The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 16, July 1912 - April, 1913 Page: 47
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Kentucky and the Independence of Texas
While the state of affairs in Texas no doubt justified the deter-
mination of Wilson and Postlethwaite to return with their men,
yet their presence in the country only a few days and at a single
point rendered it impossible for them to form a just judgment of
the situation. No immediate danger, it is true, was to be appre-
hended from Mexico at this time. The ordinance of March 16
diminished the quantity of bounty lands to soldiers who entered
between that time and July 1, and left the quantity for those
enlisting after that period undefined and to be determined by
Congress. In addition to this, differences existed between those in
authority in the government, and it would have been a miracle
had no land speculators found their way to Texas.1 In view of
these things the determination of the volunteers to return may be
excused, but no excuse can be offered for the groundless accusa-
tions which their leaders were instrumental in spreading to the
injury of Texas. But the presence or the absence of the Ken-
tucky volunteers at this time did not affect the important ques-
tion of the independence of Texas, for that had been settled by
the decisive victory of San Jacinto..
The news of the battle of San Jacinto had been received with
the greatest enthusiasm in Kentucky. In a number of places the
victory of Houston and his men was celebrated with peals of artil-
lery and bonfires, while the city of Louisville was brilliantly il-
luminated in honor of the capture of Santa Anna and his men.2
While more than three-fourths of the victors of San Jacinto were
citizens proper of Texas, yet side by side with these were to be
found volunteers from Kentucky and from other states who, on
and for the efficient manner in which he had discharged the duties of his
commission in sending men and arms to Texas. Gammel, Laws of Tewas,
I, 1328.
'Cf. Barker, "Land Speculation as a Cause of the Texas Revolution,"
in THE QUARTERLY, X, 79-95. The Richmond Enquirer of March 26,
1836, quotes the Charleston Patriot of March 14th to this effect: "The
gallant corps of Volunteer Greys from New Orleans has generally re-
turned disgusted with the service, saying that they would no longer fight
to enrich a few land speculators." Cf. Courier and Enquirer, October
31, 1835.
"Lemington Intelligencer, May 14, 20, 1836; Kentucky Gazette, May 16,
23, 26, 1836. The Intelligencer of May 17 published official confirmation
of the defeat of Santa Anna copied from the New Orleans paper of some
two weeks earlier.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 16, July 1912 - April, 1913, periodical, 1913; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101058/m1/53/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.