With Sam Houston in Texas / A Boy Volunteer in the Texas Struggles for Independence, When in the Years 1835-1836 the Texas Colonists Threw Off the Unjust Rule of Mexico, and by Heroic Deeds Established, Under the Guidance of the Bluff Sam Houston, Their Own Free Republic Which To-day is the Great Lone Star State

by Edwin L. Sabin

It proved to be a troubled summer. Many of the volunteers went home, on discharge or on furlough. Leo and Sion and Jim dropped out; and with Dick, Ernest finally rode into Gonzales again, where the people already were rebuilding their houses.

A large number of volunteers from the United States joined the army. The news of the victory of San Jacinto had aroused much new enthusiasm. The main portion of the army stayed at Victoria, about sixty miles south of Gonzales, on the Guadalupe. The army kept increasing, by enlistments and by reinforcements from the United States; for it was reported that Mexico was to attempt a fresh invasion, from Matamoros on the east coast. This, however, fell through.

Meanwhile, General Rusk was having hard work to control his men. He seemed not to have the influence that Sam Houston had had—although he was a brave and popular leader. The government attempted to send Santa Anna to Vera Cruz, and some United States volunteers at Velasco insisted that he be landed again, and tried for his life. President Burnet was powerless, for fear that he would lose his whole army, and Santa Anna was again confined on shore.

But General Houston, though still weak from his wound, had returned slowly to San Augustine near Nacogdoches. He heard of the threats regarding Santa Anna, and sent a message to General Rusk, protesting the proposed trial.

He said that to deliver Santa Anna over for trial and execution would be the act of savages; it would also endanger the lives of all Americans in Mexico, and would blacken Texas in the eyes of the United States, for Texas would stand convicted of having broken the terms of the treaty.

There was then much talk of annexation to the United States. Delegates had been sent to Washington, to ask the United States to intercede between Texas and Mexico in behalf of a settlement of all disputes. The delegates were to ask, also, that Texas be admitted into the Union.

The enraged army listened to the appeal of their general, and instead of being tried for his life, Santa Anna, who had been dreadfully frightened again, was removed inland to Columbia, the new capital, down on the lower Brazos.

However, President Burnet was so disliked by the army, because of the failure to pay them, and because of his endeavor to uphold the treaty and release Santa Anna, that he was directed by petition to call an election for permanent president of the Republic of Texas. Therefore he set the date of September 1.

All these matters came to the ears of Dick and Ernest, who were at home in Gonzales, cultivating their corn. Ernest had planted his kernel of “San Jacinto” corn, and it had sprouted. He spent more time on this than he did on the whole forty acres!