The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 16, July 1912 - April, 1913 Page: 49
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Kentucky and the Independence of Texas
complete rout of the enemy was effected, and such slaughter on
the one side and such almost miraculous preservation on the other
have never been heard of since the invention of gunpowder. The
commencement of the attack was accompanied by the watch words,
"Remember the Alamo, Labade [La Bahia], and Tampico," at
the very top of our voices, and in some 10 minutes, we were in
the full possession of the enemy's encampment, cannon, and all
things else, whilst his veterans were in the greatest possible dis-
order attempting to save their lives by flight. I happened to be
so placed in the regiment to which I was attached, that I was
enabled to be the third man, who entered the entrenchment, which
I soon left in company with the balance of the regiment in pur-
suit of the defeated enemies of Texian liberty. I feel confident
that I do not exaggerate, when I state their loss in killed as nearly
if not quite equal to the whole of our number engaged; whilst we
had only 6 killed on the spot and some 12 or 15 wounded, two of
whom have since died, one of them Dr. Motley,1 of Kentucky, a
relative of Mr. Shapley Owen, and who died to-night since I
commenced writing this letter. The number of their prisoners
has not yet been officially announced, but I should suppose it is
nearly if not quite 600, many of whom are wounded.
Though the battle of San Jacinto practically secured the inde-
pendence of Texas, yet for months rumors of renewed attempts on
the part of Mexico to subjugate Texas continued to be printed in
the Kentucky newspapers with the result, as we have seen, of the
enlistment of volunteers in the summer of 1836. These rumors
were of a most contradictory nature, so that it was impossible for
those remote from the scene of action to determine the true state
)f affairs. For instance, it was announced in August that it
would be impossible for the Mexican army to begin a campaign
against Texas for two or three months; in October people read
that General Bravo was threatening Texas with an army of
eighteen thousand men; a few days later and this army had vanished
into thin air.2 Some of these newspaper reports were absurd in
1Dr. William Motley was a member of Houston's staff and a brave
soldier. Foote, Texas and Texans, II, 311, relates this incident: "When
Motley was asked if he was hurt, he replied, 'Yes, I believe I am
mortally wounded.' 'Doctor, I will get some one to take care of you,'
replied his questioner. 'No,' answered Motley, 'if you whip them, send
back a man to assist me, but if you do not, I shall need no assistance.' "
2Cf. Lexington Intelligencer, November 18, 1836; December 6, 23, 1836.
Such contradictory rumors continued to be printed throughout the spring
of 1837. See Kentucky Gazette, January 12, 1837; February 7, 1837;
April 13, 1837; May 11, 18, 1837.
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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/m1/55/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.