A. SCHMITT 7. BEN SCHWEGMANN 8. EDWARD H. LANGB 
 
3ur (Befi^iii^tc bc^ tat^difc^cn ®taat^= 
 ^erbaube^ ban Xtia§ 
 
 £d)on toodrenb einer geraumen JSeile, ef)e her @taat§=35erf)anb ecu Sejoc 
 iiio Ccben gcrufen tourbe, beftnnbcn in unfercm Staatp biele bciitfd)=[at5oIifd)e 
 i^creine in nnf) unb fern auSeinnnbcr liegenben ©emeinben. S[6cr f^'cmcinbrn 
 iinb 5l3crcinc tuuBtcn tcenig obcr gnr mdjts bon ber gjiftcnj ber onbercn beiit^cf)' 
 fatI)oIifd)eH •'^'mceinb^m nnb 2Sercine — imn eincrri cngcrcin 'Bcr6anb cber gar 
 gcincinfarrn'r i'lrbcit fnnnte feine '•Ttebc fcin. 
 
 So Iicftanben fcEjon im ,yat)re 1892 in San Stntonio ber St. ^sofe:pfis, in 
 9ieti) 33rannfel§ ber St. 'ipetcr unb ^^.nouI unb in EaftrotiiHe ber St. Subtoigs 
 I'crein. ;^[uf ?[nregung ber .'»5errcn '^o§, ^socofii bon ^ceto 'i'raunfel'j unb (ftetncns; 
 hotter bon San Jtntonio tourbe 5tDifrf)en ben beiben SBereinen biefer Stiibte ein 
 Uebcreinfonnnen gctroffen, fi(f) am jetoeiligen ^^atronatSfefte gu bcfud)en unb jic£) 
 gegenfeitig (ictnilflicf) ^u fein, biefe JXcftc nn'irbe= unb einbruct'Sboffer ,',u fciern. 
 :^ni vSo£)rP 1895 inar bei ber ^-eier bc§ St. ^oiej:)£)5 S;age§ ouct) ber f)od5iD. 
 Starrer Slird) bon ber KaftrobiCe ©emeinbe anlDcfenb. T^slim gefiel biefeS. Brii= 
 berlidje 3ujai'nmenf)altcn ber beiben Sereine aufeerorbentlid) gut. (£r entfd)Io6 fid), 
 ben Kaftrobiller St. SubtnigS SSerein biefem 23unbe einjuberleiben. ^n feiner 
 Slebe )jrie§ er haSt jd)bne 3ufammenf)alten ber San Stntonioer unb 9feto 93raun= 
 felfer 3Seretne unb, fiir ben St. SubtoigS SSerein fpred)enb, ftellte er einen Stntrag 
 ber fic^ am beften hjiebergeben la^t mit ©djiHers ilSorten: 
 
 „^d) fei, getcafirt mir bie Sitte, 
 Sn ©urem SBunbe ber Xritte." 
 Kin tofenber Seifoltsfturm tear bie Sfnttcort ber fatfiolifdjen 5Berein§mdnner. 
 
 SSa{)renb brei S<if)ren Beftanb nun ein innige'5 greunbfdjaft^biinbniS unter 
 biefen brei Sereinen, unb biefe§ SiinbniS ift ber ©dftein getDorben auf toeld)em 
 ba§ ©eboube be§ fe^igen ©otf)olifd^en ©taat§=2Serbonbe§ bon Zexa^ erri(f)tet 
 iDurbe. ^m ^af)ve 1898, al§ fid) bie brei 33ereine jur fveier be§ St. ^eter unb 
 ^aul§ gefteS in 9ceto S3rounfeI§ gufammen gefdjoort I^atten, f)ielt ber f)od)h). 
 ^^farrer 5Sad ber 9IetD Sraunfelfer ©emeinbe eine SRebe, in toetd^er er in ge= 
 giemenber SBeife bai^ beftef)enbe 58iinbni§ ber brei SKereine lobte, gur gleid^eu 
 3eit aber aud) barauf t)intoie§, ba% fid) no^ biele SSereine bon beutfd)=fatf)oIifd)en 
 WTdnmvn in £ejo§ befdnben; ba^ e§ an ber 3eit unb tool^I angebrad)t fei, bem 
 '^eifbiele anberer Staaten ju folgen unb einen Staat§=23erbanb bon S^ejaS ju 
 griinben. Xicfe S8orte fielen auf frudjtbaren 33oben unb e§ tourbe befc^Ioffen, fofort 
 mit ber ©ritnbung eine§ Staat§=2Serbonbe§ bon S£eja§ ju beginnen. ©in Somite 
 tourbe ernannt, toeld)e§ aEe SSorbereitungen trcffen folle um biefen SSerbanb om 
 St. Cubtoig? geft in EaftrobiHe gu griinben. W\i biefer SSorbereitung tourben 
 beauftragt bie Cierren ^v S. Sielmann, ^oS. gdcrSforn unb ''^vrof. ®b. 3[)teber 
 bon San Sfntonio; ^o§. ©ouranb, S- 9JJeJ)r unb g. .?. ©d)mibt bon ©aftrobiHe; 
 Sot)n Socobi, ®. Seibert unb @u§ D^eininger bon 9?eto 33raunfel§. 
 
 Sfm 25. 3fuguft 1898, aU ber St. SubtoigS Serein gu eaftrobiCe baS, gcit 
 fcincs Sdu^l-iotrons feicrte, toaren aufser ben brei genannten SSereinen nod) 
 Sd)ulenburg nnb Tebine burdi Xclegaten bevtrcten. Sofort nad) bem Sl^ittng- 
 effen bcgobcn fid) bie ^erren an bie Sfrbeit, einen Stttf}orifd)en @taatJ=S5erbanb 
 in? Sieben gu rufen. Xiefe SCufgabe fiet folgenben 'Delegaten an!)etm: 
 
 Wn§ San Sfntonio: ^. G. ®ieImonn, ^so§. ©derSforn, S'arl 9?cuttoig unb 
 ^^rof. ©b. a)?ct)er, Sd)riftleiter ber „S?atf)oIifc^en 9htnbfd)au." 
 
 S[u§ 9?eto 33raunfel§: '^oljn Sacobi, ^o§. '^acobi, ©. ©eibert unb ©uftab 
 Steininger. 
 
 iluS eaftrobiCe: ^og. ©ouranb, ^oS. aKe!)r unb S. X. ©djmibt. 
 
 9fu§ Sd)ulenburg: 5PauI Schumann unb Dttmar ^aEuS. 
 
 9tu§ ®ebine: Sronf ^enrpf, ^Qcob ^empi unb Stuguft ©d)ott. 
 
1. JOHN ('. i)iEL:\rANN 
 
 4. ANTDX KAllI.II.'H 
 
 7. NIC i_:u.\.NKr; 
 
 .IDS. .lAI'' il'.I 
 MAKTIN U(.>SSLEK 
 I!. J. LANGE 
 
 3. t-T. '•■ I'.n('Kii(ir/|- 
 C. tP.. S<'H\VE(;.MAX\ 
 9. ('HAS. A. WIiXlHOKT 
 
®eStoeiteren tooren fotgcnbe geiftli(f)c .sjcrrcn ontDcfciib: ''^.sfarrcr T^itlirtDcrf 
 Son 'San Stntonio, ()0(f)to. .sjcrr ^^.^fefffrforn Don Gan 3[ntonio; ^Pfarrcr 3Sact Bor 
 9Jeto SraunfelS, ^^farrer Sircf) bon EaftroDille, ^atev Eolumfian, D. £. 33. bon 
 9?eto DrIeonS fotote bte f)od)rt). §erren SBecfeffer unb Sumalin bon San Stntonio. 
 
 (fy iDiirbcn criniifilt iuni 7:nacJ<iirafifccntni : l^^tn- ^s. tl. Ticlmnnn; ols pro» 
 tolollicrenbet Scfrctiir ^^U'of. Gb IDfetier, dctbc Ooit 2an Stntonio. C?iii fatiinlijctjer 
 Staats-^Jcrbanb Don Jcrac-^ tDnrbe cjegriinbet nnler bem 9f.amen: I;cntfd)=9}ojnifdi= 
 fiotf)oItfd)er Stnatsi=i'icr6niib Uon Irjin-?. ^onftitntion unb ^ccbcngcfctSL'' toiirbnii 
 in grofecn Sinien bcjprod)cn unb angen.onuncn, in attcn tocfcntli(f)en *i^cftanb= 
 tcilcn mic fie (leutc beitebcn. Tie ^kxtl ber crften 'i^eomten be-j Xciitfctj-Tiomifd)- 
 ^Qtf)oItfd)en 8taat?=93crbanbc§ Don Jeras. ergab folgenbco Stcfnitat: 
 
 @eiftlic£)er 9tatf)gcber: ^|>farrcr 2*^. ?f. Aitfirincrf, San Wntonio. 
 
 ^rafibent: ^oftn E. Ttetmann, ©an Stntonio. 
 
 3}tce--5}Jroftbent : ^sct)" Sacobt, 9fetr 93raunfel§. 
 
 Sefretcir: ^Jsrof. Gb. a'lCQcr, .5an Sfntonio. 
 
 Scf)ntmeilter: ^sOJ'. douranb, GaftroDiUc. 
 
 SBeifiljenbe: xsofcl^f) SRebr, EaftroDillc; Ooue Mciuingcr, dlctv 93raunfs[v. 
 
 1. ®enernl=S8crfamntIung, abgef)alten am 21. unb 22. Srpril 1899 5u San 
 STntcnto. Siefe 9]crfamnt(ung tcurbe unter fef)r grofjcr Jeilnabme abgef)altcn. 
 Tie ©riinbung einer Sterbcfajfc tourbc bcfd)Ioffen. 
 
 2. @>fncrnI=5JerfajntnIitng, abge£)altcn ju §igt) $iH, Jctqette Eonntq, am 17. 
 unb 18. ^uli 1900. Xic Stcrbefaffe tourbe mdbrenb bicfcr SJcrjammlung gcgritn= 
 bet unb bilbete ben .sjanbtgcgenftanb ber i^eratungcn. ^sm Itcbrigen bitten Vov: 
 imfere Scfer auf ben Sonberartifel iiber bie Sterbefaffc aufmcrffam ju madien. 
 "Serfelbe ift auf einer anberen Scite biefer 93rof(i)ure ju finbcn. 
 
 3. 65euernl=$erfiitninlung, obgcbalten 311 iKcimar, (iolorabo tiountq, am 2. 
 unb 3. "suit 1901. 
 
 Jr. 65c»teraI=S8erfntnmIujxg, aBge£)aIten am 24. unb 25. ^snni 1902 §u ©al- 
 Defton. SBaE)renb biefer 9}erfammlung tourbe ber mebrjabrig'e 'il>raftbent bee 3Ser= 
 Bonbe§, $err SoE)n ©. Sielmann, in Stnerfennung feiner Serbienfte etnftimmig al§ 
 erfter @f)ren=^raftbent ernannt. _ , . 
 
 5. OJnicroI'Sierfnmmfnng, am 29. unb 30. ^^suni 1903 ju 9^eni '-6raunfe('J, 
 (iomal Gountt). SSon biefer i^erfammtung ift e-j ^u e:toabnen, ba% ber ^3erbanb 
 ha§ Stmt eine^ DrganifatorS fc£)uf unb als erftcn 3]ertreter biefcs -toicfjtigen 'iPoften-j 
 ben £)oc£)ir). ''^. 4*. §elb, D. S. 93. ertoablte. TcJtociteren tourbe eo befd)Ioffen, fid) 
 ber gbberation ansufcEiIiefsen unb ber f)o4|to. .s?err ilird), 'i)Jfarrer Don KaftroDtllc, 
 tDurbe al§ Tclegat ertoof)[t, ben 3)eutfc^=9ibntifcf)=Satf)oIifd5cn Staatsi=58erbanb boi 
 ber nationalen Sagung ber guberation in Sttlanta 3U bertreten. Xcr au§fif)etbcnbe 
 ^rofibent, Stnton ^ablid), Inurbe al§ gf)ren=$rafibent ertoafitt. 
 
 6. GJcneroI'ilerfammfunfl, abgebalten am 12. unb 13. ^suli 1904 an Sl^eft- 
 pl}al:a, gallS Kountt). 
 
 7. ©eneroI'SKerfninmlung, abge^alten am IS. unb 19. ^suli 1905 ju Cameron, 
 Earner on Eountt). 
 
 8. @enetnI=25erfomntIung, abgef;a(ten ^n 9JJiinflcr, Goof Gountq, am 3., 4. 
 imb 5. Suit 1906. S)iefe§ tear bte crfte 9?erfommIung im nbrbltd)cn SeraS ®en 
 berfommelten ®elegaten tourbe ber C'>)cnuf3, ber f)errlicben 9?ebe be§ bodjto. ^$ 
 5Sonabentura, ou§ SJerltn, Teiitfdilanb, ^u^nboren. Sfttd) fam bet biefer 5Berfamm' 
 lung ber St. ■^api)ael§ SJeretn 3ur Grtoobnuitg unb bie ©ritnbung eines Slfcig. 
 beretn§ fitr SejaS tourbe einem Somite 3ur ndberen 9titcfftcbtnaf)me iibcrfaffen. 
 
 9. @eneral=25crfntttmlung, abgeftolten am 23., 24. unb 25. :jult 1907 ju 
 Seguin, ©ttobalitbe Eountt). aSon biefer aSerfammlung ift 3U ertod^nen, ha'B fie 
 etnen Qtoeigberetn be^ 9topf)aeI§ l^eretn? gritnbete unb bofj §err 9cic ©onner 
 bon Subuque, ^otoa, bte ®eIegoten mit einem fdbbnen 5}ortrag beebrte. .gerr 
 @onner unb §err 93. 5. Sange tourben aU (5i)ren=9Sice=^rdftbenten be§ ^erbanbe^ 
 ertodbit; ber le^tere in Stnerfennung ber borjitglidben Tieitfte bie er ber c^terbe- 
 Soffe unentgeltlicE) geletftet. 
 
^^,^ 
 
 ORGANISATIONS- KOMITE 
 
 DER 
 
 QONZAGA UNION 
 
 : 'mn 
 
 1. KllWAUli I'. TSCHdKI'PK 
 
 4. jiiii-N BiEiiii;i;i; 
 
 :. JOHN I'. J'FKIl'FEi; 
 
 5. <>TT(_l c;. SCHWEOMANN 
 
 3. .MAX C. STEHLING 
 6. jrLH'S R. TONDRE 
 
10. @eneraI=S8erfnmjnI«ng, am 14.. 15. unb 16. ^uli 1908 m eoftrobiae, 
 SWebino ©ountt). S^l^^ ^ofire toaren nun berfloffcn feitbem ber 93erbanb f)terjelbft 
 mit nur fiinf SSereinen gegriinbet toorben toor. §[n btefem Sage toaren aber 32 
 58ereine, fSmtnilic^ bem SBcrbanb sugeprig, bort bertreten — ftdjerlidE) ein fi^oner 
 ©rfolg utib ein SBetoeis, ha% ber ©egen @otte§ auf ben 3[rbeiten ber ©riinber 
 rubt. »crr ,^so§. ysacobi tourbe bon btefer ajerfammlung ak Sbren = ^rafibent 
 ertodbit unb stoar in Slnerfennung fiir fctne langjcibrige treue ^flicbterfiillung oB 
 ^rSfibent be§ SSerbanbeS. 
 
 11. @encroI=58erfantmIunB, am 27., 28. unb 29. ^uli 1909 ju ^aaeltSoiHe, 
 Sabaco (Sountb. §n Slnerfennung fiir fcine Iongidf)rigcn ®ienfte al§ ©efretar be§ 
 $Berbanbe§, tourbe I'pcrr ^. ©cbtoegmann, St., al§ gbren=23ice=*PTafibent ertodf)It. 
 Ter QuSfc^eibenbe ^>rdfibent be§ 3Setbanbe§, ^err l^s- ®- S^ocEboIt, tourbe alB 
 (fbren=i^rdfibent eriDdblt. 
 
 12. ©eneroI=SSerfnnijnlMng, am 17., 18. unb 19. '^uli 1910 au ©an SIntonio. 
 S)iefe SBerfammlung geftaltete ficb gu einer befonberen geftlicbfeit ba ber feftgebenbe 
 St. ^ofefbS SSerein ba^^ 25jdbrige ^ubildum feine§ SJeftebenS feierte. 
 
 13. (McnErd^ajerfomntrmtg, abgebaltcn am 10., 11., 12. unb 13. Suit 1911 
 3U Sbiner, Sabaca KountQ. 
 
 14. @cnernI=9JetfontntI«ng, abgebalteu ju aiJoutton, Sabaca Sountb, am 28. 
 24. unb 25. ^uli 1912. 23on biefer SScrfammlung ift cs gu bermerfen, ha% ber 
 KentroI=33erein sum erften 3Jlale bertreten tear feit 93efteben be§ 9Serbanbe§ unb 
 gtoar burdb ben boito. ijerrn SRoqer, bon St. Souie, 9JJo. 
 
 15. (i5encroI«S8crfnmtnfung, am 22., 23. unb 24. v^uli 1913 ju §igb ijitt, 
 gabrfle Eountt). 33ei biejer 35erfQmmIung tourbe ben 2)elcgaten ber ©enufe, bem 
 bodbtb. Xr. ^oj, Soefter, 2fiffondr ou5 Sbina, ju jubdren. Xer boi^lto. .§err toau 
 bon bem (Ientral=3?erein an Stelle be§ $crrn Sfuguft 93rocfranb entfanbt toorben. 
 .•gerr Eouranb unb §err 35. ScbtDegmann tourben aU Gbren=^^rdfibenten ertodbit. 
 
 16. @eneraI=S8crfnjnmI«ng, abgebalten am 7., 8. unb 9. ^uli 1914 ju 
 grebericfsburg, ©iEiepie (Sountt). SIIS offisieKcr 5Bertreter be§ EentraI=3Serein§ 
 tbor bei biefer SSerfammlung §err Stuguft Sgrodlanb, St Soui§, ontDefenb. 
 
 17. @etteral=35crfnmmlung, abgebalten am 17., 18. unb 19. Stuguft 1915 
 3U Sinbfat), Eoof ©ountb. 3II§ SBertreter be§ £entraI=3Serein§ toar pd^m. ^lacibuS 
 Decbfle, D. ©. 99., bon StltuS, StrfanfaS, antoefenb. 
 
 18. @eneraI=S8ertonintI«ng, am 11., 12. unb 13. Suit 1916 ju SBeimor, 
 Solorabo Eountb. Sfuf biefer SSerfammlung tourbe bie Slnfcbaffung einer 3tDec= 
 entf{)re^enben 35erbanb§=fyabne bef(f)Ioffen. Ter ouSfcbeibenbe Sefretdr, ^rof. 
 SSingert tourbe oI§ gf)ren=5Prdfibent ertodbit. .§o(f)to. St. 3JJat)er bon St. Couig ber= 
 trat ben S;entroI=SSerein. 
 
 19, ©eneroI'SScrfaniinlttng, abgebalten am 29. unb 30. Suit 1917 ju ©an Stn= 
 tonio. $tIot 5Point toar urft)riinglicb aU Drt ber SBerfammlung getodbit toorben, 
 fonnte aber toegen ben 3Birren, toeldje ber SBeltfrieg berurfacbt batte, bie ®efe= 
 gaten nidbt aufne^men. 3Bdbrenb biefer 25erfammlung tourbe ber 9?ame be§ S^er- 
 bonbes auf „^atboIif<f)Ctr 2taat§=3.^erbanb bon Sera?" berfiirjt, unb ein domite 
 ernannt, toeli^eS bem 3eit8eift entf^jredbenbe SBerdnberungen in ber ^onftttution 
 beraten unb ber nddiften SBerfammlung unterbreiten foil. $err SRartin 9toefeIer tour= 
 be in biefer SBerfommlung oI§ ©^ren=^rdftbent etodf)It. 
 
 20. ©enerot^Serfamntlung, abgefjolten am 11. unb 12. 3tuguft ju ©an 2tnto= 
 nio. ®er ft)ftcmatifd^e gef(f)iirte ^a% gegen aHe§ baSfenige, befonberS aber SSereine 
 unb Slerbitibungen, toas nur iri]enb toie mit bem S8ort „XLnitfcb" in '•Perbinbung 
 fianb, bdttf r-S fafl unmdgli'b gcmacbt ha% iiberbaubt einc "iv-'riamnifung unfere-3 
 *-8crbanbev ftattfanb. 2er 2t. ^sofet)b'?'i'ercin, in toelcbem ber attc '''5etft ber 
 GSriinber nodb borberrfcbenb toar, liefe c§ fid) nic^t nebmen, noc^malB bie .^?often 
 fotool)! als bie aSeranttoortung einer Scrfammlung auf feine ©cbultern gu nebmen. 
 Sfi^dbrenb biefer SBcrfammlung tourbe e§ bef(f)Ioffen, aHee gu tbun, urn bie nd(^fte 
 lagung bcs £entral=93erein6 nacb 2;ei:o§ ju bringen. '3^ie Sttdglicbfeit be§ 2]3eiter= 
 beftcbens be§ 3Serbanbe§ toor ftarf in Srage geraten. 
 
MNM^MStflRiUS)-*!*'^ 
 
 BEAMTEN 
 
 2 5 
 
 DEIS 
 
 G0N7AGA UNION 
 
 2. .11)8. A. MKNCER 
 
 4. EIlWAKD NEUGEBAUKFi 
 
 1. ALHEKT .T. MUTZEL 
 
 6. (JEORfJE STUEBBEX 
 
 7. EUHARD NEUNER 
 
 3. FREDERII'K A. HERR 
 5. ('HIIIKTIAN STIIERBRN 
 
21. @cnernl=35crfantnilung, oBgefjalten om 21., 22. unb 23 ^iili 1919 ju Sd)u» 
 lenBurg. 2te Un£)eil brof)enben Si^olfen, bie im bcrgangerten ^oftre ii^cr unferem 
 '■yerfianb fdjrticbten, Iiatten fidi Ccrmeftrt. Tie betnifligte S^agung be? CTentral- 
 9.?erbanbe5 tear feitens ber ifird[)Iict)cn Dbrigfeit obgeraten toorbcn. 
 
 G'o fd)ten fraglid^, ob es ratfam fei, eine 5Berbanbs=Scrfamm[ung abixu 
 flatten. Xq metbete fid) bcr St. Stuguftinus 25erein Don 2d]ulcn6urg burd) feitien 
 rii£)rigen unb eifrigen geiftlid)en Dtatgebcr, 5|}farrer 2)feifer. ©ine SBerfammlung 
 follte unb mufete obgcfialten Inerben, unb bie Sagung tDurbe feftgefteEt. Wd 
 'i'angen unb Sorgen faften bie (5iif)'^er biefer SBerfammtung entgegen. SSie 
 groB aber tear bie freubige Hebcrrafd)ung, al§ man t3ernat)m, boB fdmmtlic^j 
 93ereine be§ SBcrbanbeS Selegaten unb Selegatinnen nai^ ©d)ulenburg gefd)icft 
 unb ba^ aHe Con bem ein unb bemfelben ©ebanten erfiiHt toaren: „llnfer ©taatS- 
 3?erbanb barf nic^t unterget)cn." Sementfpredienb geftaltete fid) biefe 2}erfamm= 
 lung al5 eine ber bentrtJitrbigften feit 93efteE)en be§ 58erbanbe§. 2;ic (Sriinbung 
 eine§ neuen 3Serbanb§=Drgan§ iDurbe befprodjen, unb ber „iBerbanb§=93ote" ift 
 bas, Dtefultot. 
 
 2o ]i)aut benn ber ^atf)oIifc^e Staat§=SBerbanb Don 5Leja§, neu belebt unb 
 mit frifc^em Tlut in bie 3ufunft. 3Son ber t)eurigen SBerfammlung fioben toir 
 um Diet Berfprod^en. 3tuf bie Siiagung be§ Eentral=2?erein§ baben toir bie groBten 
 •s>offnungen gefclst. Unb toir toerben nic^t cnttdufdjt toerben — fobiel lagt fid) 
 fd)on t)on ben regen unb oUgenteinen ^ntereffe folgern. Xcr Segen ©ottcv 
 Jrirb aud) fernerftin auf unfern reb[id)en ft-'emii^ungen rul^en. 
 
 2a§ toatte ©ott! 
 
 Sotfiolifdter fV-rnucnfijinb tion ScjnS. 
 
 9?ei ber 16ten 93erfammlung be§ Staats-SBerbanbeg Con Teja§, QBget)nItcn 
 f,n 75ricbrirti§burg am 7., S. unb 9. I^suli 1914 tourbe ber fatfiotifc^e iVrauen- 
 bunb bon Xc%a§ al§ eine Seftion be§ ®taat§=3}erbanbe§ in§ Seben gerufen. Si; 
 Crgonifatoren toaren §err STuguft Srodlanb bom SentraI=aSerein, [iod)to. S3ater 
 a?. S^elb unb ber berftorbene §err 59. Sc^toegmann. ®rei SSereinc bitbeten ben 
 Stnfang unferer grauen-Seftion: Stiriftlidjer SKiitter SSerein bon Sriebrid)§burg ; 
 ©t. (Slifabet^ 35erein bon ©an Stntonio; Stitar SBerein bon Dfeto SraunfelS. 
 golgenbe Seamten tourben ertoat)It: 
 
 ^rdfibentin: grau S. ?iiaba, ©an Stntonio. 
 3Sice=^rdfibentin : grau ^o^n Sott. jvriebrid)§burg. 
 ©efretdrin: gri. SI. S. 2)iclmann, ©an Stntonio. 
 Sd)at?nteiftcrin: fsrau OJuftab Hleininger, 5fcto i^raunfetS. 
 
 Sciber trat ber tet^tgenannte SSerein toicber au§ bem 3>erbanbe ons, ha ber= 
 ld)iebenc SOlitglieber fic^ nid)t an ben ©ebanfen getootjnen fonntcn, bafj bie 
 beutige 3eit unf' fatI]oIifc^en granen bie "i^ftidit aufertegt, and) aufeerfialb unferer 
 QSemeinbe 3u totrlen. ^scboc^ 3dI)It unfer SBerbanb f)eute biete ein^elne Ttxt' 
 gticber bon bort, bie mit toaljrer 33egeifterung fi(^ an unferem folt)olifd)en 
 SBirfcn 5ett)«itigen. 
 
 33ei ber ndd)ften ©toat§=3Serfammtung in Sinbfat) im Stuguft 1915 crgab ber 
 3?erid)t $44.(15 einnof)men. SluStagen $18.25; baruntcr $11.85 ©ot)ffteuer on 
 ben EenlraI=3Serein unb einen Ueberfd)u6 bon $26.42. Um bie SReife4JnIoften 
 ber Seamtcn be§ grouenbunbeS 3u beftreiten, batten biefelben ein ^rogromm 
 aufgefteCt fiir eine llntert)altung in Sinbfat) unb ging bie §dlfte be§ Ertrage? 
 an bie feftgebenbe ©emeinbe unb bie anbere §dlfte an ben grauenbunb $64.55 
 tourben bon ber im SBerben fte^enben ©cftion bif> bal^in fiir bie 3cotI)Ietbenben 
 in 'Seutfc&Ianb gefammelt. Xie 5vrouen=©eftion be§ ©taat§=25erbanbe§ bon 
 
BEAMTINNEN 
 
 L Ff^AUENB'UNDI 
 
 SETTJON TEXAS 
 
 ]. FIIAI KKXST ItABA 
 
 ■(. FKAT HERMAN JAECKLE 
 
 I'KL. ANNA K. DIELMANN 
 FItAr HERNADINE MEN(;ER 
 
 3. FRAf W.M. V. IIIELLMANN 
 6. FRI.. MARIA KLANCHARD 
 
Zi-'xai' I'c^Iof? firf) fofort an ben (Ientral=?yrauen£)imb an. Son 1915 lii? 191G 
 tonrben fiir bo§ bcutfd^e rotfte Sreu3 $130 gefaiTtmert, $8df)renb ber ,^rie(]5- 
 iaftre tourbe fiir bo§ amertfanifcE)e rotfje ^'reu^ genn()t unb gefammelt. 
 
 v,m v<nfirc 1919 iDiirbcn fiir bie 5^ot£)Ieibcnbcn in iJcutfd^Ionb unb Defter-- 
 retd) oon bcr (Sdtton Stejae! $225.50 gefammelt unb an bie KentroI^iStelle gC' 
 fanbi, foroie 10 ^tften ^leibunggftiide on berf(f)iebene fot£)olif(f)e 2Bo^Itdttgfei"t§- 
 (^efeafdioften in aDJitteWSuropa^gefanbt. Diatf) ^nSbrudf, 2t)roI tuurbcii $80 ge^ 
 fanbt. Seit ber Oiriinbung bcr «eftion tourben 75 Sienftmabc^en osteHen Beforgt. 
 
 ^sm vsifire 1916 banfte gri. ^. 33teIntonn al§ Sefretdrin ab toegen 3u 
 tiieler 3Irbett unb tl)re 9^Q(f)foIgertn gri. SWart) 93Ium im '^aifve 1917 tnegen 
 SBeranberung. grl. SWart) 93Iond)orb, iljre Dta(f)foIgerin, tear bi§ auf ben i^euttgen 
 Zaq eine auSgejeidinete 3trbetterin. ^m '^a^ve 1918 banfte unfere ®d&a|metfterin 
 grou ©uftat) 9^einingcr ob toegen ^ronff)eit unb trot f^rou §. ^oerfle Don 
 Son SIntonto an if)re ©telle. 
 
 S)urd) ben ^rieg berloren toir mef)rere SSereine, bie feiner beutfc^en S^erei' 
 nigung angeE)bren tooHten unb fo beftel)t ber 58unb f)eute ou§ 11 SBereinen unb 
 11 einjelnen SWitgliebern. §offentIid^ toirb bie ©entroI'SSerfommlung un§ f)elfen, 
 bie SSorurteile gu befdmffen, bie leiber unferen grouenbunb an feiner 9Ih§" 
 Breitnng tjinbern. 
 
 Sin fjtrger 33erid)t ubet bie ©riinbung beS Sot^oltfdjen JJrouenfiitnbeS. 
 
 Dladjbem ber SentroI=3Serein 3U toieberf)oIten SBfoIen immer toteber on bie 
 @taot§=58erbdnbe ojj^eHiert, iReben geI)oIten, 3KitteI unb SBege gefuc^t Bitte, ura 
 bie grouen 3U organifieren, unb noc^bem fein ©ertngerer al§ ber ©teHber- 
 treter beg t)I. SBoterS felbft, ber ^od^toiirbigfte Songano, ben SBunfcE) dufeertc, 
 bofe bie fotl&olifc^en grouen unb ^ungfrouen fiierjulonbe eine grofee grouen- 
 aSereinigung in§ Ceben rufen moc^ten, toie if)re aWitf^toeftern jenfeitS be§ Dcean§, 
 um fo moncf^em UeBel ber l^euligen 3eit 3u fteuern unb obju^elfen, Uebel bie 
 nur burc^ grauen^onb Beigelegt toerben fdnnen, irurbe enblic^ in ©t. ^oul, 
 aWinn. im ^di)xe 1915 bei ber @eneral=33erfammlung be§ {£entraI=aSerein§ eine 
 tempordre Drgonifotion in§ Ceben gerufen unb grou 33ofo(f Don ^PittSburgf), 
 ^0., al§ ^^rdfibenttn ertod£)It. 
 
 ^m borouffolgenben '^ai)ve tourbe bonn in S^eto ?)orf ber ]5crmonente 
 grouenbunb gebilbet mit grou ©ofoi oB *^^rdfibentin unb grau ©lijobetl) 58el3, 
 Slebelanb, al§ ©eiretdrin. 
 
 'Die 3toeite @eneraI=3SerfammIung tourbe 3U gleiif)er 3eit mit ber stoei- 
 unbfe(f)3igften be§ Eentrol SCereinS in ©t. Soui§, 3Tco., obge^olten. ltngefdf)r 
 ac^t3ig Delegotinnen gotten fid^ eingefunben. SSon alien ©eiten brod^te man bem 
 jungen grouenbunbe grofeeS ^ntereffe entgegen unb fleifeig tourbe georbeitet. 
 aSoI bo§ toi(f)tigfte Sreignifs toobrenb biefer Serfommlung toar bie StnnoEjme 
 einer fursgefojsten, f)ro!tif(i)en ^onflitution. 
 
 Sie britte 2;agung be§ SatI)oIifc^en grauenbunbeS in ©fjicogo im ^o^re 
 1919 toirb benjenigen, toelcf)e bog ©liid fjotten berfeiben bei3utoolf)nen, tool 
 lebensldnglicf) im Q5ebd(f|tnife bleiben, benn bie begleitenben Umfldnbe tooren 
 bcrort, bo^ mon fie al§ ein Ereignife bon grbfeter 28id)tigfeit begeid^nen mufjte, 
 S}er erfte 2^ag finnb lioldftdnbtg im ©cbatten bcr bl- (?ud)oriftie, oKc ©reigniffe 
 be§ 2:agc§ gru^ipierten fid£) um biefelbe unb borum ift nic^t 3U tonnbern, ha% 
 (?$ottc§ ©egen ftditbar auf unferem SSunbe rubt. 
 
 Unb nun bo toir SSorbereitungen treffen 3ur Dierten Eonbention in ber 
 ©tabt be§ bl- SlntoniuS, fdnnen toir ein fteteS 21ioc£)§tum bergeidinen. ^n 3tooIf 
 ©tooten unfereS Sonbe§ finb toir bertrcten unb mef)rcre ©taat§=3Serbdnbe finb 
 im SBerben begriffcn. Unfere Stoeige erftrecfen fi(^ bon 9^orb bi§ ©iib, bon SejoB 
 bi§ nocb D^eto ?)orf. StUe 2Baf)rncf)mungen beredbtigen 3u ben grofetcn §offnungen 
 fiir eine erfolgreid^e Siogung im intereffonten ©an Stntonio. 3Kdge ®ott fetnen 
 reidbften ©egen bogu gebeni 
 
BEAMTINNENJ 
 
 DES 
 
 KATI-I.FPAUIiNBUNDES 
 
 DER 
 
 VER. STAATEN 
 
 VON 
 
 NORD-AMERIKA 
 
 
 1. MUS. T. TEAENKLE 
 
 4. MKS. .\I. CAA-NEEP 
 
 6. MBS. ALF. LIEBSCHER 
 
 1. MRS. AUG. SPRINGOB 
 
 3. MRS. M. FELLHArER 
 
 6. MISS OATH. DROLSHAGEN 
 
 7. MRS. CHAS. KORZ 
 
G5ef(i)ic^te ber ^t Sofe^^^g d^cmelnbe 
 
 Tie ®ejd)idite ber 5t. ^ofepf)';; ©emeinbc ift, sum grIiJ3ten Zeil, auij b'lc 
 @efd[)id)te ber beutfd)cn ©atliolifen in San Stntonio. ®te St. ^^ofe^jCi'S ^ird]c tear 
 ber cr^te Samnxell^Ia^ f-pejiell fiir Satftolifen bcutfcEier 3I6funft, too fie ifire ^flidi)' 
 ten iinferm .sjerrgott gegcniibcr in berfelbcn SBeifc unb S^jradje nact)fommen Ionn= 
 ten toie fie e§ bon it)rer SJJntter gclernt, unb toie es bon ^Jugenb an if)r ©ebraud) 
 getoefen tear. 
 
 Sdion in ben Softren 1835 nnb 183fi fanten Uiele Xcutfdje nadi) San Sfntonio, 
 meiftens fD[d)e, tocldje bie neue ,V">cimat in ber §afenftabt dtetv Drlean'5 guerit 
 betreten batten. ^si]xc 3abl tourbe bnrc^ bie (fintoanberung ber 483iger ^af)rc 
 bebeutenb er£)of)t. Dbgleid) bamals fd)on fid} fef)r biele ^atfiolifen unter iftnen 
 befanben, fo toarcn fie bennod) nid)t jofjlreid) genug um eine eigene Oiemeinbe 311 
 griinben. So fc^Ioffcn fie fid) bcnn ber ©emeinbe ber Katftebrole bon ©on "Qcv- 
 nanbo an: bamalS bie einjigfte fatf)oIifd)e Siird)e in San Sfntonio. Xic erfte 9Jfif= 
 fon§fird)e, ba§ fe^ige 3fIamo=@ebdube, tear fc^on feit geraumer S^xt nid)t me£}r 
 oI§ ®otte§Iiaug gebraudjt toorbcn unb fanb aU Cogerbaus ber S^egiernng Ser= 
 toenbung. ^sn ber (Satbebrale tourbe meiftens bie fpanifdje Zpiai^e gebraudit. 
 ?[I5 nun f^Jciter bie St. ftlfart)'? Sird)e erbaut tourbe, in toeld)er man fic^ ber 
 englifdien Sfrod^e bebiente, fd)Iof3 fid) bie grbfjte 3JJet)r3at)I ber Dentfc^en biefcr 
 ©emeinbe an. StnfangS ber GO^iger ^satire toaren bie beutfd)en ©atbolifen fo ^ahU 
 reid) getoorben, baf? man bamit begann fid) nad) einer tJoffenben SaufteUc fiir 
 eine beutfc^e fat£)oIifd)e ^irt^e umjufelien. Xann aber fam ber Icibige Siirger-- 
 frieg unb bie fi^on fd)6n norangefdirittenen ^^^tdnc mufeten toicber aufgegeben 
 toerben. 
 
 SSdf)renb biefen 5)3ionicr=j:agen, bolter Sfufregungcn unb fiam|)fen, I)atten.bie 
 beutfd)en SKiffionarc einen befonber§ fd)toeren Stanb. &>ab e§ fd)on in ©an Stn- 
 tonio eine grbfjere Sfnsal)! bon ^atfiolifen bie nur ber beutfdien Sf.irad)e mdc^tig 
 togren, fo gab e§ boc^ aud) anbere "iPfarren unb Qiemeinben bie toeit bon ©an Sfn^ 
 tonio entfernt lagen, unb toieberum einjelne gamitien bie fic^ an Orten ange- 
 fiebelt batten too feine fat^oIifd)e Sird)c in meilentoeitem Itmfrcife ju finben toar, 
 gu toeld)en biefe furd^tlofen unb |)flid)tgetreuen Ticncr be§ ijerrn in alien 2Sit' 
 terung§berbdltniffen bin m^fsten. S?eiber finb faft gar feine f)iftorifd)en Sfufgeid)' 
 nungen iiber bie Sdtigfett biefer d)riftlid)en i5elben''3ur 3Serfiigung be§ Slufjeic^ner'.^ 
 biefer fnat^l-ien Taten. ?yoIgenbe finb bie 9Jamen ber beutfdjen ^^riefter, bon benen 
 C5 bermerft ift, baf3 fie in berborragenber SBeife ibren ''^>flid)ten in jenen Sturm^ 
 unb Trong=2agen nad)ge!ommen finb: !^od)to. ^ergenroetfier, ©retjenbuf)!, 2tn= 
 ftoett, iarrilion unb SUocjOgemba. 9?on bem f)ocf)to. $errn S^arrilion finben toir 
 eine biftorifc^e Stufgeidjuung in ben „9feminifcenceg of a 2:cras 9Jfiffionart)" be; 
 ^eb. ^. S)f. ^ariScot, 0. 9K. ^s., ber im '^afire 1855 2:era«' burd)reifte toie er 
 fefbft fagte: „9fuf einem balb=toilben amerifanifd)em ^Pferbe unb in meinem ©attel- 
 iod 500 5]Jro§)3eftu§ gorntulare ber neuen Uniberfitdt." (St. SJ^arq's; llniberfitt), 
 QJalbefton.) 
 
 Ueber ben f)od)to. ftlciffiondr 2:arri(ion fcl^reibt er: 
 
 ^n Jsrcl§burg, Kolorabo (iountb, toar eine fleine ffird)e au§ billiger 2)Ja= 
 terialien erbaut aber ber ^Paftor biefer 5}ird)e toar einer ber aufsergetodfinitdiften 
 STOenfdien bie ii) je gefeben Iiabe. (fr toor ein guter "SRakv unb 2)^ed)anifer unb 
 ein toirfli(^e§ @enie in 93etreff ©rfinbungen. 3d) glaube er batte bie ^bee be» 
 SBeloct^^ebeg erfafet lange et)e basfelbc bergcfteUt tourbe. (£r fonnte eine Hf)r fo 
 fdjnelt refjorieren toie ein lUirmad)er; unb ©bielfac^en fonnte er ab infinitum £)er= 
 ftellen. Se^t ift er ipaftor ber ©cmeinbe gu greberidSburg unb obgleid) er fd)on 
 75 gabre alt ift, fittjten if)n feine l^flid)ten 3U meilentoeit ou§einanber tooljnenben 
 *Pfarr!inbern. ©ein 31ame ift 3leb. 'Jpater Sorrilion unb bon aCen bie tbn fennen 
 toirb er i)oii gead)tet. 9[I§ SSeltmann bdtte er fet)r reid) toerben fdnnen, aber er 
 3og e§ bor fein Seben unb ©treben ber ffirc^e gu toibmen unb gtoor in ber SBilberni^ 
 bon Xe:ca§. ^i} glaube er ift ber einsige Iteberlebenbe bon ben 18 ©emtnariften 
 toeld)e im Solre 1852 nad^ SejoS famen." 
 
Stufjcr Stoeifd liefee fid] cbcnfo SntereffanteS, Sele!)renbe§ trie ©rbauenbeS 
 bon ben iibriticn iWiffiondren bcr bomaligcn 3cit erjdfiten, a6er, toie fc^on ertoal^nt, 
 e§ mongeln bic nottoenbiijen SXngabcn. 
 
 Sn bcr ,3toifcE)cn3eit toud)§ bic 3aW bcr bcutfdjen S?at£)oIifen f)ier in ©an 
 Sfntonio imnier mel)r unb ntcbr uiib bic ^sbec, cine bcutfc^e fat[)oIifcf)e ©emeinbe 
 311 gritnbcn unb cin eigene§ ©ottcSFiQuS ju crbonen tourbc irrnncr unb iminer 
 f)or6arer. 
 
 2[I§ e§ nun fd)icr unbermeiblidE) unb aBfotut notig fd)ien, ha% bic ©cmeiiibe 
 fofort gcgriinbet incrbe, fam man auf ben ©cbanfen, bie SRegicrung ber SScr. ©taaten 
 mit einer 23ittfd)rift 3U erfucben, bic Stlaino, bie crfte SJtiifionSfirdEie in ©an Stntonio 
 3U rdumen unb fie ben beutfc^en ^atbolifcn Iiicr in ©an Stntouio aU @otte§bau§ 
 3u iiberlaffen. ®em bamaligcn 23ifd)of ber ©t. Sfntonio S)io36fc, bent bodjto'ften 
 $errn 9cera3, gcfici bcr ^^(an au§gc3ci(i)nct unb er toenbete fid) pcrfbnliif) an beit 
 ©encral SDfajor Slierritt, It. ©. 21., mit bcr i^ittc e§ 3U crmogIid)en, ba^ bie 3[Iomo 
 gerdumt unb nod) einer 5paufe bon 100 Saftren toicber ju ben Stoecfcit benu'^t 
 tocrbc, 3u hjcldien fie urffiritnglid) erbout toorben Irar. 
 
 St. 3ofc<)f)^ $iird)c. 
 
 Xie militdrifd)c SRcgicrung bcr t^cr Staatcn loar toillig gcnng ben iKiinfd]en 
 bcs bcid^to'ltcn .s>errn Sifdiof unb bcr bcutfd)cn ftatbolifcn Don .s^cr3en gern 3U 
 tnilifabrcii; jcbadi i\ab Co nid)t fclu" Liirfe grofecre ©ebdubc bier in ©on Jtntonio 
 in jcnen lagcit, unb fo tarn cj bciin, baf? fcin ciniigc? paf',cnbesi Wcbdubc bier 
 3U finben mar in tucldiem bie i>orrdtc, bie in bcr 2((amo aufgcfpcidjcrt lageii, uuter-- 
 gcbradit merbcii foniitcn. 2[u-3 biefcm O^runbe tourbe ber fdioiie ^^.Uait 3u SBaffcr. 
 
 Xicfer ACblfdilag, meit baDon entfernt bie riiftigen ''^.Uonicrc bcr bamaligcn 
 :lcit 3u cutmutigcii, mar nur ba3U angctau fie onfs. i1(cuc an3ufporncn. dlad) 
 Idngcrcm ©ud)cu murbe fd)Iicf;Iid) bic 4<aufteUe gefauft, auf mcld}cr bcutc bie tot. 
 oofcpbsi=^ird)C unb ba^i ivfarrt)au5 ftebt. iVtit cinfadjcn abcr eiubrudSDoden unb 
 
fcicrlidicn :lcrciuoi!ieii Inurbc iiii oahrc IWCS bcr (i'cfilciu ftco (^Vittt'oluiiijcC' iielcgt. 
 Tao Ok'l? ,]iim '-^011 Scr .Siirdie imivhc h'iimeiie LU'ninttclit Subfcviptioiu'ii bcr &Lnir- 
 id]en Matdolifen in 5an ?(ntouio, tciltncifc iiiird) bic diriftlidic vilfc bcr Hatdolifoit 
 ill bcii 'i^cr. Staatcii ,',uiaiuiiieii iiofdiafft. iH-ionbcrer .stn-hit nL'tii'dirt bcm dodjln'ftcii 
 .•ocrrii Tiilioi-o, bem baninliticii 'i^ifdiL" bcr Tioiofc ("'Jaiuciton; and) ben \icrrcii 
 yjcMffioiuircii (^irciuMilnihl iiub i'fiiftactt. ol'i'ni iiiicrmiiblidicn Sfnftrcnciuniicn ift 
 r-o ',11 rcrbaiifcu, bah bic iieiie Viird)c fdHUt iiii ^suhrc 1S7! folncit Iicrdci'tellt Was:, 
 i<a]^, bcr liodilu'i'tc '-IMfdun Xutioiv fie eiufeiiiUMi unb ben luidiln. vcrri: iifiibrcJ al-i 
 '■\>\avvn bcr lu'ucii ('■icincinbc aiiiteflcu foniite. Xaiitit Unii' bcr '■,'lufnim bcr ncitcn 
 briitldi-fntliolifdicii, bcr Si. ^sofeplK- (^icMuciiibc iicmadit. 
 
 Arcilid! ftliltc nodi niandicv. Ta ftan- 
 bcn bic Dtcr narftcn 'JJiancrii, nnr niit cincni 
 notbiirfticicn Xadic bebcrft. Tic CeffmnuT^u 
 tiir bio ?s-cnftcr roarcn ba, cticnfo lute licittr, 
 obiT bie idioiu' nnb crbancnbe (^Uac-niafiTiM 
 in ben Aenftern tear uidit ba. ;liid)t einntai 
 netoolinlidie-j AenitcrciIaC'. Ciilaj tear banmfc- 
 felir rar in 2au ?(ntoino nnb i\an] beionber-> 
 teller; e? mnhte nerniittclit ,/|>rairie=2d)oonei" 
 Hlhi 05a!iicitLin ober 9tem rrlcan-J nadi liier 
 trniK-'porticrl: incrben nnb ioidier Jran-jporr 
 iDor foitfptelia, bcfonberj inenn bac^ 'liififo be;. 
 .■■icrbrcd'Ciif ncdi auf bie iraitJiiortfoften ae 
 leiit Inirb. ?o iniif;te benn ^suditentiidi bi" 
 Stelle bee (^Uafec^ einiieliinen. lliib bicjeo 
 Znd) ertiiUte and) ieiiien rSlnecf. CfC' dielt ii'inb 
 nnb S^Jetter .iii;- ber .ftirdie nnb iiet3 beiuiorf) 
 tieniiiieiib ^'idi: (liiiein. Tie SScinbe batten pon 
 ^iincii bajf:'be iTiiofebcn mie Don ?fiif)en, nnr 
 bic 2l.Hinbe be-J SanftnariiuiK' Itiaren iiiit 
 (^h)iiv bo'tridien. iin'r abcr Licrnibcfite bie ?fi! 
 badit, bie Jantbarfcit, .',11 bcfdireibcn, bie b'l 
 liiar, ale bie ftiacfcrcn ''iMonierc ',11111 eriten 
 A'cale, bei b'.'in inattcn i'idit Inerdiee bnrd) 
 bas ^sitditentudi fdiiniinerte, ibreii .s>crraott 
 ill! eiticncn Okitteebaufc anriefen'? Jbnt nidit 
 beiite nod) cin (S<i]o iene§ branfenben, ben SM:.dm. i^ctcr .^. 2d)nclicr, l^fnmr. 
 nollen, banfborcn .s>cr,',cii cntanorienbein „.s?ier 
 lie^t Dor beiiier 9Jiaicftat" aiie ben 'I'tanern ber 2t. ^sofenli'e .Qirdie? 
 
 v;iit ^sabre 187 4 toiirbc ber bodiiu'ftc \ierr 'I'ellicicr ale iMfdiof ber San Sfn= 
 tonio Xiojbfe aiiiieftcfft nnb er iiab bcr iiuuien ^I'farrei eiitcn nenen .sMrten: ben 
 bodilr. .s?errii .s>cinridi ^l^fefferforn. Tbaleidi ee biefciii bodito. \ierrii iiid)t ber= 
 abnnt toar, lanaer ale fedie SJtoiuite in feincin ix'iirf ;,ii inirfen, jo mar e§ ibm 
 bod) iierimflcii einiiie 5>crbeffernnaen in ber .Cjirdic boriiiiiebinen. 
 
 Ter fiodito. 'Starrer 9?ic. Aeftiii, Ineldier nun folate, nerbfieb in fcincm Jfinle 
 Hon 1875 b\v ,511 feincni l:'ob mefdicr ini o.a(ire 1878 ibii ber St. ^'ofc)-Vb§ @e= 
 ineinbe entrif^. Si^iibrenb ben ^snbreii feinee "iVMrfene botte biefer bod)li». .'ocrr ,^lt)ci 
 Hciic Wlorfcn aiuicfdiafft, Hon tocldien bie arofite 1500 nnb bie flcinere 700 ^fiiiib 
 miciit. Arcifirfi batte bie 2i. ?solebb''o .<Sirdx' ancb r^iforfcn nnr biefer ;',cit, icbod) 
 inaren lie ber (friten iltiffionefirdie nnfierbalb Zaii ?rntonio entlcbnt trorben. Ta 
 niin bicfe .Sirrfie reftaiiriert nnb tuiebcr in ben Tienft (Mottee iicftetft Inorbeii tear, 
 niiiRtcii bie OUodcii .snriiif crftattct Inerben. TeSmcitcren fortitc ^l>farrer Aeltin 
 bafiir bap, bie G5emeinbe imd) ihren ciaencn fiirdibof erbicft. Xcrfelbe ift beiitc 
 nod) befannt iiiitcr beni 9(amcn „Xbe olb rskninan datholic Cemeterli". ''l^farrer 
 Jveltin toar febr bcliebt, in ber (^knneinbe folnobl ab? in ber Stabt San ?fiitomo. 
 Sein 5?eflrabniei, an ''i*eteilii]inui bae iifDf^i^c i^i^' f'i'? .Ut ber Beit in 'San ?fntonto 
 ftattLicfnnbcn batte, aah ein berebetc? Senani? Hon ber .CSodioditnna bie bem SJer- 
 ftorbcnen Hon .^atbolifen nnb 9(-idit=.^atbonfcii, Don rvicineiiibeniitiiliebern imb W(f)t= 
 Ojemeinbcmitiilicbcrn anerfannt lintrbe. 
 
 Xer bodito. .s^err ^l?tefferforn. bcr tocibrcnb biefer Rcit in .sMtib .sMlI nnb nm= 
 aegenb ali^ "^^farrer unb 'Jfiffioniir tiitii] Inar, itnirbe mm iiarf) ber St. ^sofebb'S 
 
(i^emcinbe afo 'ilsfarrer 3iiru(f bcrufcu. llnter fcincr meiftcrriaftcn iinb aufotsfernbcr 
 iS'iilirung Bcciann fiir bic St. ^ofcpfi'y Wcineinbc cine 3cTt non ^.i^enomcnolem 
 2Bac^§tum; fiir bic Slircfjc bie ocit iuncrcr iinb iiufscrcr Jfiigjifimiidung itnb gertig= 
 fteHung. 
 
 2t[§ biefer Iio(i)toiirbiae vcrr im tsoiive 1875 fcin Slrni ontrat, toor bie iuTtge 
 ©emeinbe mit eincr (scf)ulb bon $7000 Belaftct, tocldie boju no<i>, mit ben aSuc^er- 
 ainfcn bon 12 ^ser.^cnt bcraiuft tear. Seine erften $Bentut)ungen !on3entriex-ten ftd^ 
 baljin, bai' &elb ju einem gcrccf)tcrcm unb anncljmBarcn 3in§fufee gu erlialten. 
 'Sicfc'5 gelang il^m, abet nic£)t nur ba^^: ahi er im Safire 1897 fein 3fntt niebcrlegtc 
 roar bie ecfjulbcnloft anf $900 I]innntcr gejdimoljen. 
 
 Tcr innere ©cEimncf be§ Okittec^fianfcc' lag ifim gana BefonberS am ^ergen. 93ter 
 licne StltSre tourben gcbaut gu eincm ^oiten^.ninft bcr ficE), oline bie ©totuen, Quf 
 $2000 Belief. SOfcfir OMocfcn tourben angefcE)afft iim bie .Ciarmonie be§ SeutenS ju 
 Derbollftanbigen; bie fditoerfte biefer C^Ioccfen toicgt melir al?- 3000 5pfunb. 
 
 SBaBrenb ben crftcn ^'afiren fcine§ ?[nitesi leBte ber Bodito. ^farrer in ber 
 ©a!riftei. Xanii erBaute cc ba?> '■^vforrBauy unter einem ^oftenauftoanbe bon 
 $5000. Sic^ toicber bcm inneren Sdimud ber birdie gnlDcnbenb, tourbc bie ®erfe 
 bcr Sirdje noc^ gotBifdcn; Sliil gcformt, nnb er ferfonfid) malte biele ber l^efora- 
 tionen, benn er tear ein ou§ge3eid)neter ^iinftler. 
 
 Wit .'oiilfe ciniger aftiben nnb lirogreffiben 2)JitgIicber bcr Ocmeinbe griinbete 
 er im Safire 1885 ben St. ;^ofcf)B'§ 5Berein. "Eic crftcn l^camte unfcre? 2Jcrein3 
 tooren bie .s>crren S- E- Tiefmann, y. SS. Wenger, ®. dJlanbxt), ?fntcin Stbam, 
 .•oenrl] ^l>aulb nnb ^^etcr Sdnffcr^. Xcr crftc Btocd biefer (ScfeIIfd)aft toar bie 
 ^fCrtigfteHnng nnb StnSfdimiiclnng bon fi'ird)c nnb ^^.vfarrBonS. ©(.idter aBcr, aB 
 biefer 3tocd' crfiiltt nnb bic O^cmeinbe fid) in einem Bliiticnben Bnftanb Befanb, ber« 
 Bolf- ^forrer ^^fcfferforn ben l^crcin ,ut ber 23afi'o bcr gegenfeitigen Itnterftiitung. 
 3u' bicfcm 3toed cj:ifticrt and) Bentc bcr St. "^ofopB'y JScrcin. Jrots ber Sefd^ci= 
 benftcit bicfc'o feftgcBenbcn 5>crctiK' mnJ3 Bier gcfdjicBtlid) fonftatiert tocrben, haf^ er 
 fcit feinem Stnfange bic .s^aufitftiil^e bcr St. '^sofepB§=(Memcinbe toar unb e§ 
 Bcute nod^ ift. 
 
 Unter Ceiluug be§ Bodjto. 1^farrer§ ^IJfcffcrforii tourbc bie St. v^ofepB'S ■'C'atte 
 crBaut, biefe§ atociftodige, anS Siegclftcincn crBantc? ©cBaube in beffen $alle ein 
 J^cif ber geft l^crfammlnngcn aBgeBaltcn toirb. Dicfe .Jialle bient nid)t nur 
 fiir ben 3toccf ber 5>crfannn'angcn be§ St. ^sofebBV^ BcrcinS: bie 3ScrfamnTinngen 
 fiimmtlid^er SBcrcinc ber 'Scmcinbc tocrben Bier aBgcBaltcn, beStocitcren fammtlid)e 
 ?fcft 3ScrfammIungen bcr (Semcinbe; Zfteatcrftiidc toerben Bier aufgefiiBrt unb 
 .Qonscrtc bcranftaltct, fotooBI bon ben berfdiicbenen Screinen alS bon ben ©d)lilcrn 
 nnb Sd)iilerinnen bcr Oicmcinbe: bic .sialic ift cBen bcr Sanrmrfort ber St. ^ofe|)B'? 
 fiiemeinbe. 3Son ber 2;titigfcit bc§ ^^farrer ^fcffcrforn? mufs e§ and) eriroBnt 
 tocrben, bafi cr bic 93iiBncnbeforationen fcIBft gemalt Bat, and), bafi auf feine 
 ^Pcranlaffung ber St. ^ofcfiB'S i^crcin cincn cigcnen Ts-riebBof ge!auft Bnt. 
 
 ^forrer ^"feffcrforn legtc im I^aBre 1890 fcin Stmt aU .'pirte ber St. SofefiB'-? 
 ©emcinbe nicber nnb tourbc .'ftafjlan an ber 2)Jdbd)cn ^d)ule „Our Sabt) of IBe 
 Safe", ein tocnig onfjcrBalB bon San Jtntonio gelegen. 
 
 yiun folgtc al§ gcift(id)cr l^orftcBer ber St. S^sofcfiB'S Oknteinbe ber Boc^to. 
 .'oerr SSm. 3f. JvuBrtoerf. T^n 5)?iind)en=WfabBadi gcBorcn, fam cr im ??aBrc 1881 
 nac^ ben $cr. ©taaten nnb Beenbetc feine Stitbien in .T^anfaS unb £eja§. Sim 
 13. Sluguft 1887 cmfifing er feine SBciBcn bon bcm Bod)to'ften 93ifdiof Jierag unb 
 toar alS SJJiffioncir in ScroS tiitig Bi§ cr jum ^farrer ber St. :^ofet3B'§ ©cmcinbe 
 ernannt tonrbe. Sfm 13, Jfnguft 1912 toar cS iBm borgiinnt, bo§ 25=iaBrige 
 'iPricftcr.^'uBilnum in Ultitte fcincr Scrtoanbtctt, ^vrcunbe, einer iBn Bodifd^a^enbcn 
 Wemcinbe unb unter '^effnaBme ber 93iirger Son 3[ntonio'§ 3U feicrn. ®ie dufjerit 
 aHgemeine unb rege 3 citnaBme an biefer ^fcier Beacugtc in toelc^' Boijer Slc^tung 
 ber Bod)to. .'oerr 'iCfarrcr nid)t nur bon feiner ©crneinbe unb bon ^atBoIifen, 
 fonbern au(B bon Jfnbt'-^glduBiaen gefialtcn tourbc. 'Jtaif langer .^ranfBeit ftarb 
 cr am 3. SIfiril 1916. 
 
 3fBer ba§ C^nte toa§ cr fiir bie St. v>i-if4'B^=(^emeinbc getan, liBerlcBt iBn t)eute 
 
no(i) luib hiirb if)n iiberlcBcn fo lange einc 2t. ^soJL-lilV'j Ojciiicinbc bi^ftcfjt. Wv. 
 '-Begcifterung imb (Sntdiifiasmug iilicniafitn er fcine '•^.^flidjtcu; mit fcurtgem (Stfci 
 [olgti: cr bcm 'i^cif^nel feinec^ iHirgaiiiicfi'. Ta^o Icbtc Ucbcrbknbfcl ber ©emeinbe 
 Si^nlb tourbe getiigt. Xic dcrrlidjc AlJalcrci bcr JJirdjc totirbc biird) feine ^-ii--' 
 fprad)c bctocrfftcHigt. Tcr fd)i3ne Titrm murbe gebaut, ein iioftcntounft bon $4000. 
 Tic ctufad)en Acnftcr tourbcu biird) bie l.irad)tlioIIc (iira^Snialcrei gcfd)miidt, untcr 
 cincm ^oftciiauftDanbc Don $3000. (yiuc nciic Snfri[tci foltctc $400, anberc 
 :'l\cparQturcu nnb i^erl3cffcnllIgcn tucitcre $:2o00. 
 
 Sfnf feme Shiregung tourbe hav St. ^sofeph'y (ioHegium crbaut, bie ^^Nforr- 
 fdjiile fiir bie .Hiiaben ber St. ,.o.ofep(Ve (^emctnbe. Gr fiil)rtc ben ©ebrauc^ ber 
 Gdctlianifd)eii 9.1hifif in bcr S'irdje cin.- Xer St. (Jlifabett^^^erein, ber E)eute 
 eine iWitglieberaat)! Don 175 afticen llHtgliebcrn l)at itmrbe uon itjm gegriinbet. 
 StCey biefes bilbct baS unserftorbare Xentntal, toeid^es c; ber St. gcfeptiS @e= 
 nieinbe binterlafjen f)at. 
 
 5iad) bem Jobe beo I:)od)to. Si.^nt. 5(. 5uI)i"h'C"f tonrbc ber jel^igc 5Pfarrer guni 
 llfettor ber St. ^sofepli'5 .ftirdje ernannt. Ter f)od]iD. ^s. ^^v Sd)iiet3er tear fein 
 Aremiiling in ber St. ^sLifcpli';-' ©cmeinbe: tear er hodcj Dom i^o^re 1910 bi§ 19J'2 
 ale 3(fjii"tent in itnjercr ©emeinbe tiitig getncfen nub batte ftc^ burdj jein 
 licbeuoIIeS ^ntereffe an ixnjeren 3[ngcIegon(;eiten 3af)t(ofe greunbe in ber Qie-- 
 meinbe ertoorben. Stis ^^>farrer einer beutfd}=jpred)cnben ©cmeinbe tDor er todtirenb 
 ben ftriegsjafiren fidjerlid) nid)t auf 9tojen gebcttct unb trofebem ift er atten fcinen 
 fi^trieren ''.pflid)tcn in bcr 'Seifc nad)gefommcn, tcic ce fidi fiir einen ''^riefter ©otteo 
 gejiemt. ,^n toiirbiger ®cife folgt beutc unfer Dcrcfirtcr ijcrr l^farrcr ben gufetapfen 
 fcincr SSorganger. Cbglcid) Oor einigeit ^^abrcn burd) bie ©riinbung ber i^er,] 
 ^efn unb anberer ^Nfarreien anniibcrnb 100 Aaniiiien ber St. Stifcpp-^emeinbf. 
 ent^ogen iDurben, ft) 3af)It bicfelbc bod) 1500 Scelen. 
 
 ^ni ^abre 1918 feierte bie Zt. O.ofcpb'5 ©emcinbe bae fiinf,]tgjdf)rige ^ubi' 
 Idum ibre^ i^cftef^ens', aber nur im StiUcn. Si'egen bent i^ricg irtufste jebe i3ffent= 
 Iid]e S-eftlic^feit nnterlaffen toerben. 
 
 <S§ bliebe nod) 3U ertodf)ncn, bafs anfser bent Zt. ^o'\cpi)?' EoHegium, bie 
 ©entcinbe auA) eine Stfabemic 3ur 5?clebrung ber 2)fdbc^en bat. Tiefclbe ftefjt unter 
 ber fdfjigen 5-uf)rung ber SdirDcftcrn ber ©ottl. 'l^orfebung, „Siftcre of l^itiinc 
 ''^^roDibence." IceiBeiteren, bQf3 aufjer bem St. ..JofepbC'-i^erciu, bcr f)eute 27r- 
 DHtglteber jdblt, auc^ nod) ein St. Sfnna iserein beftebt — fo alt toic bie '^>farret— ; 
 cine Solbalitdt fiir junge SOidimer unb cine fiir bie ^ungfrauen; bcr St. Slifabctb 
 5Jerein, toie fdion ertDdf)nt; and) eine 3toeig be^ Xritten Drbene. (SbenfaQ? tourbc 
 fiirjlicl ein S^eig ber ©onjaga Union gegriinbet. 
 
C'1 
 
 HTEN . , 
 BERASSE 
 
 ]. W.M. \. UIIOL.MANN 
 :^. I'KAMv LANGE 
 3. CHAS. W. MEYER 
 
 WM. KUEHLEK 
 H. DITTLINCiER 
 THEO. MAGGOTT 
 
(©terfie-Saffe.) 
 
 iffiie fc^on in ben JIufseidinungen iiber ben .^QtI)oIij(i)en ©taatS^SGerbanb Don 
 SpsaS ertodt)nt murbc, tarn bie ©riinbung einer gegenfeitigen Unterftii^ungSfaffe 
 in EobeSfdCen fdion auf ber erften @cneraI=2SerfamnxIung be§ a^erbonbeS in ©an 
 ^fntLiiiio ,]uv SprQ(f)c. 39t\'[irere .spcrren mitrbcn bnmit bctraut, nnf)crc SL^DrfdjIcigi' 
 todf)tenb ber nadiften SSerfammlnng ben Selegoten gn unterbreiten. S)iefe§ gefd^ali 
 audti unb fo fonnte bie „©terbe=^Qffe" fcbon bei ber na(^ften SSerfammlung 311 
 ediulenburg in§ Ceben gerufen tuerbcn. 91 1§ erfte 33eomtc tourben ertodE)It: ^}5rdfi- 
 bent: S- ®- Sielntonn; ©efretdr, 93. ^s. Sange; unb bie §erren Sen ©dimegmann 
 5r., unb ®b. 3Ket)er, — bcibe berftorben — al§ !8eifi|enbe. 
 
 ®te ©terbe=^affe begann mit ber befd}cibcnen ,3af)I Con 53 2RitgIiebern. gin 
 [taatiid)er greibricf ((£[]Qrter) tourbe ibncu im ^obre 1901 getodbrt. ^n toeld)er 
 SBeife bie ©terbe=S'afje boronjcEirilt, ift am be[ten aus: folgenber 3tuf3eid)nung ber 
 Sunatjme beS 3Sermdgen§ erfi^llid). SSemidgen ant: 
 
 1. Aug. 1903 $ 866.98 
 
 1. July 1904 1,160.03 
 
 1. July 1905 1,919.80 
 
 1. July 1906 2,943.78 
 
 1. July 1907 4,170.06 
 
 1. July 1908 4,905.8.5 
 
 1. July 1909 6,792.61 
 
 1. July 1910 8,278.77 
 
 1. July 1911 10,120.36 
 
 1. July 1912 12,840.16 
 
 1. July 1913 15,891.10 
 
 1. July 1914 19,143.42 
 
 1. July 1915 22,954.61 
 
 1. Jan. 1916 24,112.64 
 
 1. Jan. 1917 27,609.01 
 
 1. Jan. 1918 32,933.28 
 
 1. Jan. 1919 36,702.04 
 
 1. Jan. 1920 42,619.31 
 
 ©in foId^cS SBoi^Slunt tear freilid) oucf) nur burd) bie unentgeltlid)e unb regc 
 Strbcit feitenS ber Seaniten mdglid^ gemad)t tnorben. &an?t befonbere Srtod^nung 
 bcrbicnt §err 93. S. Cange ©r., ber todbrenb stndlf langen ^afjren al§ ©efretdr 
 nid]t nur feine Qeit unb feinen @efd)dft5finn ber ©terbe=®affe unentgeltlid) ent= 
 gegcnbrad;te, jonbern and) in finonaieCer ijinfidjt hem jungen llnternebmen frdftig 
 ipilfe leiftete. 
 
 (f? indre nod] iu ertcdbnen, bofe bie aSerfic^erung anfdnglicb auf lebenS- 
 ldnglid;e Waten bafiert irar, baJ3 bie ©tcrbcfaffe aber ^eutc aud) ^ebens 9}er= 
 fid)erung§=(£ertifiMe auSftellt, bie in 20 jdfirlid^en SRaten OoH einbegablt finb. 
 'yerfid;eruug§=fe>d)einc tcerben auSgcftcKt Con $250 bis $1000. ®afe fiir jebe 
 $1000 9Serfidierung jcfet $168.54 i)kferDc unb Uebcrfdjufe an .Sjanb finb, giebt 
 ben beften i3eiDei^ Con ber foliben ©runblagc ber fiaffe. Tie ,^infen, bie bi? (ieutc 
 cingenommen tourben bon bem angelegten aSerntdgcn, belaufen fid) ouf ha^. i)o|3-- 
 l-ielte ber bi§ t)eute aui^geaablten SSerfidjerungen. 
 
 Srieg unb fd)Ied|te ©rnten toaren bem SBadjitum ber ©terbe=^affe fei^r fiin- 
 berlid) indfirenb ben le^ten stoei ^aiiren. Tlii §ilfe eine§ ofticen Organifaloren 
 bofft man minbeftenS $100,000 neue SSerfid^erungS-Sdieine in biefem S^brc 
 au§3uftellen. 
 
 Senmten ber ©ter6e=aoffe fiir 1919-1920. 
 
 @ro6=^rdftbent: granf S- Cange, ©an Sfntonio. 
 @ro6=aSicc4?rdfibent: 9Bm. .tueblcr, 9?eto 93raunfelc-.. 
 @ro6=©efretdr: g!)a§. 2B. 2)?et)er, ©an SCntonio. 
 @rofe=©(f)a^meifter: 2Bm. 93. ®ielmann, ©an STntonio. 
 93eift^enbe: Stnton ^oljlid), §igf) §ill. 
 
 §. 3^ittlinger, 9Zem 93raunfc(c^ 
 
 Ziieo. aKoggott, ©on Srntonio. 
 
FLOURS Come 
 
 AND 
 
 FLOURS Go— 
 
 BUT 
 
 DITTLINGER'S 
 SNOW QUEEN and COMAL LILY 
 
 ARE HERE 
 
 The Merchant, the Baker, the Housewife, that appreciates 
 QUALITY in Flour should call for these brands. 
 
 H. DITTLINGER ROLLER MRIS CO. 
 
 The QUALITY Millers 
 NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS 
 
 iNiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiKr 
 
 iiinii iiiiiii 
 
LANGE SOAP COMPANY 
 
 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 
 
 — Manufacturers of — 
 
 LAUNDRY SOAPS 
 
 — And Refiners of — 
 
 VEGETABLE OILS 
 
 FOR 
 
 EDIBLE AND ALL OTHER PURPOSES 
 Oil Transported In Our Own Tank Car Line 
 
iriNiiniiiiiiiMin iiirii 
 
 J. H. SIEVERS ALTAR MFG. CO. 
 
 Designers and Manufacturers of 
 HIGH GRADE 
 
 CHURCH FURNITURE, TEACHERS' AND 
 HIGH SCHOOL DESKS 
 
 613 Indianola Street 
 
 San Antonio, Texas 
 
ARE YOU DOING YOUR DUTY? 
 
 Are You Supporting the Catholic Press — 
 According to Your Means? 
 
 The 
 
 DAILY AMERICAN TRIBUNE 
 
 is the FIRST and ONLY ENGLISH Daily News- 
 paper in the United States which proclaims its faith 
 in the teachings of the Catholic Church. 
 
 The DAILY AMERICAN TRIBUNE aims to 
 merit your support. 
 
 The DAILY AMERICAN TRIBUNE respect- 
 fully sohcits your support. 
 
 Subscription: $8 per year. 
 
 DAILY AMERICAN TRIBUNE 
 
 DUBUQUE, IOWA 
 
iVncient 
 
 
 Bun Antnnin 
 
 i5&«.iMSi"W •; 
 
 f:>minnmt!n>irr,iir,/7r,rm!7fi/!> 
 
 ?(Dd6erti 
 
 ;Pi 
 
 s liliJ i nissioTi coitcEPcio/Tl ll^ 
 
 COURT HOUSE 
 
 ^0 %>axi 1\ntonlo — 
 
 HHUhcrE iKuctEiits' (Art anb Jllobcrn ^hintijlTt 
 A Qlttu IBeautiful IjaO? &)rougl]t; 
 ^l|cr£ JJature's ^Siountg attb ^juman ^bill 
 jAnb ^uman ^ram, mute tI]E fcill; 
 ^Ijere ^taltl| antt pjealtt; cxtcnb a tfanb: 
 ^ ^ati-g (Jlitg in Jfrtrbom's '^aiib: 
 -IJearl of tl^e ^outli!-(f utWra's m.\xo\\<:\- 
 ®l;frE is nig home. 3Il]at's ^an Autoiir. 
 
 Robert Stuemberg. 
 
 MJS-SiO/t Am JOSE 
 
 -^ -- 
 
 /- 
 
 i^l 
 
 
 * 
 
 ■AT'-, 
 
 •I V 
 
 illlo «,l''aj»m 
 
 " ?!i^W 
 
 '"111! 
 
 
 :X^ 
 
 l!|i- 
 
 VIEW or BUSIMISS SLCTlONor S-AH A/HTOflO LOOKinG ;iORTH 
 
HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 SAN ANTONIO 
 
 AND OF THE 
 
 EARLY DAYS IN TEXAS 
 
 Published by 
 
 ST. JOSEPH'S SOCIETY 
 
 Fully Illustrated 
 
 Compiled by 
 ROBT. STURMBERG 
 
 Press of the Standard Printing Co. 
 San Antonio, Texas 
 
 1920 
 
v4 ^^r^.^g' 
 
 Copyright 
 1920 
 
 IROBERT StURMBERG 
 
 San Antonio, Texas 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 As I never tire of visiting the missions around San Antonio and 
 of meditating on the heroic and self-sacrificing acts of the Francis- 
 can Fathers; and always see new beauty at every visit and find 
 new matter for meditation: so, neither, do I ever weary of reading 
 the fascinating and romantic stories of my beloved city and State. 
 
 It has long been a hope and dream of mine to see raised up, 
 before I die, a school of loving and appreciative writers and artists 
 who will do justice to the wonderful history, legends and romance 
 of Texas, and her most attractive city: SAN ANTONIO, THE 
 BEAUTIFUL. 
 
 In point of history, legends, and romance we rival, yea, excel 
 ancient Greece: why should we not rival and excel her in art and 
 literature? 
 
 There have been many in San Antonio who have written to 
 make copy, many mpre who have written for pay, and others for 
 one reason or another, but few for the real love of San Antonio 
 and the work. 
 
 The reader should be much pleased with the splendid story so 
 beautifully written and compiled by Mr, Robt. Sturmberg and so 
 lovingly published by the St. Joseph's Society for the benefit of the 
 visitors of San Antonio. 
 
 I have been much entertained and pleased with the well written 
 descriptions and stories contained in this book and feel sure that 
 all readers will be fascinated and likewise entertained with San 
 Antonio's romantic history. 
 
 So far as I know, it is the only small book covering so many of 
 San Antonio's historical happenings and it ought to be treasured 
 by the recder as it deserves, not only as a souvenir but as a ready 
 reference. 
 
 A DIN A DE ZAVALA. 
 144 Taylor Street, 
 
 San Antonio, Texas. 
 July 26, 1920. 
 
GIVE ME THE LAND WHERE THE RUINS ARE SPREAD 
 
 " . . . . Give me the land where the ruins are spread, 
 And the living tread light on the hearts of the dead; 
 Yes, give me a land that is blest by the dust 
 And bright with the deeds of the down-trodden just. 
 Yes, give me the land where the battle's red blast 
 Has flashed to the future the fame of the past; 
 Yes, give me the land that hath legends and lays 
 That tell of the memories of long vanished days; 
 Yes, give me a land that hath story and song. 
 Enshrine the strife of the right with the wrong; 
 Yes, give me a land with a grave in each spot 
 And names in the graves that shall not be forgot." 
 
 — Abraham J. Ryan. 
 
INDEX 
 
 Chapter 
 
 Introduction by Miss Adina de Zavala . . . . 
 
 I San Antonio "The Beautiful" 
 
 II The Prehistoric Civilization of Texas and San Antonio 
 
 III The Elusive City of Gold 
 
 IV Madre Maria de Jesiis de Agreda 
 
 V Conquistadores Verdaderos 
 
 VI The Missionary Period and the Birth of San Antonio 
 
 VII The Passing of the Spanish Civilization 
 
 VIII Under the Mexican Flag . 
 
 IX For the Freedom of Texas 
 
 X Siege of the Alamo . 
 
 XI The Thermopylae of America 
 
 XII Some Historical Questions 
 
 XIII Trouble with Indians and Mexicans 
 
 XIV Under the Star-Spangled Banner 
 lev The Civil War Period 
 XVI A Visit to the Missions 
 
 Page 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 12 
 
 19 
 
 28 
 
 33 
 
 38 
 
 48 
 
 56 
 
 63 
 
 71 
 
 79 
 
 86 
 
 97 
 
 105 
 
 114 
 
 124 
 
//' i\ 
 
CHAPTER I 
 SAN ANTONIO "THE BEAUTIFUL" 
 
 T\ URING the month of May, in the year of our Lord 1918, when San 
 •■-^ Antonio was filled with recruits — soldiers of the more or less finished 
 type, the writer of this sltetch was accosted by one of them: 
 
 "Say, mister, how old is this burg?" 
 
 "This year and month San Antonio celebrates the two hundredth 
 anniversary of its existence as a city." 
 
 I admit that this reply sounded rather haughty and boastful, even to 
 my own ears. I felt conscious that my facial expression registered civic 
 pride in a marked degree. 
 
 "Aw, cut out that talk" swiftly was flashed back at me. "What are 
 you tryin' to give us? Why, there wasn't any U. S. two hundred years 
 ago and how could you get on the map 'way out here, where nobody 
 lived? And, if your burg is two hundred years old, why ain't you 
 people celebratin' or something?" 
 
 He and several comrades of his gave me what might be diagnosed 
 as the "horse-laugh," and proceeded with their errand of "taking in the 
 burg." 
 
 After all, the soldier boy was right, in one respect, at least. Why 
 were we not celebrating? What was the matter with the civic pride of 
 the citizens of San Antonio at the time when their city had arrived at 
 the noteworthy age of two hundred years? 
 
 There was nothing the matter with our civic pride. It was, and 
 still is there, full fledged and full grown. The matter of celebrating, 
 properly and befittingly, the two hundredth birthday of our city had 
 received serious attention before 1916. In 1916 the proposed celebration 
 began to take definite forms and, among other things, a Pan-American 
 Exposition was planned and, for its arrangement, a Committee of One 
 Hundred, leading citizens, was chosen. This committee worked vigor- 
 ously and pushed its task so energetically that, in 1917, the preliminary 
 arrangements had assumed definite and gigantic proportions of interna- 
 tional interest: Mexico, in fact the entire South Americas as well as our 
 own country, had given assurance of a whole-hearted participation in 
 our joyous event. 
 
 Then our country entered into the , world-conflict. Civic pride gave 
 the right-of-way to patriotism: San Antonio gladly relinquished its hotae 
 pride to national welfare. As conditions actually existed during May, 
 1918, hotels, homes and hospitality were laboring under a severe strain 
 to take care, in the traditional manner of San Antonio, of all the 
 visitors who came to our national camp for legitimate reasons. It would 
 
8 History of San Antonio and 
 
 have been a physical impossibility to house more visitors who might 
 have come to a glorious birthday celebration. 
 
 After all, again, the soldier boy was right and there exists another 
 reason why a rash judgment should not be passed on his ignorance. 
 San Antonio, although a city whose history, charms and natural advan- 
 tages are unsurpassed by any city of the Western Hemisphere, and 
 equaled only by few cities of the Old World, has come into the limelight 
 of recognition among our own countrymen only within the last decade. 
 It began with the period when it virtually had become necessary to shout 
 to the great American public the slogan See America First! in order to 
 divert their thoughts from ruins and courts and kings and honors and 
 attention — bestowed at so much per honor and per attention — ^to the 
 exquisite beauties and wonders of our own country. 
 
 Of the many who heeded America's call for recognition there are very 
 few who had a speedy recovery from the many pleasant surprises that 
 were in store for them. The majestic splendor of the Rocky Mountains, 
 the Americas Alps; the gorgeous canyon; Yellowstone, our beaatiful 
 National park; the great desert with its silent tales of daring, death and 
 dreams of fortunes; finally the coast of California, that wonderland of 
 the Western Hemisphere; these impressions, all united, produced a 
 kaleidoskopic picture which the most fanciful imagination had failed to 
 conjure before the journey. Recuperating — catching their breath, as 
 one might say — ^the prospect of the long and tedious journey eastward 
 loomed ominously before their vision. It was then that a friend or a 
 chance acquaintance — or was it the ever-present but now almost-for- 
 gotten, ever-hustling passenger agent, rival of the northern route? — 
 mentioned or suggested the southern route for returning home and, by 
 way of added inducement, hinted at a stop-over in San Antomo. 
 
 The suggestion had its charms. Meet me in San Antonio conjured a 
 picture of the real, dyed-in-the-wool Wild West, the kind usually seen 
 in the circus and moving picture show; the outpost of civilization, where 
 real cowboys ride real bucking broncos on the main thoroughfare and. 
 in order to let joy be unconfined, empty their six-shooters into atmosphere 
 and frighten daylight out of the innocent bystander. There is hardly a 
 doubt but that a number of the tourists, before yielding to the charm 
 of this latest suggestion, timidly inquired: 
 
 "Do you really believe that it is safe for one to stop there?" 
 
 Hpwever, they came, those "See America First" adherents. And they 
 found that the most pleasant, most charming, most wonderful surprise 
 of their eventful journey had been reserved for a fitting climax. Like 
 the wonder-wine of the Biblical story: the best had been reserved till last. 
 
 And there were others who came to San Antonio. There was the 
 homeseeker, drawn hither by the fertility of the soil and the cheipness 
 of the land surrounding our city, to which is to be added the advantage 
 of an "all-year" season; there was the healthseeker who had learned that 
 our balmy climate is the only cure for ravaging sicknesses incurred in 
 
J^- 
 
 

the Early Days in Texas 9 
 
 unfavorable northern climates; there came the investor, the capitalist 
 who had listened to the lure of fortune which the oil deposits underneath 
 the surface of our country hold forth; and they all, of each and every 
 category, unanimously expressed their approval of San Antonio with the 
 one appellation which seemed best befitted and most correctly suited to 
 the multitude of surprises, pictures and impressions of our city and, by 
 consensus of opinion^ called it San Antonio, The Beautiful. 
 
 A great many of those who came here as sight-seers or pleasure 
 seekers, or homeseekers, healthseekers, and fortune hunters have decided 
 to make their permanent home right here and, today, number among our 
 best citizens. They are the cause of our steady, not phenomenal or 
 boom-like, growth. Neither these people nor those who have been here 
 and, to their regret, have been compelled to leave again our hospitable 
 city, need an explanation of the why and wherefore of the appellation 
 "The Beautiful." The fact, however, that there are a great inany people 
 in the United States who not only have never visited but never even 
 have heard of San Antonio and who, with some show of justice, may be 
 inclined to think that this attribute is rather the result of a conceited 
 home-flattery than the consensus of our visitors, imposes upon the resident 
 scribe, nilly-willy, the duty to overcome his modesty and say something 
 about his city in order to justify "The Beautiful." 
 
 The task sets him to wondering where to begin. Is it the delicate 
 shade of azure in our skies during daytime, or is it the exquisite tint 
 of that light, commonly called silvery, which the Queen of Night spreads 
 over our landscape so generously: more of it to the acre than anywhere 
 else in this wide world? Is it the quaint architecture of the historic 
 missions, of the old churches, cathedrals or other buildings? Is it the 
 glamor of a glorious fight for Freedom, the halo of our heroes who fought 
 and died in the Alamo that San Antonio might be what the city is today? 
 Is it the plan according to which our city is built, the ever changing 
 direction of the streets, with parks full of beautiful flowers, strange trees 
 and shrubs at unexpected places? Is it the turning, twisting, curving 
 little stream which is nam'ed after our city and on whose banks our city 
 is built? 
 
 Looking more closely at this little stream of ours, for the first tijne 
 in his life, perhaps, the native San Antonian even must admit that this, 
 streamlet has chosen a most roundabout manner of getting to the Gulf 
 and seems absolutely unmindful of the geometrical fact that a straight 
 line is the shortest distance between two points. The stranger certainly 
 cannot be blamed for expressing the opinion that this is not one and the 
 sa,me stream, after he has crossed it four or five times within the radius 
 of a few blocks or, after having been assured that this is the same stream, 
 for making the positive statement that it surely must run up-hill at times. 
 The obvious conclusion, however, is that even the waters of our little 
 river are reluctant of leaving San Antonio, "The Beautiful." 
 
 But it is not alone the little river which causes the bewilderment of 
 
10 History of San Antonio and 
 
 the visitor. Sauntering forth by himself in order to gather acquaintance 
 with the charms of San Antonio and having left the main thoroughfares, 
 he is very apt to encounter a beautiful park at an unexpected turn in the 
 street. After resting awhile on one of the many benches and enjoying 
 the strange beauties of the vegetation; the tropical trees, shrubs and 
 flowers, he starts back again in what he believes to be the direction 
 towards his hotel. But the street does not seem to be quite the same 
 street and, directly, he finds himself facing what looks to him to be the 
 same park which he just has left. A closer inspection convinces him that 
 this is not the same park; for the surrounding buildings are different, 
 the trees, the shrubs, the flowers — even the benches are different. Now 
 our visitor takes pains to find a bluecoat in order to ask him for direction 
 to his hotel. H;e is not lost, of course not, because he has not been gone 
 long enough nor has he gone far enough to get lost. He is pretty 
 sure in which direction his hotel is situated and he asks the information 
 only for the purpose of making doubly sure. And when the polite police- 
 man informs him which Way he must go in order to reach his hotel, then 
 our visitor feels positively certain that this bluecoat is in the same con- 
 spiracy with the river, streets and parks, for he knows that his hotel lies 
 to the south because he has walked in a northerly direction and now 
 this policeman tells him to walk still further to the north. He looks at 
 the sun. "What, and you too!" we fancy that he exclaims in disgust; 
 for it is nearly noon and the sun seems to stand high in the north! ' 
 
 Our visitor is thoroughly bewildered by now and decides to take the 
 street car which, as the policeman assures him, passes right by his hotel. 
 After riding through some streets, none of which seem familiar to him, 
 he finds himself in front of his hotel before he is aware of the fact. 
 
 Still, all of this does not begin to tell of the charm and beauty of S.'.n 
 Antonio and the writer feels that his talents are not commensurate with 
 the task. San Antonio must be seen to be appreciated. In a brief 
 description it might be stated: 
 
 San Antonio is situated in a delightful valley, surrounded on all sides 
 by verdant hills, now suburbs of the city proper; on both banks and at 
 the head of a charming little river which bears the name of the city. An 
 altitude of 600 feet above sea level assures the healthfulness of the city 
 whilst its proximity to the Gulf coast causes cooling breezes to blow 
 during the summer months and prevents painful cold during the winter 
 months. The climate is ideal throughout the year. 
 
 There are in San Antonio twenty-six parks and plazas, covering a 
 total area of 428 acres. They abound with tropical plants; palms, trees, 
 shrubs and flowers. There is on Alamo Plaza a certain tree whose 
 genus proximum and differentia specialis remained a riddle to our San 
 Antonio savants until a few years ago when it was shown to a visiting 
 professor of botany. After walking around it a few times and inspecting 
 it closely, the professor took his pocket knife and removed a small section 
 from the bark. Eureka! the riddle was solved. The plain, every day 
 
the Early Days in Texas 11 
 
 cork was visible to everybody. Tlie tree is a cork oak, qercus illex, 
 whose home is in. southern Europe and northern Africa and is especially 
 abundant in Spain and Portugal. It is a reminder of a former civiliza- 
 tion. Similar surprises may be found in every park of San Antonio. 
 
 San Antonio can justly be proud of its inexhaustible supply of ipurest 
 artesian water. If it be true that the water supply and its quality can 
 be taken as a criterion of the health of a community and the longevity 
 of its citizens, then San Antonio has indeed very little use for physicians 
 and undertakers. 
 
 Here are miles of paved streets, here are well built roads, radiating 
 for miles and miles into the country. Here is a street railway system 
 which furnishes transportation to the furthest hill, to the remotest suburb. 
 Here is a splendid sanitary drainage system whose net covers the entire 
 city; here are gas, electric light and power plants large enough to take 
 care of a city many timies the size of present day San Antonio. Here 
 are factories and farms; irrigated gardens to fill the market hall with 
 fresh vegetables all the year around; here are gardens which enhance 
 home and park with their multicolored beauty. 
 
 Here are modern hoines in the advanced sense of the word; here are 
 Mexican huts, remnants of centuries gone by. Here are skyscraoers, 
 triumphs of architecture and American genius; here are missions that 
 tell of an art of building that almost has been lost. Beyond and between 
 the days of missions and modern office buildings; beyond and between 
 the times of modern residence and Mexican hut there lies the story of 
 San Antonio, The Beautiful. 
 
 There cannot be much attempt at originality in telling this story. 
 All of it has been told by different authors at various times: it is only a 
 joining, a synthesis which is attem;pted in this sketch. All that is intended 
 is to furnish, as nearly as possible, a correct story of the romance of 
 San Antonio in chronological order. 
 
12 History of San Antonio and 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 THE PREHISTORIC CIVILIZATION OF TEXAS AND 
 
 SAN ANTONIO 
 
 WTHEN the Spaniards discovered Mexico (1517-1519), this mighty 
 ^^ empire was ruled by an emperor called Montezuma; a simililarity 
 with Japan where the emperor is called Mikado. The empire was an 
 alliance of various Indian tribes; the most powerful ones were the Azteks 
 and the Tezcucans; both were kingdoms and had their families of royal 
 lineage of kings. The king of the Azteks also was the Montezuma of 
 Mexico; like the king of Prussia used to be the emperor of Germany, 
 
 The story of San Antonio and of Texas is intimately connected with 
 the story of the Tezcucan kingdom; from this tribe of Indians the Empire 
 State of Texas derives its name and the territory of the Indian kingdom 
 covered the greatest part of our state. 
 
 Tezcucan has various ipronunciations. Some pronounce it Tehuan; 
 others prefer Tejuchan or Techuhan (the / and the ch are guttural 
 sounds.) This explains that in early times the word Texas was written 
 and pronounced Texas, Tejas or Techas, and Tehas. The customary 
 American spelling and pronunciation is Texas; the Mexicans still persist 
 in pronouncing it Tejas, Techas and Tehas. Take your choice. 
 
 Several distinct surprises were furnished to the Spaniards when they 
 came into contact with the inhabitants of the Mexican Empire. Their 
 first expedition to the peninsula of Yucatan was spoiled entirely by the 
 bravery and warlike disposition of the natives, who forced the Spaniards 
 to return to Cuba minus 52 of their bravest and best warriors and with 
 their leader, Hernandez de Cordova, mortally wounded; for he died 
 shortly afterwards from the effects of the wounds which he received in 
 the battle. 
 
 Unlike to every other tribe of savages who, heretofore, had been 
 encountered on the newly discovered Western Hemisphere, these people 
 did not run about naked but were dressed in clothes made of well woven 
 cotton materials. They did not live in miserable huts, caves or dugouts 
 but in houses, substantially built out of rocks. There were large 
 buildings with domes; churches or temples with steeples and, wonderful 
 to relate, a number of the latter were embellished with crosses. The 
 surprise of the Spaniards at this sight was so great that they named 
 the country New Spain, because its appearance reminded them of their 
 home country some thousands and odd miles to the east. With regard 
 to the crosses it is quite interesting to note that Ferdinand Cortez, the 
 conqueror of Mexico, named the first Spanish colony which he founded 
 in New Spain Villa nca de la vera cruz — ^the rich city of the true cross — 
 a name which, till date, is preserved as Vera Cruz, a port in the Gulf of 
 Mexico near which the first Spanish colony was located. 
 
the Eizrly Days in Texas 13 
 
 During and after the gjibjugatlon of the migthy empire of the Monte- 
 zumas more astonishing discoveries were made which brought still 
 greater proof of the high state of civilization of the inhabitants; a 
 civilization less enigmatic at that time than it is today when its origin, 
 to a large extent, is sufmise only, Our present day knowledge of this 
 civilization is taken from tradition and stories which are more or less 
 correct and trustworthy. The reason for this deplorable fact is to be 
 found in the wantonly cruel and unjustifiably destructive actions of the 
 Spaniards. 
 
 The Tezcucans and the Azteks, civilized as they were in other respects, 
 did not know, however, the art of writing with letters. They employed 
 hieroglyphics of the cuneiform type: very similar to the characters used 
 by the presemitic inhabitants of Mesopotamia, about 6,000 years ago. 
 By means of these cuneiforms they had preserved their history and 
 knowledge on large pictures and walls. There was one book which 
 deserves special mention: the Theoomoxitli, their divine book, the Mexi- 
 can equivalent of our Bible. This book had been compiled by the most 
 learned men of the entire empire, who had been called to Tula for this 
 purpose by the second king of the Pultecs. Under the leadership and 
 supervision of Huematzin, the Moses of the Mexicans, these savants 
 compiled their history, a description of the heavens — a cosmography 
 which embodied their knowledge of the planets and their constellations, 
 the division of time, their calendar, their mythology, the secrets and 
 customs of their faith and religion as well as their doctrine of morals. 
 All of this was recorded by means of cuneiforms and, difficult as the 
 task might have been, yet they could have been deciphered with a. fair 
 degree of accuracy had not the Spaniards destroyed these walls, books 
 and pictures. Not satisfied with this unpardonable destruction, they also 
 exterminated the priests of the Azteks and Tezcucans; those savants and 
 guardians of prehistoric learning and civilization, who were in the same 
 relation to the Indians as our professors and teachers are to our present 
 day knowledge and civilization. From the stories of those who were 
 so fortunate as to see and partly decipher these cuneiforms before they 
 were destroyed; from the few remnants of the hieroglyphics and from 
 the works of the native historian Ixtilrochitli, contemporary of Cortez 
 and a member of the royal house of Tezcucan, the knowledge is obtain- 
 ed which we have of the civilization of the Tezcucans and Azteks. 
 
 According to these fragmentary stories, carefully pieced together, the 
 Empire of the Montezumas existed not quite three hundred years at the 
 time when it was "discovered" by the Spaniards. Its astonishing 
 civilization was not peculiar to the tribes of that country; it had been 
 brought down from the northwestern part of the Western Hemisphere 
 by other tribes. Principal among these were the tribes of the Pultecs 
 and Tezcucans who, most probably, wandered into the region of Andhuac 
 during the seventh century after Christ, (about 648.) They were 
 agriculturists and tradesmen, especially skilled in the art of making 
 utensils and articles out of metals. In and around Tula, where they 
 
14 History of San Antonio and 
 
 located their capital city, they erected fine and substantial buildings; the 
 ruins and remnants of their architectonical skill are today to be found 
 in this vicinity. 
 
 About the year lOSl they migrated again, at least the major portion 
 of the tribe. They settled in Central America and on the islands of 
 that vicinity. The majestic ruins in the country of Mitla and Palenque 
 are more remnants of their skill. 
 
 Those of the Pultec tribe who remained in Andhuac were subjected, 
 about the year 1170, by the savage tribe of the Chicemecs who, in turn, 
 were overcome by the civilized tribe of the Tezcucans. The Tezcucan 
 tribe, about and before this time, were also known by the name 
 Alcolhuans . 
 
 The Azteks had ejnigrated from the country situated north of the 
 Gulf of California about the year 1160 and, traveling southward, arrived 
 at Tula in the year 1196. After more traveling and more adventures 
 they came to the lake Tezcuco, comjnonly spelled Tezcoco, where the 
 Tezcucans had founded their capital city on an island in this lake. An 
 alliance was formed by the kingdoms of the Tezcucans, the Azteks. and 
 the Tlapocans. The king of the most powerful tribe, the Azteks, was 
 declared Montezuma, i. e. the emperor. The Tezcucan capital was 
 made the capital of the new empire, and, in deference to the war god of 
 the Azteks, capital and ejmpire were called Mexitii or Mexico. Thus the 
 epipire of Mexico came into existence and it is said that its capital on 
 the island Tezcuco surpassed in splendor and size the City of Mexico 
 of today. 
 
 The alliance proved a haippy one and the empire grew by leaps and 
 bounds. About the middle of the fifteenth century, under the reign of 
 the first of the Montezu.mas, it extended from the table lands to and 
 along the entire Gulf of Mexico. Year after year the victorious armies 
 returned to the capital, laden with treasures of gold and silver and 
 bringing with them thousands of prisoners. Capable sovereigns 
 increased and multiplied the resources of empire and kingdoms. At the 
 beginning of the sixteenth century the boundaries extended from the 
 Atlantic to the Pacific; under the capable leadership of the cruel but 
 daring chieftain Ahuizotl the triumphant arms of the empire were carried 
 far beyond its boundaries, even into the farthest corners of Guatemala 
 and Nicaragua. 
 
 The various tribes had acquired and preserved a thorough knowledge 
 of the topography of the countries which they traversed during their 
 migratory periods and this knowledge was put to splendid use. They 
 built highways, main thoroughfares, from one part of the empire to the 
 other, even far beyond their own boundaries, if they admitted of any 
 boundaries at all. Connection with the various provinces and kingdoms 
 as well as intercourse with them were maintained over these roads by 
 means of messengers. At distances, about two leagues apart, there 
 were erected along these highways a sort of postoffices, or relay stations. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 15 
 
 At every station a tried and trusted runner awaited the arrival of his 
 comrade from, the preceding station, ready to relieve the fatigued messen- 
 ger, to take his burden or message and and to proceed with it swiftly 
 to the next station where he, in turn, was relieved by another comrade. 
 In this manner it was possible to carry message or merchandise, even 
 fresh fish from the waters of the Gulf, ISO to 200 miles into the interior 
 of the empire within the incredibly short time of one single day. 
 
 All these roads led to the City of Mexico; as all roads led to Rome 
 during the days of the Latin Republic and Empire. Built in a direction 
 as straight as the crow flies, these roads were not only used for peaceful 
 purposes but they were also the military highways over which traveled 
 the conquering armies, either in quest of more glory, riches and prisoners, 
 or to subdue some obstreperous tribe and to enforce the levy of a 
 tribute. 
 
 Remnants of these roads are found nearly everywhere in the United 
 States and Mexico and among these there is one which deserves special 
 mention and description in this sketch because it forms the center of the 
 stage on which the drama of San Antonio and Texas was enacted: 
 the Old San Antonio Road, also called Camino Real and King's Highway. 
 
 Starting from the City of Mexico, this road proceeds towards the 
 northeast for a distance of nearly a thousand miles, until it crosses the 
 Rio Grande del Norte at Presidio, Texas. Straight northeast its course 
 continues, passes by the Espada and San Antonio Missions, in front of 
 the Cathedral de San Fernando, through the northeast corner of San 
 Pedro Park on to and beyond the northeastern boundary of Texas, near 
 Nacogdoches, La. It passes through some of the most delightful country 
 in the whole world, the finest agricultural and grazing lands; partly 
 through a most tenacious mud, partly through the deepest and most 
 aggravating sand; it crosses our most beautiful rivers and traverses 
 our most fertile valleys. 
 
 Its course is marked by traces of Indian villages and settlements, 
 always found in the most advantageous locations. Chief among them is 
 the site of San Antonio, The Beautiful. 
 
 At San Pedro Springs there stands today a rock house whose origin 
 is shrouded in the deepest of mysteries. The keeper of the park makes 
 his habitat in this building and he might, perhaps, tell of the spirits of 
 the Tezcucan braves who haunt him in the depth of the night. For 
 here begins a most beautiful valley, luxuriant with an abundance of 
 grass; near here are the hills which, at one time, were crowned with a 
 primeval forest, the range of the deer, the turkey, the antilope, the bear 
 and the lion. In this vicinity originates that twisting, curving, turning 
 little stream: a never failing source of fresh water. Here is the site of 
 one of the main Tezcucan settlements — the scene of many a bloody 
 encounter for possession. 
 
 This suggestion is borne out by the finding of numerous spearheads 
 knives, tomahawks and other instruments of savage warfare, together 
 
16 History of San Antonio and 
 
 with useful utensils in 1878, when excavations were made at the head 
 of our river in order to provide a raceway for the old waterworks. The 
 great number and the different styles of relics found at various depths 
 lead to the conclusion that San Antonio was considered a highly valuable 
 site for settlement and community of humans long before the white man 
 set foot on the Western Hemisphere. 
 
 About this remarkable, ancient highway on which lies San Antonio, 
 it remains to be told that, a few years ago, the state legislature appro- 
 priated the sum of $5,000 for the purpose of surveying it and of definitely 
 marking its course. This work was entrusted to Major V. N. Ziveley, 
 and he has prepared a topographical map of the road in fourteen sections. 
 With zealous care he has noted all its outlines and features: the sites of 
 the Indian villages, the mounds, the trees and the missions of later date. 
 His map proves that the road originated in the very earliest of times; 
 that its turns mark the locations of villages, settlements, forts and 
 missions. He determined that the decimal figures of the road prove, 
 beyond a doubt, that the Spaniards made use of this highway in defining 
 boundaries of grants and tracts of land. 
 
 Another noteworthy fact which has come to light by this survey is 
 that it has shown this road to be the natural highway across our state; 
 that it offers the line of least resistance by having less grades than any 
 road that might be constructed today from and to the given points; 
 that, besides, it is possessed of a natural roadbed. It practically forms a 
 straight line across our state from: the southwest to the northeast. 
 
 These facts, brought out but recently, speak volumes of praise for 
 the civilization of the Tezcucans and the mighty empire of Mexico, which 
 reached the zenith of its power and glory during the reign of the 
 Second of the Montezumas, the ninth king of the Azteks. Untold wealth 
 had been accumulated and continued to flow over these highways into 
 the treasuries of Montezuma, kings, nobles and native priests. The tried 
 and trusty warriors were counted by the hundreds of thousands, if not 
 by the millions. 
 
 It was at this period of time when Cortez made his landing in Mexico 
 and, with his handful of men, incited by the wonderful stories told by 
 the natives of the immense treasures of gold, silver, pearls and precious 
 stones, hoarded in the City of Mexico, decided to conquer this mighty 
 empire or perish in the attemipt. An undertaking so daring had no 
 precedent in history up to that time and the feat has not been duplicated 
 since that time. The veiy contemplation of the task seems to speak 
 against it and makes its success appear improbable if not impossible. 
 The conquest of Mexico would, indeed, have been impossible if the greed 
 of government, of Montezuma, nobles and priests had not undermined 
 the solid foundation of the empire. 
 
 Together with the increase of power and wealth, the government of 
 the Montezumas had grown into an arbitrary despotism,. Within the 
 short period of three centuries all the riches, the possession of the best 
 
the Early Days in Texas 17 
 
 agricultural lands and of the gold and silver mines had passed into the 
 ownership of a few kings and nobles, notwithstanding the fact that 
 Mexico and the surrounding territories are, intrinsically, some of the 
 richest, if not the very richest, countries in the world. Their resources 
 have barely been touched, even to this date. 
 
 The lot of the poor people, of the vanquished and weaker tribes, had 
 become more and more intolerable. The contributions which were 
 exacted from them and the levies that were laid upon them, cruelly and 
 inexorably, had spread dissatisfaction throughout the empire. Why 
 wonder then, if numbers without end of the disgruntled people joined 
 forces with the strange white chieftain who had come to subdue their 
 oppressor? Why wonder then, that these weaker tribes took a terrible 
 revenge on their oppressors when the City of Mexico finally fell into the 
 hands of the combined forces of strangers and insurgents.' Forty 
 thousand men, women and children were slaughtered, horribly butchered 
 by the infuriated forces of their former slaves. The victims had con- 
 sidered themselves secure on that island in the lake Tezcuco where the 
 first City of Mexico was located. Connected with the mainland by only 
 three narrow dams, well fortified and easily defended; the city itself was 
 considered impregnable with its two thousand temples, each one a power- 
 ful fort manned by tried warriors flushed with the victory, of countless, 
 hard-fought battles. Its fall furnished another proof of the weakness 
 and fallacy of all human calculations. It occurred in the year 1521. 
 
 The most powerful of the insurgent tribes who assisted Cortez to 
 immortality and fame was the tribe of the Tlaxcalans. They have a 
 tradition of the conquering of the Montezuma and a story of their own, 
 native hero, who, in their opinion, was the primeval and principal cause 
 of the downfall of the Mexican empire. The story is worthy of repetition. 
 
 The Mexicans were wont to sacrifice their prisoners of war to their 
 war god Mexitli, or Huitapochtli. These unfortunates were fastened on 
 a rock of sacrifice called Temalacatl, their breast cut open with a knife 
 made of flint, their beating heart torn out with tongs, offered to the sun 
 and then, with a golden spoon, put into the mouth of the image of 
 Mexitli. Seventy thousand humans are said to have thus been butchered 
 upon occasion of the dedication of the new rock temple. It was the 
 custom that at least twenty thousand prisoners should be sacrificed each 
 year. 
 
 The temalacatl was located in the centre of a spacious terrace where 
 it could be seen by the attending multitude. One of these rocks was 
 excavated in the old City of Mexico after it had been buried several 
 hundred years. It is a little over three feet high, perfectly round and 
 has a diameter of 9>4 feet. Twenty figures are chiseled around the 
 rock in high relief, representing a Mexican warrior in the act of placing 
 his hand on the head of another, probably conquered and hostile warrior, 
 whilst the latter, in token of his subjugation, hands him some flowers. 
 The top of the rock is flat and in its centre there is a ring. 
 
18 History of San Antonio and 
 
 Not every prisoner of war was executed without having a chance for 
 his life. When a chieftain or leader, or other warrior of bravery and 
 fame, was taken captive he was given the chance to battle for his life 
 and liberty on this rock. He was provided with a wooden helmet and 
 also with a shield and sword of the same material. The blade of the 
 sword, however, was inlaid with sharp pieces of chalcedonic quartz and 
 thus made a weapon of fearful severity. The right foot of the prisoner 
 was fastened to the ring and sufficient iplay was left him to move his 
 foot forward and backward. A Mexican brave, protected and armed 
 precisely as the captive, now mounted the rock and then began a life 
 and death duel. It frequently happened that the captive was victorious 
 in this contest and, when fortune had favored him to such an extent 
 as to permit him to triumph over six opponents, he was given his liberty, 
 loaded with presents and permitted to return to his native tribe. 
 
 Tlahuicol, the famous chief of the Tlaxcalan tribe, had been taken 
 prisoner by the Mexicans. The Tlaxcalans assert that their chief 
 permitted himself to be taken for strategic reasons of his own. Out of 
 respect and friendship the second Montezuma offered him; his liberty. 
 Tlahuicol refused the offer and gave as reason that the fact of his being 
 taken as prisoner had cast a lasting dishonor upon his character and he 
 requested the privilege to die fighting on the temalacatl. After several 
 attempts had been made to shake his determination, Montezuma the 
 Second finally granted the request of his illustrious captive. As a iprelude 
 glorious celebrations, feasts for the people, were held for a whole week 
 and, after their conclusion, Tlahuicol was fastened on the rock of sacrifice. 
 No less than twenty-nine of the best and bravest Mexican chiefs and 
 leaders faced this terrible warrior. Eight of them died on the rock, 
 twenty of them fell from the rock mortally wounded. The twenty-ninth 
 opponent, at last, felled the Tlaxcalan brave with a powerful blow on 
 the head. Before Tlahuicol's breast was cut open and his heart fed to 
 Mexitli, he manged to send word to his tribe to rise and rebel against 
 their oppressors because they no longer had any chiefs and leaders 
 worth the mentioning. It is said that the tribe received this message 
 from their dying chief about the time when Cortez landed in Mexico 
 and that the Tlaxcalans promptly decided to join the white chief whom 
 they regarded as sent to them by their gods. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 19 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 THE ELUSIVE CITY OF GOLD 
 
 /^ORTEZ returned to Spain in 1S28 and found that the fame of his 
 ^^ conquest had ipreceded him. The story of the newly conquered 
 empire, of its inexhaustible riches and treasures of gold, silver and 
 precious stones had spread throughout the kingdom of Spain. With 
 each repetition of the story, the wonderful riches became more wonderful; 
 the amount of precious nietals and stones grew more inexhaustible — if 
 this were possible: even as stories are apt to thrive with each repetition 
 in our days of unsurpassed civilization. 
 
 Thousands of Spaniards left for Mexico in quest of fortune and 
 fame. The era of the conquistadores reached its culmination. History 
 has dealt with these fearless men no differently than with other great 
 men: 
 
 " The evil that men do 
 
 Lives after them, whilst the good is oft 
 Interred with their bones. So let it be 
 
 With Caesar " 
 
 and, taking Shakespeare's permission for granted, the same courtesy may 
 be accorded to the conquistadores. 
 
 The new empire was explored by land and by sea. In the year 1528 
 Pamphilus de Narvaez landed on the coast of Florida, in a harbor 
 which he named Santa Cruz, which today, is known by the name of 
 Pensacola. . With him there was a large expedition of missionaries, 
 colonists and soldiers. After many weary months of plodding through 
 an almost impenetrable wilderness, finding no cities and no communities 
 worthy of the name, these pioneers decided to return to Mexico and 
 attempted the voyage on frail vessels which they, themselves, had con- 
 structed. Nearly all of them perished without leaving a trace: all but 
 one boat load of them who were cast ashore on an island in Matagorda 
 Bay, Texas. The native Indians called this island Auia; the Spaniards 
 named it Malhado — misfortune. 
 
 Some historians place the number of these shipwrecked people at 
 eighty, others at forty. Their number matters little; the historical fact, 
 however, stands out pre-eminently: these were the first white people to 
 set foot on Texas soil. They fared badly on that little island which 
 furnished them only with a scant sustenance. Starvation and disease 
 steadily reduced their number until just four of them were alive. These 
 four managed to reach the mainland only to be made captives and slaves 
 by the Indians. For a number of years they remained in captivity, doing 
 all kinds of menial labor always, however, plotting and, finally, making 
 their escape. They promptly started on their journey westward, towards 
 the City of Mexico. It seems, from the description of their journey, that 
 
20 History of San Antonio and 
 
 they crossed the river Brazos somewhere north of Austin and followed 
 the Old San Antonio Trail. After innumerable hardships and countless 
 adventures — a veritable Odyssey — they arrived in the City of Mexico in 
 the year 1S36. 
 
 These four were first to inform the Spaniards of the seven wonderfully 
 rich cities which, as they had been informed by the Indians, were situated 
 somewhere north of the route which they had followed. They also wrote 
 a readable account of their journey and the lack of space only forbids 
 its repetition in this sketch. In this narrative they filed one complaint 
 against our climate which needs correction: Tanto viento el norte por 
 invierno, que aun los pescados se hielan dentro de la mar de frio — such 
 a north wind blows in the winter that the fish in the sea freeze from the 
 cold — an exaggeration which every good Texan will repudiate most 
 emphatically, especially here in San Antonio where winter after winter 
 a temperature is registered no lower than the temperature of the disap- 
 pointed plumbers, who have waited in vain all winter long that our 
 ex;posed water pipes should freeze. 
 
 Now started the quest and search for the Kingdom of the Tehas 
 and the Seven Cities with their alleged store of gold. Fray Marcos, an 
 Italian friar from Nice, resolved to find the Seven Cities. He had 
 accompanied Pizzaro in the conquest of Peru, was well versed in the 
 arts of navigation and cosmography and highly esteemed among his 
 confreres for his piety and virtue. On this trip he started out accom- 
 panied only by another lay brother, who promptly took sick at the very 
 outset and returned; one negro guide, Stephan by name, one of the four 
 survivors who had crossed the state of Texas, and a few Indians as 
 messengers and helpers. They pressed on to the north from Mexico 
 City and, when they reached the Sonora Valley, brother Mark sent the 
 negro ahead of him with the instruction to send him a token as soon 
 as he had made any discoveries. A cross the length of one hand should 
 be the sign that he had discovered something, the size of two hands if 
 the discovery should happen to be of some note and a large cross was 
 to be sent in case he found something "great." Four days later a 
 messenger returned to brother Mark with a cross the size of a man and 
 told an almost incredible tale of the cities which were situated about a 
 thirty days' journey to the north, immensely rich with precious stones. 
 The brother, in the memorandum of his triip, called the cities Cibola 
 and hurried forward amidst great hardships and privations. When, at 
 last, he was near the cities one of the Indians came running to him, 
 "his face and body all covered with sweat," and informed him that the 
 negro Stephan and all of his companions had been taken prisoners by the 
 Indians and executed before his eyes. This was sad news indeed. In 
 the evening twilight Fray Marcos cautiously approached the cities, raised 
 a cross and took possession of the territory. Daring no more he retraced 
 his steps towards Mexico City, weary and without provisions; as he 
 himself tersely stated it: me volvi con harto nids temor que comida — 
 filled more with fear than with something to eat. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 21 
 
 His return in Mexico City, empty-handed, was a great disappoint- 
 ment for Viceroy Mendoza. No gold had been found and no silver, only 
 a few turquoises, worn by Indian squaws, had been seen. Nevertheless, 
 the story of the Seven Cities, as it passed from mouth to mouth, grew 
 to immense proportions by the process of frequent repetition. Fray 
 Marcos had not been able to enter the cities, but they had seemed real 
 big and the buildings monumental to his clouded vision in- the dusk of 
 the evening. The fertile imagination of the Spaniards supplied with 
 ease what brother Mark had failed to discover. 
 
 There were many Spanish noblemen in the City of Mexico at that 
 time, and all were eager for Wealth, adventure and fame. No time was 
 lost in arranging an expedition that could and would take revenge for 
 the untimely death of the Arabian negro Stephan and his companions. 
 The Viceroy himself took an active and financial part in the equipment 
 and arrangement of the expedition. When it started out, in March, 
 1S40, there were three hundred Spanish cavaliers, all well mounted on 
 their own horses — some of them had two mounts, — a company of Spanish 
 foot soldiers and eight hundred Indian braves of the allied and friendly 
 tribes. Brother Mark acted as guide. This expedition was destined to 
 make a ipart of Texas history. 
 
 Towards July they came in sight of Cibola, the Seven Cities. The 
 Indians, informed by their spies, had prepared for a reception. They 
 had sent their women and children into the nearby mountains for safety; 
 their bravest warriors had fortified themselves in the strongest of the 
 Seven Cities. A fierce battle ensued in which Coronada, the commander- 
 in-chief, was wounded several times, and which finally turned in favor 
 of the Spaniards and left them in victorious possession of the Seven 
 Cities. The Indians made good their escape to Thunder Mountain, the 
 home of their war good. 
 
 Great was the disappointment of the Spaniards when no gold and 
 no silver was found in the captured cities. Nothing was there but 
 stores of beans and maize. Yet the Spaniards, whose provisions had 
 become very scant, relished frijoles and tortillas with a keener apipetite 
 than they did their former sumptuous banquets in the City of Mexico. 
 They doctored their wounds and generally recuperated from the eff'ects 
 of their strenuous march. Poor brother Mark! they dubbed him "the 
 lying monk," entirely forgetful of the fact the brother had told them 
 the truth arid that the gold and silver was the fruit of their fertile 
 ijnagination. The houses which brother Mark had seen from a safe 
 distance in the dim twilight and which he had judged to be structures 
 of solid rock, proved to be terraced community houses built of adobe 
 mud; of the kind which the more primitive Indians of the Southwest 
 were accustomed to construct. These houses were sometimes built 
 around an open place called patio which was also the front of the 
 houses, whilst their rear walls was all that was visible to the outside 
 world. These walls, sometimes 20-30 feet high, were terraced towards 
 the patio, each terrace being a. room. The Indians entered these rooms 
 
22 History of San Antonio and 
 
 by means of ladders; there were no doors, an aperture in the roof 
 served as entrance. Of course, one terrace after the other had to be 
 scaled. These buildings were good forts and easily defended and, seen 
 from a distance, are very deceptive. Brother Mark should have received 
 a ready pardon for the mistake which an optical illusion had caused 
 him to make. 
 
 From Cibola as headquarters the Spaniards started several exploring 
 expeditions. One of these parties, under the leadership of Alvarado, 
 discovered the beautiful country near Albuquerque, New Mexico, where 
 the Indians were friendly. Coronada decided to pitch his winter quar- 
 ters at this place. The Valley of the Rio Grande near Albuquerque is 
 fertile and beautiful; the country abounded in game and fish; and what- 
 ever else the Spaniards might have needed was obligingly furnished them 
 by the friendly Indians. There really was no cause for dissatisfaction, 
 only that the bauble of gold was constantly before their mental vision. 
 
 On one of these expeditions Alvarado met with a strange looking 
 Indian. Not only were his tracings of paint different from the facial 
 decoration of the Albuquerque Indians but he also wore entirely different 
 habiliments. His appearance reminded the Spaniards so much of the 
 Turks that they nicknamed him El Turco. But what a story this Turk 
 did tell! In his country, far off to the southeast, there was a large city 
 as full of gold as the vicinity of Albuquerque is full of boulders and 
 cobblestones. There was one street in this city inhabited by nobody else 
 but goldsmiths. Articles of gold, which the Spaniards had in their 
 , possession and which were shown to the Turk in order to elicit a favor- 
 able word of comparison, did not seem to interest the Indian at all. 
 Such trifles were not fit to be comi?ared with the articles made in his 
 home town. Evidently this Indian was the first of the "boost-your- 
 home-town" species. 
 
 Alvarado led his find to the commander-in-chief where the Turk 
 repeated his story with such telling effect that, on the spot, he was 
 appointed official guide, the Grand Leader of the proud expedition, which 
 was to start in spring as soon as the weather ameliorated. 
 
 Of course there were some disgruntled conquistadores in camp who 
 did not approve of their leader's plan; who did not consider the game 
 worth the price but favored a speedy return to Mexico. They did not 
 believe this story of the Turk. The commander-in-chief was equal to 
 the occasion; for he seems to have had a working knowledge of the 
 argumentative prowess of a high sounding slogan when pitted against 
 sound reason. Directly the camp reverberated with "Quien vivird, verd," 
 meaning that those who should survive the hardships of the coming 
 trip should also have the pleasure of viewing the gold. Students of 
 sociology may find in this slogan, perhaps, the shortest definition of that 
 humane "survival of the fittest" philosophy. Still the slogan was not 
 brief enough to suit its advocates and, besides, some definite name had 
 to be coined for that fabulous city of gold. The now famous Gran Quivira 
 or Gran Quivera is the result of their mental efforts. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 23 
 
 History has stamped the Coronado expedition as a failure. When 
 he returned to the City of Mexico in the spring of 1S42 there were 
 barely one hundred stragglers left of that proud expedition which started 
 two years previous. No gold, no silver and no precious stones had been 
 found, no colonies established. But after all has been said there remains 
 the fact that Coronado had been in Texas, very close to San Antonio 
 and that the Gran Quivira failed to be'discovered by him only and alone 
 on account of the treachery of the Turk, his official guide. 
 
 If the reader will take a map of the United States and draw a 
 straight line from Albuquerque towards San Antonio, stopping with this 
 line at Kerville, (on some maps one-fourth of an inch or less due north 
 of San Antonio); then draw another line from this point due north 
 until it is of the same length as the first line, and from this point 
 continue back to Albuquerque, he will have constructed an equilateral 
 triangle. This triangle, in the order as drawn, marks the route followed 
 by Coronado and his expedition in quest of the Gran Quivira. 
 
 It is recorded that the Turk became treacherous after the expedition 
 had entered Texas and that he tried to lead it astray. At any rate 
 when the expedition arrived at the corner of the journey which is 
 situated furthest to the northeast, the Turk disappeared as mysteriously 
 as he had arrived. 
 
 Had this turk told a lot of lies.'' Was there no gold to be found in 
 the kingdom of the Tehas.'' or how can the conduct of the Turk be 
 explained? 
 
 There is one remarkable coincidence which seems to have escaped the 
 historians or it has not been deemed worthy of their notice and commen- 
 tary. At the same time when Coronado was in Texas, De Soto was on 
 the Mississippi, almost due east of Coronado, and it is very likely that 
 the two expeditions were, at times, only one hundred or less miles apart. 
 It cannot be said that De Soto and his expedition behaved creditably or 
 humaiiely towards the Indians. De Soto, like Coronado, was also in 
 quest of the gold in the Tejas kingdom. It is possible that the Turk 
 Was in constant touch with the chieftain of his tribe, and that this 
 chieftain, because he had learned of De Soto's conduct, induced the 
 Turk: to desist from the effort of bringing the strange white men into the 
 headquarters of the Tehas. It is possible that the intentions of the 
 Turk were the very best at the beginning; for the Tehas Indians always 
 were friendly towards the white man, to such an extent even that the 
 word Tehas became synonymous with the word friend. It is possible 
 that the exaggerations ascribed to him originated in the fertile brain 
 of the Spaniards; for there are several precedents that such things did 
 happen. After these considerations there still remains the question of 
 the presence of gold. Is or was there no gold to be found in Texas? Is 
 the Gran Quivira an illusion only? 
 
 Shortly before the Civil War prospecting for the location of old 
 Indian mines was actively pushed by some enterprising citizens ot ban 
 
24- History of San Antonio and 
 
 Antonio, but the rebellion and the war put an end to the enterprise. The 
 matter again became one of public discussion after the railroads entered 
 our city; for with the new facilities of transportation, a great many- 
 difficulties had been overcome. Numbers of San Antonio citizens started 
 out to find the old Indian mines, said to be located somewhere north or 
 northwest of our city. Gossip had it that the fabulous wealth of 
 Geronimo, the famous Indian outlaw, which enabled him to offer his 
 weight in gold for his liberty, had been taken from these mines. 
 
 An old citizen of San Antonio, one of the most active and persistent 
 prospectors, wrote the following interesting account of the Gran Quivira. 
 Please bear in mind that this account was written some thirty or forty 
 years ago: 
 
 "But little is known of the great mineral wealth of Texas which, 
 some day, will be found equal to the richest in Mexico. Having lived 
 in this great state over thirty-two years, my father, Henry Castro, having 
 colonized that portion of Western Texas, situated west of San Antonio, 
 I will give you what little information I have gathered from tradition 
 or otherwise. 
 
 "The archives of Coahuila and Texas have been so much purloined 
 that nothing is found concerning the minerals of Texas, either in San 
 Antonio, Monterey or Saltillo, but, no doubt, some interesting documents 
 could still be found in the archives of the City of Mexico. In the last 
 century silver mines were worked in the city of Palafoz, Webb county; 
 on the Frio, in Uvalde county and on various creeks in what is known 
 today as Llano and San Saba counties. Gold was found in the Rio 
 Grande above Laredo. It is said to have been found in San Miguel. 
 In the year 1757 several Spaniards worked the mines called El Espi- 
 nazo de Judas and Los Almagres situated in the hills of Llano and San 
 Saba counties. I saw in a report to a commanding officer at San Antonio 
 where one of the Spaniards, who had some of his men killed by the 
 Lipan Indians, followed them with a detachment of soldiers stationed 
 at the San Saba Fort, as we gall it, and overtook them near the mouths 
 of San Saba and Colorado, killing some of them. It is not known why 
 these mines were abandoned, but it can readily be supposed that all the 
 tribes of Indians having united in war against them, the Spaniards, 
 owing to their small number, were forced to abandon them; for in 17S8 
 an important campaign against the wild Indians was organized at the 
 Presidio de Bexar, under the command of Don Diego Ortiz de Padilla 
 (whose report I have not been able to procure yet.) 
 
 In a report upon the situation of New Spain, made by the Viceroy, 
 Count of Revilla, Gigedo, to the King of Spain, dated Mexico, 27th of 
 December, 1793, I find the following, viz: 
 
 " 'In Texas * * * there are silver mines in the hills of this 
 extensive country; but more particularly in those known as el Espinazo 
 de Judas (Judas' backbone) and Los Almagres (red ochre), distant, 
 more or less fifty leagues (131 3-4 miles) north of the capital of the 
 province, which is the town of San Fernando (San Antonio).' 
 
the Early Days in Texas 25 
 
 "In the year 1822, Don Salvador Cansaco, a resident of the town of 
 Presidio del Rio Grande, describes the mines called Los Amagres in his 
 petition, as being situated in the territory of San Saba, in the Province 
 of Tejas, forty leagues, more or less, or a little over one hundred Ameri- 
 can miles from San Antonio. Some persons residing in Bexar have 
 brought specimens of the gold and silver ore, but have not devoted 
 themselves to the working of these mines through fear of the Indians. 
 
 "Upon the petition of this citizen Cansaco an inquiry was ordered by 
 Don Anastasio Bustamente, commanding the Eastern and Western 
 Internal Provinces, directed to Colonel Gasper Lopez, commanding the 
 Provinces of Coahuila and Texas, which resulted in the following inter- 
 esting report, made to the Emperor Iturbide by Captain Sebastian 
 Rodriguez Biedma. (This report, with other interesting documents, was 
 given by Mr. Rejers, Secretary of State of Nuevo Leon, to T. A. 
 Quintero, who translated it. The same was published in the Texas 
 Almanac of 1868): 
 "'To His Imperial Majesty: 
 
 " 'Sebastian Rodriguez Biedma, a captain in the regular army, of the 
 Eastern Internal Provinces, and Director of the Military Academy, 
 established at Monclova for the instruction of Spanish cadets, with great 
 respect, states: 
 
 "That upon the San Saba Hills, course northwest from San Antonio, 
 and about forty-five leagues from said town (one hundred and eighteen 
 miles), there are mines of unsurpassed richness, known as Los Almagres, 
 which, judging from, their outward appearance, promise more wealth 
 than that produced by any of the most famous of San Luis Potosi, 
 Zacatecas and Guanajuato. I do not hesitate to make this statement, 
 being convinced of that fact by my own eyes, and, therefore, I do not 
 doubt that the information given on the subject, both by the Deputy of 
 the Province and the Municipality, will correspond with the assertions 
 made in this report. 
 
 " 'Some other persons have seen the above mentioned mines, and 
 brought specimens of the ore, taken from the veins on the surface, which 
 have been tried and found to yield much silver. I believe that it will 
 not be necessary to make any other expenses for the working of said mines 
 than those for the purchase of implements and utensils, and the erection 
 of some cabins for the miners. I am satisfied that the immediate yield 
 of these mines will be more than sufficient to defray the expenses of the 
 work. 
 
 " 'I heard of the richness of these mines since I was stationed at 
 Corpus Christi. I afterwards saw some specimens at San Antonio de 
 Bexar, and I analyzed them with best results. I was then in active 
 service, with no influence to promote the undertaking; and, of course, 
 did not take any steps in the matter; but having recently, under 
 accompanying commission (which I desire to be returned to me) pro- 
 ceeded to San Saba iHills to make the necessary exploration, I have to 
 
26 History of San Antonio and 
 
 report, not only that said mines exist, but that I believe them to be of 
 great richness. 
 
 " 'Therefore your Imperial Majesty may order that a detachment 
 of three hundred and fifty cavalrymen be stationed at the place called 
 Los Almagres, with the object of protecting the new settlement to be 
 made. As soon as this is ordered, many of the inhabitants of the 
 province will congregate there and build up a town. However great the 
 care of the government may be under the present circumstances, the 
 small number of three hundred and fifty men will not diminish the forces 
 of the Empire nor increase its expenses. The latter are comparatively 
 small if we consider the great advantages to be derived from the settle- 
 ment of Los Almagres, which undoubtedly will be followed by the 
 subjugation of the Indians, the increase of our population and the 
 circulation of silver. 
 
 " 'The undersigned does not aspire to any other glory than the one 
 he will gain by seeing his plans carried out. 
 
 "'(Signed) Sebastian Rodriguez. 
 '"Monclova, January 23, 1823.' 
 
 "Owing to the abdication of the Emperor Iturbide, which took place 
 March 19, 1823, Captain Biedma's plan was not carried out. Count 
 de la Beaume, who then resided in San Antonio, visited the mines and 
 sent some specimens to the City of Mexico. It is said that specimens 
 of gold from the Almagres mines were presented Baron von Humboldt 
 while in the City of Mexico, and that he declared the same to be the 
 finest he had ever seen. 
 
 "I have heard it stated that Colonel Bowie (the same who fell 
 gloriously with the defenders of the Alamo in 1836), had in his posses- 
 sion all the documents concerning these mines, and that they were 
 probably lost in the Alamo. 
 
 "Colonel Bowie, in company with twelve others, some time previous 
 to the declaration of independence of Texas (183S) started to explore the 
 San Saba mines, but, while encamped near them, the party was attacked 
 by one hundred and twenty Toncoway Indians. They retreated to the 
 banks of the San Saba river, entrenching themselves, standing a siege of 
 several days, killing many Indians and having only one of their party 
 wounded. Bowie's party, not being in sufficient numbers, gave up, for 
 the time, the idea of exploring said mines, returned to San Antonio and 
 dispersed. 
 
 "Some time ago, an old Mexican, who had accompanied Captain 
 Bledma on his exploration of the San Saba mines as a blacksmith's boy, 
 was still living in San Antonio, and may, although very old, be still 
 living. 
 
 "A French company, of whom our esteemed townsman (now deceased) 
 Mr. Francis Giraud, was to be the chief engineer, was about to be 
 organized by Mr. St. de Pyre, French Consul at Galveston, for the 
 
the Early Days in Texas 27 
 
 purpose of discovering and working said mines, but the rebellion having 
 broken out, the projegted company fell through. 
 
 "Although many intelligent Americans and Germans have explored 
 Llano and San §aba, they have not yet discovered these mines — at least 
 the lead. It may be that the San Saba mines are of the kind that the 
 Mexicans call liziard, or pocket mines." 
 
 From what has been said above, it can be seen that the Spaniards 
 considered the San Saba region as the richest mineral district of Texas 
 in gold and silver, and much of the reports made by experts of this 
 portion of the great state of Texas go to prove the fact. 
 
 Llano and San Saba counties are included in the route taken by 
 Coronado. They form the southeast corner of the equilateral triangle. 
 The Turk may and may not have exaggerated, but the Gran Quivira 
 is not nearly as much of a myth as is generally taken for granted. Still, 
 the City of Gold remains elusive and only the future will tell the entire 
 story. 
 
 Quien vivird, vera! 
 
28 History of San Antonio and 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 MADRE MARIA DE JESUS DE AGREDA 
 
 /^ORONADO and De Soto were the last of the conquistadores; the 
 ^^ colonization of the new provinces of the Spaniards and the conversion 
 of the heathen Indians to the tenets of Christianity begins with this 
 period. There had been, up to this time, isolated attempts at coloniza- 
 tion and Christianization but there had been nothing done that could be 
 compared to the systematic work which took place from this time on. 
 The progress of this work, in so vast a territory, of necessity, was slow; 
 one step at a time had to be taken. Generally the erection of missions 
 followed immediately in the wake of the establishment of a small colony 
 or military fort for the simple reasons that the missionaries might have 
 some protection against savage Indians. There were, however, exceptions 
 to this rule and many a mission was erected without any human protec- 
 tion at all, with the sole reliance on God Almighty. There were also, 
 in those times, several visitors and travelers who came under the 
 influence of a desire to help; actuated by the devout motive of announcing 
 the glad tidings of salvation to the heathen natives of the Western 
 Hemisphere. 
 
 Among this class of people Madre Maria de Jestis de Agreda easily 
 occupies the first place. From the swamps of western Louisiana and 
 eastern Texas, throughout Texas, Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona and 
 California, her memory lives and will live forever in the folklore and 
 traditions of those people whose Indian ancestors were blessed with the 
 visits of this saintly woman. Among the descendants of the Tezcucan 
 and other Indian tribes in Texas and Mexico she is known as "The 
 Mysterious Woman In Blue"; for the blue color of her habit seems to 
 have been especially impressed in the memory of those primitive children 
 of nature. Not only did she visit missions that were completed and such 
 as were in the process of construction, but she also went to tribes and 
 countries where no missionary had been and no white person had set 
 his foot previous to her coming. Volumes have been written about this 
 venerable religious woman and quite a controversy is being carried on 
 today about her visits to the Indian tribes. Till date the matter has 
 neither been settled officially nor explained satisfactorily. Catholic 
 historians, generally, seem to prefer the view that her case "appears to 
 be an established case of clairvoyant trance." The writer of this sketch 
 does share this opinion and, since this "Mysterious Woman in Blue" 
 figures largely in the story of Texas and San Antonio, the most salient 
 facts, pertinent to this controversy will be presented without prejudice. 
 
 The A. and M. College of Texas treasures in its archives an original 
 letter written by Fr. Damian Manzanet to Don Carlos De Siquenza, 
 
the Early Days in Texas 29 
 
 in the year (please not the date!) 1690. It was published by the Texas 
 State Historical Association in its "Quarterly" Volume II, 2S4-312. 
 
 Referring to a meeting with the governor of the Tejas, incident to the 
 founding of a mission, Father Damian writes: 
 
 "For lack of more time I shall now only add that which is the most 
 noteworthy thing of all, nam'etly this: W.hile we were at the Tejas 
 village, after we had distributed clothing to the Indians and to the 
 governor of the Tejas, the governor asked me one evening for a piece 
 of blue baize to make a shroud in which to bury his mother when she 
 died; I told him that cloth would be more suitable and he answered 
 that he did not want any color other than blue. I then asked him what 
 mysterious reason he had for preferring the blue color, and in reply 
 he said they were very fond of that color, particularly for burial clothes, 
 because in times past they had been visited frequently by a very beauti- 
 ful woman, who came down from the hills, dressed in blue garments, 
 and that they wished to do as that woman had done. On my asking 
 whether that had been long since, the governor said it had been before 
 his time, but his mother, who was aged, had seen that woman, as had 
 also the other old people. From this it is easily to be seen that they 
 ' referred to the Madre Maria de Jesiis de Agreda, who was very fre- 
 quently in those regions, as she herself acknowledged to the Father 
 Custodian of New Mexico, her last visit having been made in 1631, this 
 last fact being evident from her own statement made to the said Father 
 Custodian of New Mexico." 
 
 Again we find mention of this mysterious personage in Texas history 
 when St. Denis, the French explorer was trading with a tribe of Indians 
 in the neighborhood of the Neches River, not far from the present city of 
 Nacogdoches in eastern Texas. This occurred about 1710 or 1714 and 
 the trading is described as follows: 
 
 "Through brush and briar a horseman gird for travel, comes heavily 
 charged with freight, as the fire-fly light his way, chasing, soaring, 
 centering, retreating. St. Denis advances with law in his voice and 
 fortune in his hand. The earth seems to pre-suppose him, and the 
 Indian received him. 
 
 "The Indian's eyes, ears and nose are centered on his goods, as St. 
 Denis makes bountiful presents, their hopes run high. Much haranguing 
 with the Indian and nothing slightly touched. Bells, beads and fringes, 
 bugles, knives and coats are distributed to the Indians, while to the 
 chiefs are given flags, banners and medals and liquor, when all dribbled 
 out makes them frolic and become great friends. 
 
 "The women calling for goods of blue to bury their dead in, stating 
 a woman dressed in blue came to them years ago and baptized their very 
 priest." 
 
 In the very interesting booklet "The Alamo and Other Missions in 
 and around San Antonio," by Miss Adina de Zavala, we find the follow- 
 ing pretty legend: 
 
30 History of San Antonio and 
 
 "Out of the underground passages of the Alamo she comes once in 
 a generation, or, when her gift has lapsed — this Mysterious W;oman in 
 Blue. Her Gift is not to the first person she happens to meet — but she 
 searches until she finds a worthy recipient. And, strange to tell, tradition 
 says, she always selects a native Texan, of the same type of woman, 
 tall, eyes of gray — changeable with her mood, dark, fine hair — not black. 
 In character the woman is superior, pure and good, well bred, intelligent, 
 spiritual and patriotic. She may be young or old or middle-aged. 
 Stranger yet, the woman to whom the Gift is given does not always 
 know that she possesses the Gift of the Woman in Blue, though she is 
 always ready to use her talents for the good of others. 
 
 "What is the Gift? The gift of seeing to the heart of things! She 
 sees with the clear-eyed vision of a Joan of Arc all that may vitally 
 affect, for good or ill, the people of her city and State whom she ardently 
 loves with a strange devotion. All the children are her children — all 
 the people are to her friends and brothers and sisters ! There is no cant, 
 and no pretense — it is real. 
 
 "She is here now— the Woman with the Gift for San Antonio, and 
 oh, how we need her! She will help you and she will help me, if we can 
 find her! Who is she? 
 
 "Tradition says she is always busy on the side of right, humanity, 
 truth, justice and patriotism, — that you cannot keep her hidden or 
 covered — try as you might — not in the whole city full — because she has 
 the Gift. She is a Mascot to those who help her work, and the 'Devil's 
 Own Luck' to those who hinder. Find her if you are wise, search 
 until you do. Who is she? She may be known by her works, perhaps, 
 though the finest of that is in secret. If you are clear-eyed, she will be 
 made manifest. Or another clue may be obtained from those who have 
 tried to frustrate her work. They know who she is from the ill-luck 
 which has followed them! If you need to see straight, and deep, find 
 her. Do you need counsel and guidance, trust to her. Tradition further 
 says that she is always ready to help the rich, the poor, the artist, the 
 artisan, the writer, the children — ^the whole people of her beloved Texas 
 land. She has the Gift and therefore cannot choose but use it for San 
 Antonio. Do you know her? If you do not profit by the Gift the fault 
 is yours, not that of the Mysterious Woman in Blue, not of the Woman 
 who holds the precious Gift as Almoner for San Antonio. 
 
 Northwest of San Antonio there is situated the old mission San 
 Augustine de Isleta. This mission was established in 1668; and the 
 missionary fathers located there also had occasion to learn about the visits 
 of Madre Maria previous to their own arrival. The Very Rev. Dean 
 W. R. Harris in his book, "Occultism, Spiritism and Demonology, relates 
 the following, pertinent to the subject: 
 
 "One morning, as one of the fathers on the mission of St. Augustine 
 de Isleta, was coming out of his adobe church, he was met by five Indians 
 whom he had never before seen. Their speech was that of their own 
 
the Early Days in Texas 31 
 
 missionary tribe, with dialectic variations. They claimed to have come 
 from beyond the Rio Pecos, said that they came as messengers sent by 
 their chief who asked them for a priest to live among them and con- 
 cluded by requesting to be baptized. The missionary inquired about the 
 name of their tribe, in what direction their country lay and what river 
 flowed through it. He added that he could not accede to their request 
 for baptism until they were instructed in their faith. They replied that 
 they and the members of their tribe were already instructed; that a 
 woman strangely dressed had visited their people and had made known 
 to them the life and doctrine of Jesus Christ; that her visits to them, 
 were many and that it was she who told them to come to the mission- 
 aries. Where she lived and how she came, they did not know." 
 
 Fr. Alonzo de Benavides was for quite a while custodian of the New 
 Mexico. This is the same missionary to whom Fr. Damian refers in his 
 letter to Don Carlos de Siquenza. This venerable father made a report 
 or rather, read a Memorial before the King of Spain in the year 1630, 
 in which occurs the following statement about Madre Maria's visits to 
 New Mexico: 
 
 "And so we immediately dispatched Father Salas with another 
 companion, and the self-same Indians went along as guides. Before 
 they went we asked the Indians why they petitioned us for baptism 
 with so much fervor and for missionaries to instruct them. They replied 
 that a woman, like the woman of whom' we had a picture (it was a 
 picture of Mother Louisa de Carrion), had come to preach to them, 
 ordering them to go and summon the Fathers to instruct and baptize 
 them and that they should lose no time in doing this. Moreover, that 
 the woman who had preached to them was dressed precisely as the 
 woman on our picture but that her features were different and that she 
 was young and beautiful. And after this, when other Indians came 
 from these same nations and looked at our picture, they all agreed that 
 the habit was the same but that the face was not the same; for the 
 face of the woman who had come to preach to them was that of a 
 young, beautiful girl." 
 
 In far away California the trace of Madre Maria is found in numerous 
 legends and beautiful folklore. For the purpose of this sketch it will 
 suffice to cite the reference to her presence in California made by the 
 well known Fr. Junipero Serra in one of his letters to Fr. Francisco 
 Palou. After relating the hardships to which the missionaries, himself 
 included, were subjected in those early days, and after expressing the 
 assurance that, these vexations nothwithstanding, none of the fathers 
 thought of leaving their post, he continues: 
 
 "It moreover appears to me that I already see verified the promise 
 made by God to our Father St. Francis {as the seraphic Madre Maria de 
 Jesiis says), that the gentiles would be converted to our holy Catholic 
 Faith by the mere sight of his sons." 
 
 Against all this evidence of Madre Maria's personal presence among 
 
32 History of San Antonio and 
 
 the various Indian tribes and in the missions, there only exists a copy of 
 what is said to be a statement of the venerable madre, dated May IS, 
 1631, (note the date!) in which she is alleged to have confessed that 
 these visits were only apparitions. So far as known there exists neither 
 the original nor a photographic copy of this statement. Moreover, it 
 does hardly stand to reason that Fr. Damian, in the year 1690, should 
 not have known of this statement, should it really have existence. It is 
 recorded, historically, that the entreaties of Madre Maria furnished the 
 motive why this splendid missionary located his mission among the 
 Tejas Indians. The conclusion, therefore, seems justified that Madre 
 Maria de JesUs de Agreda really visited the Western Hemisphere and 
 was the first to preach the gospel to the Tejas Indians. As a brief 
 biography of this remarkable woman, the following may be accepted as 
 accurate: 
 
 Maria Coronel of Agreda was born in 1602 and died in May, 1665. 
 Agreda is a small town in old Castile on the borders of Aragon, where 
 one of her ancestors had built a fine institution and established a society 
 for the promotion of education among the common people.. In 1619 
 she joined this society and became so valuable a member that she was 
 placed at the head of it in 1629. She wrote numerous books, and one 
 of them. The Mystic City of God, recently became the subject of a 
 spirited controversy. With her whole heart and soul she was interested 
 in the temporal and spiritual welfare of the Indians, as is evident from 
 her extensive travels among them. Her mother also joined the above 
 named society and the order, with Madre Maria de Jesiis de Agreda 
 at its head, reached its greatest fame and power under her leadership. 
 
Chur<h of the Alamo I'roni AlLimo Courtyard. 
 
Alisioii (!(' Niu'stra Si'iiora di- la Pui'i'sima Coiieepcion do Aciifia 
 (Kirst Mission)- Location of the new Catholic Seminary. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 33 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 CONQUISTADORES VERDADEROS 
 
 A STORY of San Antonio would be incomplete; in fact, it would be 
 -^*- rank ingratitude indeed, if it should fail to make mention of the 
 sturdy pioneers to whom Texas and San Antonio is deeply indebted: 
 the early Roman Catholic Missionaries who came to our city and state 
 under indescribable difficulties, privations and heroic self-sacrifice, who 
 built our missions and constructed the irrigation dams, taught the Indian 
 the soothing doctrine of Christ and showed him how to lead a better 
 life. The saving of souls was their only object; they cared not for 
 gold, silver and precious stones. They carried no fire arms and no 
 swords wherewith to conquer; their only weapon was the crucifix. Such 
 were Franciscan Fathers, the real conquistadores, who h-ad conquered 
 themselves and their own desire for wealth, power and earthly glory, 
 members of a religious order founded in the beginning of the thirteenth 
 century by St. Francis of Assisi. 
 
 Francis Bernado of Assisi was the scion of an old Patrician family, 
 He was wealthy and lacked nothing of the pleasures which this world 
 affords to the leisurely rich. Among his set he was the gayest of the 
 gay. On February 12, 1208, the gosipel of the day teaching that the 
 true disciples of Christ must possess neither gold nor silver, neither 
 shoes nor staff and serve the Lord only by teaching the Divine doctrine, 
 forcibly struck his heart and his life-decision was promptly m,ade. 
 Immediately after services were ended he disposed of all his property 
 and fine clothes, gave them to the poor, donned a coarse woolen tuiiic 
 the "color of the beast" — ^the habit of the humblest Umbrian peasant — 
 fastened it around his loins by means of a rope and went forth bare- 
 footed to proclaim the Gospel of Christ and Him Crucified. His love 
 for poor humanity knew no bounds; everywhere and at all times he 
 was ready to help and assist, doing the most menial work when such 
 was necessary and never accepting a penny of pay but begging his 
 sustenance. He followed the life-example of our Savior as closely as 
 he possibly could do it. 
 
 Within a short time his example had drawn a number of followers, 
 and the order of St. Francis came into existence. The rules of this 
 order are very strict; besides the three fundamental vows of poverty, 
 chastity and obedience, self-denial, self-chastisement and strict fasting is 
 demanded from all its members. Love of mankind and unlimited 
 hospitality are the main traditions of this order. 
 
 A famous fc-I'.ower and contemporarj'^ of St. Francis is St. Anthony of 
 Padua, who deserves special mention because he is the patron saint 
 of our City Beautiful. 
 
34 History of San Antonio and 
 
 St. Anthony is a lineal descendant of the kings of Asturia on his 
 mother's side, and on his father's side he traces his ancestry to the 
 famous family of Godfrey of Boullion. Very illustrative of Franciscan 
 traditions is the occasion which caused Anthony to join the order. 
 
 A number of Franciscan fathers were brought home for burial. 
 They had suffered martyrdom in a strange and heathen country and as 
 martyrs for their cause were impressively laid to rest. A meditation 
 on such unselfish zeal at once induced our patron saint to join so noble 
 an order and, immediately after his entry, asked to be sent to a foreign 
 mission. His wish was granted. But the Lord had willed it differently, 
 in the new climate he was attacked by a violent fever and had to be 
 sent home, where the fame of his learning and humbleness and his great 
 ability as an orator soon spread over the entire country. 
 
 For the benefit of our non-Catholic readers there must be made an 
 explanation of the customary manner in which St. Anthony is portrayed 
 which shows him with the Divine Child in his arms. The chronicle 
 states that at Limoges, where St. Anthony was accustomed to go for a 
 short retreat, enjoying the hospitality of Lord Chateauneuf in a small 
 house which this lord had set especially aside for our saint, a vision took 
 place. In this vision the Infant Jesus came to Anthony and permitted 
 himself to be embraced and caressed. Lord Chateauneuf was a witness 
 to this vision, but was made to promise not to reveal the miracle before 
 the death of the saint. This promise was kept. 
 
 With three and a half centuries of traditions, of obligations faithfully 
 fulfilled and of hard duties unhesitatingly performed, the disciples 
 of St. Francis and St. Anthony came to Texas, an unexplored and wild 
 country. Among these saintly men there was many a scion of noble 
 blood, who in all justice and correctness might have lived a life of ease 
 and comfort at home. But they had chosen the path of the Cross and 
 obediently came at the beckoning of duty. They built our Missions, the 
 monuments of our early times which we today revere so devoutly. They 
 taught the wild savages the divine doctrine of Christ, they spread the 
 gospel of true Christian democracy by word of mouth and suited their 
 actions to their words. They instructed the Indians in the arts of 
 civilization, of agriculture, of soil-tilling, of building irrigation ditches 
 and of artificial inundations. The Indians readily assimilated the new 
 doctrine and its advantages; they learned to prefer the settled com- 
 munity and agricultural-way of living to the wild and roaming way of 
 living to which they had been accustomed and which, at the best, had 
 meant to them a feast for a day and a fast for a week. Peace reigned 
 during these early days and prosperity; and it was only with the coming 
 of the adventurers and the traders, who trampled on the rights of the 
 Indians unscrupulously, that the Red man became the savage and relent- 
 less foe of the White man. 
 
 To facilitate the work of the missionaries it was customary to arrange 
 a complex of buildings in well chosen locations. South of the equator 
 
the Early Days in Texas 35 
 
 these buildings were called Reductiones and north of this line Mis- 
 siones. These had a three-fold object: First, to provide a chapel and 
 residence for the Franciscan Fathers (convent); second, to furnish pro- 
 tection to the place, for which purpose a fortification, a so-called presidio 
 was built which, at the same time, served as a living place for the military 
 commander and for the unmarried soldiers and, third, cottages or huts 
 were added to the presidio for those soldiers who were married and had 
 families. 
 
 During the later period of settlement the "Missiones" and "Presidios" 
 were not kept separate any more, but built and arranged as one, much 
 to the chagrin of the pious Fathers. The behavior of the soldiers made 
 the conversion of the Indians much harder, sometimes even impossible, 
 as it was the case in La Bahia — Goliad. 
 
 Practically the same idea of construction, the same plan, was followed 
 in the arrangement of all missions, presidios and pueblos. At first a 
 large, rectangular space was measured off and enclosed either with a 
 wall or with a stockade. This was the "plaza" or the square. Within 
 this plaza a church or chapel was erected, usually built very strong; 
 stone masonry was mostly used, for it was to serve the double purpose 
 as a house of worship and prayer and a place of protection in case of 
 hostile attack, especially for the women and children of the converts. 
 Adjoining the church a convent was erected which contained the rooms 
 for the Rev. Fathers and for the lay-brethren; a kitchen, a dining room 
 and a conference hall. Adjoining these rooms were the granaries and, 
 customarily, a mill; the latter when the Mission was situated on the 
 banks of a river whose water power could be utilized for the grinding of 
 grains. If there was no river, there always was a small well furnishing 
 an abundance of pure and fresh water within the enclosure, where also 
 huts were built for the converted Indians and their families. These huts 
 were well built, provided with windows and doors; within there were 
 boxes, wardrobes, cooking utensils and dishes, as well as rocks for grind- 
 ing the corn when there was no mill in connection with the Mission. 
 There were double arcades — arched, shady walks — and usually a ditch 
 full of fresh, cooling water. On the banks of these ditches — "acequias" — 
 all kinds of fruit and shade trees were planted. 
 
 The surrounding wall had a strong gate and a tower in which cannon 
 were placed to ward off hostile attacks. In the later period, when 
 Missions and Presidios were united, barracks for the soldiers also were 
 erected within the enclosure. 
 
 The agricultural lands were outside of the walls, and were parcelled 
 off into fields (labores), some for cultivation and others for pastures. 
 Here the grain and vegetables necessary for sustenance of all were 
 raised, here the horses and cattle were kept. Every Mission received 
 from the government a large section of land — sometimes as many as 62S 
 square miles. The older Missions acquired considerable of wealth; in 
 the year 1722 the Concepcion Mission possessed 2,200 sheep, 600 head 
 
36 History of San Antonio and 
 
 of cattle and 300 head of horses, whilst the population consisted of only 
 205 peoiple. The Mission "Espiritu Santo" established in 1722 close to 
 Ft. St. Louis, but later moved to Goliad, is said to have owned 15,000 
 head of cattle. 
 
 From these descriptions we may gain an idea with what amount of 
 difficulties the Rev. Franciscan Fathers had to battle, in their work of 
 erecting and arranging the Missions, to say nothing of teaching and 
 converting the natives. It is a well known fact that the Indians have an 
 inborn dislike for all labor, and a great many of them have never over- 
 come this aversion. They had to be induced to work, they had to be 
 taught how to work. The rocks for the buildings and walls, often to 
 be hauled for miles out of a country where there were no roads, 
 had to be hewn and put into place. In all this work the Franciscan 
 Fathers were the architects, the artisans and the laborers, and with 
 infinite patience had to show the unskilled Indian how to work after 
 he had been induced to help. 
 
 From the primitive help with which the Rev. Fathers had to contend 
 in the erection of Missions, one is apt to come to conclude that the 
 buildings would show by their exterior that they had been built by 
 savages. Quite the contrary, however, is the case: the Missions, or 
 rather what is left of them, are of such art and durability of construction 
 as to be the marvel and admiration of everybody, even today. 
 
 When the buildings finally were completed, another herculean task 
 awaited these dauntless pioneers. The converts, "Indios Reducidos," as 
 they were called, relied with childlike simplicity on the padres to take 
 care of them and to see to it that they should suffer no waut of any kind. 
 The Indian had not the faintest idea of thrift, or saving; they were 
 accustomed to live from hand to mouth: when there was plenty after a 
 successful hunt, then there was plenty to eat, and when their hunting 
 goddess, whatever her name might have been if it was not Diana,, was 
 not on their side, and when their primitive agriculture failed, then they 
 simply did without and went hungry. The neophytes had to be taught 
 how to spin, how to weave, how to make shoes and how to make their 
 own tools. 
 
 There is no doubt but that curiosity first brought the Indians to the 
 scenes where the strange White Men in the strange brown clothes were 
 busily working, erecting buildings, the like of which these Indians had 
 never seen nor dreamt of. They listened to the beautiful instrumental 
 music, the chants and songs with which the missionaries were accustomed 
 to close their day's labor. It was not very long till the Fathers were 
 on the very best possible terms with the Indian children; a timely 
 present like a piece of highly colored cloth or some sweetmeats firmly 
 established their friendship. Directly the squaws, the women, could be 
 induced, for some pretty pieces of cloth or other goods of European 
 manufacture, to perform some work for the missionaries, such as washing 
 and cooking. By and by the men came, too, offering their services 
 
the Early Days in Texas 37 
 
 and were richly repaid for their work with good eating, clothing and 
 so forth. They soon learned that a good living was in store for those 
 who would stay in the mission and do as the Fathers told them to do. 
 
 The solemn services as practiced in the Catholic Church did not fail 
 to make an impression on those children of nature: the burning candles, 
 the beautiful songs of the ritual, the burning of the incense attracted and 
 held them. A great step towards the founding of a "pueblo" was made, 
 when an Indian Chief could be induced to move with his family into the 
 enclosure of the Mission. 
 
 A well regulated and orderly life was lived within the walls of the 
 Mission. Early in the morning all inhabitants assembled to go to church, 
 to say their morning prayers, to attend mass, and receive instruction in 
 Christian Doctrine. After these religious services everybody went to 
 work, each to his place of duty. Some went to till the fields or irrigate 
 the crops, others who had learned the handicraft of a trade went to their 
 workshop, others to the buildings ujider construction. Morning, noon 
 and night they received their rations, of good quahty and in plenty: 
 the number in each family being the measure according to which the 
 necessities of life were distributed. Evenings again were services in the 
 church, after which each family went to their hut where they were locked 
 up for the night by the ipadres. This locking-up process was a measure 
 of safety, to prevent immorality and also to keep some of the newly 
 converted from escaping. Did the one or the other escape in spite of 
 all precautions, which occurred with never failing frequency, it was the 
 duty of the soldiers to go and recapture the recalcitrant who thereafter 
 was put under a more severe surveillance. But there were trusties, too, 
 among the number of the converted Indians, who were absolutely 
 dependable under all conditions. These were sent out frequently among 
 the "Indios bravos," the fighters and wild Indians, to induce them to 
 come and enter the fold of the mission, and this proved to be the most 
 successful method of adding more converts to the pueblo. 
 
 Occasionally it happened that lazy subjects had to be compelled to 
 work, but their punishment was of a mild character — ^the most severe 
 punishment consisting of the shortening of their rations, and this never 
 failed to have the desired effect on the chronically hungry Indian. The 
 Fathers treated their pupils, no matter whether young or old, precisely 
 like children, who had to be taught. 
 
 As a reward for their work the Indians were well provided with food 
 and all necessities of life; clean and sanitary huts were their shelter, 
 and during sickness they were well taken care of and nursed back to 
 health. In this manner the Franciscan Fathers obtained and retained 
 sufficient influence to be able to till acres and acres of land, to build 
 irrigation ditches and to provide for the converts as well as for savages 
 outside of the walls of the Mission; in this manner they created a paradise 
 in the midst of miles and miles of wilderness and built the Missions which 
 today stand as the admiration and pride of the native Texan as well 
 as of the visitor. 
 
38 History of San Antonio and 
 
 CHAPTER Vl 
 
 THE MISSIONARY PERIOD AND THE BIRTH OF 
 SAN ANTONIO. 
 
 "PVURING the period of time which intervenes between the expedition 
 ^-^ of Coronado through Texas and the visits of the "Mysterious Woman 
 in Blue" till the end of the seventeenth century, history reports very little 
 of the territory which now comprises our Empire State, in fact nothing 
 save an occasional visit of a Franciscan Father or an expedition which 
 apparently came from Santa Fe. The Spaniards were busy improving 
 and civilizing the New Mexico Province and paid little attention to the 
 "Nuevas Filipinas" and the province of the Tejas. Toward the end of 
 the seventeenth century, however, they were stirred into action. 
 
 In the year 168S, the Frenchman, Robert Cavalier de la Salle, looking 
 for the mouth of the Mississippi, quite accidentally landed in Matagorda 
 Bay, the mouth of Rio Lavaca, in Texas. The country was new and 
 strange to him and, considering it discovered by himself, he took posses- 
 sion of it in the name of France and erected the Fort St. Louis. It was 
 not very long before the Viceroy of Mexico heard of this landing and 
 the claiming of the territory, and then he promptly started several 
 expeditions, one after the other, in search of the French. 
 
 In the "Official Information of Count Revilla Gigedo, Viceroy of 
 Mexico, to the King of Spain," on the "State of the Missions in Texas," 
 dated December 27, 1793, under the caption "Missions of the Province 
 of Texas," comprised in the administration of "San Luis Potosi," we 
 find the following most interesting historic data and description of Texas 
 and of San Antonio: 
 
 "With this motive, that as the French intended to establish them- 
 selves in the territory of the province of Texas, three expeditions Ayere 
 sent out from Coahuila to impede them, in the years 1689, 1691 and 1716. 
 
 " — The two first proved the designs of France, but, with unfortunate 
 results; and fearing their return was the motive that in our last expedition 
 the erection of establishments of the province was commenced. 
 
 " — Being situated between 26 degrees and 34- degrees north latitude 
 and between 80 degrees and 90 degrees of longitude from the meridian 
 of the Isle of Santa Cruz of the Tenerife group, confined on the south by 
 Mexican territory and colony of New Santander, on the N. N. W. and 
 north by that of New Mexico and unknown lands; on the east by the 
 English American colonies and Louisiana; and on the west by the new 
 kingdom of Leon and province of Coahuila. 
 
 " — Generally the climate of Texas is very healthy but rigorous in 
 the extreme seasons of winter and summer, and admirably fertile in its 
 prairie lands, and covered with a class of forests which are very fine ^nd 
 
the Early Days in Texas 39 
 
 rich, making this province preferable to those of the interior if it was 
 not so barren of Spanish establishments, being only populated by portions 
 of nations of docile Indians. 
 
 " — Twenty-five rivers traverse and water the province, most of them 
 large streams, 615 running streams and creeks and 57 lagoons. Producing 
 all kinds of seeds, flowers and European fruits, indigo and cotton. 
 
 " — The rivers abound with all kinds of fish, and the country with 
 buffalo, deer, bear and other fierce and smaller animals, distinct medicinal 
 herbs; pecans, grapes, persimmons and all sorts of large and shady trees. 
 
 " — ^Nothing proving more the fertility of the lands of Texas as the 
 innumerable herds of wild mares and mustang horses, which are met up 
 with in all parts and forming distinct herds of from 1,000 to 30,000 
 heads each; and this also being the same with cattle. 
 
 " — ^There are mineral veins of silver in the mountains of this 
 retarded country to the north of the province, the capital of which is 
 the city of San Fernando. 
 
 " — Within all the confines of the province not more than three 
 thousand souls could be counted, distributed in the mentioned capital 
 city, in the Presidio of San Antonio de Bexar, united to it, in that of the 
 Bahia del Espiritu Santo and in the moving population of our Lady of 
 Pilar de Bucarely; in a few scattered ranches and in the missions herein- 
 after mentioned." 
 
 From the above description it is readily understood that the "Province 
 of Tejas" was appreciated by the Spaniards and that, by no means they 
 were inclined to let the French gain a firm foothold in so rich a territory. 
 
 As soon as the government in Spain received notice of the action of 
 La Salle, the king sent the Viceroy of Mexico urgent orders to drive out 
 the French. It is said that two expeditions were started before 1689, 
 to locate the French and their fort, but that these returned without having 
 found them. Royal orders were issued to be carried out, and to avoid 
 royal displeasure, the Viceroy sent his most trusted lieutenant, Captain 
 Alonzo De Leon, fitting him out with a powerful military escort. Captain 
 de Leon took with him one hundred and ten soldiers, one hundred and 
 fifty long guns, twelve hundred weight of powder and three hundred 
 weight of shot. 
 
 Father Damian Manzanet, whose interest in the Tejas Indians had 
 been aroused by the stories and pleading of Madre Maria de Jesus de 
 Agreda, the "Mysterious Woman in Blue," to whom he had promised 
 that he would go and see this tribe and establish a mission among 
 them, asked permission to accompany the expedition, which was freely 
 granted to him. They left Coahuila on March 26, 1689. This expedition 
 explored the coast country and, after considerable of searching, located 
 the ruins of La Salle's Fort and found only two Frenchmen, whom they 
 took prisoners. From these prisoners they learned that, on account ot 
 the greed of the French traders, there had been considerable trouble 
 with the Indians. Besides, an epidemic of smallpox had killed a number 
 
40 History of San Antonio and 
 
 of the inhabitants of the fort. The Indians, after hearing of this disaster, 
 took advantage of the situation, attacked the fort in great numbers, 
 killed every white person they could find and set fire to the ruins. The 
 two Frenchmen taken prisoners by the Spanish, were the only survivors. 
 
 The expedition then started northward, following the Neches river, 
 continued the trip till they reached a point close to Nacogdoches and, 
 finding no more traces of the French, started homeward by way of the 
 Camino Real, the Old San Antonio Road. 
 
 On this trip Father Damian Manzanet found the Tejas Indians and 
 he was so much encouraged by their friendliness that, upon his return 
 to Mexico, he sought to obtain the permission of his spiritual superiors 
 to return to them and establish a mission. The permission was granted 
 and with holy zeal the worthy father started on his work of mercy and 
 education. He was very successful; for in 1690 he was able to establish 
 the "Mission San Francisco de los Tejas" about six miles west of the 
 Neches river on the Old San Antonio Road. 
 
 In 1691 more missionaries came from Zacatecas and Queretaro, 
 Mexico, and new Missions were established. The Missions prospered, 
 there was no trouble from the French and everything proceeded nicely 
 till the latter part of 1692, a mysterious epidemic broke out among the 
 Indians with which the medicinal knowledge of the Fathers was not 
 able to cope. 
 
 This mysterious sickness has been described as the bloody flux, or 
 dysentery. The Indians were subject to the attacks of this disease, 
 especially during rigorous winters, and it was their own unsanitary 
 habits which brought the plague about. 
 
 They were accustomed to build their beds by driving four stakes of 
 even length into the ground, leaving the tops of the stakes rather high 
 above the floor. Between these stakes a buffalo hide was stretched, 
 and a cool bed for the hot summer night was made. In winter they 
 simply covered themselves with hides and pelts and, to keep warm 
 from underneath, they threw live coals under the bed. Of course these 
 coals would not keep burning all night, and trust the Indian that he 
 would not get up to renew them. Roasted from underneath during the 
 first part of the night and later coming in close (proximity of the freezing 
 point, they rolled over in bed, warming and freezing the bottom and 
 top side of their anatomy alternately. This could not fail to bring 
 disastrous results and the plague above referred to is said to have been 
 caused by these beds. 
 
 While the worthy Franciscan Fathers were baffled in their attempt 
 of combating this disease, the ravages of which were decimating their 
 converts as well as the "Indios Bravos," the Indian medicine men and 
 their ancestors had had experience with this self same trouble and by 
 inheritance had knowledge of certain herbs which, in a way, would relieve 
 the sufferers and also would save quite a number of them from death. 
 The medicine men had lost most their prestige with the coming of the 
 
the Early Days in Texas 41 
 
 Fathers, but this plague gave them a chance to rehabilitate themselves 
 again among their kinsmen and they were not slow in taking full 
 advantage of it. First they explained that the plague was nothing but 
 a punishment brought about by their ancient gods who were angered 
 because the tribe had deserted them and to prove their statement 
 furnished the medicine that brought relief. Then the hostility towards 
 the Fathers and their faith grew stronger and stronger till the govern- 
 ment was forced to order the Fathers to return to Mexico. With tears 
 in their eyes the worthy Fathers buried their church bells and other goods 
 too heavy to move and obeyed the orders of their superiors. 
 
 This failure put an end to further attempts at settlements in Texas 
 for a period of twenty years, but the failure was not altogether without 
 its blessings. The Rev. Fathers had learned to speak the Tejas tongue 
 fluently; they had a clearer understanding of the character of the Tejas 
 Indians; they had learned that they needed more priests and also more 
 protection — more soldiers and, especially, more families to be. permanent 
 settlers and to give a good example to the converted Indians. They 
 had become better acquainted with the topography of the country, had 
 located all the streams and the best places to ford them, they had marked 
 out camping places and sites for future missions and settlements. 
 
 Twenty years of time gave the French a splendid opportunity to gain 
 a firm footing in Texas. The governor of Louisiana sent traders to 
 Texas who worked up a lucrative business with the various tribes of the 
 Hasinai (federation of Tejas) Indians. For the horses, cattle and buffalo 
 hides of the Indians they traded knives, axes and guns. Under their 
 captain, St. Denis, they finally crossed Texas and tried to extend their 
 trading into Mexico. They advanced as far as Mission San Juan, close 
 to where Eagle Pass is situated today. Here they were captured by the 
 Spanish Captain Diego Ramon and taken to Mexico. 
 
 The Viceroy of Mexico saw how big a mistake he had made by 
 abandoning the rich province to its own fate for twenty years, and 
 began to take steps for a definite settlement of Texas. Saint Denis, the 
 captain of the French, had explained to him that, under the impression 
 that the missions were still in existence, his intentions had been to open 
 trade relations with them. The Indians who had been informed of his 
 intention had entrusted him with a petition to have the Fathers return 
 to them. 
 
 In 1716 an expedition tinder Captain Diego Ramon was started out 
 to the Tejas Indians, well supplied and accompanied by nine Franciscan 
 Fathers under the leadership of Venerable Father Antonio de Margil. 
 
 Of Father Margil it must be noted that, before this time, he had 
 undertaken to visit the Tejas Indians accompanied only by one lay- 
 brother. Of course he had received official permit from his spiritual 
 superiors and also from the government. He passed through the regions 
 of the Tejas and founded, so it is recorded, the Guadalupe Mission on 
 the banks of the Guadalupe river in the year of 1714. 
 
42 History of San Antonio and 
 
 Moreover, it must be stated that St. Denis went back with the 
 expedition of Ramon. St. Denis wielded a big influence over the Indians; 
 he married into the Ramon family and was proposed as governor for the 
 Province of the Tejas in later years. 
 
 This Ramon expedition reached the former mission site of San 
 Francisco de los Tejas, on the banks of the Neches river, June 26, 1716, 
 and it is stated that it was joyfully received by the Indians. This old 
 Mission was re-established and a number of new Missions were founded 
 in East Texas. In every Mission one or two priests, a number of 
 soldiers and some colonists remained and, although these were too 
 weak for offering effective resistance to the French, they were strong 
 enough to serve as advance guards and always could inform the Viceroy 
 of any impending danger. The advanced Missions often suffered fearful 
 hardships and later, when the French became more aggressive, they 
 were moved back further inland, towards the San Antonio of today. 
 
 Marquis de Valero, at that time Viceroy of Mexico, in constant dread 
 of the increasing strength of the French, cast about for establishing more 
 permanent Missions and settlements, further away from the border of 
 Louisiana; out of the immediate danger zones. He seems to have been 
 especially haunted by the fear of a French attack and an invasion from 
 the sea coast, and requested Father Antonio de San Buenaventura y 
 Olivares to move the San Jose Mission, then located on the Rio Grande, 
 to a favorable point on the Gulf of Mexico. Father Antonio, however, 
 persuaded him that the better location would be at the head of the Rio 
 San Antonio, close to San Pedro. The Viceroy was finally convinced by 
 the forceful arguments of this Franciscan Father, and the Mission San 
 Jose was moved to where today stands the Alamo. At the request of the 
 Rev. Father, this new Mission was called "San Antonio," to which, in 
 honor of the Viceroy, "de Valero" was added. On May the first, 1718, 
 Marquis de Valero gave title and possession of the new Mission to Father 
 Antonio de San Buenaventura y Olivares — and May the first, 1718, 
 became the official birthday of San Antonio, The Beautiful. 
 
 The adjective "official" is used advisedly in designating the date of 
 the Birth of San Antonio, and there is a reason for it. 
 
 In the year 1832 a number of leading citizens of San Antonio, 
 descendants of the very earliest settlers, sent a public and formal 
 memorial to the General Government. In this memorial it was set 
 forth that the city had been settled in 1692, 140 years ago, and this 
 document was signed by members of the very oldest Spanish Colonists 
 known in Texas history, names which appear again and again in the 
 early land grants to Texans by the Spanish government.. Some of the 
 nam.es to this document are Juan Angel Seguin, Jose M. Zembrano, 
 Ignacio Arocha, Jose de la Garza, Angel Navarro, Jos6 Casiano and 
 Manuel Jimenes. 
 
 This document bears out the supposition that a settlement was located 
 at the head of the river, and called San Pedro where, as already has 
 
the Early Days in Texas 43 
 
 been stated in this story, there stand today some walls of an origin 
 antedating the Alamo and of which there are no historic documents 
 available. 
 
 Viceroy Marquis de Valero, knowing the dangers that beset the 
 newly founded Mission, ordered Martin de Alcaron, then governor of 
 Coahuila, to send a strong military protection to the Mission San Antonio 
 de Valero. Thereupon, in fact during the same year, 30 soldiers with 
 their families were moved from Fort Alamo de Parras, Coahuila, to the 
 new Mission site. A small village was built for them close to the Mission, 
 (on the east side of the river), and it received the name San Jos6 de 
 Alamo. In later years, when the Mission buildings were abandoned by 
 the Franciscan Fathers, the soldiers moved into the Mission and occupied 
 the houses and huts which had been erected for the Indians. 
 
 The new Mission was intended to be an industrial school for the 
 Indians, in which the various handicrafts and arts were taught] It was 
 constructed on the same plan as mostly all Missions were built, and 
 which system has been described in a previous chapter. It was a 
 town within stone walls, ten foot high — in fact all buildings of this 
 Mission were built out of stone. In all about three acres of land were 
 enclosed by the wall, and within them was, besides the ditch carrying 
 water from the river, also a curbed well in order that there might be a 
 supply of water in case hostile Indians should cut off the supply from 
 the river. 
 
 Of the Villita San Jose there is no historic information available to 
 the writer with the exception that the huts or houses for the soldiers 
 were located close to the Mission San Antonio de Valero. 
 
 About ten years after the San Antonio Mission was established, 
 Marquis Casafuerte visited the place. The marquis was later to become 
 Viceroy, but when he made this visit he was still in some subordinate 
 position. He was so favorably impressed by the general possibilities, 
 the climate, the location, the natural advantages of water and soil of the 
 new settlement, that he decided to use his influence in having some of 
 the best Spanish families brought here. 
 
 He was successful in persuading the Crown of Spain and interesting 
 the government in his plan. In consequence a beginning was made 
 with IS families, who were brought from the Canary Islands and arrived 
 here in San Antonio in the year 1730. A location was provided for 
 thejm on the west side of the river, close to the Main Plaza of today 
 (Plaza de las Islas.) The new village was named San Fernando in 
 honor of King Ferdinand HI of Spain. A Presidio also was established 
 there and called Presidio San Antonio de Bexar; the new village became 
 the capital of the Province of Texas and was known by the name San 
 Fernando. 
 
 The new arrivals formed the better class — the aristocracy on the 
 banks of the San Antonio river — ^who had very little, if any, social inter- 
 course with the neophytes and the soldiers, located two gunshots away 
 
44 History of San Antonio and 
 
 from them on the east side of the river. A great many descendants of 
 these fifteen families are still living in our city today. 
 
 Although it had been the intention to bring more families for settle- 
 ment, this intention was never carried out. Spain was very much 
 harrassed at this time, by the freebooter warfare which England carried 
 on against Spanish colonies, Spanish trade and Spanish shipping and 
 there was no surplus in the Imperial treasury to defray the expenses of 
 sending another colony of settlers to Texas. For, besides the cost 
 of transportation, the government had to provide the settlers with the 
 necessary agricultural implements and cattle, as well as with food and 
 feedstuffs for at least one year. The first fifteen families had cost the 
 government $72,000. 
 
 The Indians, who had remained peaceful till then and had given 
 the Franciscan Fathers little trouble, began their hostile activities soon 
 after these settlers arrived. On account of the frequency of the savage 
 Indian attacks the citizens of San Fernando moved their village into the 
 bend formed by the river, close to Market Street, where they were 
 protected by the river from three sides and where the townplaza, a 
 clear open space, was situated in front of them. In their houses, 
 constructed like forts, they were comparatively safe from surprise 
 attacks, but they had to keep their powder dry at all times and their 
 shooting irons within easy reach. 
 
 Among the Neches, the Comanches and Apache Indians, a sort of 
 conspiracy or agreement had been made about this time with the 
 intention of driving all Europeans from the territory between the 
 Mississippi and the Rio Grande rivers. To the Neches fell the task 
 of driving the French from Louisiana; the other tribes were to expel 
 the Spaniards from Texas. 
 
 Juan Antonio Bustillos y Cavallos, the first Governor of the Province 
 of Texas, located at San Fernando, soon organized a company of citizen 
 soldiers, attacked the Apaches in their stronghold, Bandera Pass, and 
 administered a severe defeat. This was in 1732. 
 
 An old and experienced soldier was the next governor of Texas, 
 Manuel de Sandoval by name, who took his office in 1734. He organized 
 the military strength of the east and west side settlements so well that 
 he was able to chastise the Indians in such a manner as to secure peace 
 to the settlers for quite a while. 
 
 Carlos de Francis succeeded Sandoval as Governor in 1736, and he in 
 turn v/as superseded by Justo Boneo in 1738. 
 
 In 1738 the colonists laid the foundation for their parish church, the 
 Cathedral of San Fernando of today. Up to that time they had been 
 getting along in a small chaipel, and the new church was blessed in 1749. 
 A large part of the old church is still standing today: the rear part of 
 the Cathedral and the dome are parts of the original church. 
 
 In following this narrative it is well to bear in mind that the Mission 
 San Antonio de Valero and the village San Jose de Alamo located on the 
 
the Early Days in Texas 45 
 
 east side of the river; and the city of San Fernando and the Presidio de 
 Bexar, located on the west side of the river, constituted two different 
 communities, each having their own civil administration. They even 
 had trouble about their respective water rights for irrigating purposes, 
 the history of which first of all is too lengthy, and besides, the historical 
 value of it is so minimal, that a further mention of this legal, fight 
 becomes unnecessary. However, San Fernando was the capital of the 
 province and the governors had their residence there. 
 
 (With Texas under Spanish rule there were the following governors 
 after Justo Boneo: Jarequil in 17S6; Navarette in 1762; Juan Maria, 
 Baron de Ripperda in 1770; Domingo Cabella in 1787; Raphael Pacheco 
 in 1789; Manuel Munoz in 1790; Juan Bautista in 1803; Antonio 
 Cordero in 1806. Of these governors and commanders it is said that 
 they were men of splendid education and it is stated that the society 
 of the city was exceptionally good.) 
 
 Prosperity had come to Franciscan Fathers during this period and 
 it continued to the year 1763. The conversion of the Indians had been 
 most successful, the fields had yielded an abundance of splendid crops, 
 their cattle, horses, sheep and other domestic animals increased wonder- 
 fully. New missions, a description and history of which will be given 
 in following chapters, had been started and built^ certain distances 
 apart, down the river. 
 
 The foundation to the Mission (Alamo) church was laid May 8, 
 1744, and the beautiful building was completed in the year 17S7. With 
 its two steeples, its beautifully arched dome, its graceful lines and curves, 
 it was a thing of architectural beauty — a credit to the Mission and to 
 the city. But let an eye witness tell the story of the Mission in its 
 most beautiful period, the zenith of its existence. The following is a 
 description of the Mission San Antonio de Valero, (the Alamo) written 
 in the year 1762. It is taken from Documentos para La Historia de 
 la Provincia de Tejas, a manuscript, pages 163-167: 
 
 "In this province are some beautiful springs. So great is the volume 
 of water which they send forth, that within a short distance a river of 
 considerable size is formed. This stream, called the San Antonio, runs 
 from north to south. West of it, and one league below the springs, 
 stand the town of San Fernando and the presidio of San Antonio de 
 Bexar. 
 
 Across the river on its eastern bank and. about two gunshots from the 
 presidio is the mission of San Antonio de Valero. This mission was 
 founded on the first of May, 1718, by order of the most excellent 
 Marquis of Valero. It was the first college of the Holy Cross, in its zeal 
 for the salvation of the natives, planted in the Province of Texas. 
 
 The records show that since its foundation seventeen hundred and 
 ninety-two persons have been baptized. At present there are seventy-six 
 families here which, counting widows and widowers, orphans and other 
 children, comprise two hundred and seventy-five persons. 
 
 The settlement contains a convent fifty yards square, with arcades 
 
46 History of San Antonio and 
 
 above and below. In the convent are the living rooms of the religious, 
 the porter's lodge, the dining room, the kitchen and the offices. All these 
 rooms are adorned with sacred ornaments and furnished with such articles 
 as are needed by the religious for their own use and for supplying the 
 Indians. 
 
 In the second court is a room large enough for four looms. Upon 
 these looms are made coarse cloths, embroidered cotton shawls, blankets 
 and other common fabrics of wool and cotton needed to supply and 
 properly clothe the Indians. Adjoining this room are two others, in which 
 they keep the stock of wool, cotton, cottibs, skeins, spindles, cards and 
 other things used by the Indians in making their clothing. 
 
 The church of this mission was finished, even to the towers and 
 sacristy, but, on account of the stupidity of the builder, it tumbled down. 
 Another, however, of pleasing architecture, is being constructed of hewn 
 stones. For the present a room which was built for a granary serves as a 
 church. In it are an altar with wooden table and steps, a niche containing 
 a sculptured image of St. Anthony, an image of Christ crucified, and 
 another of St. John. All of these are dressed in robes, undergarments 
 and silken vestments. 
 
 A big room is used as the sacristy. In it are kept the large boxes 
 that contain the ornaments. Among these are three covered chalices, two 
 large cups, four communion vessels, a silken case for the cross, a vessel 
 and sprinkler for holy water, two candlesticks, an incense boat and spoon, 
 a censer and three holy oil vials. All of these are of silver. 
 
 The mission has a well-built stone chapel eleven yards long. Among 
 its ornaments is a stone cross two yards high and capped with silver. In 
 the cross are hidden four reliquaries, each containing its own relic. The 
 altar is adorned with carved and painted images. 
 
 There are seven rows of houses for the dwellings of the Indians. 
 They are made of stone and supplied with doors and windows. They are 
 furnished with high beds, chests, metates, pots, flat earthen ipans, kettles, 
 cauldrons and boilers. With their arched porticoes the houses form a 
 broad and beautiful plaza through which runs a canal skirted by willows 
 and fruit trees, and used by the Indians. To insure a supply of water in 
 case of a blockade by the enemy, a curbed well has been made. For the 
 defense of the settlement the plaza is surrounded by a wall. Over the 
 gate is a large tower with its embrasures, three cannons, some firearms 
 and appropriate supplies. 
 
 For cultivating the fields of corn, chile and beans that are tilled to 
 feed the Indians, and of cotton to clothe them, there are fifty pairs of 
 cart oxen, thirty of which are driven in yoke. There are also traces, 
 plows, plowshares, fifty axes, forty ipickaxes, twenty-two crowbars and 
 twenty-five sickles. For hauling stone, wood and other things there are 
 twelve carts. For carpentering they have the ordinary tools, such as 
 adzes, chisels, planes, picks, hammers, saws and plummets. For use in 
 repairing their implements they have an anvil, tongs, a screw, mallets, 
 hammers, files and other things connected with a forge. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 47 
 
 In the large room where the grain is kept there are at present about 
 eighteen hundred bushels of corn and some beans. These supplies are to 
 feed the Indians. 
 
 The mission owns a ranch, upon which is a stone house about twenty- 
 five yards long. It has an arched portico and is divided into three rooms. 
 These are occupied by the families that care for the stock which consists 
 of one hundred and fifteen gentle horses, one thousand one hundred and 
 fifteen head of cattle, two thousand three hundred sheep and goats, two 
 hundred mares, fifteen jennets and eighteen saddle mules. 
 
 The mission and the ranch have the necessary corrals. For the irriga- 
 tion of the fields there is a fine main aqueduct." 
 
48 History of San Antonio and 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 THE PASSING OF THE SPANISH CIVILIZATION 
 
 T N the year 1762, the sidewalls of our beautiful mission church sud- 
 ■*- denly collapsed — "the stupidity of the architect"— the cause assigned 
 by history for this calamity. The church must have been empty at the 
 time; for nothing is said that anybody was hurt or buried underneath 
 the massive roof. No doubt the sidewalls had given due notice of the 
 impending catastrophe long before the final collapse occurred, and the 
 statues and other valuables had been removed to the chapel. The 
 collapse of this building, in fact, starts the history of decline, not only 
 of the Mission San Antonio de Valero, but also of the missions which 
 had been established further down the river and also of San Fernando, 
 the capital of the province. 
 
 By non-Catholic historians, even by the Spanish historians, there 
 has been a tendency to assign the discontinuation of the flourishing 
 condition which had been enjoyed by missions and capital city alike, 
 to the failure, the impossibility of "reducing" — ^properly christianizing 
 the Indians — and indirectly the fault is laid to shortcomings of the 
 teaching and doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ. This erroneous impres- 
 sion either is pure malice or the consequence of a superficial study of the 
 following period; on the part of Spaniards, it was a sort of whitewashing 
 process to conceal their own faulty civil administration. The real causes 
 of the decline were entirely different. 
 
 In the year 1763 a devastating, contagious sickness .broke out among 
 the Indians which also spread to the colonists. It decimated the ranks 
 of the Indians and of the settlers and, when finally it was under control, 
 the condition of mission and settlement was fearful to contemplate. 
 
 About the time of the foundation of the Alamo church, 1744, it is 
 estimated that there were, all told, religious, settlers and Indians, about 
 3,000 souls in San Antonio, which means the combined population living 
 on both, the east and west, sides of the river. Twenty-one years after- 
 wards, in the year 1765, there were in the whole province of Texas no 
 more than 750 converted Indians — Indios reducidos — and the total 
 number of white settlers had dwindled to 500. 
 
 This awful difference was not caused alone by the ravages of the 
 disease or plague of which mention has been made. Another principal 
 cause was the treatment accorded the white settlers by the Spanish civil 
 government. The Spanish government, whose power was constantly 
 declining and whose resources were steadily diminishing, sought to 
 replenish its coffers at the expense of the settlers, by trade restrictions, 
 by restrictions of their agriculture and so forth. The colonists were 
 forbidden to acquire title or deed to property, crushing the dominant 
 
the Early Days in Texas 49 
 
 initiative of the daring pioneer, who was ready to brave Indians, wild 
 animals, drouth and disease for the prospect of a home which he could 
 call his own. The most of them moved away from the Spanish jurisdic- 
 tion to other parts of America where the laws would give them a chance 
 to acquire that which they desired above everything else. 
 
 It was against the law to trade with the surrounding territories, 
 especially with Louisiana. All goods had to be imported from Spain, 
 the motherland. And these "Made in Spain" articles not only were 
 much inferior but also by far more expensive than the ones smuggled 
 from Louisiana. 
 
 Farmers were forbidden the cultivation of grapes and olives — 
 products in the raising and producing of which they were especially 
 experienced and skillful. They were even forbidden to make and 
 manufacture certain articles in order that the artisans in the motherland 
 might be favored. The settlers were not strong enough numerically to 
 start a revolution against the motherland. They took the next best 
 alternative — ^they emigrated to provinces ruled by laws more just and 
 liberal. 
 
 And the Indians? Certainly, there were plenty of Indians in those 
 days, and the field for the Reverend Franciscan Fathers was not dimin- 
 ished one whit. But the chances of success were. The French traders 
 were there in competition and the teachings and dealings of these white 
 men were by far more acceptable to the Indian than the Christian 
 doctrine. Christian democracy failed to hold its own against unrestricted 
 individual liberty. This is evident from the report of Fray Francisco 
 de los Dolores of the Mission San Antonio de Valero, to Rev. Father 
 Guardian, Fray Francisco Xavier Ortiz, his superior, of March 2, 1762, 
 (Documents for the ecclesiastical and civil history of the Province of 
 Texas, Book 2, Vol. XXVIII), a manuscript of 201 pages. 
 
 The following part of this report speaks volumes: 
 
 "The nearness of the French is no less prejudical. The French, 
 having most of the Indian tribes devoted to them, prevent in the first 
 place their reduction to the holy faith for, caring nothing for this or 
 any other matter of religion, they look only to increasing trade and 
 commerce in paints, beads, blankets and, what is still more of value to 
 them, knives, guns, powder and ball. 
 
 "This unbridled liberty is diametrically opposed to the Christian 
 suggestion of the Catholic majesty, that attention be given only to their 
 reduction for the winning of their souls. And since this liberty is more 
 in accord with their brutish nature (also of all human nature unrestrained 
 by reason and knowledge of the truth), they follow it more easily, the 
 contrary costing them great difficulty." 
 
 The decline of the Mission San Antonio de Valero proceeded very 
 rapidly from 1763 on. The savage Indians preferred to follow the 
 French doctrine-preferred the wild and easy life to the orderly life in 
 the mission. The older, converted Indians and their children soon 
 
so History of San Antonio and 
 
 acquired the habits of the soldiers and their families; many of them 
 moved out of the mission into the villita San Jose de Alamo and their 
 children married with the children of the Mexican soldiers. Some of 
 them kept their homes in the mission. In 1783 the melting pot had 
 fairly done its duty, even the aristocrats of San Fernando, having no 
 school of their own, had been obliged to send their children to the 
 Franciscan Fathers. In 1785 the settlement on the west side of the 
 river and the converted Indians, together with the soldiers of the 
 Alamo and their children, all became one by being united under one 
 civil government — under an "alcalde" — a justice of the peace in the 
 literal meaning, also signifying burgomaster or mayor. Before this 
 time the east side had been under the civil jurisdiction of the padre, 
 the west side under the commander of the presidio. The united settle- 
 ments were known from that time on as San Antonio de Bexar. The 
 mission was abandoned and the houses of the Indians were used as 
 barracks for the soldiers — ^the soldiers of the Alamo. In 1790 our city 
 received fresh blood; the citizens of the abandoned Presidio Los Adaes 
 being transferred to San Antonio. In 1793 the agricultural lands of the 
 mission were divided among the Indians who were entitled to a share 
 of the land and this act practically finished the Mission period of our city. 
 A fitting conclusion of the Spanish civilization of our city is the 
 rather doleful report of Count Revilla Gigedo, Viceroy of Mexico. The 
 report is dated December 27, 1793. One may regard it as the basis 
 of a recommendation for the general abandonment of the various 
 missions in Texas and of a consolidation of the priests, converts and 
 descendants of the Alamo soldiers, with the city of San Fernando and 
 the Fort San Antonio de Bexar. Some of the local missions near San 
 Antonio were to be abandoned and others were to be continued. The 
 report follows in part: 
 
 "The religious disciples from the College of Santa Cruz de Queretaro 
 and Nuestra Sefiora de Guadalupe (Franciscan Fathers) have always 
 been favorably noted for the commendable zeal and apostolic anxiety 
 with which they have at all times dedicated themselves to the conversion 
 of Indians. It is also well known that the royal treasury has contributed 
 millions of dollars (?) to the success of this spiritual conquest, but 
 neither our acquisitions nor the number of Indians congregated in the 
 actual mission towns do by any means justify the enormous outlay 
 incurred, nor the fatiguing labors undergone by the missionary Fathers. 
 Exposing themselves to all possible dangers, they have always been 
 compelled to reinforce the small number of their converts from the 
 coast near the Bay of Espiritu Santo or San Bernardo, and from the 
 vicinity of Nueva Santander, aided in their labors only by small escorts 
 of troops ; and although they have worked with the utmost zeal and all 
 necessary precaution in the more remote parts of the territory, they have 
 as yet never been able to achieve the religious conversion of even one 
 single tribe of the many that inhabit and roam over this vast district. 
 
 "Up to the present time (1793) we know of the following tribes: 
 
the Early Days in Texas 51 
 
 Tejas, Vidais, Tancalmes, Luitseis, Atacapaces, Horoquisas, Flechazos, 
 Veripiamos, Nacogdoches, Asimias, Nasones, Cododachos, Taobayces, 
 Tahuacanas, Pasmismahas, Osages, besides some tribes of the Apaches 
 and Lipans, who dwell on the frontier of Coahuila. It may be that 
 there are a few individual Indians of these tribes in the missions, but 
 according to the names enrolled from their foundation there remains no 
 doubt that the greater part of them were brought from the coast of 
 San Bernardo and the colony of Nuevo Santander, as previously stated. 
 This is also certified to by Lieutenant-Governor Marquis de Ruba in 
 his report. 
 
 "With just cause he also speaks of the opulence and wealth of the 
 five missions on the banks of the San Antonio river, seeing their well 
 built and beautifully ornamented temples, their showy furniture of 
 ■great value and exquisite finish, holy vessels and other corresponding 
 adornments. He found the houses of the Missionary Fathers and those 
 of the Indians, the granaries and all other buildings supplied with all 
 necessary conveniences; the fields of the various missions were in fine 
 state of cultivation, covered with grain, fruit and cattle, and he could 
 find no fault with the Christian education of the Indians, nor in their 
 political or home management. They were well supplied with abundant 
 provisions, and with the proper humble, but neatly finished clothing. 
 This praiseworthy system of conducting the missions has never changed. 
 The edifices and riches of their ' temples are still preserved but their 
 wealth of flock and field has rapidly gone to ruin on account of the oft 
 repeated attacks of enemy Indians. Nevertheless, those who are still 
 assembled around these five missions, now reduced to four by the 
 secularization of San Antonio de Valero, suffer no want, and have 
 become connected with the Spanish families by marriage, and now only 
 desire to check the hostilities of the Indians and continue the recruiting 
 of converts from the Colony of Nueva Santander so that with their 
 additional help they can more thoroughly cultivate their fields and obtain 
 security for their flocks and herds, and thus restore their missions to 
 their former opulence." 
 
 The recommendations were not fully adopted by the Spanish govern- 
 ment, though some distant missions were abandoned. There was one 
 powerful reason for this — a reason which neither Viceroy nor king toot 
 notice of: the star of Spain was sinking rapidly and those provinces and 
 colonies which formed the theme of the report, were soon to be wrested 
 from the motherland. For Texas in particular a very turbulent time 
 was in view — and for our beautiful city a sorrowful future loomed up. 
 
 Before relating in chronological order what all happened during these 
 turbulent years, it is well, perhaps, to give a short description of what 
 our city looked like by this time. 
 
 San Fernando, the capital of the Province of Texas, had ceased to 
 exist with the secularization of the Mission San Antonio de Valero and 
 the settlement was known as San Antonio de Bexar. The Spaniards 
 
52 History of San Antonio and 
 
 were accustomed to refer to it as "Bexar," whilst among the population, 
 especially among the Americans, the name "San Antonio" took the 
 preference. 
 
 On the south side of our present-day Gas and Electric Company's 
 plant there is a short street which bears the name "Villita" street. This 
 was the main thoroughfare which connected the villita Alamo with the 
 city of San Fernando. West of the Gas and Electric Company's plant, 
 where there are two bridges, there was located the principal ford for 
 wagons and riders on horseback. For the convenience of "general" 
 public a log was thrown across the narrowest part of the stream. This 
 bridge was noticeable only by its absence after one of the many rampages 
 of our twisting little stream. Yet, it may be surmised, this fact caused 
 no special inconvenience to the San Antonions of those days. Where 
 Villita street begins or ends on South Alamo street, there was the main 
 part of the Villita. 
 
 After crossing the stream one entered at once into the City of San 
 Fernando and the first street. Market Street of today, was the main 
 thoroughfare. There was just one more street to the north: Commerce 
 Street. Houses were built closely together; they all were of the one- 
 story kind and topped with flat roofs. This construction was the only 
 practical one for warding off the attacks of savage Indians, occurrences 
 which seem to have belonged to the common routine in those days. 
 After barricading doors and windows the defenders fought the Indians 
 from the top of their houses, retreating and advancing over them as the 
 case might be. 
 
 It is recorded that good society, polite manners and fine fashions 
 prevailed in San Fernando, although history also deplores the fact that 
 this "better" society wasted much of its time in gambling and playing 
 cards and that, when Indians failed to furnish cause for a fight, they 
 managed to pick one among themselves. 
 
 The combined population of city and villita never exceeded 2,000-3,000 
 souls whilst, at times, it fell far below these numbers. Of course there 
 also were times when these numbers were temporarily swelled by the 
 presence of the one or the other army, but these soldiers were only 
 transient and not permanent residents. 
 
 In the beginning of the nineteenth century, when Spanish laws had 
 become almost unbearable, the fame of Texas, the Wonderland; of San 
 Antonio and its remarkably fertile and well-irrigated country; of the 
 Missions and the converted Indians had spread further and further to 
 the east. French traders, at first, had told the story and aroused the 
 interest not only of the French and the Creoles but also of the Americans. 
 
 In the year 1800 a number of American adventurers, under the 
 leadership of Philip Nolan, came to Texas as far as Waco. They were 
 rounding up and catching wild mustangs and, whilst engaged in this 
 work, were surprised by a company of Spanish soldiers. Eleven of their 
 
the Early Days in Texas S3 
 
 numter were taken as prisoners and brought to S.an Antonio — a sad 
 ending to the first visit of Americans in Texas. 
 
 As a consequence of this incident the Spanish government placed a 
 larger number of soldiers in the San Antonio garrison and enacted still 
 more stringent laws against the influx of foreigners and trading with 
 foreign countries. These laws applied not only to the province of Texas 
 but to the entire state of Mexico. 
 
 These proved to be the proverbial straw. As a result of them a 
 revolutionary party was born in Mexico, a branch of which was organized 
 in San Antonio, which avowed the intention to do away with the rule 
 of the Spanish crown and to create a Republic of Mexico. 
 
 In San Antonio the revolutionary party, at first, consisted principally 
 of the French and Creoles to whom, within a short time, a good many 
 patriots of Spanish and Mexican descent were added, and these latter 
 promptly earned the significant title "the rebels" because, by reason of 
 their descent and blood, they were expected to adhere to the cause of 
 the Royalists. The revolutionary party, naturally, was a secret organi- 
 zation and held its meetings in obscure places and mostly during the 
 dark of the night. Our city, at that time, was the gathering place of 
 numerous, leading Spanish generals and spies; for even then trouble was 
 brewing between the United States and Spain on account of the Louisiana 
 Purchase Act. 
 
 The Spanish government had full knowledge of this revolutionary 
 party and came to the conclusion that, perhaps, it had gone too far 
 with its restrictions. There can be no doubt that the disastrous result 
 of the tyrannous treatment of its colonists by England caused the 
 amelioration of the Spanish laws in Mexico and Texas. Liberal laws 
 were framed, but it was too late. The first revolution broke out in 
 Mexico under the leadership of Father Hidalgo, a religious. This attempt 
 for liberty met with failure: the Republicans were defeated by the 
 Royalists, Father Hidalgo was taken prisoner and promptly executed. 
 Two other patriots escaped, one of them to San Antonio where he, too, 
 was captured, beheaded and his head displayed on a pole at a prominent 
 ford of the river: a ghastly warning for the revolutionary party, the 
 Republicans. Bernardo Gutierrez, another one of Father Hidalgo's 
 assistants, escaped to "no man's land" — a strip of territory in eastern 
 Texas which, by an agreement between the United States and Spain, 
 was not to be transgressed by soldiers of either nationality. 
 
 Previous to the year 1812 considerable of trading had been carried 
 on between New Orleans and Texas. Nacogdoches was the most con- 
 venient point on the border and the principal trading center. No Man's 
 Land, in the course of time, had become the home of a daring band of 
 lawless adventurers, who had congregated here for the punpose of holding 
 up and robbing the trading expeditions. These renegades of all nations 
 had finally become so bold that the Secretary of War of the United 
 States was forced to send an expedition in order to break up these bands 
 
54 History of San Antonio and 
 
 of outlaws and bring those, who could be captured, to the United States 
 to be punished. Lieutenant Augustus W. Magee was put in command 
 of a sufficient force and he succeeded in routing the outlaws. He became 
 acquainted with Bernardo Gutierrez, the fugitive Republican. Gutierrez 
 was a man of fine manners and great accomplishments, and he gave to 
 Lieutenant Magee such a glowing account of the struggle for independence 
 going on in Texas and Mexico, as to finally inflame the patriotism and 
 ambition of Magee and his band. 
 
 As soon as Magee had carried out his orders, he resigned his position 
 in the United States army and proceeded to organize an army of his 
 own which was called "The Republican Army of the North." The army, 
 to all appearances, was under the command of Gutierrez, but Magee 
 was the commander in fact. 
 
 In the year of 1813 this army captured Nacogdoches and La Bahia. 
 At the latter place a large amount of money, abundant supplies and 
 sixteen pieces of artillery fell into their hands. Here they were besieged 
 by General Salcedo of the Royalists and it seems that Magee agreed to 
 surrender but that his men refused, point blank, to do anything of the 
 kind. Salcedo became enraged when he found out that the agreed terms 
 of surrender were not carried out, made a determined assault on the 
 fort and was decisively defeated. Magee is said to have died by his 
 own hands that night. 
 
 Another American, Major Kemper, was selected to be commander 
 and in the following council of war it was unanimously decided to march 
 on to San Antonio. The Republicans of San Antonio were informed of 
 this move, and made such arrangements as they could to render assist- 
 ance to the approaching army. Down the Old San Antonio Road the 
 army proceeded, and on their way were joined by one hundred and 
 seventy volunteers. More assistance awaited them at Salado Creek, 
 close to our city, where Captain McFarland joined them with three 
 hundred Lipan and Towakana braves. The army consisted now of eight 
 hundred Americans under Colonel Kemper, one hundred and eighty 
 Spanish and Mexican patriots under Colonel Manchaca and three hundred 
 and twenty-five Indians. 
 
 The Royalist Army at San Antonio had been re-inforced, and, accord- 
 ing to the best information available, numbered 1500 regulars and one 
 thousand volunteers. It is safe to assume that the number of volunteers 
 is rather exaggerated. These forces marched forward to meet the invading 
 army, and laid in ambush for them at Rosalio Creek, about nine miles 
 from San Antonio. The Republican army had been informed of every 
 move of the Royalists as spies were plentiful in our city, and the cause 
 of the revolution was gaining more adherents every day. The way in 
 which the Republican army proceeded, proved plainly that they knew 
 full well that their enemy was near. 
 
 In perfect battle order they approached the "ambush" — with scouts 
 or riflemen in advance. These discovered the enemy on top of a hill, 
 
the Early Days in Texas 55 
 
 who immediately opened fire. The Republican Army formed for an 
 attack. Their orders were not to fire a single shot until within thirty 
 steps of the enemy. In silence the order was obeyed and with absolute 
 coolness they charged up the hill. It is said that this show of bravery 
 and daring threw the enemy ranks into confusion and that they fled 
 before the attack could materialize. During the following pursuit one 
 thousand of them were killed, and the rest of them surrendered. Tradi- 
 tions have it that the Spanish commander, having pledged his sword and 
 head that he would kill or capture the entire Republican Army of the 
 North, when he saw his utter defeat, rushed into the American lines, 
 sword in hand, and in the act of attacking Col. Kemper, was shot 
 down by Wim. Owen, a private. 
 
 General Salcedo promptly surrendered our city to the victorious 
 Republicans, and the next day the army triumphantly entered into San 
 Antonio. They released seventeen American prisoners, who had been 
 confined in the Alamo, captured all the arms, munitions and military 
 chests of the Royalists, paroled the Royalist soldiers and imprisoned 
 their officers. 
 
 Gutierrez now assumed control of our city affairs and organized a 
 junta of the leading Republicans. Before this junta appeared Captain 
 Delgado, son of Col. Delgado, the Republican, who had been captured 
 and beheaded here in San Antonio. He wanted vengeance for the death 
 of his father. The junta held a secret session, no American being present. 
 
 On the next day, the Spanish officers who had been held as prisoners 
 in the Alamo, were turned over to an escort commanded by Captain 
 Delgado, and the American leaders were informed that the prisoners 
 were to be taken to New Orleans. After proceeding a short distance 
 down the river, the prisoners were halted by their escort. They were 
 stripped and tied, and then their escorts proceeded calmly with cutting 
 the throats of the defenceless victims. Col. J. A. Navarro gives the 
 following account of the slaughter: 
 
 "Some of these assassins, (Delgado's company), with brutal irony, 
 whetted their knives upon the soles of their shoes in the presence of 
 their victims. The day following the assassination, I myself saw this 
 band of murderers, led by their commander, Antonio Delgado, halt in 
 front of the government buildings; I myself heard them inform Bernardo 
 Gutierrez that fourteen victims had been put to death. The following 
 list comprises the victims: Spaniards — General Manuel de Salcedo, 
 Governor of Texas; Simon de Herrera, Governor of Nueva Leon; Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel Geronimo Herrera; Captain Juan de Echeverria; Captain 
 Jose Groscochia; Captain .Francisco Pereira; Captain Juan Ignatio 
 Arambido; Lieutenant Gregorio Amado and Antonio Lopez, citizen. 
 Mexicans — Captain Miguel de Areos, Lieutenant Louis Areos, Ensign 
 Francisco Areos and Lieutenant Juan Caso." 
 
 This outrage greatly incensed the American officers and a number 
 of them, including Col. Kemper and Maj. Ross, left our city and drop- 
 ped the cause of the Republicans. 
 
56 History of San Antonio and 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 UNDER THE MEXICAN FLAG 
 
 TITTHEN the American officers had gone, the discipline of the soldiers 
 ' ' became very lax, and they devoted their time to most everything else 
 but keeping in good condition for further battles in the Republican 
 cause. They became demoralized and were in that sort of a condition 
 when, on June the 4th, 1813, the news spread through our city that a 
 large Royalist Army had encamped west of the city on the Alazan 
 Heights. Captain Perry, an American officer, immediately took charge 
 of the American troops who had remained here in San Antonio, and he 
 was re-inforced by the Mexicans under Gutierrez and Colonel Manchaca. 
 Don Y. Elisondo, the Spanish General, sent a flag of truce, demanding 
 unconditional surrender. It was made known that he had with him an 
 army of fifteen hundred regular and the same amount of militia troops. 
 In the ensuing parley the city was given until the next morning to make 
 the decision. Captain Perry did not like the prospects at all, and he 
 decided on a surprise attack. In the silence of the night, he and his 
 forces marched out to give battle. The Royalists were completely taken 
 by surprise and, although fighting gallantly, could not withstand the 
 furious onrush of the Americans who charged with bayonet and spear. 
 The slaughter was terrible, lasting several hours in merciless hand to 
 hand combat. Finally the Royalists were routed, and it is said that 
 they left one thousand of their number in killed, wounded or prisoners. 
 The American loss was forty-seven killed and about the same number 
 of wounded. The Royalists never stopped until they reached the Rio 
 Grande. 
 
 Fearing more treachery, the Americans dismissed Bernardo Gutierrez 
 from the army and ordered him out of San Antonio. For a brief time 
 the Americans took civic matters in hand themselves. 
 
 Shortly afterwards a Cuban patriot by the name of Alvarez Toledo, 
 arrived in San Antonio. He was a man of great learning and ability, 
 and for some time past had been busy in the cause of the Republicans 
 at New Orleans by constantly forwarding new recruits to San Antonio. 
 He was regarded by the army with great respect and was elected 
 Commander-in-Chief, a post of duty which gave him charge, at the 
 same time, over all civil administrations of the city. 
 
 General Toledo, with all possible haste, set about to restore order 
 and discipline in the Republican Army and,' as subsequent events 
 showed, succeeded only partially. He feared the return of the Royalists 
 at no late date, and subsequent events also proved that his fear was 
 well founded. 
 
 About the middle of August, 1813 news was received in our city that 
 
the Early Days in Texas 57 
 
 General Arredondo, at the head of four thousand troops, was approach- 
 ing the city. The Republican Army was still drunk with the success, 
 of the battle of the Alazan Heights and against wiser council it was 
 decided to go out and meet the enemy. 
 
 On August 18, General Toledo, at the head of about three hundred 
 Americans under Captain Perry, and about 600 Mexicans under Colonel 
 Manchaca, marched forth to give battle. 
 
 General Arredondo, who was some strateglcian, had learned a lesson 
 from the two preceding battles and had studied the peculiar American 
 manner of attack. He arranged the main part of his army in the shapje 
 of a "V" with the open end to the city, and his artillery so as to sweep 
 the entire entrance of this trap. 
 
 He then sent out a small detachment to meet the Republican Army 
 and instructed them to fall back fighting and lead the enemy into t!;i!! 
 trap. The plan worked all too well. The Americans employed their 
 customary rushing tactics and followed the fleeing advance guurd. 
 General Toledo was the first to take note of the trap that awaited them 
 and at once gave orders to the Americans to retreat. But discipline was 
 not strong enough; with the shout: "Americans never retreat!" three 
 hundred fearless Americans rushed to their certain death. Raked by 
 grape and shell from all sides, they fought with desperate courage against 
 overwhelming odds, until nearly all were cut down.. Seventy or eighty of 
 them managed to make their escape but were relentlessly pursued by Don 
 Y. Elisondo, who was still smarting under the severe defeat he had 
 received at the hands of these self-same Americans. His orders were that 
 no quarter be shown to them, and he followed the survivors to Spanish 
 Bluff on the Trinity river, where he overtook and captured them. 
 
 A deep trench was dug, and across the trench a log was laid. Ten 
 at a time, the unfortunate prisoners were marched on this log and shot 
 down mercilessly and, dead or wounded, fell into the trench, their grave. 
 
 Arredondo, in the meantime, had entered the city of San Antonio, 
 and right then the saddest, the blackest page in the annals of San 
 Antonio was written — the less there is said about it, perhaps, the better 
 it is. The historian Yoakum tersely describes the tragedy as follows: 
 
 "Two days after the battle, Arredondo, having his wagon loaded 
 with wounded and dying, marched in triumph into San Antonio. Here 
 commenced a scene of barbarity which that place had never before 
 witnessed. Seven hundred of peaceable citizens were seized and 
 imprisoned. Three hundred of them were confined during the night of 
 August 20 in one house, and during the night eighteen of them died of 
 suffocation. From day to day others were shot without any form of 
 trial. The cruelty of the Spanish commander went even further. He 
 had a prison for females. It was insultingly called "the Quinta." Here 
 five hundred of the wives and daughters of the patriots were imprisoned 
 and being such, they were compelled daily, for four months, to convert 
 twenty-four bushels of Indian corn into the -Mexican cakes called 
 
58 History of San Antonio and 
 
 "tortillas" for the army of Arredondo. After thus having satisfied his 
 appetite for blood and revenge, the Royalist Commander found an 
 opportunity about September 1, to collect and bury the bones of Salcedo 
 and his staff. By this time Elisondo and his staff had returned from 
 the Trinity driving before them on foot the widows and orphans of those 
 he had slain. The property of all the patriots was confiscated." 
 
 But his description does not tell half of the story. It is recorded 
 that some brutal officer in charge of a brutal crew was placed as guard 
 over the helpless and unfortunate women and girls, and that he and his 
 crew delighted in heaping indignities and mortification upon the poor 
 imprisoned females. 
 
 The silence of death reigned in San Antonio for years afterwards, 
 and what there had been of prosperity in our little town, was obliterated 
 by Arredondo. Whosoever was capable of doing so, left the city in the 
 stillness of the night. A great many went to Galveston, others managed 
 to make their passage to the South Americas. 
 
 An awful flood visited our city in the year 1819 — carrying destruction 
 and ruin in its path. 
 
 This disaster seemed to spell the final doom of San Antonio. It 
 almost extinguished the last spark of hope in the breast of those patriots 
 who had not allowed their stout hearts to falter in the determination 
 to create an independent Republic of Mexico; who had refused to 
 abandon their city even in the face, of terrific punishment and awful 
 disaster. 
 
 Besides the terrible flood, the year 1819 brought to our citizens the 
 claims to Texas. But news of a cheering character were to follow soon. 
 It related to the second revolution in Mexico and the Republicans were 
 quietly informed that this revolution had show of success. 
 
 In the same year our citizens heard of a Dr. Long, an American 
 who, at the head of some virile and aggressive companions, was headed 
 for San Antonio. But Dr. Long and his small detachment were 
 defeated and captured by the Royalists near Goliad and taken to Mexico 
 as (prisoners. Although this killed the prospects for immediate relief 
 against oppression, the Americans and the Republicans who had remained 
 here in San Antonio, believed to see the dawn of a new era approaching. 
 
 Matters took quite an optimistic outlook for San Antonio, and also 
 for Texas, as far as that is concerned, with the year 1820. First of all 
 our city was honored by the visit of a remarkable man: Moses Austin — 
 the Father of the State of Texas. He was a native of Connecticut, but 
 had lived for a long time in Missouri and heard of our wondrous coun- 
 try and city. The plan to form a colony in this Eldorado had matured 
 in his mind and he had come to our city to see the authorities about 
 securing their sanction and procuring a grant of land suitable for his 
 purpose. 
 
 Antonio Martinez was the Spanish military governor of the Province 
 of Texas at that time — and he was a man who had absolutely no use 
 
the Early Days in Texas 59 
 
 for the Americans. Curtly he refused to listen to Austin, and ordered 
 him to leave Texas immediately under pain of imprisonment. Austin 
 was very much discouraged by this rough treatment and had practically 
 given up all hope of carrying out his pet plan, when he met Baron de 
 Bastrop, who was well acquainted with the governor, and he persuaded 
 Austin to come back with him, assuring him that he would use his 
 influence in behalf of his friend's plan. And really, the governor was 
 induced to reconsider his decision, and arranged for a favorable grant 
 of a suitable tract of land, and this grant was also ratified by the general 
 government. Joyfully Moses Austin, the first Empresario, started 
 homeward to bring the settlers to Texas. But fate would not have it 
 that he should carry out the favorite plan of his life: the hardships of 
 the journey proved too much for him and he died shortly after arriving 
 home. His son, however, Stephen Fuller Austin, took the burden of his 
 father's ambition and carried it to a successful close. He induced 1,200 
 families to come to Texas and to make their homes here. 
 
 In the year 1821 the Second Mexican Revolution was crowned with 
 success, and General Iturbide ascended the imperial throne of Mexico. 
 His reign was short, a counter revolution soon put an end to incipient 
 Mexican Imperialism. A period of disorder followed till finally, in the 
 year of 1824, the New Republic of Mexico was properly organized, and 
 Texas, in juncture with Coahuila, became one of the states. The new 
 constitution provided more liberal laws for settlers and to Texas the 
 promise was made that, as soon as it was strong enough to be self- 
 supporting, it would be made a separate state. 
 
 San Antonio received the shorter end of the bargain because the 
 main executive offices of the state were now removed to Saltillo. It 
 bcame necessary to travel to this city in all cases of a legal nature, and 
 that meant a trip of 600 miles through a wilderness, fraught with many 
 dangers. This will be more readily understood by the fact that, during 
 ten years' time, ninety-seven citizens were murdered by Indians while 
 traveling to the remote capital. Our city, lacking the necessary military 
 protection, was very frequently subjected to attacks of the Indians — 
 in fact the fighting of Indians became a matter of daily routine until 
 some sturdy Americans arrived, who had dealt with the savages all their 
 lives and knew how to handle them. 
 
 Under the more liberal laws Texas began to grow in spite of the 
 handicap of being attached to another Mexican State. Immigrants of 
 the most desirable kind kept coming and besides San Antonio, Nacog- 
 doches and Goliad, the cities of Columbia, Brazoria, Gonzales, Victoria 
 and San Felipe were being rapidly placed on the map of Texas, mostly 
 all by American settlers. 
 
 In 1824 the first trading expedition, bound for Santa Fe, came to 
 our city. They were in a bad fix: a short distance from our city, where 
 they had pitched camps and the Indians had stolen all their pack 
 animals. They secured the necessary equipment and proceeded on their 
 way. 
 
60 History of San Antonio and 
 
 The year 182S saw the first "Political Chief, District of Texas" 
 installed In our city. His name was Jose Antonio Saucedo — and a saucy 
 Mexican he was; for his tyrannic rule and ill will towards the American 
 settlers did not tend to make him popular with the Republicans. The 
 "Republicans" of Texas were getting more and more under suspicion of 
 the Mexican government by this time; it was well remembered what they 
 had done against the rule of the Spanish Crown and it was feared that 
 they, in case they should grow too strong, would not hesitate to turn 
 against the Mexican government. For this reason the privileges of the 
 immigrants were curtailed more and more. 
 
 Nevertheless the first American school was established in San Antonio 
 on July S, 182S, the first step towards the education of the children of 
 American parents. 
 
 In the year 1830 Col. James Bowie and his brother Renzie P. Bowie 
 came to our city. Col. Bowie married a daughter of Don Veramendi 
 and lived in the Veramendi homestead on Soledad street, close to where 
 the Rand Building stands today. He was a native of Georgia. Being 
 one of the Heroes of the Alamo, he well deserves a brief description. 
 
 Of him it is stated that he was about six feet in height, with a fair 
 complexion, having small blue eyes. He was well proportioned, erect 
 of bearing and although a "fierce look" is attributed to him it is said 
 that he was not quarrelsome, yet absolutely without the knowledge of 
 fear. Although the hero of many duels, he was very sociable and had 
 a wonderful art of winning people to himself. Lavish with his money, 
 he also was somewhat disposed to intemperance but was never known 
 to be drunk. Muscular, nervy and brave, he was of that sort of men 
 who put fear into the hearts of the savage Indians. He was the kind of 
 citizen needed right here in San Antonio during the turbulent days to 
 come, and he never failed when trouble threatened our city and finally 
 gave his life in defense of the Liberty of Texas. His memory will never 
 grow dim. 
 
 Just one little story of the way the Bowie brothers handled the 
 Indians. On a prospecting expedition in the year of 1831 the two 
 brothers, together with nine companions of the same caliber, were 
 surrounded by 164 Indians. There was no way of sending for help. 
 For eight days they fought off the ever repeating attacks of the savages 
 and on the close of the eighth day broke through the ring of their 
 assailants after having killed eighty-four of them. They returned to 
 San Antonio, deploring, it is true, the loss of one faithful comrade in 
 arms who died fighting, but with all their horses and other property. 
 Of such material the Heroes of the Alamo were made. 
 
 About this time another welcome citizen arrived in San Antonio: 
 Erastus Smith, known as Deaf Smith, because he was hard of hearing. 
 Born in New York, in the year 1787, his family came to Natchez, Miss., 
 when Deaf Smith was eleven years old. It is chronicled that he was in 
 Texas before Austin came here. Deaf Smith was a man of very few 
 
the Early Days in Texas 61 
 
 words and hardly ever spoke except in monosyllables. But when he did 
 say something he meant it, and what he said was sure to be to the 
 point. He was a dead shot, cool and absolutely fearless in battle. He 
 was a most valuable member of our Texas army: the most dangerous 
 reconnoitering and spying work was entrusted to him. He was a great 
 personal friend of General Sam Houston. 
 
 Thus they kept coming, men with families, and men without families, 
 all of good American stock, sturdy pioneers. The Treaty of Cordova 
 (1821) which resulted in the creation of the Mexican Republic, and the 
 liberal laws and privileges which fully recognized the rights of American 
 Colonists in Texas that were agreed upon in the Constitution of 1824, 
 brought these people to Texas and to our city. For a while it seemed 
 as if things would go well under Mexican rule, and that Texas stood 
 a good chance of beconiing a state by itself. 
 
 Conditions did not long remain pleasant. The ever recurring changes 
 in the Mexican Government — the result of frequent revolutions — wrought 
 a radical change in the policy of the Mexican rulers towards the colonists. 
 
 In September, 1830, Don Juan Martin Veramendi of San Antonio 
 was elected Vice-Governor of Texas. Veramendi was a man of very 
 liberal views, and favorably inclined towards the colonists: one of them, 
 Col. James Bowie, his son-in-law, living in the same homestead with him, 
 could not fail to have a good influence on the Vice-Governor. But he 
 could not alleviate the tyrannic conditions. 
 
 It must be noted here, that Bustamente, President of Mexico, by a 
 decree issued April 6, 1830, annulled all contracts for settlement and 
 inaugurated a system of tyrannical exactions. 
 
 In April 1833 a number of the leading colonists called a meeting 
 in San Antonio. At this convention the ways and means were discussed 
 by which the wrongs inflicted on the colonists and the neglect of pro- 
 tection from which all of them suffered, could be remedied. It was 
 decided to appeal to the good judgment of the Mexican government. 
 A document was drawn up, requesting the separation of Texas from 
 Coahuila, and, among other grievances, set forth: 
 
 "Bexar (San Antonio), the ancient capital of Texas, presents a 
 sorrowful and glaring picture of her general want of protection and 
 encouragement. Situated in a fertile, picturesque and healthful region, 
 established a century and a half ago, (within which period populous 
 and magnificent cities have sprung into existence), she exhibits only the 
 decrepitude of age, sad testimonial of the absence of that political 
 guardianship which a wise government should always bestow upon the 
 feebleness of its exposed frontier settlements * * * Bexar is still 
 exposed to the depredations of her ancient enemies, the insolent, vindictive 
 and faithless Comanches. Her citizens are still massacred, their cattle 
 destroyed or driven away, and their very habitations threatened by a 
 tribe of erratic and undisciplined Indians whose audacity has derived 
 confidence from success, and whose long continued aggressions have 
 invested them with a fictitious and an excessive terror. Her schools 
 
62 History of San Antonio and 
 
 are neglected, her churches desolate, the sounds of human industry are 
 almost hushed, and the voice of gladness and prosperity is converted 
 into wailing and lamentations by the disheartening and multiple evils 
 which surround her defenseless population." 
 
 Stephen F. Austin was entrusted with the document and sent to 
 Mexico City. The Mexican government held him a prisoner. In the 
 meanwhile they sent Col. Juan Almonte to San Antonio in order to 
 make a report on conditions of city and state. In his report to the 
 Mexican Government he says: 
 
 "The most disagreeable part is the space that intervenes between 
 the Rio Grande and Bexar, — still an unsettled wilderneess, the roaming 
 ground of the Lipans and Apaches — precisely in the same state as it 
 has been reported a century ago. In Bexar there exists one school, 
 supported by Ayuntamiento, but, as it appears, its funds have become 
 so exhausted and reduced that not even this useful establishment has 
 been able to survive. What will be the lot of these unfortunates who 
 live in the midst of barrenness without hope of education?" 
 
 As might be expected from this doleful and misleading report, the 
 Mexican Government took no action favorable to the colonists. 
 
 The first real revolutionary meeting was held in San Antonio 
 October 13, 1834. Not much was done, because the colonists were 
 without a leader — Stephen Austin was still held a prisoner in Mexico — 
 and much precaution and circumspection was necessary. 
 
 Early in 183S General Ugartechea arrived in our city with a force 
 of Mexican soldiers numbering SOO men. His mission was to hold Texas 
 in Mexican possession. On the 3rd day of September he issued an 
 order for the arrest of some of our best citizens — Pleaders in the revolu- 
 tionary cause. The names of these immortals are: Lawrence de Zavalla, 
 R. M. Williamson, Wm. B. Travis, Mosely Baker, J. M. Caravahal, 
 Juan Zembrano, Frank W. Johnson, John H. Moore and Robert H. 
 Williams. 
 
 Ugartecfiea soon was superseded by General Martin Perfecto de 
 Cos who arrived in our city about the last of September in the same 
 year. He brought another five hundred soldiers with him. The spirit 
 of the colonists was to be broken now, once and for all times. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 63 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 FOR THE FREEDOM OF TEXAS 
 
 ON October 10, 183S, Stephen Austin returned from Mexico. In firm 
 tones he informed his fellow colonists that the time for action had 
 arrived; that war was inevitable if their rights were to be secured. 
 The people believed him because Stephen Austin was known to be a man 
 of peace and against all bloodshed. They elected him their leader — 
 their commander-in-chief. In clarion notes Austin called upon the Texans 
 to seize arms and to get ready to defend their homes and their rights. 
 
 There was a small brass cannon at Gonzales in the possession of 
 the colonists, and General Perfecto de Cos wanted that cannon. He 
 first demanded its possession, and when this demand did not bring the 
 desired result, he sent a detachment of soldiers to go and get it. 
 
 These Mexican braves came to Gonzales on or about October 20 or 
 25 — ^there is some slight misunderstanding about the correct date — but 
 that is not of vital importance: a day more or less makes no difference. 
 The point at issue is, that these soldiers did not get the cannon. The 
 citizens of Gonzales, the first Texas Army, came out and gave battle 
 and decisively defeated the Mexicans, who fled in terror leaving a num- 
 ber of dead, wounded and prisoners behind. The revolution had 
 started, Texans were fighting for their independence. 
 
 It was then rumored that General Cos would come out in full force 
 and capture or kill the entire Texas Army. If he had any such intentions 
 he never carried them out. 
 
 General Austin decided that the only safety of the revolutionists 
 consisted in the capture of San Antonio, the ancient Capital of Texas and 
 the headquarters of their enemy. Immediately after the fight at Gonzales 
 he set out with his Army, then numbering about 600 men; re-enforce- 
 ments were constantly arriving. He moved to the Mission San Francisco 
 de la Espada (Fourth Mission). General Cos heard of the advance 
 and proceeded to fortify San Antonio by barricading the streets and 
 preparing for the assault. Under the flag of truce General Austin tried 
 to open negotiations with General Cos — ^to avoid bloodshed if possible — 
 but Cos would not recognize General Austin. Peaceful interchange 
 became impracticable. Powder and ball, bayonet and spear were to 
 decide and assure the constitutional rights for the revolutionists. 
 
 While General Cos was getting ready, to the best of his ability, to 
 prepare the city against invasion of the rebels, General Austin, knowing 
 that there was nothing to be gained by further waiting — ^troops were 
 expected from Mexico for assistance and deliverance of the beleaguered 
 city almost at any time — ordered Col. James Bowie and Carpt. J. W. 
 Fannin to proceed with ninety men and to make a reconnaisance further 
 
64 History of San Antonio and 
 
 up the river, along the missions and to select a location more suitable 
 for the attack. Col. Bowie and his men proceeded cautiously until, by 
 nightfall, they had reached the First Mission where they decided to pitch 
 camp. Sleeping peacefully and soundly, they did not hear the approach 
 of the enemy who, undoubtedly, had been informed of this expedition 
 by spies. Col. James Bowie, his lieutenants and his command awoke the 
 next morning, October 28th, to find themselves surrounded on three sides 
 by enemy troops, with the river, which makes a sharp bend and forms 
 an obtuse triangle at this point, in their rear. There were about four 
 hundred Mexican soldiers against ninety Texas patriots. It looked some- 
 what desperate and the situation was rather unpleasant. Their only 
 hope was in giving battle. 
 
 They descended into the river bottom; an irregular impression from 
 six to ten feet in depth, but well covered with heavy timber. The prairie, 
 a level, plain,' was in front of them and over this open space the enemy 
 had to advance without having any cover. "So indeed they did" impos- 
 ingly, it is said, with trailed arms (whatever that may mean.) A few 
 hundred yards from the bluff they halted and opened up a fire on general 
 principles. They illumined the air with the rapid and random discharges 
 of their rifles. The patriots, well concealed and protected by their natural 
 covert, answered back, shooting coolly, deliberately and fatally. None 
 of their deadly missiles failed to find its mark. Texas colonists were 
 dead shots, all of them, in those days and not accustomed to wasting 
 their powder and ball "in the desert air." 
 
 Pretty soon the Mexicans became tired of seeing so many of their 
 comrades getting punctured and dropping hors de combat, and they 
 pushed forward their brass six-pounder, escorted by a troop of cfavalry. 
 They advanced within eighty yards of the intrepid Americans and 
 sounded a charge. The assault did not proceed very far before the 
 unerring rifles of the Americans had shot away all the gunners, and 
 stopped the charging column. This same procedure was repeated three 
 times with the only difference that the cannon was discharged five times 
 ineffectually and had to be cleared three times of the dead men. By this 
 time Col. Bowie was getting tired of having our perfectly good Texas 
 atmosphere perforated without any cause and he decided on an assault 
 himself. . He resolved to get that cannon for the Texas army. He 
 hardly had begun to put his resolution into an active form, when the 
 enemy made up his collective mind to leave and hurry home. They left 
 the cannon and ammunition to our brave Texans. 
 
 The result of this battle is stated to have been sixty Mexicans killed 
 and forty of them wounded. The patriots lost one man, Robert Andrews. 
 He was killed in action. 
 
 Col. Bowie had dispatched a messenger to General Austin as soon as 
 the enemy was discovered, and General Austin, with his entire army 
 had come to the scene of conflict in all possible haste, but it was all 
 over before he arrived. A permanent camip was now established right 
 here. 
 

the Early Days in Texas 65 
 
 The camp properly arranged at the First Mission, no more chances 
 were taken to furnish the enemy with occasions for more surprise 
 parties: guards were posted and reconnoitering parties constantly sent 
 out. These reconnoitering parties were especially on the lookout for Col. 
 Ugartechea who, it was learned, was on his way from Matamoros with 
 SOO soldiers. Deaf Smith was one of the principal guards on the lookout 
 for the Mexican re-enforcement. 
 
 Thus it happened that on November 26, a reconnoitering party 
 returned from the Medina river to the camp, not having found any trace 
 of the enemy's aptproach. Deaf Smith had stayed behind in order to 
 watch alone, but he was also on his way back to camp. 
 
 Coincidently on this same day General Cos, who was getting short 
 of foodstuffs for his horses and cattle, had sent out a foraging party of 
 one hundred soldiers to cut grass and bring it to the city. When about 
 five miles from town, Smith saw them and supposed that they were the. 
 advance guard of the expected re-enforcements. He hurried to camp and 
 gave the alarm. Immediately Col. Bowie was in the saddle and with 
 one hundred followers galloped off for the fight. He discovered the 
 foragers about one mile from town who, in open view, also discovered 
 him coming and then proiruptly took refuge in a ravine. Bowie was on 
 the point of charging them when he noticed a still larger force approach- 
 ing from Fort Alamo. As he knew that assistance was following him 
 from camp, he turned on the newcomers. He soon had them on the 
 run. In the meantime the help from camp had arrived, attacked the 
 foragers and driven them out of the ravine. The routed foragers 
 managed to join their comrades who were hastily beating it back to the 
 Alamo. The. retreat became general and precipitate, and thus ensued a 
 random, running battle in which fifty Mexicans were killed and a great 
 number of them were wounded. The Texans had two comrades wounded 
 and one of them missing — ^their total casualties. It was only the nimble- 
 ness of the enemy which prevented a bigger engagement. The contend- 
 ing forces had been about equal in number; there were approximately 
 300 men on each side. 
 
 The Texans, after the fight, went to gather the spoils; the sacks which 
 the Mexicans in their hurry had left behind, and which had been sup- 
 posed to contain silver for the pay of the men in San Antonio. Imagine 
 the disappointment of the patriots when they found these sacks to 
 contain grass only. Hence the historic name "Grass Fight." 
 
 Skirmishes of this kind took place quite frequently and always were 
 successful for the Texans. These successes, small as they might be, were 
 reported in the United States and created considerable enthusiasm. 
 This was especially the case in Mississippi and New Orleans where 
 companies were organized to come to the aid of the fighting Texans. 
 These companies were the gallant "Greys," under the command of Robert 
 C. Morris and Captain Breeze. The soldier-like appearance of these 
 "Greys" wielded a deciding^ influence on the noted Cherokee Chief Bowles 
 
66 History of San Antonio and 
 
 who was in sympathy with the Mexican cause, but had a wholesome 
 fear of the Americans. There is not a doubt but that the impression 
 made by the Greys in Nacogdoches kept the Indian Chief from taking an 
 active part in the fight on the side of the Mexicans. 
 
 The day after the Grass Fight, General Austin, who had been 
 selected as one of the three Commissioners to the United States, resigned 
 his command, and Col. Edward Burleson, without opposition, was 
 elected commander-in-chief. He chose for his staff Col. Frank J. Johnson, 
 to be Adjutant General; and P. W. Grayson and Wm. T. Austin to be- 
 Aids-de-Camp. 
 
 The investment of the city had now been drawn out for three months, 
 and there had been many privations and discomforts. It must be 
 remembered that these Texas Volunteers virtually had left the plow to 
 defend their rights: they received neither pay nor regular rations. Many 
 of them had families at home who were utterly unprovided. Neither 
 had they enlisted; and all of this is mentioned just to show the fine 
 patriotism of the brave volunteer army. And, when winter was approach- 
 ing, many of them were forced to leave for home in order to take care 
 of their families. 
 
 One can readily imagine the joy that pervaded the entire army, when 
 the brave New Orleans Greys made their appearance in camp: here 
 indeed was help in need. A great number of patriots were in favor of 
 an immediate, decisive attack on San Antonio. After a stirring address 
 by Col. W. H. Jack, a call was made for volunteers to storm the city. 
 Four hundred and fifty patriots stepped forward, among them the New 
 Orleans Greys. At first it was decided to make the assault on the next 
 morning, December 3, but scouts reported that on the same night a man, 
 supposedly a spy, had been observed making his way to the city from 
 the direction of the camp, and it was assumed that the enemy had been 
 apprised of the plans. 
 
 The assault was postponed for a day. On the evening of the fourth 
 of December three patriotic citizens, who had been held in duress by 
 General Cos, made their escape from the city and arrived in camp. They 
 were Messrs. Maverick, Holmes and Smith. They had a wealth of 
 detailed information with regard to the garrison; the defenses which had 
 been arranged; where the guards were placed and so forth; moreover, to 
 all appearances General Cos was not expecting an assault, and they 
 concluded their information with the opinion that now, if ever, the time 
 had come to take the city by storm. An unbounded enthusiasm swept 
 the camp — it was now or never. General Burleson finally assented 
 to the pleadings of Col. Benjamin R. Milam — Old Ben Milam, as he was 
 known in the Army of the Revolutionists — "an intrepid son of the dark 
 and bloody land," and appointed him to take charge of the assault 
 which was to be made at once. Standing in front of General Burleson's 
 headquarters Old Ben gave a loud hurrah and attracted the trooips about 
 him. With stentorian voice he announced that Old Ben Milam was going 
 
the Early Days in Texas 67 
 
 to San Antonio, and that he called for volunteers who were ready to 
 follow him. With a shout the four hundred and fifty rallied around 
 him and fell in line. The remainder were to stay behind and form the 
 reserves, to be used at the proper time. In the stillness of the night the 
 fighters, the brave spirits, assembled at the old mill, and before daybreak 
 of December S, 1835, the historic and terrible fight for the possession 
 of San Antonio by the Texas Revolutionists was under way. For four 
 times twenty-four hours the hand-to-hand combat raged, man against 
 man, from house to house. Brave Ben Milam gave his life for the 
 Texas cause in this fight, and Col. F. W. Johnson, the next in command, 
 carried the battle to a successful close. There is no better description 
 possible of this fight than the report rendered by Col. Johnson to General 
 Burleson. The full text follows: 
 
 To General Burleson, Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Volunteer 
 Army of Texas: 
 
 Sir: I have the honor to acquaint you that, on the morning of the 
 Sth inst., the volunteers for the storming of the city of Bexar (San 
 Antonio), possessed by the troops of General Cos, entered the suburbs in 
 two divisions, under the command of Col. Benjamin R. Milam. The 
 first division under his immediate command, aided by Major R. C. 
 Morris, and the second under my command, aided by Colonels Grant 
 and Austin, and Adjutant Brister. 
 
 The first division, consisting of the companies of Captains Cork, 
 Patton, Llewellyn, Crane, English and Landrum, with two pieces and 
 fifteen artillerymen, commanded by Lieut.-Col. Franks, took possession 
 of the house of Don Antonio de la Garza. The second division, composed 
 of the companies of Captains Cook, Swisher, Edwards, Alley, Duncan, 
 Peacock, Breeze and Placido Benavides, took possession of the house of 
 Don Veramendi. The last division was exposed for a short time to a 
 very heavy fire of grape and musketry from the whole of the enemy's 
 line of fortification, until the guns of the first division opened their fire, 
 when the enemy's fire was directed to both divisions. At seven o'clock a 
 heavy cannonading from the town was seconded by a well-directed fire 
 from the Alamo, which for a time prevented the possibility of covering 
 our lines or effecting a safe communication between the two divisions. 
 In consequence of the twelve-pounder having been dismounted, and the 
 want of proper cover for the guns, little execution was done during the 
 day. We were therefore reduced to a close and well-directed fire from 
 our rifles which, notwithstanding the advantageous position of the enemy, 
 obliged them to slacken their fire, and several times to abandon their 
 artillery within the range of our shot. Our loss during this day was one 
 private killed, one colonel and one lieutenant severely wounded, one 
 colonel slightly, three privates ; dangerously, six severely, and three 
 slightly. During the whole night the two divisions were occupied in 
 strengthening their positions, opening trenches and effecting a safe 
 communication, although exposed to a heavy cross fire from the enemy. 
 
68 History of San Antonio and 
 
 which slackened towards morning. I may remark that the want of 
 tools rendered this undertaking doubly arduous. 
 
 At daylight of the 6th, the enemy were observed to have occupied 
 the tops of, the houses in our front where, under the cover of breastworks, 
 they opened through loopholes a very brisk fire of small arms on our 
 whole line, followed by a steady cannonading from the town in front 
 and the Alamo on the left flank, with few interruptions, during the day. 
 A detachment of Captain Crane's company, under Lieutenant W. Mc- 
 Donald, followed by others, gallantly possessed themselves under a _ 
 severe fire, of the house to the right and in advance of the first division, 
 which considerably extended our line; while the rest of the army was 
 occupied in returning the enemy's fire and strengthening our trenches, 
 which enabled our artillery to do some execution and complete communi- 
 cation from right to left. Our loss on this day amounted to three privates 
 severely wounded and two slightly. During the night the fire from the 
 enemy was inconsiderable, and our ipeople were occupied in making and 
 filling sandbags and otherwise strengthening our line. 
 
 At daylight on the 7th it was discovered that the enemy had, during 
 the night previous, opened a trench on the Alamo side of the river, and 
 on the left flank, as well as strengthening their battery on a cross street 
 leading to the Alamo. From the first they opened a brisk fire of small 
 arms; from the last a heavy cannonade as well as small arms, which 
 was kept up till eleven o'clock when they were silenced by our superior 
 fire. About twelve o'clock Henry Cams, of Captain York's company, 
 gallantly advanced to a house in front of the first division, and with a 
 crowbar forced an entrance, into which the whole of the company 
 immediately followed him and made a secure lodgement. In the after- 
 noon the enemy renewed a heavy fire from all the positions which could 
 bear upon us, and at half past three o'clock, as our gallant commander, 
 Colonel Milam, was passing into the yard of my position (The Vera- 
 mendi house), he received a rifle shot in the head which caused his instant 
 death, an irreparable loss at so critical a moment. Our casualties 
 otherwise during the day were only two privates slightly wounded. At 
 a meeting of the officers, held at seven o'clock, I was invested with the 
 chief command, and Major Morris as my second. At ten o'clock p. m. 
 Captains Llewellyn, English, Crane and Landrum with their respective 
 companies, forced their way into and took possession of the house of Don 
 J. Antonio Navarro, an advanced and important position close to the 
 square. The fire of the enemy was interrupted and slack during the 
 night, and the weather exceedingly cold and wet. 
 
 The morning of the 8th continued cold and wet and but little firing 
 on either side. At nine o'clock the same companies which took posses- 
 sion of Don J. Antonio Navarro's house, aided by a detachment of the 
 Greys, advanced and occupied Zfimbrano's Row, leading to the square, 
 without an accident. The brave conduct on this occasion of William 
 Graham, of Cook's company of Greys, merits mention. A heavy fire of 
 
the Early Days in Texas 69 
 
 artillery and small arms was opened on this position by the enemy who 
 disputed every inch of ground and, after suffering a severe loss in 
 officers and men, were obliged to retire from room to room until at last 
 they evacuated the whole house. During this time they were reinforced 
 by a detachment from York's company under Lieutenant Gill. The 
 cannonading from the camp was exceedingly heavy from all quarters 
 during the day, but did no essential damage. Our loss consisted of one 
 Captain seriously wounded and two privates severely. At seven o'clock 
 p. m. the parties in Zembrano's Row were reinforced by Captains 
 Swisher, Alley, Edwards and Duncan and their respective companies. 
 This evening we had undoubted information of the arrival of strong 
 reinforcements to the enemy under Col. Ugartechea. At half past ten 
 o'clock p. m.. Captains Cook and Patton, with their company of New 
 Orleans Greys, and a company of Brazoria volunteers, forced their way 
 into the priest's house in the square (Main Plaza), although exposed to 
 the fire of a battery of these guns and a large body of musketeers. 
 Before this, however, the division was reinforced from the reserve by 
 Captains Cheshire, Lewis and Sutherland with their companies. Imme- 
 diately after we got possession of the priest's house the enemy opened 
 a furious cannonade from all their batteries, accompanied by incessant 
 volleys of small arms, against every house in our possession and every 
 part of our lines, which continued unceasingly until half past six o'clock 
 a. m. of the ninth, when they sent a flag of truce with an intimation that 
 they desired to caipitulate. Commissioners were immediately named by 
 both parties, and herewith I accompany you a copy of the terms agreed 
 upon. Our loss in this night -attack consisted of one man only — Bledon, 
 of the Greys, dangerously wounded while in the act of spiking a cannon. 
 
 To give you a faint idea of the intrepid conduct of the gallant citizens 
 who formed the division under my command, during the whole period 
 of attack, would be a task of no common nature, and far above the power 
 of my pen. All behaved with the bravery peculiar to freemen, and with 
 a decision becoming the sacred cause of liberty. To signalize every act 
 of gallantry, where no individual was found wanting to himself or to his 
 country, would be a useless and senseless effort. Every man has merited 
 my warmest approbation, and deserves his country's gratitude. 
 
 The memory of Col. Benjamin R. Milam, the leader of this daring 
 and successful attack, deserves to be cherished by every patriotic bosom 
 in Texas. I feel indebted to the able assistance of Colonel Grant 
 (severely wounded the first day). Colonel Austin, Majors Morris and 
 Moore, Adjutant Bristow, Lieutenant-Colonel Franks, of the artillery, 
 and every captain, names already given, who entered with either 
 division from the morning of the fifth until the day of capitulation. 
 Doctors Levy and Pollard also deserve my warmest praise for their 
 unremitted attention and assiduity. Doctor Cameron's conduct during 
 the siege and treaty of capitulation, merits particular mention. The 
 guides, Erastus Smith, Norwich Arnold and John W. Smith performed 
 important service; and I cannot conclude without expressing my thanks 
 
70 History of San Antonio and 
 
 to the reserve under your command for such assistance as could be 
 afforded during our most critical moments. 
 
 The period put to our present war by the fall of San Antonio de 
 Bexar will, I trust, be attended with all the happy results to Texas which 
 her warmest friends could desire. 
 
 I have the honor to subscribe myself your most obedient servant, 
 
 F. W. JOHNSON, 
 Colonel Commanding. 
 
 Of course the report of Col. Johnson gives but an inadequate picture 
 of what took iplace, of what heroic courage was necessary to gain this 
 victory for the freedom of Texas. Let it be remembered that an army 
 of 1,200 to 1,300 Mexicans surrendered to four hundred and fifty patriots, 
 and that General Cos would not have surrendered if he had thought 
 that there was the least chance for him to save himself. He was getting 
 into close quarters, his main defenses had been made useless; and 
 outside of the city there awaited him another troop of these same kind 
 of patriots and fighters. His doom was sealed; he had lost and he 
 knew it. 
 
 Although he himself, for six days, had exposed the red and black 
 flags, which means that no quarter was to be given by him, he was glad 
 to accept the most generous terms that ever were extended to a fallen foe. 
 
 Valuable property fell into the hands of the Texans. Our citizens, 
 or rather that part of them who were with the cause of Texas, received 
 the army with open arms. A great many, who adhered to the cause of 
 Mexico, left with the army of General Cos. The volunteer army, to a 
 great extent, disbanded and returned to their homes. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 71 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 SIEGE OF THE ALAMO 
 
 rriflE object which the Volunteer Army of Texas had set out to obtain, 
 -*- San Antonio, the headquarters of their enemy, had been won. The 
 Declaration of Independence of Texas had not yet been proclaimed; the 
 Lone Star Flag had not yet been adopted, and from the flagpole of the 
 municipal buildings and over the church of the Alamo floated the flag 
 of the Provisional Government of Texas: the Mexican tri-color with the 
 numerals 1824 in the place of the eagle in the white stripe. Looking at 
 the occurrences that were to befall San Antonio, the Alamo, and the 
 cause of the Independence of Texas in the near future; within three 
 months after the most glorious achievements in the cause of liberty, it 
 does seem remarkable to the scrutinizing eyes of today that no better 
 precautions were taken to clinch and preserve what had been won so 
 dearly and at the cost of such heroic patriotism. San Antonio, the 
 Alamo, the missions further down the river, were the natural bulwarks; 
 strong and powerful fortifications, if properly used, against any further 
 invasion or efforts of the Mexican government for obtaining a firm hold 
 on Texas again. But the Provisional Government of Texas did not 
 take proper steps to make full use of them. Why not.^ 
 
 A Dr. Grant obtained leadership over the remnants of the victorious 
 army, so it seems, at least he wielded a deciding influence. He was of 
 the opinion that the best step to take next was an invasion of Mexico 
 by way of Matamoros. Wiser council objected to so hazardous a plan, 
 but without avail. Most of the troops departed west, towards Mata- 
 moros. Colonel Neill was left in charge of the Alamo and in command 
 of about eighty soldiers; he was ordered to destroy the Alamo that it 
 should have no further value as a fortification and to move with the 
 artillery to the eastern part of Texas. Colonel Neill could not carry 
 out these orders because he lacked the necessary equipment for moving 
 the artillery and ammunition, and he resigned. 
 
 Matters were not proceeding with our Provisional Government as 
 smoothly as might have been hoped for. From "The Fall of the 
 Alamo," an historic article by Captain R. M. Potter, United States Army, 
 which was published in the "Magazine of American History" in 1878, we 
 quote the following passages: 
 
 "In the winter of 183S-1836 Colonel Neill of Texas was in command 
 of San Antonio, with two companies of volunteers; among them was a 
 remnant of the New Orleans Greys, who had taken an efficient part in 
 the siege and capture of the town about a year (?) before. At this time 
 the Provisional Government of Texas which, though in revolt, had not 
 yet declared a final separation from Mexico, had broken into a conflicting 
 
72 History of San Antonio and 
 
 duality. The Governor and Council repudiated each other, and each 
 claimed obedience which was generally not given to either. Invasion 
 was impending, and there seemed little more than anarchy to meet it. 
 During this state of affairs Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. B. Travis, who had 
 commanded the scouting service of the late campaign, and had since been 
 commissioned with the aforesaid rank as an officer of regular cavalry, 
 was assigned by the Governor to relieve Colonel Neill of the command 
 of his post. The volunteers, who cared little for neither of the two 
 governments, wished to choose their own leader, and were willing to 
 accept Travis only as second in command. They were, therefore, 
 clamorous that Neill should issue an order for the election of a Colonel. 
 To get over the matter without interfering with Travis' right, he 
 prepared an order for the election of a Lieutenant-Colonel, and was 
 about to depart, when his men, finding out what he had done, mobbed 
 him and threatened his life unless he should comply with their wishes. 
 He felt constrained to yield, and on the amended order James Bowie 
 was unanimously elected a full Colonel. He had been for several years 
 a resident of Texas, and had taken a prominent part in the late campaign 
 against Cos. His election occurred early in February, 1836, about two 
 weeks before the enemy came in sight; and Travis, who had just arrived 
 or came soon after, found Bowie in command of the garrison and 
 claiming by virtue of the aforesaid election the right to command him 
 and the reinforcements he brought. They both had their headquarters 
 at the Alamo, where their men were quartered, and there must have been 
 a tacit understanding on both sides that conflict of authority should as 
 far as possible be avoided. This, however, could not have continued 
 many days but for the common bond of approaching iperil." 
 
 Thus was the condition for the defense of San Antonio, when Santa 
 Anna, the "Napoleon of the West," was preparing and getting ready to 
 deal a death blow to the rebellious gringoes. He took pains to have an 
 army of sufficient size and he moved from two different directions: from 
 Laredo and from Matamoros. A Dragoon regiment of Delores and three 
 battalions of infantry, commanded by Santa Anna in person, reached the 
 heights, overlooking both city and Alamo, on the afternoon of February 
 22, 1836. The siege of San Antonio, the predecessor of the Fall of the 
 Alamo, had started. 
 
 A short description of the condition and the armament of the Alanio 
 at the time of the siege now must be given. 
 
 The main chapel, which we know as the Alamo proper, is seventy- 
 five by sixty-two feet in size, the wall of solid masonry four feet thick 
 and twenty and one-half feet in height. From the northwest corner a 
 wall extended fifty feet to the convent building. The convent was a two- 
 story building, with a flat roof, one hundred and eighty-six feet in 
 length and eighteen feet in width. From the northeast corner of the 
 chapel a wall extended' one hundred and eighty-six feet north, thence one 
 hundred and two feet west, enclosing the convent yard. From the south- 
 east corner of the chapel a strongly built stockade extended to a building 
 
the Early Days in Texas Ti 
 
 called the prison. The prison was a one-story building, one hundred and 
 fifteen feet in length by seventeen feet in width and joined a part of the 
 east wall; and some low buildings used as barracks formed a part of 
 the west wall. The area enclosed within these walls was one hundred 
 and fifty yards in length by fifty-four in width, close to three acres, 
 affording room and accommodations for a thousand men. The outer 
 walls were two and a quarter feet thick and eight feet high. The place 
 was planned originally to serve as protection against Indians, and it was 
 destitute of salient and dominant points in case of a bombardment. An 
 irrigation ditch passed immediately in the rear of the church and another 
 touched the northwest angle of the enclosure. 
 
 Three heavy cannon were planted upon the walls of the church; one 
 pointed north, one pointed west towards the city and one pointed south 
 towards the Villita Alamo, where Santa Anna pitched his main camp. 
 Two guns protected the stockade between the church and the prison, 
 and an eighteen pounder was planted at the southwest corner of the 
 main square. A twelve-pound carronade protected the center of the 
 west wall, and an eight-pounder protected the northwest corner. Two 
 guns were also planted on the north wall, making in all fourteen guns. 
 
 There is no question about it — San Antonio, as well as the garrison 
 located at the Alamo, were taken by surprise by the arrival of Santa 
 Anna. An attack had been expected, scouts had been sent out, guards 
 had been placed; but a sentinel placed on the top of the church was the 
 first to give the alarm. Santa Anna, experienced as he was, had 
 succeeded in capturing the scouts. Considerable confusion reigned when 
 population and garrison were informed of his arrival. It is said that 
 several Americans, engaged in trade in the city, left their stores open 
 and fled to the Alamo. The garrison became very busy and hurried 
 provisions to the Alamo as quickly as possible. They were successful 
 enough to gather about thirty head of beefs and 90 bushels of corn in 
 addition to the supplies already on hand. It was a case of extreme luck 
 that on the day before Santa Anna arrived, a fatigue party, who had 
 been at work digging in the old well, which had been permitted to get 
 filled up, succeeded in striking a fine flow of water. An investment of 
 the town had not yet taken place, and the citizens, who in the first 
 excitement had sought refuge in the Alamo, went back to their homes, 
 and a great many of them, especially Americans or revolutionists, left 
 town during the night. The invaders sent a shot towards the Alamo and 
 this was answered by a shell from the defenders. A parley ensued under 
 the flag of truce, and Santa Anna demanded unconditional surrender of 
 the "rebels." Colonel Travis replied: "I shall never surrender or 
 retreat." 
 
 Travis was now first in command because our hero Bowie had been 
 stricken with prostrating illness (it is said to have been pneumonia), 
 on the first or second day of the siege, — the accounts vary with regard 
 to the exact time. 
 
 Of the garrison, enclosed within the walls of the. Alamo, Caotain 
 
74 History of San Antonio and 
 
 Potter states that Travis brought with him a company of regular recruits, 
 enlisted for the half regiment of cavalry which the Provisional Govern- 
 nxent had intended to raise. J. N. Seguin, a native of San Antonio, 
 who had been commissioned as the senior captain of Travis' corps, 
 joined him at the Alamo and brought into the garrison the skeleton of 
 his company, consisting of nine Mexican recruits, natives, some of them 
 of the town aforesaid, and others of the interior of Mexico. The afore- 
 said company and squad of enlisted men and the two companies of 
 volunteers under Bowie formed the garrison of the Alamo, which then 
 numbered from an hundred and fifty-six to an hundred and sixty. Of 
 these the volunteers comprised more than half, and over two-thirds of 
 the whole were men who but recently had arrived in the country. Seguin 
 and his nine recruits were all that represented the Mexican population 
 of Texas. Of that nine seven fell in the assault, the Captain and two 
 of his men having been sent on duty before that crisis. David Crockett, 
 of Tennessee, who had a few years before represented a squatter con- 
 stituency in Congress, where his oratory was distinguished for hard 
 sense and rough grammar, had joined the garrison a few weeks before, 
 as had also B. J. Bonham, Esq., of South Carolina, who had lately 
 come to volunteer in the cause of Texas, and was considered one of the 
 most chivalrous and estimable of its supporters; the pair a rough gem 
 and a polished jewel, and their names are among the best known of 
 those who fell. 
 
 The panic which was created on the first day of the siege when the 
 news of Santa Anna's arrival had spread through city and garrison, and 
 how the garrison immediately after rallied to the immortal defense of 
 their fort, Captain Potter describes: 
 
 "The stern resistance which had sprung up in the demoralized band 
 within, and the comparative unity and order which must have come with 
 it, were ushered in by a scene which promised no such outcome. The 
 first sight of the enemy created as much confusion with as little panic 
 at the Alamo as might be expected among men who had known as little 
 of discipline as they did of fear. Mr. Lewis, o£ San Antonio, informed 
 me that he took refuge for a few hours in the fort when the invaders 
 appeared, and that the disorder of the post beggared description. Bowie, 
 with a detachment, was engaged in breaking up deserted houses in the 
 neighborhood and gathering corn, while another squad was driving 
 cattle into the enclosure east of the long barrack. Some of the volunteers, 
 who had sold their rifles to obtain the means of dissipation, were clamor- 
 ing for guns of any kind; and the rest, though in arms, appeared to be 
 mostly without orders or a capacity for obedience. No 'army in 
 Flanders' ever swore harder. He saw but one officer who seemed to be 
 at his proper post and perfectly collected. This was an Irish Captain, 
 named Ward who, though generally an inveterate drunkard, was now 
 sober and stood quietly by the guns of the south battery, ready to use 
 them. Yet amid the disorder of that hour no one seemd to think of 
 the flight; the first damaging shock, caused by the sight of the enemy 
 
the Early Days in Texas 75 
 
 must have been cured by the first shell that he threw; and the threat 
 conveyed by Santa Anna's message seems to have inspired a greater 
 amount of discipline than those men had before been thought capable 
 of possessing. The sobered toper who stood coolly by his guns was the 
 first pustule which foretold a speedy inoculation of the whole mass with 
 that qualification." 
 
 On the second day of the siege, February 23, the Mexicans bom- 
 barded the Alamo without effect. The Texans were busy strengthening 
 their defenses. 
 
 During the third day, February 24, more troops arrived for Santa 
 Anna, and he moved his headquarters across the river, south of the 
 Alamo, close to the Villita, or where the German-English Schools used to 
 be. A reconnoitering party ventured too close to the Alamo, and the 
 Texans opened up on them, killing two of the party and wounding six 
 others. Late at night a party of the defenders sallied out and burned 
 some wooden buildings behind which the Mexicans tried to take a 
 position. During the night Colonel Travis sent out his first appeal for 
 aid, the original of which is at the State Library, Austin, Texas: 
 
 COMMANDERY OF THE ALAMO 
 
 Bexar, February 24th, 1836. 
 
 To the People of Texas and all Americans of the World: 
 
 Fellow Citizens and Compatriots: — I am besieged by a thousand 
 or more of the Mexicans and Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual 
 bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours and have not lost a man. 
 The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise the 
 garrisons are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. I have answered 
 the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly from 
 the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat thence. I call on you in 
 the name of Liberty and patriotism and of everything dear to the 
 American character, to come to our aid with all dispatch. The enemy 
 is receiving reinforcements daily and will no doubt increase to three or 
 four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am 
 determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a soldier 
 who never forgets what is due his honor and that of his country. 
 
 VICTORY OR DEATH 
 
 (Signed) WILLIAM BARRET TRAVIS, 
 
 Colonel Commanding. 
 
 P. S. The Lord is on our side; when the enemy appeared in sight 
 we had not three bushels of corn. We have since found in deserted 
 stores 80 or 90 bushels and put into the walls 20 or 30 head of beeves. 
 
 TRAVIS. 
 
 On the fourth day of the siege, February 25, the Mexicans cut off 
 the water supply from the river— no more water through the ditches. 
 
76 History of San Antonio and 
 
 The old mission well which had been put in good shape a day or two 
 before the arrival of the Mexicans, furnished the water for the garrison 
 from now on. During the night the Texans burned several wooden 
 buildings which were located north of the Alamo. 
 
 A continual bombardment was kept up by the Mexicans on February 
 26, but had no effect on the Alamo or its defenders. 
 
 Since the investment of the Alamo was not rigid enough to make 
 the departure of couriers impossible, a council of war was held on the 
 sixth day, February 27, to decide whom to send in order to make sure 
 that the message not only would be delivered into the proper hands, 
 but also to choose a courier whose personality might add weight to the 
 plea for help. It was finally decided to send Captain Seguin, because 
 he was of Spanish race and spoke the language, and besides was well 
 acquainted with the surrounding country; therefore, it was reasoned, 
 he stood the best chance of passing the lines of the enemy. Captain 
 Seguin had no horse of his own, and requested and obtained Colonel 
 Bowie's horse. To Col. Bowie and the rest of his comrades Captain 
 Seguin bid what proved to be the last adieu. The sentinel at the northern 
 post did not want to let the Captain pass, who had his orderly with 
 him, and only after showing his orders and the message which he 
 carried, the Captain succeeded in proving to the sentry that his depar- 
 ture from the Alamo was absolutely necessary and for the best of the 
 cause. 
 
 Seguin managed to ipass the guard of the enemy without serious 
 trouble and, on the next day, it is said, he met an, officer from Fannin's 
 post, who told him that his mission would be useless and advised him 
 to join the camp then forming at Gonzales, which he did. 
 
 A violent bombardment was kept up against the Alamo on the 
 seventh day of the siege, February 28, but was without effect. 
 
 In the afternoon of the eighth day, March 1, a twelve-pound shot 
 from the Alamo struck the house occupied by Santa Anna. In the night 
 thirty-two citizen soldiers from Gonzales made their way through the 
 enemy lines and entered the Alamo never to leave it again. This raised 
 the number of the defenders to 188 or thereabouts. 
 
 On the next day the bombardment was continued more vigorously 
 than ever, but the Texans suffered no casualties. 
 
 On the tenth day, March 3, Col. Bonham, who had been sent to 
 Goliad for reinforcements, came back with the report that no aid could 
 be expected from that quarter. Colonel Travis now made his last appeal 
 for aid. The assault could not be far away. His men were getting 
 more and more exhausted. They had to be on the lookout practically 
 day and night and the wearing down process which Santa Anna had 
 adopted, began to tell. As messenger he chose J. W. Smith, the patriot 
 who had safely conducted the Gonzales party to the Alamo. As parting 
 words Travis is said to have told him: "Every morning at daybreak I 
 will fire a cannon as a sign that we still hold the fort, but when that 
 
the Early Days in Texas 77 
 
 cannon is heard no more, its silence will tell that the Alamo has fallen." 
 Of the letter, addressed to the Convention, which he gave to Smith, 
 there exists, as far as the writer knows, neither the original nor an 
 authentic copy. The following is supposed to be the text: 
 
 "From the 2Sth to the present day the enemy kept up a bombard- 
 ment from two howitzers, (one five and a half inch, and the other an 
 eight inch), and a heavy cannonade from two long nine pounders, 
 mounted on a battery on the opposite side of the river, at the distance 
 of four hundred yards from our wall. During this period the enemy 
 have been busily employed in encircling us with entrenchment encamp- 
 ments at the following distances: In Bexar, 400 yards west; in La 
 Villita, 300 yards south; at the power house, 1,000 yards east; on the 
 ditch, 800 yards northeast; and at the old mill, 800 yards north. Not- 
 withstanding all this a company of thirty-two men from Gonzales made 
 their way to us on the morning of the 1st inst., at three o'clock, and 
 Colonel J. B. Bonham (a courier from the same place) got in this 
 morning at eleven o'clock. 
 
 "I have so fortified the place that the walls are generally proof 
 against the cannon balls, and I still continue to entrench on the inside 
 the walls by throwing up the earth. At least two hundred shells have 
 fallen inside our walls without having injured a single man; indeed we 
 have been so fortunate as not to lose a man from any cause and we 
 have killed many of the enemy. The spirits of my men are still high, 
 although they have had much to depress them. 
 
 "Colonel Fannin is said to be on the march to this place with rein- 
 forcements, but I fear it is not true, as I have repeatedly sent to him 
 for aid without receiving any. Colonel Bonham, my special messenger, 
 arrived at La Bahia (Goliad) fourteen days ago with a request for aid; 
 and on the arrival of the enemy in Bexar I sent an express to Colonel 
 Fannin, which reached Goliad on the next day, urging him to send on 
 reinforcements — none have yet arrived; I look to the Colonies alone for 
 aid; unless it arrives soon, I shall have to fight the enemy on its own 
 terms. I will, however, do the best I can under the circumstances; and 
 I feel confident that the determined spirit and desperate courage hereto- 
 fore evinced by my men will not fail them in the last struggle; and although 
 they may be sacrificed to the vengeance of a Gothic enemy, the victory 
 will cost that enemy so dear that it will be worse than a defeat. 
 
 "I hope that your honorable body will hasten on reinforcements, 
 ammunition and provisions to aid us as sooji as possible. We have 
 provisions for twenty days for the men we have; our supply of ammuni- 
 tion is limited. At least five hundred pounds of powder and two hun- 
 dred rounds of six, nine, twelve and eighteen pound balls; ten kegs of 
 rifle powder should be sent to the place without delay under sufficient 
 guard. If these things are promptly sent, and large reinforcements are 
 hastened to the frontier, this neighborhood will be the great and decisive 
 battleground. The power of Santa Anna is to be met here in the 
 
78 History of San Antonio and 
 
 Colonies; we had better meet it here than to suifer a war of desolation 
 to rage in our settlements. A blood-red banner waves from the church 
 of Bexar and in the camp above us, in token that the war is one of 
 vengeance against rebels; they have declared us such and dem'anded 
 that we should surrender at discretion, or this garrison should be put to 
 the sword. Their threats have had no influence on me or my men, but 
 to make all fight with desperation and with that high-souled courage 
 which characterizes the patriot who is willing to die in defense of his 
 country's liberty and his own honor. 
 
 The citizens of this municipality are all our enemies, except those 
 who joined us heretofore; we have but three Mexicans in the fort. Those 
 who have not joined us in this extremity should be declared public 
 enemies and their property should aid in defraying the expenses of this 
 war. 
 
 The bearer of this will give your honorable body a statement more 
 in detail, should he escape through the enemy's lines. God and Texas! 
 Victory or Death!" 
 
 Smith left the Alamo at midnight and crawled stealthily upon his 
 hands and knees until safely beyond the Mexican lines. It is said that 
 when he was about forty miles distant on his journey towards the town 
 of Gonzales (he was on foot), he was overtaken by a Mexican horse- 
 man, who imparted to him the story of the martyrdom of the heroes. 
 
 On March 4, the eleventh day of the siege, the Mexicans continued 
 their bombardment unabatedly and, if there was any change at all, it 
 was to increase the intensity of their fire during these last two days 
 before the storm. They intended to make as many breaches into the 
 defenses of the Alamo as their cannon balls possibly could make before 
 venturing within striking distance of the Texans, whose fighting ability 
 was well known to them. 
 
 Colonel Travis now seems to have despaired of succor and, according 
 to an account, proposed to surrender to Santa Anna with the pledge of 
 mercy. But Santa Anna's answer is said to have been: "You must 
 surrender at discretion, without any guarantee, even of life, which 
 traitors do not deserve." Santa Anna's excuse for this course was that 
 it accorded with the will of the Mexican Congress. 
 
 According to a report published in 1860 by a Mr. Rose, Colonel 
 Travis now announced to his companions their desperate situation and, 
 after declaring his determination to sell his life, as dearly as possible, 
 drew a line with his sword and asked all who were willing to fight with 
 him to form on the line. With one exception they all fell into the ranks, 
 and even Colonel Bowie, who was dying, had his cot carried to the line. 
 The man who declined to enter the ranks made his escape that night 
 through the Mexican lines. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 79 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 THE THERMOPYLAE OF AMERICA 
 
 T^HE little band of heroes had been expecting an attack during the 
 -■■ entire night preceding March the Sth, the twelfth day of the siege. 
 Nothing, however, happened during the night nor on this day, and it is 
 said that Colonel Travis ordered part of his men to rest when it became 
 apparent that the assault would not take place. By alternately relieving 
 the guards the small garrison managed to gain some much needed rest. 
 In the afternoon the secret orders for the assault were given by the 
 command of the enemy. They are of historic interest and, at least, do 
 away with the old and often repeated tradition that Santa Anna led the 
 assault in person. 
 
 The following is a copy of Santa Anna's general orders: 
 
 General Orders of March S, 1836, 2 o'clock P. M.— Secret 
 To the Generals, Chiefs of Sections and Commanding Officials: 
 
 The time has come to strike a decisive blow upon the enemy occupy- 
 ing the fortress of the Alamo. Consequently, his Excellency, the General- 
 in-Chief has decided that, tomorrow at 4 o'clock a. m., the columns of 
 attack shall be stationed a musket-shot distance from the first entrench- 
 ments, ready for the charge, which shall commence at a signal to be 
 given with the bugle from the northern battery. 
 
 The first column will be commanded by General Don Martin Perfecto 
 de Cos, and in his absence -by myself. 
 
 The permanent battalion of Aldama (except the grenadiers) and the 
 three right center companies of the active battalion of San Luis, will 
 compose the first column. 
 
 The second column will be commanded by Colonel Don Francisco 
 Duque and, in his absence, by General Don Manuel Fernandez Castril- 
 lion; it will be composed of the active battalion of Toluca (except the 
 company of grenadiers) and the three remaining center companies of the 
 active battalion of San Luis. 
 
 The third column will be commanded by Colonel Jose Maria Romero 
 and, in his absence, by Colonel Mariano Salas; it will be composed of 
 the permanent battalions of Matamoros and Jimenez. 
 
 The fourth column will be commanded by Juan Morales and, in his 
 absence, by Colonel Jose Minon; it will be composed of the light com- 
 panies of the battalion of Matamoros and Jimenez, and of the active 
 battalion of San Luis. 
 
 His Excellency, the General-in-Chief, will in due time designate the 
 points of attack, and give instructions to the commanding officers. 
 
80 History of San Antonio and 
 
 The reserve will be composed of a battalion of engineers and the five 
 companies of grenadiers of the permanent battalion of Matamoros, 
 Jimenez and Aldama, and the active battalions of Toluca and San Luis. 
 
 The reserves will be commanded by the General-in-Chief in person 
 during the attack; but Colonel Augustin Arnat will assemble this party, 
 which will report to him this evening at 5 o'clock, to be marched to 
 designated station. 
 
 The first column will carry ten ladders, two crowbars and two axes; 
 the second, ten ladders; the third, six ladders; and the fourth, two 
 ladders. 
 
 The men carrying the ladders will sling their guns on their shoulders, 
 to be able to place the ladders wherever they may be required. The 
 companies of the grenadiers will be supplied with six packages of car- 
 tridges to every man, and the center companies with two packages and 
 two spare flints. The men will wear neither overcoats nor blankets, 
 or anything that may impede the rapidity of their motion. The com- 
 manding officers will see that the men have the chin straps of their caps 
 down, and that they wear either shoes or sandals. 
 
 The troops composing the columns of attack will turn in to sleep at 
 dark, to be in readiness to move at 12 o'clock at night. 
 
 Recruits deficient in instruction will remain in their quarters. The 
 arms, principally the bayonets, should be in perfect order. 
 
 As soon as the moon rises the center companies of the active battal- 
 ions of San Luis will abandon the points they are now occupying on the 
 line, in order to have time to prepare. 
 
 The cavalry under Joaquin Romirez Sesma will be stationed at the 
 Almeda (now East Commerce street), saddling up at 3 o'clock a. m. 
 It will be its duty to scout the country to prevent the possibility of an 
 escape. 
 
 The honor of the nation being interested in this engagement against 
 the bold and lawless foreigners who are opposing us, his Excellency 
 expects that every man will do his duty, and exert himself to give a day 
 of glory to the country, and of gratification to the supreme government, 
 who will know how to reward the distinguished deeds of the brave 
 soldiers of the brave army of operations. 
 
 (Signed) JUAN VALENTINE AMADOR. 
 Certified Copy: 
 
 (Signed) RAMON MARTINEZ CARO, 
 
 Secretary. 
 Bexar, March 5, 1836. 
 
 It has often been stated that history repeats itself. In ancient history 
 we find the story of Leonidas, who with three hundred brave patriots 
 held a mountain pass against thousands of the enemy. None of these 
 heroic Greeks gave way — ^they stayed and fought until the last of their 
 number was slain in defense of their country. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 81 
 
 A similar case was to be enacted again on March the 6th, 1836, when 
 188 brave Texans gave their lives for the liberty of their adopted state, 
 for the rights which had been granted them by the constitution of 1824, 
 and which, since then, had been abrogated by a -tyrainnical government. 
 One hundred and eighty-eight against^how many? 
 
 There have been no end of conflicting tales, stories and statements 
 with regard to the enemy number who assaulted our heroes. After 
 a careful study the writer is inclined to put the number at three thou- 
 sand. He has repeatedly referred to the article of Captain Potter, United 
 States Army, with good reasons. Captain Potter may be considered 
 next to an eye witness, because he had occasion to speak personally 
 to people who lived during that time and who were eye witnesses to the 
 fight. Besides, his military training renders his judgment and opinion 
 doubly valuable. With regard to the number under Santa Anna's com- 
 mand at the time of the assault and storming of the Alamo he writes: 
 
 "I must now endeavor to approximate as nearly as can be done by 
 inference,, for I have no direct data, to the number of troops engaged 
 in the assault, a matter which has been the subject of absurd perversion 
 on both sides. The old popular tale of Texas that the Alamo was 
 stormed by ten thousand men, of whom a thousand or more were killed, 
 shows how rapidly legend may grow up even at this age, and the belief 
 which has been given to it is worthy of an era when miracles were 
 considered frequent. The entire force with which Santa Anna invaded 
 Texas in 1836, and which after his defeat he rated at 6,000 men, probably 
 amounted to 7,500 or 8,000, as it consisted of seventeen corps, viz.: 
 Three regiments of horse and fourteen battalions' on foot. It is proper 
 here to observe that the Mexicans apply the term of regiment only to 
 cavalry corps; a Colonel's command of infantry always being called a 
 battalion. The nominal complement of a regiment or battalion is 1,500, 
 but I never heard of one that was full, and seldom saw one during my 
 long residence in Mexico that contained as much as a third of that 
 number. I doubt if it is considered convenient ever to swell one to 
 over 500 men, for the host of officers who have sufficient influence to 
 obtain commands can be supplied only by keeping up the number of 
 corps at the expense of their fullness. 
 
 "I saw all the corps composing said army when it retreated from 
 Texas to Matamoras after the campaign of 1836, and from the size of 
 those which had not been in action, as well as from the remaining bulk 
 of those which had suffered, after allowing for probable loss, I am 
 convinced that their average strength when they entered Texas was 
 short of 500 men each, and that the smaller of the two amounts which I 
 have assigned to the aggregate is most likely to be true. 
 
 "This estimate applies especially to the six battalions of infantry which 
 afforded the assaulting force of the Alamo. They may possibly have 
 numbered 3,000 men, but from the best information and inferences I 
 have been able to gather, I believe that their aggregate did not exceed 
 and may have fallen short of 2,500." 
 
82 History of San Antonio and 
 
 While Captain Potter's estimate marks the smallest amount of 
 assaulting troops stated by historians, it forms the one extreme; the other 
 being those who state that between 6,000 and 10,000 troops were 
 employed. From all data that can be gathered now-a-days, it seems 
 most reasonable to conclude that between 3,000 and 3,500 troops were 
 actively engaged in the assault and final storming of the Alamo. 
 
 Taking the number of the assailants at 3,000, and the number of 
 defendants at 188, it leaves the otherwise famous ratio of 16 to 1, and 
 this was in all likelihood the proportion fo the opposing forces. 
 
 The bravery of the heroes of the Alamo appears in a more shining 
 light by this comparison than the famous example of Thermcipylae. 
 Travis with his valiant defenders of the Alamo duplicated the historic 
 feat of Leonidas and his crew — if, indeed, they did not excel it. 
 
 Tradition has it, and it is also recorded historically, that a Mexican 
 wom-an, probably a cook, made her escape out of the Alamo during the 
 siege on March the 4th; that she was caught by the guards and brought 
 before Santa Anna. She was examined and cross-examined about the 
 . number and condition of the garrison, and the information obtained is 
 said to have been the principal reason why Santa Anna decided on a 
 speedy assault; to waste no further time on such an insignificant number 
 of rebels. During the night before the attack the good word was spread 
 to the commanders and soldiers of the Mexican army that only a few 
 and tired Texans were in the fort. The glory of conquering that army, 
 which drove General Cos with 1,500 soldiers out of San Antonio, would 
 be very great, the task would be very easy. In the- vernacular of today, 
 the Alamo was. "easy picking." A terrible disappointment awaited that 
 Mexican army. 
 
 In accordance with the secret orders they assembled during the 
 night at their designated posts and prepared for the attack. With the 
 first dawn of day their bugles sounded the fatal "dequelo" — no quarter — 
 and the hosts of the assaulting army rushed forward like tigers to 
 slaughter a helpless prey. When they came within gunshot of the fort they 
 were met with a reception which was not according to their programme. 
 With grape shot, shell and unerring rifle balls the heroes of the Alamo 
 did a terrible execution among the dense masses of the advancing 
 Mexicans. Twice the attacking waves recoiled and broke before this 
 deadly fire. Then the Mexican cavalry, which had been positioned at 
 favorable points for catching the fleeing Texans, and since there were no 
 Texans to catch, was put to work at prodding back with their sabres the 
 retreating Mexican army. Santa Anna in person attempted to lead the 
 third assault, but also he withdrew to a safer distance after he came into 
 gun shot reach of the defenders. 
 
 To General Cos the hardest task of the storming — ^the chapel, the 
 Alamo of today — had been given. This was done in all probability with 
 the intention to give him a chance of redeeming himself for the defeat 
 administered to him three months before. He met with no success at all — 
 
the Early Days in Texas 83 
 
 his column was repulsed, and his troops fell back in disorder behind some 
 old stone buildings that stood south of the southwest angle. His troops 
 were rallied later and led into the attack by General Amador, (next in 
 command to Santa Anna.) 
 
 Colonel Duque's column attacked from the north and ran into the fire 
 of the cannon under the command of Colonel Travis. The fire here 
 was so intense that the column came to a disordered halt for the third 
 time, and its commander. Colonel Duque, fell, dangerously wounded. 
 General Castillion now took charge of this column and he was the first 
 to reach the foot of the wall but not the first to effect an entrance. For 
 while this was happening in the north, a column from the west succeeded 
 in scaling the wall at a point north of the center and, while the attention 
 of the defenders was drawn to this point, the resistance was relaxed at 
 the north side, and General Castillion entered the breach, and then 
 Mexicans swarmed into the enclosure from all sides. But the fighting 
 had just begun. 
 
 Retreating to the buildings inside of the enclosure, the Texans fought 
 like wildcats. Each Texan's rifle ball found its mark in a fatal place of 
 Mexican anatomy — ^most of the enemy were shot in the head or stabbed 
 through the heart, as was proven after the fight; muskets and rifles were 
 clubbed, and bayonets and bowie knives, skilfully handled, never before 
 wrought such fearful carnage. The ceaseless crash of the firearms, the 
 shots and shouts of the desperate and defiant Texans, the shrieks of the 
 wounded and of the dying created a din infernal — a scene indescribable 
 and full of sublime terrors. In each room of the buildings the scene of 
 a desperate struggle was enacted; a struggle of fearless men driven to 
 desperation by the consciousness that escape was imipossible and that no 
 quarter could be expected, should they be captured alive. The heroes 
 of the Alamo sold their lives as dearly as they could possibly do it. 
 They fought when stricken down; they struggled when dying — ^not with 
 death, but to slay more Mexicans. 
 
 A fierce fight was raging at the hospital, where the invalids were 
 selling their lives at a fearful cost to the Mexicans. Colonel Travis had 
 fallen by his gun on the north, with a rifle ball through his forehead: 
 it is said that he had enough strength, after being mortally wounded, to 
 impale on his sword a Mexican officer who was trying to mutilate him. 
 His cannon had come into possession of the enemy, and one of them 
 was loaded with canister and grape and turned against the hospital. 
 After the shot the Mexicans entered and found the emaciated bodies of 
 fourteen Texans, torn and mangled, blackened and bloody. Forty-two 
 dead Mexicans lay at the door. Colonel Bowie, who had been sick and 
 helpless ever since the Alamo was invested, lay dead, stark and stiff on 
 his pallet, but the bodies of two victims attested his unerring aim and 
 invincible courage. 
 
 The cannon was next turned toward the long barrack, where 
 the Texans had concentrated and where the main struggle was taking 
 
84 History of San Antonio and 
 
 place. There was no unity of command — each single Texan or each 
 group, brought to bay here, from where there was no further retreat and 
 no choice left but to fight and to die, fought with a desperation and 
 effectiveness never known in the history of the world. The piles of the 
 Mexican dead, found both outside and inside of these buildings, told an 
 eloquent story. 
 
 Shot after shot, as fast as they could load the cannon, crashed through 
 the doors and barricades, until finally the last defender had been 
 murdered. 
 
 All the attention and fight of the enemy was now turned to the 
 church, the Alamo, which was the last to fall. 
 
 The inmates of this stronghold fought to the last, like their comrades 
 had done. They fired from the upper part of the structure into the dense 
 masses of Mexicans below. Major Evans was shot while in the act of 
 applying a torch to the powder mazagine — ^just in the nick of time to 
 prevent an awful explosion, which would have killed numbers of 
 Mexicans. 
 
 In one of the east rooms of the Alamo there were a few noncom- 
 batants: Mrs. Dickinson, her child, other women and children, and 
 a negro servant of Colonel Travis. Towards the close of the struggle 
 Lieutenant Dickinson rushed into the room and bid a last farewell to his 
 wife and the baby. 
 
 The last defender had been killed — the Alamo had fallen. High above 
 the chapel there still waved the tri-color of the revolutionists, with the 
 1824 glistening in the morning sun, proclaiming the cause for which the 
 heroes had fallen; prophetically announcing the coming of San Jacinto. 
 It was hauled down only after the last defender had died. 
 
 And now began a scene that mocks at description — the butchery and 
 mutilation of the wounded and dead Texans. David Crockett, uncon- 
 scious and mortally wounded, found among a pile of dead, was stood 
 up against a wall and brutally murdered, as were all Texans who 
 showed any signs of life. Words cannot be found which will express 
 the disgust inspired by such actions as took place by orders of Santa 
 Anna, the butcher. 
 
 These orders were disgusting to his own officers. Fisola, the Mexican 
 historian who accompanied the army, concludes his account of the battle 
 of the Alamo as follows: 
 
 "Finally the place remained in the power of the Mexicans, and all 
 its defenders were killed. It is a source of deep regret that, after the 
 excitement of the combat, many acts of atrocity were allowed, which 
 are unworthy of the gallantry and resolution with which this operation 
 was executed, and stamps it with indelible stain in the annals of history. 
 These acts were reproved at the time by those who had the sorrow to 
 witness them and, subsequently by the whole army, who were certainly 
 not animated by such feelings, and who heard with disgust and horror. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 85 
 
 as becomes brave and generous Mexicans, breathing none but noble 
 and lofty sentiments, of certain facts, which I forbear mentioning, and 
 would wish, for the honor of the Republic, had never taken place. 
 
 "In our opinion, the blood of our soldiers, as well as that of the 
 enemy, was shed in vain, for the mere gratification of the inconsiderate, 
 puerile and guilty vanity of reconquering Bexar by force of arms and 
 bloody contest. In fact, as we have already stated, the defenders of the 
 Alamo were disposed to surrender, upon the only condition that their 
 lives be spared. Let us even admit that they were not so disposed, 
 what could the wretches do, being surrounded by five thousand men, 
 without proper means of resisting, no possibility of retreating, nor any 
 hope of receiving sufficient reinforcements to compel the Mexicans to 
 raise the siege?" 
 
 The massacre completed, Santa Anna ordered the bodies of the 
 Texans to be burned. They were stripped, subjected to indignities, in 
 which Santa Anna joined, taken to a point on Alameda (East Commerce) 
 street, near the St. Joseph's Catholic Church, where funeral pyres were 
 erected. Brush and wood was piled on and around the pyres and the 
 torch applied. Then and there arose an offering on the altar of Liberty 
 which will never be forgotten. 
 
86 History of San Antonio and 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 SOME HISTORICAL QUESTIONS 
 
 How many Mexicans were killed in the Battle of the Alamo? 
 
 TTERE is a mooted question, one that has been the theme of discussion 
 ■"•and newspaper controversies time and again, and agreement is still is 
 far away as ever. There is the signed statement of Francisco Antonio 
 • Ruiz, who was Alcalde of San Antonio at the time of the assault and 
 who superintended the burning of the Texas dead and the burial and 
 disposal of the Mexican dead. The following statement, which is a part 
 of our county records, telling of 1,600 Mexicans killed, is generally taken 
 as correct: 
 
 "On the 6th of March, (1836) at 3 -a. m.. General Santa Anna, at 
 the head of his 4,000 men, marched against the Alamo. The infantry, 
 artillery and cavalry had formed about 1,000 yards from the walls of 
 the said fortress. The Mexican army charged and were twice repulsed 
 by the deadly fire of Travis' artillery, which resembled a constant 
 thunder. At the third charge the Toluca battalion commenced to scale 
 the walls and suffered severely: Out of 830 men only 130 were left alive. 
 
 "When the Mexican army entered the walls I, with the political 
 chief (Jefe Politico), Don Ramon Musquiz and other members of the 
 corporation, accompanied by the curate, Don Refugio de la Garza who, 
 by Santa Anna's order had assembled during the night at a temporary 
 fortification on Protero street, with the object of attending the wounded, 
 etc. As soon as the storming commenced, we crossed the bridge on 
 Commerce street, with this object in view, and about a hundred yards 
 from the same a party of Mexican dragoons fired upon us and compelled 
 us to fall back on the river and the place we occupied before. Half an 
 hour elapsed when Santa Anna sent one of his aides-de-camp With an 
 order for us to come before him. He directed me to call upon some of 
 the neighbors to come with carts to carry the (Mexican) dead to the 
 cemetery and to accompany him, as he was desirous to have Colonels 
 Travis, Bowie and Crockett shown to him. 
 
 "On the north battery of the fortress convent lay the lifeless body 
 of Coloney Travis, on the gun carriage shot only through the forehead. 
 Towards the west, and in a small fort towards the city, we found the 
 body of Colonel Crockett. Colonel Bowie was found dead in his bed in 
 one of the rooms on the south side. 
 
 "Santa Anna, after all the Mexican bodies had been taken out, 
 ordered wood to be brought to burn the bodies of the Texans. He sent 
 
the Early Days in Texas 87' 
 
 a company of dragoons with me to bring wood and dry branches from 
 the neighboring forests. About three o'clock in the afternoon of March 
 6th, we laid the wood and dry branches, upon which a pile of dead bodies 
 were placed, more wood was piled on them and another pile of bodies, 
 was brought; and in this manner they were all arranged in layers. 
 Kindling wood was distributed through the pile, and about five o'clock 
 in the evening it was lighted. 
 
 ."The dead Mexicans of Santa Anna were taken to the graveyard, 
 but not having sufficient room for them, I ordered some to be thrown in 
 the river, which was done on the same day. 
 
 "Santa Anna's loss was estimated at 1,600 men. They were the 
 flower of his army. 
 
 "The gallantry of the Texans who defended the Alamo was really 
 wondered at by the Mexican army. Even the Generals were astonished 
 at their rigorous resistance and how dearly victory was bought. 
 
 "The generals who, under Santa Anna, participated in the storming' 
 of the Alamo, were Juan Amador, Castillion, Ramirez, Sesma and' 
 Andrade. 
 
 "The men (Texans) burnt were one hundred and eighty-two. I Was' 
 an eye witness, for as Alcade of San Antonio I was, with some of the 
 neighbors, collecting the dead bodies and placing them on the funeral 
 pyre. (Signed) Francisco Antonio Ruiz." 
 
 This account was translated and published in the Texas Almanac of 
 1860. About it Captain A. M. Potter comments as follows: 
 
 "He (the narrator) rates the besieging forces at 4,000, which would 
 be correct if the eight corps, including two of cavaliy, numbered SOO each. 
 He sets down Santa Anna's loss at 1,600, and in a way to imply that this 
 was the number of killed. Now, estimating the force at 4,(K)0, and 
 leaving out 1,000 cavalry for outside service, the storming masses would 
 consist of 3,000 infantry. If 1,600 were killed, the wounded would cover 
 the remainder, and the total of assailants as well as of defenders must 
 have gone down. If he means that the loss was 1,600 killed and 
 wounded, it was heavy enough to render success impossible, and to 
 cripple the army too much for the prompt and active campaigning on 
 which it immediately entered. The battalion of Toluca, he says, num- 
 bered 800, of whom only 130 were left alive. If 670 were killed, the 
 small remanider must have been disabled. The whole corps went to the 
 graveyard and hospital, yet eight weeks after a part was killed and taken 
 at San Jacinto, and a small remnant retreated to Matamoras. So absurd 
 a narrative would not be worth referring to had it riot been quoted in a' 
 San Antonio newspaper in 1860 as a testimony of an eye witness, 
 conflicting with my former publication." 
 
 Only by carefully comparing all -data availaHe can a fairly correct 
 estimate of the Mexican casualties during the battle of the Alamo be* 
 arrived at. Santa Anna's report follows: 
 
88 History of San Antonio and 
 
 To His Excellency, the Secretary of War and Navy, General Jos6 Maria 
 Tome: 
 
 Most Excellent "Sir: Victory belongs to the army, which at this very 
 moment, at eight o'clock a. m., achieved a complete and glorious triumph 
 that will render its memory imperishable. 
 
 As I had stated in my report to your Excellency the taking of this 
 city on the 27th of last month, I awaited the arrival of the first brigade 
 of infantry to commence active operations against the fortress of the 
 Alamo. However, the whole brigade having been delayed beyond my 
 expectations, I ordered that three of its battalions, viz.: the engineers — 
 Aldamo and Toluca — should force their march to join me. These troops, 
 together with the battalions of Matamoros, Jimenez and San Luis Potosi, 
 brought the forces at my disposal (recruits included) uip to 1,400 
 infantry. The force, divided into four columns of attack, and a reserved- 
 commenced the attack at five o'clock a. m. They met with a stubborn 
 resistance, the combat lasting more than an hour and a half, and the 
 reserve having to be brought into action. 
 
 The scene offered by this engagement was extraordinary. The men 
 fought individually, vieing with each other in heroism. Twenty-one 
 pieces of artillery, used by the enemy with the most perfect accuracy, the 
 brisk fire of musketry which illumined the interior of the fortress and 
 its walls and ditches, could not check our dauntless soldiers, who arc 
 entitled to the consideration of the supreme government and to the 
 gratitude of the nation. 
 
 The fortress is now in our power, with its artillery, stores, etc. More 
 than 600 corpses of the foreigners were buried in the ditches and 
 entrenchments, and a great many who had escaped the bayonets of the 
 infantry fell in the vicinity under the sabres of the cavalry, I can assure 
 your Excellency that few are those who bore to their associates the 
 tidings of their disaster. 
 
 Among the corpses are those of Bowie and Travis, who styled them- 
 selves Colonels, and also that of Crockett and several leading men who 
 had entered the fortress with despatches from their Convention. We 
 lost about seventy men killed and three hundred wounded among whom 
 are twenty-five officers. The cause for which they fell renders their loss 
 -less painful, as it is the duty of every Mexican soldier to die for the 
 defense of the rights of the nation, and all of us were ready for any 
 sacrifice to promote the fond object; nor will we hereafter suffer any 
 foreigners, whatever their origin may be, to insult our country and to 
 pollute its soil. 
 
 I shall in due time send to your Excellency a circumstantial report 
 of this glorious triumph. Now I have only the time to congratulate the 
 nation and the president ad interim, to whom I request you to submit 
 this report. 
 
 The bearer takes with him one of the flags of the enemy's battalions. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 89 
 
 captured today. The inspection of it will show plainly the true intentions 
 of the treacherous colonists, and of their abettors, who came from the 
 ports of the United States and the north. 
 
 God and Liberty! 
 
 (Signed) Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. 
 
 Headquarters, Bexar, March 6th, 1836. 
 
 About the foregoing report Captain Potter comments: 
 "Panta Anna's invariable practice was to exaggerate his force before 
 an action, by way of threat, and to underrate it after, whether to excuse 
 defeat or to magnify victory; and in accordance with this trickery, in 
 his report of taking the Alamo, he sets down his storming forces at 
 1,400, his loss of 70 killed and 300 wounded, and the number of the 
 garrison all told and all killed, at 600. Where the slaughter was wrought 
 by good firearms and in good hands at close quarters, there would 
 hardly be such disiparity between the number of killed and wounded. 
 The probability is, that he struck off an even thousand from the round 
 numbers of the assaulters, and a hundred or two from the number killed; 
 while he made out as big a butchery of rebels as Mexican credulity 
 would swallow. If we correct his falsification on this assumption, he 
 had in the assault 2,400, and lost in killed and wounded 460 or 560. 
 Anselmo Borgara, a Mexican who first reiported the fall of the Alamo 
 to General Houston, at Gonzales, having left San Antonio the evening 
 after it occurred, stated that the assaulting force amounted to 2,300 
 men, of whom 521 were killed and as many wounded. He had probably 
 found means of ascertaining with approximate correctness the number 
 of infantry at San Antonio; but his report- of the loss has evidently 
 acquired its bulk by the process of doubling. Neither Mexican troops 
 nor any others are apt to take forts with a loss of more than two-fifths 
 of their number. He had probably heard of 521 as the total killed and 
 wounded, and then converted the whole into the former and supposed 
 an equal amount of the latter. The odd numbers attached to the 
 hundireds, and the limits which probably would assign to a large loss, 
 favor the belief that he had heard the result of an actual count of the 
 whole deficit. This analysis of falsehood may not be a very sure way 
 of finding out truth, but it is not without value when it has some 
 corroboration. The Mexican officers captured at San Jacinto, including 
 Santa Anna's secretary, as was told by Colonel Seguin, were generally 
 of the opinion that the loss at the Alamo in killed and wounded was 
 about 500. Some rated it lower and others higher, and one went as 
 high as 700. 
 
 "The opinion of such enlisted men as I have conversed with were 
 about the same as those of the officers, ranging from four to six hundred. 
 Nothing is more apt to make an exaggerated impression on the casual 
 view than a field of slaughter, and I think that the higher of the above 
 estimates may be errors of that kind. General Bradburn, who was at 
 
90 History of San Antonio and 
 
 the scene of action soon after it occurred, believed that the actual loss 
 to the service (killed and disabled for life) would be three hundred. This 
 I consider equivalent to 500 killed and wounded; and it is my opinion 
 that the Mexican loss at the Alamo differed little from that number." 
 
 It is but natural that in such an occurrence as the battle of the Alamo, 
 which is held in highest esteem and in memory most sacred not only by 
 all Texans, but throughout our entire nation, one is not very much 
 inclined to permit of anything which seems to belittle the great and 
 valorous action of the heroes who gave their lives for the cause of Texas 
 Liberty. Tradition and history in general have been inclined to credit 
 the number of killed as recorded by Pancho Ruiz, the Alcalde. Truth- 
 fulness and correctness, as nearly as possible at least, must be the object 
 of stating historic data. The opinion of Captain Potter seems too well 
 founded to permit of much argument and the absolute fairness of the 
 Captain cannot be doubted. 
 
 Nor need there be any occasion to think that the immortal feat of the 
 heroes of the Alamo loses any of its glamor by Captain Potter's analysis 
 and the final conclusion that 500 were killed and wounded. This he 
 correctly sets forth in the following: 
 
 "This was a rapidity fo bloodshed which needs no exaggeration but 
 it may require strong proof to save it from the imputation of fiction, for 
 defenders of better forts than the Alamo seldom slay many times more 
 than their own number, unless they possess extraordinary means or 
 opportunities for destruction. The slaughter was not in this case the 
 carnage of unresisted pursuit, like that of San Jacinto, nor the sweeping 
 havoc of cannon under favorable circumstances like that of Sandusky. 
 The main element of defense was the individual valor and skill of men 
 who had few advantages of fortification, ordnance, discipline or command. 
 All their deficiencies, which were so glaring, serve only to enhance. the 
 merit of individuality, in _which no veterans could have excelled them. 
 It required no ordinary bravery even in greatly superior numbers, to 
 overcome a resistance so determined. The Mexican troops displayed 
 more of it in this assault than they have done on almost any occasion; 
 but it must be remembered that better troops than those of Santa Anna 
 fail under loss as heavy as romance often assigns to the casualties of the 
 Alamo. 
 
 "If we owe to the departed heroes the duty of preserving their deeds 
 from oblivion, we ought to feel as strongly that duty of defending their 
 memory against the calumnious effect of false eulogy, which in time 
 might cause their real achievements to be doubted." 
 
 "HERE LIES THE GREAT . . . . " 
 False Marble! Where? 
 Nothing but sordid dust lies there. 
 The above significant verse is the inscription on a tombstone some- 
 where in some country. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 91 
 
 A few years ago there was a big controversy about the question, 
 where the remains of the Heroes of the Alam|o are buried. After passing 
 a number of arguments pro and con, sometimes quite heatedly, the entire 
 matter seemingly has died down and is again forgotten. Nothing in 
 shape of a memorial, statue or monument designating the location of 
 the sepulchre, except two slabs of marble on East Commerce street, the 
 place of two funeral pyres, has resulted from it. The controversy was 
 caused by two contradictory statements. The whole affair is best 
 explained by the following interview given to a newspaper reporter by 
 Prof. E. C. Barker, of the History Department of the University of 
 Texas : 
 
 "There are two accounts of the final resting place of those who 
 perished with Travis in the Alamo. One of these, contained in a letter 
 from Colonel Juan N. Seguin to General H. P. Bee, dated March 28, 
 1889, says: that their remains are buried in front of the altar of the 
 cathedral San Fernando in San Antonio, and it is this letter which has 
 given rise to Mr. Hefley's suggestion. Colonel Seguin was one of the 
 few Mexican citizens of Texas who joined the Texans in their revolution 
 against Santa Anna; he was a man of honor, and ordinarily there would 
 be no reason to question his statement, which is as follows : 'In reply to 
 your enquiries in behalf of the Alamo Monument Association I authorize 
 you to state that the dead of the Alamo were burned by order of General 
 Santa Anna, and when I took command of that city after the battle of 
 San Antonio (San Jacinto?) I collected together the charred and small 
 fractions of the bodies that were scattered about and placed them in an 
 urn and deposited it in a grave which I had dug inside of the cathedral 
 of San Fernando, on the Main Plaza of San Antonio, in front of the 
 altar close to the railing and near the stairs, where they are now.'" 
 
 The other account of the funeral of the heroic dead was published 
 in the Telegraph and Texas Register on March 28, 1837, and in this, 
 too, Seguin was a prominent actor. The account follows: 
 
 "In conformity with an order from the general commanding the 
 army at headquarters. Colonel Seguin with his command -stationed at 
 Bexar, paid the honors of war to the remains of the heroes of the Alamo; 
 the ashes were found in three places; the two smallest heaps were 
 carefully collected, placed in a coffin neatly covered with black, and 
 having the names of Travis, Bowie and Crockett engraved on the inside 
 of the lid, and carried to Bexar, and placed in the parish churchy where 
 the Texas flag, a rifle, and a sword were laid upon it for the purpose 
 of being accompanied by the procession which formed at 3 o'clock on 
 thes 2Sth of February; the honors to be paid were announced in orders 
 of the evening previous and by the tolling knell from daybreak to the 
 hour of interment; at four o'clock the procession moved from the 
 church in the following order: 
 
 "Field officers, staff officers, civil authorities, clergy, military not 
 
°2 History of San Antonio and 
 
 attached to the corps and others; pall bearers, mourners and relatives, 
 music, battalion, citizens. 
 
 "The procession then passed through the principal street of the city, 
 crossed the river, passed through the principal avenues on the other side 
 and halted at the place where the first ashes had been gathered. The 
 coffin then was placed upon the spot and three volleys of musketry were 
 discharged by one of the companies; the procession then moved to the 
 second spot whence a part of the ashes in the coffin had been taken, where 
 the same honors were paid; the procession then proceeded to the spot 
 and place of interment where the graves had been prepared; the coffin 
 had been placed upon the principal heap of ashes when Colonel Seguin 
 delivered a short address in Spanish, followed by Major Western in 
 English, and the ashes were buried." 
 
 With the palpable intent of "letting down easy" those who still con- 
 tended for the correctness of the Seguin letter, that the ashes lie buried in 
 the cathedral, it seems that Professor Barker commented as follows : 
 
 "It is possibl that both accounts may be true; that Seguin did bury 
 the fragments in the Cathedral, and that a military funeral was later 
 given to the ashes, but this does not seem likely. The Telegraph, describ- 
 ing the ceremony just a month after it took place, would hardly have 
 failed to mention the earlier funeral, while it is easy to understand how 
 Seguin's memory could have played him false in 1889, more than fifty- 
 two years after the event which he describes. Everything considered, it 
 seems most probable that the ashes of the brave defenders of the Alamo 
 repose somewhere under the pavement of the Alamo Plaza (?), and it 
 may, well be doubted whether they could have a more fitting monument 
 than the thriving city which surrounds them." 
 
 The Seguin letter, the original of which is in the state library, has 
 been known to students for years, and is apparently accepted at face 
 value by Judge Seth Sheiqpard in his sketch, "The Fall of the Alamo," 
 published in "A Comprehensive History of Texas," 1898. The Telegraph 
 account is also well known, having been quoted by Professor Barker in 
 the Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association in July, 1901. 
 
 The late Judge J. M. Rodriguez, who witnessed the battle of the 
 Alamo from the roof of a house on the ranch of Don Santos Jimenes, 
 and who also is authority for the statement that the fighting lasted about 
 two hours, writes in his memoirs, published after his death, with regard 
 to the burial place of the heroes of the Alamo: 
 
 "There has been a great deal of discussion with reference to what had 
 been done with the bodies of the Texans who were slain at the Alamo. 
 It is claimed that Colonel Seguin wrote a letter in which he stated that 
 he got together the ashes in the following February and put them in an 
 iron urn and buried them in San Fernando cathedral. This does not seem 
 possible to me, because nothing of that kind could have happened without 
 us knowing that; and we have never heard of any occurrence of that 
 
the Early Days in Texas 93 
 
 kind. Seguin did not return from Houston's army until my father did, 
 both of them being in the same command, my father being a First 
 Lieutenant and he a Colonel. It is true that the bones were brought 
 together somewhere in the neighborhood or a little east of where the 
 Monger Hotel is now, and were buried by Colonel Seguin, but that any 
 of them were ever buried in the cathedral I have never heard nor do I 
 believe that to be true. The only person I know of being buried in 
 the cathedral was Don Eugenio Navarro, who was buried near the 
 south wall of the cathedral, near the chancel." 
 
 There is still another historian. Captain R. M. Potter, of the 
 United States army who, in the year 1878, when no dispute had taken 
 place about the location of the ashes of the Texans, wrote, in conclusion 
 of his article on the Siege and Fall of the Alamo, as follows: 
 
 "The stranger will naturally inquire where lie the heroes of the 
 Alamo, and Texas can only reply by a silent blush. A few hours after 
 the action, the bodies of the slaughtered garrison were gathered by the 
 victors, laid in three heaps, mingled with fuel and burned, though their 
 own were interred. On the 2Sth of February, 1837, the bones and ashes 
 of the defenders were, by order of General Houston, collected as well 
 as then could be done, for burial, by Colonel Seguin, then in command 
 in San Antonio. The bones were placed in a large coffin which, together 
 with the gathered ashes, was interred with military honors. The place 
 of burial was a peach orchard then outside of the Alamo village, and a 
 few hundred yards from the fort. When I was there in 1861, it was 
 still a large enclosed open lot, though surrounded by the suburb which 
 had grown up, but the rude landmarks, which once had pointed out the 
 place of sepulture, had long since disappeared. Diligent search might 
 then have found it but it is now (1878) densely built over, and its 
 identity is irrevocably lost. This is too sad for comment." 
 
 The inscription on the old tombstone, which with this question was 
 started, furnishes the correct line of thought in this case. Unlike Caesar, 
 the good that the Heroes of the Alamo did, was not interred with their 
 bones. Texas and San Antonio are enjoying the Liberty for which those 
 men gave their lives. This reminds us that their life-blood was spilled 
 right here in our Alamo, within the enclosure of those ancient walls, 
 which are still here for our reverence. It seems but meet, that a suitable 
 inscription should be placed at the entrance to the frequently visited 
 Alamo, telling briefly the historic, facts and the noble cause for which 
 heroes died. It would remind the stranger of the fact, that the soil 
 upon which he is about to tread, is sacred to the cause of Liberty. 
 Perhaps some day a beautiful monument will be erected, not in Austin, 
 but right here on the spot where those immortal Texans died. 
 
^^ History of San Antonio and 
 
 Of whom was the garrison composed and what is the military lesson of 
 
 the Alamo? 
 
 Captain Potter, the historian and military expert, has answered these 
 questions as follows: 
 
 "A military lesson, though not a new one, may be derived from the 
 fall of the Alamo," he says, and continues: "Among the essential 
 qualities of a soldier we must consider not only the discipline and 
 subordination that blends him with the mass in which the word of 
 command moves him; but also the individual self-reliance and efficiency 
 which may restore the battle even after the mass is broken. From the 
 lack of the former quality the men of the Alamo were lost; by the 
 possession of the latter they became in the last struggle as formidable 
 as veterans, and died gloriously; and in a better position they would 
 have been saved by it. Though the latter quality depends more on 
 nature than the former, it admits of development and the perfection of 
 training neglects neither. 
 
 "Neither Travis nor Bowie had much of the experience or instruction 
 of the soldier, and they were the reverse of each other in certain ante- 
 cedents and outward traits. The latter, in his youth, ha-d been noted for 
 his daring in bloody personal faults, and his name has attached to it a 
 characteristic memento in the designation of a homicidal knife, whose 
 pattern he originated. Travis, though ambitious, and not backward in 
 revolutionary movements, had been in civil life habitually cautious in 
 avoiding broils and personal collisions, so much so that the rougher class 
 of his contemporaries took for signs of timidity what I believe merely 
 indicated a cool temper and guarded deportment. That he was deficient 
 in courage is contradicted, not only by the closing scenes of his life and 
 his heroic death, but by the testimony of one who had the best oppor- 
 tunity of judging. Colonel Seguin, who was frequently with him under 
 fire, not only on the works, but in the early sallies of the siege, was 
 convinced that Travis possessed a high degree of constitutional bravery. 
 
 "The garrison of the Alamo, in personal character, was made up of 
 diverse elements, whose relative proportions cannot now be ascertained. 
 The ruffian, filibuster type; men whose death alone redeemed their life, 
 of course comprised no sm^all part of it; but with them stood also those 
 who, like the band from Gonzales, were fighting for near homes, where 
 their kindred dwelt, and among the newcomers was an equal number 
 of honored men, like Bonham and Crockett, who had an honest faith 
 and generous zeal in the cause they espoused. There were probably 
 few among the lowest of that garrison who lacked the redeeming trait 
 of bravery, and among men of that character common danger is sure 
 to bring out the better qualities in all who share it. When an enemy was 
 in sight the bad element showed its numerical strength, but when peril 
 came over all, the good asserted its power, and the evil, in a measure, 
 assimilated to it. It requires no stretch of charity then to believe that 
 
the Early Days in Texas 95 
 
 many a rough wight, whose highest inspiration had heretofore been 
 plunder, felt a thrill akin to that of the patriot when he died for a land 
 which he could not yet claim as his own." 
 
 Origin of the Lone Star Flag and Other Historic Data 
 
 The defenders of the Alamo died for A New Republic, although they 
 did not know it. Whilst they were being besieged, the Convention of 
 Texas met at Washington on the Brazos, March 1st, 1836, and on the 
 following day declared Texas a free and independent republic. A con- 
 stitution was adopted; David G. Burnet was chosen as president ad 
 interim, and Lawrence de Zavala as first vice president of the new 
 republic. Sam Houston was re-elected Conmmander-in-chief of the 
 army; and unusual powers, commensurate with the needs of hte times 
 were conferred on the new officials. The Convention knew as little of 
 the siege of the Alamo as did the defenders of the newly created republic; 
 the last letter of Travis arrived at Washington, Texas, on the 6th of 
 March, the fatal day of the siege. It came too late to be of any help. 
 
 General Houston at first had a very hard time to gather an army 
 sufficiently large to oppose Santa Anna effectively, the more so since 
 the Mexican forces had been increased by additional troops until they 
 numbered nearly 10,000. Besides, discipline was woefully lacking: there 
 is no doubt at all, had Colonel Fannin with his volunteers from Alabama 
 and Georgia obeyed the order of the Texas commander-in-chief, the 
 terrible butchery at Goliad on March 27 of the same year, could have 
 been avoided. When Houston finally succeeded in gathering about him 
 an army sufficiently strong to fight the Mexican forces, he began a series 
 of skilfull maneuvers and succeeded in leading Santa Anna, together 
 with his army, into a traip. On April 21, just forty-six days after the 
 massacre of the Alamo, the famous battle of San Jacinto was fought. 
 The Texans, although greatly outnumbered, rushed into battle with the 
 cries: "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!"; fought like 
 demons and within less than half an hour of fighting had the Mexican 
 army on the run. But every avenue of escape had been cut off; Deaf 
 Smith, by orders of General Houston, had destroyed Vince's bridge, the 
 only means of crossing Vince's Bayou. In their hurry to escape the 
 dreadful vengeance of the Texans, scores of Mexicans plunged into the 
 stream and were drowned. Santa Anna was captured the next day. 
 As a price for his release Santa Anna promised to evacuate Texas and 
 to acknowldge its independence. From that time on till 1842 our city 
 and Texas, having taken its place among the nations of the world, were 
 free from the Mexican foe. 
 
 It has already been mentioned that the defenders of the Alamo fought 
 under the Mexican tri-color, with the numerals 1842 in the white of the 
 flag in place of the Mexican eagle, the so-called "Flag of Independence." 
 To make this story complete, a short history of the Lone Star Flag, the 
 
96 History of San Antonio and 
 
 flag of the Republic of Texas, must be given. The following misleading 
 and erroneous statement appeared in the Texas Almanac of 1861: 
 
 "It is universally believed in Georgia that the flag of the Lone Star 
 was the work of Miss Troutm^n,jof Crawford County, Georgia, now Mrs. 
 Pope, of Alabama; and by her presented to the Georgia battalion 
 (volunteers for Texas) commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ward. 
 
 "It was of plain white silk, bearing an azure star of five points on 
 either side. On one side was the inscription: 'Liberty or Death,' and 
 on the other the appropriate Latin motto: 'Ubi libertas habitat, ibi nostra 
 patria est.' 
 
 "This flag was unfurled at Velasco on the 8th day of January, 1836, 
 and proudly floated from the same liberty pole with the first flag of 
 independence- (the Mexican tri-color with the numerals 1824) which had 
 just been brought from Goliad by the valiant Captain William Brown, 
 who subsequently did such daring service in the navy of Texas. 
 
 "On the meeting of the First Congress, the flag of the Lone Star 
 was adopted as the national flag of the young republic. 
 
 "A correspondent of the 'Central Texan' denies the claim of Georgia 
 and insists that the first Lone Star Flag ever unfurled in Texas was 
 presented by Mrs. Sarah R. Dodson, to a company of volunteers raised 
 in Harrisburg, Texas, in 183S, and commanded by Captain Andrew 
 Robinson. The flag was a tri-color of white, red and blue. The star 
 was white and five-pointed." 
 
 The real, historic facts are as follows: During the meeting of the 
 Texas Convention in March, 1836, on or about the time of the Battle 
 of the Alamo, a committee of five was appointed to design a flag for the 
 Republic of Texas. Each member of the committee submitted a design, 
 and the design of Lawrence de Zavala was unanimously adopted by the 
 Texans. About a week afterwards the convention hurriedly adjourned. 
 Santa Anna was approaching with his large and victorious army. In the 
 hurry of the flight the adopted flag was lost sight of. 
 
 The First Congress of the young republic, referred to in the fore- 
 going quotation, met October 3, 1836, at Columbia on the Brazos river, 
 two miles west of the Columbia of today, in a small house. This 
 congress was elected September 3 of the same year, upon which occasion 
 Houston and Lamar also were elected President and Vice-President of 
 Texas. It forgot that a flag had been chosen by the Convention which had 
 met in March of the same year, and adopted as the national emblem of 
 the Republic of Texas a Lone Star of Gold in an Azure Field. At the 
 Third Congress, held in 1839, Senator Oliver Jones, aware of the mis- 
 take that had been made, reported an amendment or substitute bill 
 which carefully defined the design, color and proportions of the flag 
 that was adopted by the Convention in March, 1836. It is the same 
 Lone Star Flag as we have and revere it today. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 97 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 TROUBLE WITH INDIANS AND MEXICANS 
 
 A FTER the battle of San Jacinto and the subsequent treaty with Santa 
 -^*- Anna, our city was free from Mexican molestation for a period of six 
 years. But our citizens were far frqm being able to follow their peaceful 
 pursuits; they were constantly harrassed by the depredations of the 
 savage Indians. The Comanches were particularly annoying and they 
 were accustomed to prosecute their raids within a few miles of our city 
 on which occasions they took a great many white prisoners, whom they 
 retained. 
 
 Early in 1840 a number of Comanche chiefs sent word to Captain 
 Karnes that they desired to make peace. They were told to come to 
 the city and bring their prisoners. When they arrived they had brought 
 with them only one little girl, Lockhaert by name. It was well known, 
 however, that they had numbers more, among them a Mrs. Webster and 
 her child whom they had captured a few weeks previous in the neighbor- 
 hood of Georgetown. 
 
 On the 19th of March twelve Comanche chiefs met with the 
 commissioners, appointed by President Lamar. Together with an 
 interpreter they entered the building which was used as a courthouse, 
 on Market street. After the Indians were upbraided for not bringing 
 all their captives, they became defiant and stoutly maintained that the 
 one they had brought was all they had. When Captain Howard with a 
 company of rangers arrived, he ordered the house to be surrounded and 
 personally entered the room with some of the rangers. He told the 
 interpreter to inform the Indians that they would be held as hostages 
 until some of their number who were in camp outside of the building, 
 had brought the rest of the prisoners. The interpreter at first refused 
 to submit this ultimatum to the Indians. When the commissioners 
 insisted, he stationed himself close to the door and told the Indians. 
 The chiefs immediately drew their bows and knives, which they had 
 concealed underneath their blankets, hanging over their shoulders, and 
 the fight started. It soon spread to the outside of the building, the 
 Indians, squaws and all, participating. Captain Howard, who was 
 standing near the door, received a severe knife cut, but he killed the 
 Indian. Colonel M. Claswell, who was not armed, was attacked by a 
 powerful Indian brave, and he defended himself as best he could till 
 the savage was shot down by a ranger. In another room Mr. Morgan 
 was attacked by two Indians, and he succeeded in killing them both. 
 Lieutenant Dunning was killed by a squaw, who shot him with an 
 arrow, which passed through his body. And there was Judge Thompson 
 out in the yard innocently amusing himself by sticking coins into a 
 
98 History of San Antonio and 
 
 split stick of wood, and setting it up as a mark for the little Indians to 
 shoot out with their arrows; he was killed before he was aware of the 
 fact that there was any danger. 
 
 The fight lasted till all the warriors — it is said they numbered thirty — 
 two squaws and three Indian children were killed. Seven Texans were 
 killed and eight wounded. 
 
 Of course there is no end of different versions of this fight and 
 the citizens of San Antonio were considerably criticized for this "Indian 
 Massacre." Judge Rodriguez in his '"Memoirs of Early Texas," describes 
 this fight as follows: 
 
 "The nearest I ever came to being in an Indian affray was in 1841 
 (?) when a noted fight took place in and around the old courthouse, 
 corner Market and Main Plaza between some Indian chiefs and the 
 Texas military and San Antonio citizens. It was a most unfortunate 
 affair. The people of San Antonio were for a long time thereafter 
 criticized and hated by the Indian tribes throughout this country; the 
 Indians claiming that they had been treacherously dealt with. I was 
 entirely too young at this time to remember the details, being just twelve 
 years old. 
 
 It seems that at various times prior to that, the Indians had taken 
 a lot of white people prisoners and a conference was called by the people 
 of San Antonio and the Indians, and the Indians were to bring their 
 captives with them. As heretofore described, the court house was on 
 the corner of Market and Main Plaza and back of that where the old 
 Market House now stands and beyond was a large corral in which as 
 a rule the sheriff, soldiers and rangers penned their horses. A little jail 
 was also in back there. About twenty-five Indian warriors came in for 
 this conference accompanied by their squaws and papooses and they 
 camped in this corral. The Indian warriors attended the conference with 
 the civil and military authorities in the court house. A great discussion 
 took place there and the Indians were upbraided by the citizens for 
 failing to keep their promise and bring their captives. 
 
 "The local authorities then insisted that part of them should go back 
 and leave one-half dozen of their chiefs there as hostages until they 
 brought back the captives. This discussion was going on when I slipped 
 into the court house unnoticed. I saw my father there and other citizens. 
 While this discussion was going on, I looked from the east windows 
 towards the old Market House and saw Major Howard, who was in 
 command of the troops, with about twenty soldiers cutting off the retreat 
 of the Indians from the rear. One of the Indians saw that, and they 
 began to talk very fast and looked excited. The intenpreter then came 
 down from the platform, where they all were seated, and said: 'I am 
 going home, the Indians are mad.' Things were looking a little squally 
 when my companions insisted that we should leave. We got out, and 
 when we got into Market street we began to hear the guns firing and 
 
the Early Days in Texas 99 
 
 then we ran into Commerce street and got into the house of Don Antonio 
 Baca, where we took shelter. It looked as though there was fighting 
 going on all over town. We finally managed to get home. My mother 
 was very uneasy, for she knew my father was in the court house. He 
 finally got home and he told us just what occurred after I left. It seems 
 while he was in the court house acting with the other citizens, some one 
 called out to my father that the man with the robe around him had a 
 bow and arrow under his robe. My father then jerkedthe blanket away 
 and found the bow and arrow fixed. He took it away and then the 
 soldiers fired on this Indian and then kept up a general firing until all 
 the Indians were killed. Major Howard was slightly wounded ' by an 
 arrow. The next day the commanding officer of the troops went to the 
 camp of the squaws back of the Market House and informed them of 
 the death of the Indians had asked if any of them would volunteer to 
 go out and bring in the captives, and when they had done so the squaws 
 and their children would be released, otherwise they would be held as 
 captives until the white captives were released. I was present when this 
 conversation took place. A middle-aged squaw then volunteered and 
 told the officers that if they would give her a good mount she would 
 promise to bring the captives in. They then took her to the corral where 
 the horses were, and I remember seeing her pick out a roan horse, mount 
 him and go out of town. A few days after the Indians came to the 
 edge of the city and sent notice that they were there with their captives. 
 Remembering the fate of their brethren, they refused to come into town. 
 An exchange took place at San Pedro Springs and after that it was a 
 little hard to get the Indians to come directly to town." 
 
 It is a matter of history that the Comanches vowed vengeance on 
 the whites and that they proceeded to live up to their vows by harrassing 
 the settlers with every trouble and torture which their savage cunning 
 could devise. On August 11th of the same year, a battle was fought 
 between the Texans and the Comanches at Plum Creek, in which the 
 Indians were decisively defeated. 
 
 Affairs in Mexico were quite unsettled for a long time after the Battle 
 of San Jacinto. There was the war with France on the outside and at 
 home it was nothing else but just one revolution after another. In these 
 fights and revolutions a number of adventurous Texas sipirits participated 
 quite frequently, without consent or aid of the Texas government. In 
 1841 it was rumored that New Mexico was anxious to throw off the 
 Mexican yoke and enjoy the same freedom as Texas. Three hundred 
 Texans, with the avowed intention of opening trade negotiations, started 
 out for Santa Fe, without approval of the Texas Congress, but with the 
 public sanction of President Lamar. This was the most ill-fated expedi- 
 tion of them all: after suffering no end of hardships, they were betrayed 
 by one of the most trusted officers, led into a trap and had to surrender 
 to Geneiral Salazar, one of the most vicious Mexican commanders of that 
 
100 History of San Antonio and 
 
 period. All were taken prisonres, brought to Mexico and enrolled in a 
 chain gang, performing .the most menial labors. 
 
 Santa Anna again had managed to become the head of the Mexican 
 government. Whether he still was smarting under the defeat administered 
 to him at San Jacinto; whether he wanted to show his disapproval of the 
 constant meddling or whether he meant to intimidate the United States 
 from admitting Texas into the union is hard to tell: at any rate he 
 ordered an invasion of Texas, perhaps just to show that Texas still 
 belonged to Mexico, at least as far as the Mexican government w'as 
 concerned. One and all of these snppositions are borne out by the 
 behavior of the invading generals. 
 
 Like lightning from an azure sky, a Mexican army of a few hun- 
 dred men under General Vasquis appeared in the neighborhood of our 
 city on March Sth, 1842, and demanded possession. After a consultation, 
 Colonel Hayes, then in charge of San Antonio, thought it best to retire 
 to the Guadalupe with his insignificant command, the more so since 
 General Vasquis had promised ample protection to the citizens in all 
 their civil rights. This promise was literally and faithfully kept. To 
 the credit of General Vasquis it must be said that his army behaved 
 with great propriety and that sentinels were placed over all private 
 property and that ample protection was afforded. Our city government 
 was remodeled, alcaldes taking the iplace of our magistrates. After two 
 days the army left and some of our citizens went with them voluntarily. 
 
 In a similar manner — entirely unexpected, the district court being in 
 session — General Adrian Woll, at the head of a Mexican army, appeared 
 in our city on Septetnber Uth of the same year. He captured the 
 judge, the jury and the officers of the court, fifty-three persons, all told. 
 This army also behaved very well, and private property was safe from 
 plunder. The following account of this invasion is from a private journal 
 of a citizen living during this eventful period: 
 
 "The district court was in session, and here were the judge of the 
 court, the attorneys and the neighbors. Suddenly the news was received 
 that a large Mexican force was approaching on the public plaza. There 
 was a bustle and confusion; some of one opinion, some of another. A 
 public meeting was held at 9 o'clock. Two respectable Mexicans stated 
 that one of the enemy's spies had been in town the night before and 
 informed them that a large force would enter the town on that day, and 
 they advised our retreat. It was, however, determined that the Americans 
 should remain a sufficient time, at least, to ascertain the character of the 
 force. Many believed it to be a band of robbers, who sought to frighten 
 us off that they might rob the town; spies were sent out to obtain infor- 
 mation; commissioners were selected by the Mexican citizens to go to 
 the camp and ascertain from the commanding officer the object of his 
 visit. If it was a regular invading force, the commissioners would be 
 allowed to return, but if they were robbers, they probably would be 
 
the Early Days in Texas 101 
 
 detained. About sunset a Mexican returned and reported that they had 
 come in sight of about one hundred horses, and he was sent back to give 
 the information. 
 
 "The impression then became general that it was a robbing party and 
 all steps were taken to give them a warm reception. The force of the 
 Americans was about seventy-five, and they agreed to sleep at the house 
 of Sam Maverick, who lived at the corner of the public square. There 
 was a sort of barricade thrown up from the river to a river crossing, and 
 behind it most of the men slept. At the early dawn the report of a 
 heavy piece of cannon woke us up. 'They are coming, boys, sure 
 enough!' was the remark. The morning Was foggy, and in a few 
 minutes the legs of the soldiers only could be seen filing into the iplaza, 
 and when they got toward the middle of the plaza, the rifles of the 
 Americans gave them a volley. Some one remarked: 'You're shooting 
 too high!' and more careful aim was taken the second time, with the 
 effect to scatter the advance that was coming upon us — remember that 
 all this time we supposed that we were fighting a robbing party. After 
 the second volley, a countryman came crawling toward us, saying: 'My 
 God, men, what are you doing? You are shooting at an army of thou- 
 sands of men! And by this time the fog had cleared enough for us to 
 realize what we had done, and the position we were placed in. Soon a 
 white flag approached, and Captain Carasco, of the Mexican army, 
 demanded to know the meaning of such foolishness, stating that we had 
 fired on fifteen hundred men, entering the town with music playing and 
 no intention of being resisted, and demanded our surrender in five 
 minutes. As it was idle to contend against such a force, three of our 
 number, Messrs. S. A. Maverick, Vannes and Jones, were deputed to 
 arrange terms of capitulation. On reaching General Woll, he was found 
 to be in a bad humor; he said that twelve of his best men had been 
 killed by our fire. He was informed that it was thought a mere robbing 
 party, against whom they were authorized to defend themselves, and 
 they did not know they were attacking a force of soldiers. He refused 
 permission to turn home and demanded the surrender of our army. We 
 then surrendered, granted of humane treatment. Several of our citizens 
 returned to their homes, and thus escaped capture, and some few others 
 made good their escape by flight. 
 
 "The loss of the enemy was ten or twelve killed, and twenty-five 
 wounded, all of whom afterwards died, with the exception of two; 
 besides suffering a considerable loss in horses. Although subject to 
 quite a lively fire from both artillery and infantry, the loss on our side 
 was nothing save a ferocious dog and an indiscreet old hen, who, wan- 
 dering too near the enemy's lines, were captured. 
 
 "After the surrender we were marched to the court house, where our 
 names, etc., were taken down. We were then confined in the corporation 
 hall, under guard. We were fifty-five Americans and one Mexican. I 
 left my blanket at the house where we stopped. I was not permitted 
 
102 History of San Antonio and 
 
 to go after it, nor to go to my room to get my clothes. Every one of us 
 seemed to be in good spirits, regardless of the future. Many of those 
 that were not prisoners were permitted to see us, always accompanied 
 by an officer. During our stay in San Antonio we were kindly treated 
 by the citizens, both Americans and Mexicans, but were not permitted 
 to have any communication with our friends, unless in presence of some 
 officer. In the evening a list of our names, professions and birth places 
 was made. On the 12th (Monday) General Woll's proclamation and 
 general order were translated, and permission granted by General Woll 
 to send them on to the settlements on the Guadalupe river. At the same 
 time a letter was sent, giving an account of our misfortune. Several of 
 those captured were citizens of other counties of the republic and were 
 attending court on business." 
 
 The proclamation was addressed to the soldiers, in which he called 
 upon them to avenge the w'rongs brought about by the ingratitude of 
 Texas; in battle to be brave and to be mindful of their former renown; 
 and after the battle, act as Mexicans and be generous. This general 
 order stated that war was made only against those who were found 
 with arms in their hands, and that whatever officer or soldier who entered 
 a house forcibly would be immediately shot. 
 
 "We learned that the commissioners were made prisoners," the private 
 account concludes, "and later were brought to town. The Mexican spies 
 did not return as they promised, and we were never able to hear from 
 them." 
 
 As one writer has it, "the Texans were now thoroughly disgusted 
 with this invasion foolishness," and resolved to crush it out then and 
 there. The news of this second invasion spread throughout Texas like 
 wildfire and from everywhere Texans rushed to arms. On September 
 17th Colonel Caldwell, with something like three hundred mounted men, 
 advanced towards San Antonio and pitched a camp on the Salado, about 
 six miles from our city. He had been informed by spies that General 
 Woll was coming with a big force to overwhelm him and in consequence 
 decided to ambush the Mexicans. He detailed Captain Hays, of scout 
 fame, to find a suitable location for the purpose. Captain Hays chose a 
 dense bottom on the east side of the Salado, where the Texans at once 
 proceeded to conceal themselves. 
 
 Unsuspecting of any danger, the Mexican army walked into the 
 death trap. The Texans waited until they could see the white of the 
 eyes of their enemy and, upon an agreed signal, they fired with deadly 
 accuracy. It is said that three salvoes did the work, and although the 
 Mexicans put up a show at fight and returned the fire of the Texans, 
 they did very little damage. Colonel Caldwell, in his report about the 
 battle, says: 
 
 "We commenced fighting about ten o'clock, and continued a hot fire 
 until about an hour by the sun, when the enemy retreated, bearing off 
 
the Early Days in Texas 103 
 
 many of their dead and wounded, while many dead and wounded were 
 taken from the field by their friends. We have a' glorious band of Texas 
 patriots, among them, ten only were wounded and not one killed." 
 
 It is sad to relate, but the fact remains, that a tragedy followed this 
 glorious victory. For, as General Woll was retreating towards the city, 
 he was met by a small band of Texans from Fayette county under the 
 command of Captain Dawson, who were on their way to join Colonef 
 Caldwell. The Texans were attacked, and after nearly one-half of the 
 men had fallen, Captain Dawson, who was an old soldier, having been 
 in the United States Army and a lieutenant at San Jacinto, seeing the 
 hopelessness of fighting such overwhelming numbers, raised a white flag 
 and surrendered his pistol. The white flag was fired upon and cavalry 
 ordered to charge upon the helpless remnant of Texans. Captain Dawson, 
 now unarmed, was assaulted by a Mexican lancer, but he wrenched the 
 lance from his opponent and would have killed him, but was himself 
 killed by another Mexican. Thirty-three 6f his men were killed in' 
 battle, fifteen surrendered, five of whom were wounded and two escaped' 
 unhurt. One of the latter, Henry G. Wood, who lost his father and" 
 brother in the fight, after giving up his arms, was assaulted by a fancer. 
 He seized the lance, killed the Mexican with it, mounted his horse and' 
 escaped. 
 
 At daybreak on the morning after this battle, Woll evacuated the city, 
 taking his San Antonio prisoners with him. A misunderstanding among 
 the Texans seems to have been caused by the question as to who was 
 entitled to the command, and a pursuit was prevented. 
 
 But the Texans from all parts of the state continued to flock towards 
 San Antonio. They wanted revenge. Several weeks lapsed and nothing 
 was done, and a considerable feeling of dissatisfaction was created in 
 the army, which had swollen to quite a size. These Texans made no 
 secret of their feelings, and General Sommervell deemed it best to order 
 the army to disperse. Most pf the Texans followed the order, but some- 
 thing like three hundred of the more adventurous remained, elected Wm. 
 S. Fisher as their commander, marched to the Rio Grande where they 
 embarked in boats and sailed down the river to a place across from the 
 Mexican town of Mier. 
 
 They captured the town of Mier, only to be in turn captured them- 
 selves by a superior Mexican force, after a bloody battle. The prisoners 
 were started on a march to Mexico City, and while en route managed 
 to overpower their guards and to escape. 
 
 Instead of remaining on the well-known highway on their way back 
 to Texas, they took to the hills, became lost and, after suffering inde- 
 scribable hardships, were again captured. Santa Anna then ordered that 
 every tenth man of them should be shot as punishment for their escape. 
 To decide how this decimating should take place, the Mexican officer in 
 charge took one of those deep Mexican jugs, with an opening just wide 
 
104 History of San Antonio and 
 
 enough to permit the entry of a man's hand and placed one hundred and 
 fifty-nine white and seventeen bkck beans into this jug. Every man 
 had to come and draw a bean: those unfortunates who drew a black 
 bean were shot that very night. The remainder were sent to Mexico 
 City. 
 
 After they arrived in the City of Mexico, the Texans were put to 
 hard labor; they had to work on roads and public buildings. Later they 
 were confined in a fortress — one of those gloomy Spanish prison affairs — 
 from which, however, two separate parties of them, consisting of sixteen 
 men each, managed to make their escape. The others finally were 
 released by Santa Anna, as a result of a promise made to his dying wife. 
 
 This so-called Mier expedition brought out one trait in Santa Anna 
 which seems rather strange to his character. He adopted a Texas boy, 
 J. C. Hill by name, who, although only fourteen years old, had joined the 
 expedition. The boy's bravery had won, the admiration of one of the 
 Mexican officers and Santa Anna heard about it. He took the boy home 
 with him and gave him all the education and other advantages which 
 Mexico afforded in those days and released the boy's father and brother, 
 who were among the prisoners. Young Hill remained in Mexico, became 
 a citizen and married into a Spanish family. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 105 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 UNDER THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER 
 
 TN the year of 1843 an armistice was made between Texas and Mexico, 
 •*■ and now the Texans, most of whom had been citizens of the United 
 States before coming to Texas, after having made peace to a certain 
 extent with the Mexicans, endeavored in all earnest to have the young 
 republic become one with the Union of the United States. 
 
 They had been declared a free and independent country by the U. S. 
 March 2, 1837, when the Senate resolution to this effect was signed by 
 President Jackson — his last official act. In 1839 France officially recog- 
 nized the independence of Texas. In this connection there is quite an 
 interesting story which is not generally known and too good to be 
 omitted. 
 
 It is said that, when the matter of acknowledging Texas an indepen- 
 dent state was under discussion by the French Chamber, General 
 Henderson, the acknowledged representative of Texas, was asked about 
 the population of Texas. The General was in a quandary. There were 
 members of the French diplomatic corps who had been in Texas and knew 
 of the sparsity of our settlements, and General Henderson did wish to 
 make the population appear in the most favorable light. In his dilemna 
 he placed his trust in the proverbial chivalry of the French and, turning 
 to Monsieur de Saligny, who had been in Texas, requested: 
 "Will not Monsieur answer that question?" "Certainement, M'sieur 
 Henderson," the gallant Frenchman is said to have replied. "I am of the 
 opinion that about one million would cover the number of your citizens." 
 This reply settled it; it put General Henderson on easy street; he 
 probably would have thought 50,00 or 60,000 a most generous estimate. 
 
 In 1840 the Texas Republic had been acknowledged a nation by 
 England, Holland and Belgium and all that remained was to become 
 one of the states in the United States. 
 
 In 1837 General Houston, as Commissioner from Texas, had endeav- 
 ored to have Texas annexed but, upon advice of President Jackson, 
 withdrew his proposition after the independence of Texas had been 
 recognized. Again in 1844 the matter was carefully considered in the 
 United States Senate and after weighing all pros and cons, the Senate 
 rejected the proposition from Texas. As reason for this action may be 
 mentioned that the western boundary of Texas had not been firmly 
 established and the annexation of Texas would have spelled war with 
 Mexico. The question of slavery also played an important role: the 
 admission of Texas would have increased the slave-holding territory to 
 a considerable extent and for this reason the north opposed the admis- 
 
If'^ History of San Antonio and 
 
 sion, in the same degree as the southern states aimed to have Texas 
 join their ranks. The annexation of Texas finally became a public 
 question in 1844 when the presidential election was fought out upon the 
 issue of "Polk and Texas" or "Clay and no Texas." Polk was elected, 
 and that decided the matter practically as far as the United States 
 citizens were concerned. 
 
 There was one more reason why this annexing of Texas was becoming 
 a matter of vital interest. France as well as England had been making 
 strong bids to gain the good will of Texas and were trying to induce the 
 young republic not to join the Union. The United States of America 
 could ill afford to have either of these powers as so close a neighbor. 
 
 The Texas Annexation Bill was passed by the House of Representa- 
 tives on February 24, 1845; March 1, it passed the U. S. Senate, and 
 one of the last official acts of President Tyler was to sign the bill and 
 make it a law. 
 
 October 13 the question whether Texas should become a part of the 
 United States was submitted to the vote of the people of Texas and they 
 voted "aye" almost unanimously. Texas had renounced her own 
 sovereignty — had become one in tlie largest union of republican states 
 in this world — and another bright star had been added to the brilliant 
 cluster of stars in our Star-Spangled Banner. 
 
 Three centuries had gone by since the first white man had set foot 
 on Texas soil and during this time the Spanish civilization had attained 
 a high state: its culmination had been right, here in San Antonio. The 
 glorious missions had been built, Indians had been christianized, had 
 been taught agriculture and various trades; a dry wilderness had been 
 changed into an irrigated paradise, a land of plenty. In San Fernando 
 families had settled who could boast of generations of ancestral education 
 and civilization; generals, officers, artists and savants, representatives of 
 the highest European culture of those days, formed our leading society. 
 San Antonio had been the "Center of Operations" for the Franciscan 
 Fathers and the Spanish Government as well. Madrid, in the far away 
 Spain, could not boast of a more cultured society than San Antonio, nor 
 its surrounding territory of a higher state of cultivation and better 
 fertility. 
 
 In 1845 things had changed considerably. The missions, practically, 
 had been allowed to go to ruin — ^there were a few descendants of the 
 Christian Indians, a few Mexicans still tilling the fertile soil — but much 
 land was lying idle. A great part of the Castilian families had left San 
 Antonio, and the bulk of our citizens were Mexicans, and the great 
 wonder of the occasional visitor was how they made their living. There 
 were quite a few American traders and merchants: our city still had 
 retained its prerogative of being the principal trading point between 
 Mexico, Santa Fe, El Paso, New Orleans and points in Missouri. Big 
 trading caravans carried the various merchandise either on burros or in 
 
the Early Days in Texas 107 
 
 wagons; and the days of these freighters are still well in the memory of 
 some of our older citizens. 
 
 These freighting expeditions were dangerous undertakings: besides 
 the hostile Indians there were plenty of white bandits who availed them- 
 selves of the easy manner of obtaining riches by holding up these freight 
 trains, killing the freighters and their escorts and afterwards selling the 
 booty. The hauls especially prized were the caravans from Mexico, 
 because those were certain to carty a lot of silver and gold bullion. In 
 later days these freighters had protection, consisting either of soldiers or 
 well-armed, fighting citizens, and many an engagement was fought of 
 which there is no historic record. 
 
 In the year 1844 the village of Castroville, some thirty-odd miles west 
 of San Antonio, was founded, and one of the colonists, aft;er spending 
 some time in our city, describes his impressions as follows: 
 
 "Plaza Militair, situated just west of the church, was occupied by 
 that valiant Indian fighter, Captain Hayes and his brave company of 
 rangers that were stationed here and rendered such excellent service in 
 the protection of the inhabitants against Comanches, Lipans and other 
 Indians. 
 
 "At times these Indians were so daring as to drive herds of horses off 
 the grazing grounds north of Soledad street, and took a fiendish delight 
 in shooting their arrows at — somtimes fatally — ^the Mexican women who 
 were washing their clothes on the banks of San Pedro Creek. 
 
 "The inhabitants of San Antonio, at the time of our arrival, numbered 
 about one thousand souls, nine-tenths of the population- being of Mexican 
 origin, and the Sipanish language was generally used. 
 
 "The municipal ordinances were published in both the Spanish and 
 the English languages. 
 
 "The buildings extended along the following limits: They surrounded 
 the Main and Military Plazas, in the center of which is the church 
 building. From these places three streets extended to the north, two 
 streets to the east, two to the south and two to the west, each about a 
 block in distance, with the exception of Flores street, which was about 
 three hundred varas long. 
 
 The peninsula, formed by the river and extending to the Alamo, 
 was called Protero. There also was a collection of houses around the 
 Mission San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo) and extending to the villita. 
 
 "What we were struck with was the costume of the men, wearing the 
 pants in their boots,, and their broad-brimmed hats — ^the sombrero 
 Mexicano — it all appeared very original in contrast with the European 
 costumes which we had been accustomed to see. However, we after- 
 wards learned the necessity of same. 
 
 "As the pastime and amusement of the population, the favorite was 
 the fandango. Often a one-roofed building was used, lit uip with candles 
 
108 History of San Antonio and 
 
 and to the tunes of the musicians, whose instruments consisted of a violin 
 or a guitar, the couples danced their favorite contradanza (square 
 dance.)" 
 
 Another visitor (1846), having heard about the wide open border 
 town, San Antonio, its missions and other attractions, tells about his 
 experience, of which the followng is a free translation: 
 
 "After supper we took a stroll through the city," he writes, "for only 
 with the fall of dusk things begin to get lively in the streets. I had heard 
 of these fandangoes as being a special peculiarity of San Antonio and 
 decided to learn something about them and see them with my own eyes. 
 The sounds of a fiddle, or a violin, which met us as we came upon Main. 
 Plaza, emanating from a house close to the church, left us no doubt of 
 whither we had to go. 
 
 "Through the door we entered into a long, narrow room which was 
 illuminated, sparsely enough, by two or three candles, set on white walls. 
 At the end of this room there were benches along the walls, upon which 
 sat a number of young women in gaudy and festive garb, evidently 
 waiting to be asked for the favor of a dance. For the present, however, 
 the men in the room paid as litde attention to them as did the two 
 fiddlers who, without interruption, played the same melody over and 
 over again. For, at the other end of the room, close to the entrance, 
 there stood some tables where gambling was going on. Around these a 
 multi-colored mixture of Americans and Mexicans were crowded, playing 
 at Monte, the favorite game of chance of the Mexicans. The piles of 
 gold and silver in front of each player formed a picture rather incon- 
 gruous and out of harmony with the poorly dressed players and with the 
 poverty-stricken appearance of the town itself. 
 
 "From time to time the game was interrupted, then the players and 
 spectators, but mostly the Americans, turned to dancing. The patiently- 
 waiting senoritas, the beauties with fiery black eyes and comely shapes, 
 were invited to dance. The dance which followed was not a fandango, 
 but a sert of a square dance: a rather slow-time movement, but despite 
 its simplicity not ungraceful. The male dancers, as already remarked, 
 mostly Americans, tried very hard indeed to imitate the gracefulness of 
 their partners, but with a rather indifferent kind of success, in spite of their 
 diligent efforts. The contrast was too palpable, and was increased when 
 a Mexican or Spaniard partook in the dance. The stateliness and seem- 
 ingly natural movements of the Mexicans made all efforts of the young 
 Americans apipear clumsy and awkward. 
 
 "When the dance ended the dancer took his senorita to a table close 
 to the gambling tables, where refreshments of a simple kind were sold; 
 mostly some small cakes which an old Mexican woman had in stock. 
 Every senorita chose some kind of the baked confection which, instead of 
 consuming right then and there, they tied into a piece ®f cloth, ostensibly 
 brought along for the purpose. Every dance added to the cake-stock 
 
the Early Days in Texas ■ 109 
 
 of the fair dancers, so that at the end of an evening's entertainment a 
 goodly supply of provisions for the next day had been accumulated," 
 
 This stranger, to whom we are indebted for the above description, 
 after visiting more of these fandangoes and finding them all alike, more- 
 over, is authority for the statement that these fandangoes took place 
 every blessed evening, Sunday or week-day; that the American settlers 
 for miles distant from San Antonio, came here to find a safety-valve for 
 their penned-up exuberance, an,d a place to leave some of their surplus 
 dollars. From this we may well judge that the reputation of San Antonio, 
 "the wide-open town," already had spread through Texas as early as the 
 'forties. 
 
 Our chronicler continues in his story: "It never became quite clear 
 to me who paid for these entertainments; for everybody could enter and 
 gamble and dance and leave without having to pay any fee. But I 
 surmise that the Mexican bankholders find their business profitable 
 enough to pay for the room rent, the candles and the musicians. 
 
 "Another point was not clear to me for quite awhile and that is how 
 they could gamble so openly here in San Antonio since gambling is 
 prohibited by the laws of the United States and, especially by the laws 
 of Texas, punishable with such heavy fines. An American, who had lived 
 here a number of years, told me quite candidly: "Everybody gambles in 
 San Antonio, and therefore there is no one who makes an accusation, 
 and where there is no indictment, there is no judge." This explanatidn 
 seemed very reasonable to me, especially in the light of my own ex- 
 perience. Moreover, I was informed that during the days when the 
 Circuit Court held its session in San Antonio, which happened at stated 
 periods, the professional gamblers were accustomed to leave San Antonio 
 till the coast was clear again." 
 
 Fearing to make a wrong impression, our chronicler hastens to add: 
 "It must be mentioned that these fandangoes were frequented only by 
 the poorer and uneducated class of Mexican senoritas; the women of 
 the few educated Spanish class did not visit these dance halls, nor did 
 the wives and daughters of the Americans who lived here." 
 
 An open confession is said to be good for the soul, and there is no 
 use in denying that during the early days of our city there were times 
 when the lawless elements had matters their own way; when law and 
 order lay prostrate, a sham only and a mockery. San Antonio was, 
 for a time, infested with a gang of gamblers and rowdies, the riff-raff of 
 other states, who had hurried to the border when the climate became 
 too hot for them at home. Although Texas and San Antonio were 
 afflicted with this curse no more than other border states and other border 
 towns, an unjust reputation has stuck and, to some extent, is still 
 adhering to our state and city. Our good and honest settlers and citizens 
 have suffered more by this undeserved reputation than any other state 
 or city, who have had and, perhaps, still have, to contend with the same 
 annoyance. 
 
110 History of San Antonio and 
 
 Those days, however, are gone long ago and they will never return, 
 and the flourishing condition of our state and city is the best proof for 
 the qualities of our citizenship: only a good, honest and sturdy stock of 
 pioneers; only work of the hardest kind could have created such an 
 Emipire State and such a City Beautiful as Texas and San Antonio are 
 today. 
 
 The rowdies' days were at their worst in the 'forties and the first 
 half of the 'fifties; although sporadic cases of rowdyism occurred even 
 later. 
 
 One of the most notable of these tragedies occurred sometime in 
 the early 'forties. It happened on the corner of Main Plaza and Main 
 Avenue (Acequia street), where formerly stood the Wolf son's store. 
 At the time of this narrative, a long, one-story adobe house stood there, 
 the property of the Navarro family; and two Navarro brothers, Antonio 
 and Eugenio, had a store in this building. 
 
 In those days there lived in San Antonio an English mining engineer 
 by the name of Hall, who had made his fortune in the mines of Pachuca, 
 close to the City of Mexico. He was suffering with tuberculosis and, 
 having heard of our balmy climate, had come here to find relief and 
 cure for his dreaded affliction. But like a great many others he came 
 too late, the disease had made irreparable inroads; he was in the last 
 stages and it was only a question of weeks or days when the white 
 plague would surely claim him as victim. In Mexico he had married a 
 Spanish lady of great beauty and accomplishments — she had been edu- 
 cated in England and spoke Spanish, French and English fluently. Mrs. 
 Hall took devoted care of her dying husband and, in order to have a 
 supply of fresh eggs, which formed the principal nourishment of Mr. 
 Hall, she had a number of chickens in the backyard. This backyard she 
 had to share with a notorious gambler and bad man, by the name of 
 Tinsley, who lived in the house adjoining the Hall family. 
 
 Tinsley came from Natches-under-the-Hill, and had to flee from there 
 when the flat-boat people united as "Regulators" and were decorating the 
 trees along the Mssissippi bottom with ilk of his kind. He landed in 
 Velasco and later moved to San Antonio, where he became the terror of 
 the law-abiding citizens. He was a sure shot and used to brag of his 
 evil deeds, and especially about his record of having killed at least 
 twenty people. He became the leader of a gang of outlaws and cut- 
 throats in our city, against whom law and order were powerless. 
 
 Tinsley owned a beautiful dapiple grey horse, with long, white mane 
 and tail. Of this horse he was as proud as he was of his record as a 
 bad man. The chickens of Mrs. Hall, sometimes, would come and share 
 the corn and oats of the horse, and this angered Tinsley. One day a 
 number of the chickens were found in the yard with their heads shot 
 off; a sign of Tinsley's marksmanship. 
 
 Mrs. Hall, with all the effectiveness and fire which Spanish race and 
 
the Early Days in Texas 111 
 
 blood had given her, told Tinsley what she thought of him and, on the 
 next morning, when Tinsley went to feed his pet, he found him minus 
 his bautiful mane and tail — a sure sign of the vindictiveness of his 
 neighbor, who owned a pair of sharp shears. 
 
 It is said that Tinsley was so mad that he frothed at the mouth. 
 What was he to do to get revenge? He could not cool his anger on the 
 woman nor on her dying husband, and so he decided to take it out on 
 some male citizen of her race. His choice fell on Don Eugenio Navarro, 
 one of the owners of the Navarro Bros, store. 
 
 Don Eugenio was a very quiet sort of a man, one who hardly ever 
 said a word, even to his brother. It is related of him that an unfortu- 
 nate love-affair had made him a misanthrope. Tinsley took the quiet 
 disposition of Don Eugenio for cowardice and, probably, figured him 
 an easy victim. 
 
 Tinsley wrote a notice stating that he would cut the hair of Mrs.' 
 Hall (her hair is said to have been very beautiful and to have reached 
 her heels when hanging loose), unless some Spaniard or Mexican caballero 
 would take it upon himself to defend her. This notice he stuck on the 
 entrance to the store of the brothers. Antonio Navarro came by, saw 
 the notice, tore it down without paying any attention to it. Don Eugenio, 
 in the meanwhile, had entered the store from the rear, where he had 
 been trimming his rose bushes with an old bowie knife, and still had the 
 knife in his hand and was busy weighing some coffee for a German 
 carpenter, when Tinsley entered, a raw-hide quirt in his left and his right 
 hand on his derringer. He demanded to know who had taken that notice 
 from the door. Don Eugenio simply replied that he knew nothing 
 about the notice. Tinsley then told the story of his trouble with Mrs. 
 Hall, and the contents of his notice, and added that he meant to flog 
 anybody who would dare to remove it. Don Eugenio continued with 
 the weighing of the coffee and informed Tinsley quietly that nobody 
 had any business to tack notices of any kind on his door, especially not 
 if they were of such an insulting nature, and that he would have torn 
 the notice down at once if he had seen it. 
 
 HJe had hardly ceased speaking, when Tinsley struck him a cruel 
 blow across the face with his quirt, jerked his derringer and shot Don 
 Eugenio through the heart. The ball carried along a diamond stud which 
 the victim happened to be wearing, and imbedded it in his breast. The 
 mortally stricken store-keeper tumbled against the shelving and Tinsley, 
 unconcernedly, turned to the door. He did not get very far. 
 
 While tumbling back, the hand of Don Eugenio came into contact 
 with the old rusty bowie knife, and instinctively his fingers closed around 
 the handle. The touch seems to have awakened in him the desire and 
 will power not to die unavenged. With his last breath and with super- 
 natural strength he cleared the counter in one leap, landed on Tinsley 
 and, with a powerful, desperate blow, drove the. knife through the back 
 
112 History of San Antonio and 
 
 of his assailant. They both fell, but again and again the knife was 
 withdrawn and driven into the already dead body of Tinsley. Thus the 
 spectators found them, both dead, Don Eugenic Navarro on top of 
 Tinsley and the bowie knife driven up to the hilt into the latter's back. 
 
 Dr. Alexander Alsbury, who had married into the Navarro family, 
 hurried to the scene and arrived in time to hold the inquest. He 
 removed the ball and the diamond stud from the wound of the dead 
 merchant. 
 
 This tragedy caused a terrific excitement, and for quite a while it 
 seemd as if a race war would break loose in our city. The Spaniards 
 and the Mexicans were very much enraged over this unprovoked murder 
 of one of their most esteemed countrymen and the feeling, which had 
 been none too friendly towards the Americans before this murder, ran 
 high, and bloodshed was in the air. The followers of Tinsley, on the 
 other hand, decided to take a bloody revenge for the death of their leader. 
 
 For hours the streets were filled with groups of excited people. Finally 
 wiser counsel and cooler heads prevailed, but the thugs were given short 
 notice to leave, and they decided that safety lay in that direction. This 
 tragedy had the one good result of ridding our city, for a time, at least, 
 of the lawless element, and law and order prevailed for quite a while 
 thereafter. 
 
 Hall died about a week after this bloody affair took iplace, and his 
 widow, whose chickens had been the innocent cause of the tragedy, 
 moved back to Mexico. 
 
 The chronological sequence of this sketch now leads to the time of 
 the Mexican war which broke loose after Texas was taken into the 
 Union; when our city was the headquarters of the American Army and 
 enjoyed considerable prosiperity. Good prices were paid for cattle, 
 corn and other agricultural products, and to complete the description of 
 our country and city in those early days, we are fortunate to find in the 
 memoirs of George W. Hughes, Captain of the Corps of Topographical 
 Engineers, and chief of the topographical staff with the division of the 
 United States Army under the command of Brigadier General John E. 
 Wool, in 1846, the following mention of San Antonio and vicinity: 
 
 "The country bears evidence of having been at one period in a high 
 state of cultivation and fertility, supporting a large and concentrated 
 population who, in time of danger, sought refuge in the town and in the 
 missions of the Alamo, Conception, San Juan Espada and San Jose, 
 monastic fortresses, whose stately and melancholy ruins attest their former 
 magnificence and grandeur. 
 
 "It is stated, on the authority of the surveyor of Bexar county, that 
 within the limits of our map nearly two thousand acres of land are now 
 in corn, yielding on an average abouty thirty bushels to the acre — sixty 
 thousand bushels; but this is probably an over-estimate. Corn usually 
 sells at fifty cents per bushel; it is now bringing $1.25 or rather more. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 113 
 
 For a great distance around San Antonio the grazing it excellent, and 
 herds of cattle abound. In ordinary tinies a good well-broken ox is 
 worth $2S; for beef about $9; or a cow and calf about }513; at present 
 the prices are much higher. The cattle are of the old Spanish breed— 
 the oxen large, with immense horns; rapid walkers, and strong. They 
 are fed exclusively on herbage and fodder; they keep easily and make 
 good beef. The cows are bad milkers, but might be easily improved by 
 a cross on the Durham or Devon. 
 
 "The county of Bexar contains about four thousand inhabitants, 
 including Castroville. Its territorial limits extend to the Rio Grande." 
 (sic.) 
 
 Speaking about the fact that during the Mexican war about 800 
 acres of corn were growing on Leona Creek, the Captain states: 
 
 "While the lands are rich in this region, the demand heretofore for 
 agricultural production has been so limited that there has been but little 
 inducement to grow more grain than would suffice for the wants of the 
 permanent population." 
 
114 History of San Antonio and 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD 
 
 QHORTLY before the Civil War our city wa? in the first stages of a 
 ^ metamorphosis from a Mexican village into a modern city. Already 
 in '57 the one-story, flat-roofed houses of Mexican origin had begun to 
 disappear, and if the Mexican style of architecture still was dominant, 
 the newer buildings bore the unmistakable type of the modern American 
 or European architecture. The principal building material was a soft 
 lime rock, which is found abundantly in quarries north of our city. 
 Wood was scarce in those days, and few wooden buildings were erected: 
 the wood had to be hauled by freighters from Bastrop, and freighting 
 with mules and oxen was very expensive. 
 
 A great number of impiigrants had arrived here, among them quite a 
 few German colonists, whose original intention had been to settle either 
 in Castroville or New Braunfels. Their habits of thrift, neatness and 
 order had a very beneficial influence in our city. Their neat, if humble, 
 homes surrounded by fertile gardens and blooming flowers, added 
 materially to the attractiveness of our city and constituted a pleasing 
 contrast to the forlorn and careless impression made by the Mexican 
 jakals. In all justice it must be said that the homes of these Germans 
 were the first step towards our city beautiful of today. Our population, 
 at this time, may be classified as consisting of one-third Americans, 
 one-third Germans and one-third Mexicans. 
 
 Main Plaza was a good deal smaller than it is today. There were a 
 number of adobe houses on the plaza, which were torn down in 1860 in 
 order to beautify and enlarge this public place. 
 
 The cathedral had not been rebuilt, and was rather an unsightly 
 structure. The rear part with the round dome, of the present-day 
 cathedral, is a part of the old building. In front of it there was a square 
 structure with a flat roof and a belfry, similar to those on the Mission 
 chapels, but not nearly as imposing. 
 
 On the west side of the Plaza, where today stands the Frost National 
 Bank building, there stood a wooden structure wtih a broad veranda, 
 and it contained an auction store, owned by a certain man by the name 
 of Carolan. Next to it there were some adobe and rock buildings. 
 
 In the center of the north side there was the Plaza House. Towards 
 Commerce street there were some fair buildings of stone, some of which 
 are still in existence although renovated and changed in appearance. 
 
 The east side of the Plaza was the most imposing in appearance. 
 
 The three-story building, which still stands today, was the biggest 
 
the Early Days in Texas 115 
 
 building in the city. Next to it there were some stores, and some small 
 unsightly one-story buildings. 
 
 Miltiary Plaza made a decidedly Mexican impression. There was a 
 one-story adobe building on the west side of it, with the decoration 
 of the Spanish coat of arms : it used to be the residence of the Governors 
 and Military Commanders in the days of long ago. The building still 
 stands, but is used for miercantile purposes. Sic transit gloria mundi! 
 No doubt some scions of the most noble Spanish blood, some haughty 
 and beautiful Spanish senoras and senoritas filled these rooms formerly 
 with the swish-swish of their silken gowns — and today — well, the change 
 is remarkable. 
 
 On Military Plaza there stood in those days a number of Mexican 
 jakals, which have been torn down since to make room for the plaza 
 of today. West of this bunch of houses there was the old court house — 
 the bat-cave of fond memories. Next to the bat-cave there stood the 
 jail, surrounded by a high wall, the top of which was decorated with 
 broken pieces of glass set on edge into mortar; from which one may 
 judge that an escape over this high wall, which barely peeped over the 
 top of the two-story court house, was frought with some difficulties which 
 had been put there with malice aforethought. This wall cut off every 
 breeze which othervvise might possibly have reached the cells of the jail, 
 and the conclusion is inevitable, that our city and county and all-around 
 purpose jail of those days was hardly a place fit for a sunimer residence. 
 
 Across from the court house, where today stands the Catholic 
 Orphans' Home, there was the residence of the Catholic priests. In 
 front of this house were three beautiful shade trees. One day some 
 cattlemen (it was in 1863), bringing a Mexican cattle thief to town, 
 instead of delivering him into the jail, hung him on one of these trees. 
 As this happened shortly after the days of the "Knownothing Party," 
 whose antagonism to the Catholic faith is too well known to be made 
 a part of this story, one may surmise that this act of vandalism was 
 done to spite the worthy priests. At any rate, the Fathers had the 
 trees felled during the next day. As a correct sign of the times let it be 
 recorded here that, although the perpetrators of this brutal act were well 
 known in the city, they were, nevertheless, permitted to come and go 
 unmolestedly. 
 
 South of Main Plaza there was the Quinta street, so named on account 
 of the prison which was located here for the wives and daughters of the 
 revolutionary patriots in 1812, with which facts our readers are familiar, 
 Quinta street extended only as far as Nueva street, and has changed but 
 very little in the course of time. The better part of Dwyer avenue wa» 
 nothing but prairie in those days, and during the Civil War it was used 
 as a storage place for cotton. The French building, on the corner of 
 Main Plaza, was just in the course of construction. 
 
 Nueva street was the connecting street between Quinta and South 
 
116 History of San Antonio and 
 
 Flores streets. There were two stately buildings on this street, which 
 still are in existence today: the Vance and Norton homesteads. 
 
 South Flores street, in the block between Nueva street and Military 
 Plaza, contained only a few one-story adobe buildings. From Nueva 
 street south it became wider and more beautiful; for here were buildings 
 of modern architecture surrounded by large and beautiful gardens. The 
 most beautiful building was next to the Arsenal, which also was located 
 at that time where it is today. 
 
 North of the plazas were Soledad, Acequia (Main Avenue) and North 
 Flores streets. The first two extended only as far as Romana street. 
 On Soledad street the Veramehdi Homestead was located — the scene of 
 Ben Milam's death, and of the heavy fighting in 1835. Both streets had 
 a decidedly "citified" appearance, inasmuch as they were pretty well 
 lined with houses. One block away, on the river bank, there stood the 
 Convent of the Ursula Sisters. 
 
 North Flores street was unquestionably the prettiest street in town, 
 and, with the exception of the first two blocks, was lined with pretty 
 homesteads, surrounded by beautiful gardens as far as San Pedro Creek. 
 
 The main and business part of the city was on West Commerce 
 street, between the bridge and Main Plaza. Here were some representa- 
 tive two-story buildings, as well as dilapidated one-story Mexican jakals. 
 The bridge was a poor excuse: it was built too close to the water line, 
 and flooded with the least sign of high water; on an average about three 
 or four times a year. A steep bluff was on the other side, leading to the 
 villita Alamo. The continuation of Commerce street on the east side of 
 the river was called Alameda street. 
 
 Alamo Plaza, beyond question, was the most forlorn place in the city, 
 without a building of any importance, until the Menger Hotel was started 
 to be built in 18S8. This hotel was originally a two-story affair, much 
 smaller than- today. Behind the hotel was the Menger brewery. 
 
 The Alamo was in a dilapidated condition, by far more so than today. 
 The chapel was a government warehouse where hay, grain and other 
 supplies of the war department were stored. 
 
 On the north side of the Plaza there were still the ruins of the former 
 mission walls. In the center of the Plaza, about in line with Crockett 
 street, there stood an old stone building, a rather dilapidated affair, in 
 which the volunteer fire department was accustomed to store their 
 fighting apparatus — hooks, ladders, etc. The building was not much of 
 a protection — the roof leaked like a sieve. 
 
 A little further south, towards Commerce street, there stood an open 
 hall, supported by massive and square columns. It was the meat market. 
 
 The balance fo the Alamo Plaza was nothing but Mexican huts, and 
 the Plaza itself was a place which was absolutely impossible after any 
 kind of a rain. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 117 
 
 Houston street was not much of a street in those days. There was 
 not a single business house located here, only some residences. 
 
 There remains one more part of the city which needs mentioning, 
 and that is Chihuahua, located west of San Pedro Creek. This was, 
 strictly speaking, the Mexican part of the city and looked it, too. There 
 were some few adobe and rock houses, but nearly all buildings were 
 "jakals"; some sort of a structure made out of logs, adobe clay and 
 swamp grass. The floors were hard clay. Only a few of the buildings 
 possessed a chimney; the fire was generally built in the middle of the 
 room and the smoke might find its way out as best it could through the 
 openings, for which "doors" or "windows" is too modern a nomenclature. 
 
 This Mexican quarter was the main attraction for the visitor. Here 
 were located most of the dancing halls, gambling dens and the like. 
 As in the fandangoes of the 'forties, the front rooms of the dens were 
 used for dancing, and in the rear of the building one could take the 
 chance of increasing or decreasing his stock of silver by trying to guesis 
 the correct "Monte" card. 
 
 Here the children, up to their tenth year or longer, wore nothing 
 more elaborate than a pleasant smile, and the grown-up women could 
 hardly be said to have been overburdened with a surplus of clothes. 
 Their style of dressing, with some justice, may be said to have a striking 
 similarity with the fashionable scarcity of clothing in vogue among some 
 of our young and some of our not so young girls of today. Probably 
 •the style in which the females dressed or not dressed at Chihuahua, was 
 the main attraction for the visitor. 
 
 Now that the wounds, caused by the terrible Civil War, are healed 
 an impartial review of conditions during that time in our city can be 
 made, and no ill feeling will be created thereby on either side. United as we 
 are today, a powerful nation of many states, the so-called war of secession 
 seems to us like a bad dream. The nation was divided in opinion with 
 regard to a vital question: and in the heat of arguments, no doubt, either 
 side did not take sufficient pains of looking into the merits of the other 
 side. Some great men have been of the opinion that the Civil War 
 might have been avoided if each side had shown less of radicalism. Let 
 that be as it may: that which has occurred cannot be blotted away from 
 history, and the one great aim of history should be to state historical 
 facts as truthfully and as impartially as research will permit. 
 
 San Antonio was very much divided on the secession question; if, 
 in fact, it was not strongly against secession — as far as the number of 
 our citizens were concerned. In the year of 18S9 General Houston, who 
 had just closed his second term as United States Senato;:, as independent 
 candidate openly favoring the cause of the Union, ran against Runnels, 
 the regular democratic candidate, who favored secession. General Houston 
 held an election speech at San Pedro Park, in which he ridiculed the 
 democratic platform and stated that he was soliciting the votes of the 
 
118 History of San Antonio and 
 
 citizens of San Antonio on his stand for the Union cause. General 
 Houston was elected by nearly 10,000 majority. 
 
 At the State Convention, January 28, 1861, secession carried by one 
 hundred and seventy-six "ayes" against seven "nays." Governor Houston, 
 Secretary of State Cave and Adjutant General Norton refused to take 
 the oath of allegiance to the new government. General Houston even 
 refused to retire; for the reason that he had been elected by the citizens 
 and that neither legislature nor convention had the right to deprive him 
 of the office bestowed upon him by the will of the people. Lieutenant 
 Governor Clark was sworn in, however, over his protests. General 
 Houston left his office as governor March 16, 1861, and, although per.- 
 sonally most strongly opposed to the secession, permitted his oldest son 
 to enlist in the Confederate army. 
 
 During the popular vote for or against secession, San Antonio had 
 voted against secession, by a considerable majority. When the result 
 of the election was read at the convention, a great deal of dissatisfaction 
 was voiced; San Antonio was considered traitorous. 
 
 The headquarters of the Trans-Mississippi Department of the United 
 States army had been located here ever since Texas joined the Union. 
 When secession was declared Major General David E. Twiggs, com- 
 mander of the Department of Texas, was stationed in our city and had 
 twenty-five hundred troops under his command. The U. S. Arsenal, 
 the Commissary and quite a lot of war provision exclusive of the arms 
 and ammunition were located right here. As stated previously, the Union 
 element was very strong in San Antonio and the situation critical. 
 
 San Antonio had enjoyed the protection of the United States army 
 against the hostile Indians; officers and men were well liked and had 
 many friends. A wrong move on either side would have thrown our 
 city into the most fearful of all wars: a civil war within a civil war — 
 it would have permitted full sway to fanaticism on either side. 
 
 General Twiggs had a hard stand. No doubt he saw plainly what 
 was ahead for our city and Texas, if he did not surrender peacefully. 
 He knew and our citizens knew, that a number of volunteers had 
 gathered in various places and were coming to San Antonio with inten- 
 tion of storming the Arsenal. This was something which none of our 
 citizens could and would permit to take place. Secessionists and 
 Unionists were of the one opinion that no "storming party" could be 
 allowed to have their way in San Antonio. A committee on Public 
 Safety was chosen, and commissioners sent to Ben McCullough, the 
 noted Indian fighter, who had been appointed head of the Southern 
 Confederate Military authorities of San Antonio and to Major General 
 Twiggs. Ben McCullough was told that the citizens of San Antonio 
 would not allow any storming to be done, especially not at night, as 
 the volunteers intended. They were satisfied that the majority of these 
 volunteers were good citizens of the state and actuated by patriotic 
 
the Early Days in Texas 119 
 
 motives, but on the other hand there was quite a number of the "doubt- 
 ful" element among them. The request was made that if McCullough 
 would use his influence and hold back the invaders a peaceful surrender 
 of all United States property would be arranged. If, however, the 
 invaders should enter and try to take possession forcibly, they would be 
 treated as bandits and robbers. 
 
 McCullough agreed to the pacific course. He perhaps entertained 
 some doubts himself with regard to the character of this volunteer army 
 and to his personal ability to hold them in check. If civil war should 
 break loose here in San Antonio, he would have been held responsible. 
 He sent an order to the volunteers to pitch camp at the Salado. When 
 these paid no attention to his orders, and marched on to San Antonio 
 during the night, they were held back and not permitted to enter the 
 city before daybreak. In the meanwhile the capitulation of arsenal and 
 other United States property had been completed peacefully; in the very 
 best of understanding and on the very best terms possible for either 
 side. Following is a copy of the report of the commissioners: 
 
 "The undersigned, commissioners on part of the State of Texas, fully 
 empowered for the authority undertaken by them, have formally and 
 solemnly agreed with Brevet Major General David E. Twiggs, U. S. A., 
 commanding the Department of Texas, that the troops of the United 
 States shall leave the soil of the state by way of the coast; that they 
 shall take with them the arms of their respective corps, including the 
 battery at Fort Duncan and the battery of the samie character at Fort 
 Brown, and shall be allowed the means for regular and comfortable 
 movement, provisions, tents, etc., and transportation. 
 
 "It is the desire of the commission that there shall be no infraction 
 of this agreement on the part of the state. It is their wish, on the 
 contrary, that every facility shall be afforded the troops. They are our 
 friends. They have hitherto afforded our people all the protection in 
 their power, and we owe them every consideration. 
 
 "The public property at the various posts, other than that above 
 recited for the use of the troops, will be turned over to agents to be 
 appointed for the commission, who will give due and proper receipts 
 for the whole to the officers of the army whom they relieve in their 
 custody of the public property. 
 
 "THOMAS J. DEVINE, 
 "P. N. LUCKETT, 
 "S. A. MAVERICK, 
 "Commissioners on behalf of the Committee on Public Safety." 
 
 When, the next morning, the volunteer army entered our city they 
 found that they were not needed and they received orders to leaVe town 
 by noon. The poor fellows had a hard time to get something to eat or 
 drink; San Antonio was not hospitably inclined, for the first and last 
 time in her history. There were but few among the invaders who had 
 
120 History of San Antonio and 
 
 any moncT-, aud even those who had some money, could not buy all they 
 wanted. There were not very many restaurants in the city, and the 
 saloons were closed that day as a war measure. 
 
 General Twigg has been censured and criticized rather severely for 
 surrendering without resistance — he even has been called a traitor. In 
 the light of the conditions prevailing, the non-partisan citizen of today 
 cannot do anything else but approve of the stand and the actions taken 
 by him as well as by the citizens and by the Confederate commander. 
 It was the most correct, the most humanitarian way out of a dangerous 
 dilemna, no matter what the militarists and disciplinarians may say. 
 
 San Antonio became the headquarters for the Texas Confederate 
 Army; all regiments were equipped here. Those days were not pleasant 
 for San Antonio. It never had been forgotten nor forgiven that our city 
 had voted against secession, and every conscript who came here felt that 
 he had a personal grievance against San Antonio. Many of them were 
 convinced that secretly there still existed a strong Union element in San 
 Antonio. 
 
 Numbers of the soldires who came here behaved in a manner as if 
 they considered San Antonio enemy country. Of course not all of them — 
 there were laudable exceptions, but even these shared the blame which 
 was caused by the behavior of their comrades. 
 
 The proprietors of the Mexican Chili stands on the plaza, especially, 
 had to suffer from depredations. Although nothing was done on the part 
 of civil and military authorities to check or prevent outrages, it cannot 
 be said that they looked upon these occurrences with favor; the behavior 
 of the soldiers is to be ascribed more to the lack of discipline than to 
 anything else. Finally our citizens lost patience. 
 
 Once more it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. 
 Under the imipression that the worst criminals make the best soldiers, 
 the government of Texas had released a notorious murderer from the 
 penitentiary, Augustin by name, bound only by • the promise that he 
 should raise a company and go to fight. 
 
 Augustin raised his company in short order, recruiting among his 
 former associates — ^ilk of his kind, birds of a feather. Before he would 
 go to the battle front, he vowed, he would take revenge on Judge 
 Devine of San Antonio and the jurors who had sent him to the peni- 
 tentiary. Judge Devine was well liked here and among the jurors were 
 some prominent men of county and city. The citizens formed a vigilance 
 committee. 
 
 Augustin, confident that his company would help him out of every 
 trouble, became reckless. He was arrested on a charge of disturbing the 
 peace. He did not mind that at all, because he was positive that 
 his soldiers would come and storm the jail. He was not afraid of any 
 citizens' committee. The citizens of San Antonio, however, Unionists 
 
the Early Days in Texas 121 
 
 and Secessionists, had decided that an example had to be made to keep 
 the ever-increasing lawlessness in check. It was an open secret in our 
 city that Augustin would be hung. All preparations were made that 
 this act of public justice should proceed without a hitch. 
 
 When Augustin, the next morning, was led before the justice of the 
 peace, he saw what was coming. His soldiers had failed to materialize. 
 Outside of the jail he saw a big mob of people congregated. The 
 desperado, who had killed numbers of fellowmen cruelly and coolly, 
 began to quake and demanded to be put back in jail. But the justice 
 of the peace informed him that the complaint against him had been 
 dropped and that he was a free man. Augustin, still hesitating, found 
 himself pushed towards the door. In his desperation he jerked a knife 
 which he held concealed in his boots, but a vigorous blow on the wrist 
 made him drop it. At the door the vigilance committee took him in 
 charge, brought him to Military Plaza where he was hung on a tree, 
 close to the corner of Dolorosa street. 
 
 Mob law had started in San Antonio, and from then on it was 
 decidedly risky to utter any Union sympathies. There were threats 
 galore, that the Vigilance Committee would get any Union sympathizer 
 out of his home during the night and hang him. But it is very doubtful if 
 this threat was ever carried out. Despite of diligent search, the writer 
 has not found one proven case. Of course ill feeling and hatred were 
 running very high and much loose talk prevailed. Some of our Seces- 
 sionist citizens, no doubt, have been wrongfully accused of miis-deeds 
 which, in fact, never took place. 
 
 James Newcomb was about the only one who dared to espouse the 
 cause of the Union openly in his "Alamo Express" — a republican paper. 
 With biting satire he ridiculed the cause of the secessionists; he was 
 daring and fearless. He brought the inevitable consequences on his head 
 all by himself. 
 
 He had been warned — but he was stubborn. The hatred of the 
 secessionists against him grew from day to day, until one evening his 
 office was completely demolished and set afire. Since it was in an adobe 
 building, there was no danger that the fire could spread to the sur- 
 rounding buildings. Fortunately Newcomb was visiting with his friend 
 David Bell at the time because, hotheaded as he is said to have been, 
 h? might have caused another tragedy. 
 
 The next morning he started his flight for Mexico, but not secretly. 
 He rode through the town and bade good-bye to his friends. The 
 Mitchell-Childress committee — the vigilantes of those days — let him 
 depart Without interference. There was another reason for this besides 
 Newcomb's (personal bravery and fearlessness. 
 
 The fact is that there really existed a Union conspiracy and the 
 leaders of the committee were aware of this fact, but did not know how 
 
122 History of San Antonio and 
 
 big this conspiracy was, nor where the headquarters were located. They 
 did not want to be the first cause of a counter-revolution. 
 
 The facts of this conspiracy are that it centered around Sisterdale, 
 Kendall county, and that it had many adherents in Kendall, Kerr, 
 Edwards and parts of Comal counties. A number of the conspirators, 
 at least of their sympathizers, also lived here in San Antonio. How this 
 conspiracy finally was put down by the massacre at the Nueces is not 
 San Antonio history. It is a dark page in the history of the Lost Cause, 
 and the less there is said about this tragedy, the better. Old wounds 
 should be permitted to heal. 
 
 Texas was effectively blockaded by the Union fleet, and commodities 
 of all kinds commenced to soar in price. Confederate money, which at 
 first stood at par with silver, soon began to drop to the ratio of two to 
 one, then quickly to five to one, and finally reached the low water mark 
 of ten to one. Even at this course silver was preferred, but all prices 
 were made on the basis of the Confederate paper money — silver just 
 simply had the higher value. 
 
 Thus it came to pass, that a yard of calico cost $S ; a pair of ordinary 
 shoes, so-called brogans, $50, while a pair of better shoes or boots cost 
 $100 — or more. Coffee, when it was obtainable, cost somewhere between 
 $5 and $\0 per pound. 
 
 It is readily understood that at these prices the poorer class of our 
 citizens fared rather badly at first, but the initial difficulties were soon 
 overcome. There was no trace of a famine at any time; meat, the prin- 
 cipal product of Texas, was there in a never failing supply, and cheap^- 
 decidedly cheaper than it is today. During the first scarcity of vege- 
 tables, the leaves of sweet potatoes were cooked like spinach and, as far 
 as substitutes for coffee are concerned, one might arrive at the conclusion' 
 that Post found the recipe for his Postum among the substitutes which 
 were used in San Antonio during the days of the Civil War. There were 
 roasted barley, roasted oats, roasted wheat, roasted sweet potatoes. 
 
 Small factories sprung into existence everywhere, manufacturing one 
 article of necessity or another; for necessity proverbially is the mother of 
 invention. If this lesson, which San Antonio as well as Texas was forced 
 to learn, only had stayed "learned," we might be a self-sustaining state 
 today. But after the war, with the return of normal times, the lessons 
 were more quickly forgotten than they had been learned. 
 
 Directly after the Civil War there followed a certain period of lawless- 
 ness with which every Confederate state was afflicted, more or less. Texas 
 and San Antonio were not excepted. Readjustment, reconstruction came 
 slowly. There is nothing of historic interest to report from this period. 
 
 Until 1877 San Antonio was connected with other cities — with the 
 various points at the frontier and in Mexico — in fact with the whole out- 
 side world, only by the slow and lumbering stage coach, by the cumber- 
 
the Early Days in Texas 123 
 
 some "prairie-schooner" and by the burro or horse carrying a "pack." 
 Even with the primitive methods of these conveyances the trade of our 
 city was considerable — as we found occasion to state in preceding chap- 
 ters. San Antonio always was and always will be a trading center. But, 
 since in February, 1877, the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Rail- 
 road, otherwise known as the "Sunset," and recently as the "Southern 
 Pacific" Railroad; and in January, 1881, the International and Great 
 Northern, were completed to San Antonio, a boom began which has con- 
 stantly grown from year to year and continues to be growing. San 
 Antonio, since the advent of the railroads, has grown by such leaps and 
 bounds that it is almost impossible to write a story about it which will 
 convey a correct picture to the stranger. Residents of San Antonio, telling 
 about their homesteads, rental property or other real estate investments, 
 nowadays invariably start their story with: "I can well remember when 
 this was nothing but a mesquite brush, and I used to come here to hunt 
 rabbits and doves," etc. — ^thus proving unwittingly that within the life of 
 one generation San Antonio has progressed from the status of a border 
 town to a modern city of first magnitude. 
 
 Modern San Antonio is a chapter of its own: our citizens know it by 
 heart, and our casual visitors have unanimously decided to call it "San 
 Antonio, the Beautiful." Modern San Antonio is the present — an open 
 book for everybody to read and to enjoy, and the mere words or pen 
 pictures of an every-day sort of a scribe can hardly do it justice. The 
 object of this story has been attained: the reader has before him in 
 chronological order, a fairly accurate statement of the historic events 
 which preceded Modern San Antonio. As a fitting conclusion, a sort of 
 a farewell of the writer to his readers, he begs them to accompany him 
 on a short mental stroll to our venerable missions down the river San 
 Antonio. 
 
124 History of San Antonio and 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 A VISIT TO THE MISSIONS 
 
 'T'HERE are four missions on tlie banks of the San Antonio tiver, 
 ■■■ commonly called the First, Second, Third and Fourth Missions. 
 Mission San Antonio de Valero really was the first mission, but since 
 1785, since the soldiers of the Alamo were quartered there, it has lost 
 the name of mission and is referred to only as the "Alamo." Through- 
 out the world the Alamo has become famous as the "Thermopylae of 
 America," thus proving that a no less heroic story of spiritual conquest 
 is .readily overshadowed by the story of immortal combat for liberty 
 and defense of home and hearth. 
 
 The First Mission — Mision de Nuestra Seiiora de la Purisima de 
 Acufia, the official name — is located one league (2.63 miles) from San 
 Antonio — or rather from the Main Plaza, the former location of the 
 "capital." 
 
 This mission was founded in East Texas, not far from the Mision 
 San Francisco de los Tejas, in the year 1716 by Rev. Father Anthony 
 Margil, but on account of the trouble with the Indians and with the 
 French, was moved to its present location in the year 1730. Jjocal 
 traditions state that its present cornerstone was laid in the year 1731 
 by Father Bergafa and Captain P6rez and that the mission was com- 
 pleted in the year 17S2 (twenty-one years later.) 
 
 It is the best conserved mission in the State of Texas; repairs have 
 been made recently, and religious services are now conducted in the 
 church regularly. 
 
 This mission is constructed in that quaint and peculiar style, the 
 style of all missions. Some savants have tried to describe and classify 
 this style of architecture as "Christianized Moorish" style — but plain 
 "mission style" seems to fit best after all. 
 
 In the center of the square front of this mission, flanked on either 
 side by a belfry whose top is finished with a beautiful dome, there is 
 the principal door, surmounted by a triangular facade. Beyond a doubt, 
 the impression is distinctly "Moorish." But the church itself, facing 
 west, is built in the shape of a cross, and there the Moorish impression 
 is lost entirely. The whole outside of the building is covered with some 
 sort of a mortice or cement, which is applied in various geometrical 
 forms. 
 
 The one tower, thus we are informed, contained a loom in which 
 were kept the sacred vestments and other articles not in daily use. In 
 the other tower was the baptistry and also an altar. The walls of the 
 

 
 "^ a 
 
 «91 OQ 
 
 Xr^ 
 
 O U 
 
 a 
 
 rHCfl 
 
the Early Days in Texas 125 
 
 baptistry are decorated with various emblem^, among them the cord of 
 the Franciscans, a serpent and the pictures of the seven sorrows. 
 
 A vestibule between the towers forms the entrance to the church. 
 A dome, said to be far more beautiful in its proportions than the dome 
 of the Capitol at Washington, permits the entry of light into this house 
 of God, the very atmosphere of which breathes devotion. 
 
 The choir loft is still fairly intact, and the acoustics of this church 
 are remarkably perfect. The sacristy is most noteworthy for the thick 
 walls, into which cabinets of real antique design are built; the heavy 
 and ancient candlesticks will greatly interest the visitor. 
 
 The stranger should not leave this mission without a visit to the 
 roof, not only for the purpose of gaining a closer inspection of its 
 singular and artistic construction, but also in order to feast his eyes 
 upon the wonderful landscape surrounding this mission. Here are the 
 broad fields, where once industriously toiled and tilled the converted 
 Indian; before the eyes of our imagination we see the worthy Franciscans 
 walking among the laborers: we note the brown habit, the hood, the 
 rosary and the cord. We note the aqueducts, the ditches through which 
 flowed the waters of the river to fields of cotton, corn, cane and frijoles. 
 
 Some memorable battles were fought in the neighborhood of this 
 mission, with which our readers are familiar. 
 
 The new Catholic Seminary is in progress of erection adjoining this 
 mission. Obviously, the site is chosen remarkably weiU and most 
 appropriate 
 
 We travel another league south through beautiful San Antonio coun- 
 try and arrive at the Second Mission, the most beautiful, the most 
 elegant — ^the queen of all missions here in Texas, distant two leagues 
 from the old capital. Its historically correct name is Mision San Jose 
 y San Miguel de Aguayo, and was so named in reverence of Saint Joseph 
 and in honor of Marquis San Miguel de Aguayo, formerly a Spanish 
 Governor of the Province of Texas. Its construction was started in the 
 year of 1720, and it w;as completed March S, 1731. 
 
 It is a matter of infinite regret to be forced to record that vandal 
 hands have hurried the destruction of this work of art more than did 
 all the ravages of time. A great deal of the former beauty is gone 
 forever. Although Father Nufiez, under the direction of Venerable 
 Father Margil, erected this mission, the credit of carving the various 
 statues and ornaments goes to no less personage than that of the 
 celebrated artist Huicar, who came from Spain during the time when 
 this mission was being erected. He spent several years beautifying this 
 church with his immortal art. 
 
 The appearance of the church in 1876 is described by a visitor as 
 follows : 
 
 "The principal door is a wonderful piece of sculptural art. In height 
 
126 History of San Antonio and 
 
 it is about thirty-five feet. Fronting the door, which is semi-circular, 
 there is a sculpture of foliage and scriptural emblems intermixed. On 
 the right hand stands the statue of St. Joseph; and on the left the Virgin 
 Mother and the Infant Savior. Above the keystone of the arch is the 
 statue representing the Virgin in the posture which, in ecclesiastical 
 art, indicates the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, the arms partly 
 raised and extended with palms of the hands turned outward. Above 
 this is a large window with ornamental surroundings of sacred emblems, 
 flowers and foliage. There are also three statues of Friars in the habit 
 of their order. It is noteworthy that the female statues are less true to 
 nature than those which represent the men and children, of which there 
 are several in the form of winged cherubs. The Madonna has the square 
 jaw and the hard features which are seldom found save in women whose 
 lot has been full of danger, suffering and hardship. The statue of St. 
 Joseph and those of the Friars are excellent. The good fathers would 
 not sacrifice nature to art when they knew it, for in sculpturing the 
 Sacred Heart, which is several times prominently repeated, they have 
 made no imaginary one, as is now universally done, but represented 
 one as if just dissected; with the seam that divides the ventricles clearly 
 depicted, and the cut ends of the aortae showing. San Jose was per- 
 haps four times the size of the others. Its baptistry window is almost 
 equal to the main door in sculptural beauty. The ruins are very exten- 
 sive; more than half of the walls have fallen. A few Mexicans live near 
 and care for the chapel, which was a model of rude neatness. The nice, 
 clever and evidently pious Mexican matron, who brought the key for 
 our entrance, had hung the altar with gaudy patchwork quilts of her 
 own manufacture. The most exquisite tapestry could not have told the 
 story of her devout love more plainly. There were some old pictures 
 which in the dim twilight of the setting sun could not be plainly seen. 
 Every part of the ruined chapel was arranged with neatness and decency. 
 The floor of the sacristy and that of the baptistry, which we could not 
 enter, had been paved with tiles of home manufacture. The clay was pro- 
 cured in the vicinity and they were equal to any of European manufac- 
 ture. This clay will one day be made the foundation of a valuable 
 industry." 
 
 The Third Mission, where one arrives after traveling another league 
 southward, the Mision San Juan Capistrano, is also one of those mis- 
 sions which, in the year 1716, were founded in East Texas and which 
 had to be moved to a safer locality on account of hostile pressure. This 
 mission was transferred in the year 1730, and its construction in the 
 present location was begun March 5, 1731. It was named in honor of 
 St. John the Baptist and in memory of a well known friar of the Fran- 
 ciscan order, de Capistrano. 
 
 At this mission the plan of the mission in general, perhaps, can be 
 best discerned and studied: the old mission square, the granary, the 
 church, the convent, the living quarters for the Indians, the work and 
 
the Early Days in Texas 127 
 
 school rooms are still there, even to this day. Perhaps not as imposing 
 in general appearance as some other missions, yet the quaint and peculiar 
 mission . atmosphere pervades all structures, and the church, which was 
 never finished, is of an architecture all of its own. Simplicity of con- 
 struction marks this church; the steeple is a part of the east wall, 
 constructed in graceful curves with large oval and open belfries. There 
 is still one of the old bells hanging there. 
 
 There is some beautiful fresco work inside of this church, of which 
 Mr. Corner, in his book, "San Antonio de Bexar," gives the following 
 description : 
 
 "The frescoes are almost obliterated by exposures to the weather 
 and the wonder is that they have not long since been w'ashed entirely off 
 by heavy rains. They are a curious mixture of Old and New World 
 ideas. Detail of Moorish design, a Roman arch, an Indian figure and 
 pigments. A painted rail attracts the eye, then the elaborately painted 
 Roman Arch in red and orange, over the doorway. The design of this 
 decoration is decidedly of a Moorish caste, zigzag strips and blocks of 
 color with corkscrew and tile work, and pillars of red and orange blocks. 
 These pillars are about twelve feet high and support another line or rail 
 of color and upon this upper line is a series of figures of musicians each 
 playing a different instrument. The figures for some reason are much 
 more indistinct than their instruments, the latter being accurately drawn 
 and easy to distinguish. There is one of these figures over the frescoed 
 arc of the door. It is a mandolin player. The player is indistinct, 
 portions of his hair and instrument plainer; the latter can be made out 
 to be of dark brown color with the finger board and keys red. To the 
 right of him is a violin player, the best preserved sample of all. The 
 violin and bow are quite distinct; so are the features of the face of the 
 figure. His hair is black, lips red, face and legs orange, feet black, the 
 body of the violin orange, the rest of him and the bow red. To the 
 right of him again is a guitar player dressed in a bluish color, sitting 
 in a red chair; the instrument is quite distinct. Directly opposite this 
 figure vis a vis is a viol player, the instrument being held by the player, 
 finger board up, from the left shoulder across the body; head, hands, 
 instrument and bow being distinct, but the body of him is 'played out.' 
 To the right of this ghostly looking viol player is a harp and a chair — 
 but the player is either invisible or vanished. The lower rail, which is 
 the much more elaborate of the two, supports here and there a flower 
 pot and flowers in incongruous colors of bluish green and dull red — 
 carnations and roses being prime favorites, with an occasional cross on a 
 painted pedestal or dado." 
 
 Further down the river, about nine miles from San Antonio, there 
 is the Fourth and last mission. Mision San Francisco de la Espada is 
 the correct name of this ruin, and it was originally founded in the year 
 1690 by Father Damien Manzanet on the old San Antonio Road in 
 
128 History of San Antonio and 
 
 East Texas, about six miles west of the Neches river. As is chronicled 
 in previous chapters, the mission had to be deserted in the year 1693 on 
 account of the hostility of the Indians and because of the dangers from 
 the French, with whom Spain was at war at that time, it was moved to 
 its present location in the year 1730. 
 
 Parts of the surrounding wall are today still in a fair state of preser- 
 vation, and the entire surrounding wall can readily be traced except on 
 the side next to the river. On the southeast side of the wall there is still 
 one of the bastions, a sort of fortification, a tower for defensive purposes, 
 of which there are said to have been three or four located in the wall at 
 certain intervals. This tower is of a decidedly martial appearance. Close 
 to the ground there are four apertures through which cannons were 
 discharged at the advancing foe, while about eight feet from the ground 
 there are seven loopholes for sharpshooters in time of an attack. 
 
 Among the interesting ruins one will find the well, the aqueducts, 
 parts of the convent and the chapel, an inspection of which will pay 
 for the trouble of a visit. 
 
 Before taking leave of the work and memory of the Venerable 
 Franciscan Fathers a note of regret must be registered that these beau- 
 tiful edifices have been permitted to decay in the manner in which they 
 have. Although recently some atternpts have been inaugurated at repair 
 and at preservation of that which still remains, enough is not being done, 
 not nearly so. It is to be hoped that this remark will be of assistance 
 in obtaining for those monuments of early Christianity that care and 
 attention which they so richly merit from a grateful city and state. 
 
 A CONTENTED ending of a perfect day ? Yes, that is what San Antonio 
 ■^^ wishes to each and every one of its visitors, to each and every reader of 
 this sketch; that all may join in the contentment which prevails under 
 our southern skies and in the tribute to our city which has been expressed 
 so beautifully: 
 
 San Antonio, hospitable, historic, eloquent of a storied past, what a 
 name to conjure with! When fashioning the universe, the Creator must 
 have looked with loving eye on the site of San Antonio to be. Nestling, 
 as the city does, within a crescent of surrounding hills, it forms a setting 
 of indescribable charm. Its old buildings, its time-defying landmarks, 
 its missions and above all, the Alamo, grim and austere in the daytime, 
 gaunt and spectral in the evening — ^these paint a picture on mental 
 canvas that, once seen, one will never forget. One may remain in San 
 Antonio for days and, if he but chooses to seek them, find surprises on 
 every hand. He will see the past taking leave of the present, yesterday 
 bidding adieu to today. At every turn of the city's quaint and irregular 
 streets he will be reminded of stirring times. On every hand the past 
 of San Antonio speaks, its Spanish origin reminds, and tradition whispers 
 of old-world courtiers and courageous women whose necessities and 
 heroism make the San Antonio of tndav possible. 
 
the Early Days in Texas 129 
 
 What of San Antonio today? Ah, what a contrast! Standing, as 
 they do, with hands clasped across two centuries, the Old San Antonio 
 speaks of achievement in its mighty past; the new of unparalleled 
 progress to come. On one hand beckons a glorious future; on the other 
 lies Auld Lang Syne. One may see in the San Antonio of today a touch 
 of the magician's wand — culture, progress, the many man-made institu- 
 tions that mark the zenith of metropolitan life — all are here. Giant 
 skyscrapers and palatial hotels rear their summits heavenward; paved 
 streets, like unrolled ribbons, lie level and inviting as if urging one to the 
 countryside. A little way out we come to the first of the old Missions. 
 Here we pause and within its time-stained, ivy-colored walls we sense 
 the reach of the past, the presence of Indian converts, and the memory of 
 Franciscan monks who braved hunger, hardships and disaster to carry 
 the word of their Lord in the wilderness. We resume our travel and, 
 one after another, visit the three remaining missions. Then we return 
 and see the Alamo — cradle of Texas liberty — sacred site where the Lone 
 Star State had birth; chapel-fort where, in a baptism of blood and fire, 
 brave men gave to posterity a heritage that is immortal. The Alamo had 
 no messenger of defeat — ^ALL perished. Outnumbered sixteen to one, 
 these men left a record of fortitude, of devotion to a cause that the old 
 world as well as new will reverence forever. Commanded to surrender, 
 they chose the sword. And their choice was welcome. Surrender! As 
 well expect such men to shirk a duty or show disloyalty to a friend! 
 But the half — ^nay, even a quarter — has not been told. 
 
 May we who are of San Antonio continue the story. Let us give the 
 city its due. It has made many of us happy and some of us rich. Now 
 let's d" nut nart. _Tq h.^Jgi~i'\<riia., let us revere, as we should revere, the 
 grand old town. Let us repeat its promise to homeseeker and husband- 
 man. Let us tell of its wonderful climate; its bluest of skies; its balmiest 
 of seasons, and its kindest of hospitality in all the wide, wide world. 
 Whenever opportunity offers, let us say that we are from San Antonio — 
 when possible, that we are San Antonians, and thus reveal our affection 
 for the place we call "home." May you and I, your friend and my 
 friend, their friends and their friends' friend sing the praise of San 
 Antonio. Be it ever so little, may we all, each in his own way and in his 
 own time, do all that is possible to promote the city's prosperity. Last 
 but not least, may we welcome visitors (for none can be strangers long), 
 and cause them to tell the glory of the city we love. 
 
 And now our day is done. Here in this Southern latitude evening 
 steals upon one ere he is aware. Twilight fills the world about us; the 
 stars peep out; and the moon, rising above the treetops, resembles a 
 world on fire. Upwards it climbs, however, and growing brighter moment 
 by moment, it begins its majestic journey across the heaven of its God. 
 And how it shines — as only a San Antonio moon can shine — ^flooding the 
 city with a radiance that puts the arc lights to shame. There's not even 
 a cloud to mar the moon's superlative brilliance nor interrupt the stars 
 
130 
 
 as they cable their messages across the field of interstellary blue. It is 
 evening in San Antonio. There is nothing more beautiful. The lamps 
 of the city are lighted and twinkle out one by one. Yonder we hear 
 strains of music, here a sound of laughter and there a burst of song. 
 The city has begun its play. We cross a bridge and hear the ripple of 
 water beneath, for alongside of mill and factory, and by mansion, cottage 
 and field, the winding San Antonio river wends its devious way to the 
 sea. But it is growing late. The stores long since have closed. Theaters 
 are over, the streets deserted, and belated people gone home. The 
 city's lights become fewer and fewer, darkness draws closer about us, 
 and at last each light goes out. San Antonio sleeps.