The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 4, July 1900 - April, 1901 Page: 37
366 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Reminiscences of Judge Edwin Wadler.
When we reflect that they were about to attack twice their number
of well armed and well disciplined soldiers, heavily entrenched, and
backed by the great Mexican nation, we cannot but admire their
calm restlessness -and cool effrontery. No doubt they trusted that
Providence would enable them to give Mexico some reasonable
excuse for thus attacking orne of her fos, and that the chapt@
of accidents would aid them in capturing the fort, but still there
was as much dashing courage -and steady fortitude in the attempt
as animated any beau sabreur who charged with the Light Brigade
at Bloody Balaklava. It was purely sublime.
'The "army" proceeded as far as Brown's landing, and there haP-
ing sent a "committee of invitation" to the commander of the fort
with the modest request that he should immediately surrender his
post and garrison to the invaders. 'The Colonel replied that "army
regulations" demanded -of him some show of resistance, but that
after firing a few rounds on the assaulters he would gracefully sur-
render. 'From the denouement we are inclined to think this reply
a piece of grim humor on the C-olonel's part, and an ironical reply
to the moderate demands of the rebels.
The besiegers then moved down, arriving at the fort about ten
o'clock at night, carrying planks .and spades wherewith to, throw up
a breastwork. The order was to move up to within thirty paces of
the fort and thereby get out .of the range of the cannon, which could
not be depressed sufficiently to cover ground so near, and the men,
if discovered and fired on, were not to return the fire, but to proceed
with all haste'to set up the planks and throw up sand against them,
so forming entrenchments, and then to await the arrival of morn-
ing and the schooner Brazoria. IThe latter was mustered in as a
"gun boat" with two small pieces of ordnance, and commanded by
W. J. Russell, now of Fayette county. This vessel was a New
Orleans trading boat, and was impressed by the revolutionists for
war purposes, her commander, Captain Roland, an Englishman,
being friendly 'to their cause, but fearing to risk the vessel volun-
tarily. 'In the engagement following, the mate of this vessel, while
sitting in the cabin, making cartridges by order of Captain W. J.
Russell, commander, 'between Andrew Mills, a brother ,of Robert
Mills, of 'Galveston, and then prominent as a revolutionist, and
Theodore Bennett, was killed, a ball from the fort passing through
his body, and was the only person on board seriously hurt.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 4, July 1900 - April, 1901, periodical, 1901; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101018/m1/43/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.