The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 25, July 1921 - April, 1922 Page: 132
306 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
I found a few very excellent buildings and some very fine ones
building. The stores are principally built with open fronts sup-
ported by stone columns which make a very pretty appearance.
The St. Charles Theatre and Exchange are handsome buildings.
At the St. Chas theatre they brought about 30 horses on the stage
every thing was in splendid style but I did not like the acting very
much. The news from Texas still continued of the gloomiest kind
every day brought women and children by land and water who had
run away from the Mexicans. Reports of the retreat of Houston
this side of the Brazos and that the Mexicans would certainly over
run the country constantly came in and it was very difficult to get
men enough to man our vessel, as no body knew whether we would
find Galveston in the hands of the Mexicans or Texans. At last
on the 13th of April we got about 25 men who agreed to go and I
sent my traps on board cast my lot with the 20 odd as determined
men as I have ever seen together before or since. The few acquain-
tances which I had made tried hard to dissuade me from going,
saying that the Gulf of Mexico was swarming with Mexican Cruis-
ers and that our little vessel would stand no show with a Mexican
armed vessel and that even if we succeeded in running the gauntlet
through them we would very likely find Galveston in the hands of
the enemy and that it would be great odds against my finding my
Mother and brother even if we succeeded in getting there, but any-
thing was preferable to me rather than doing nothing and waiting.
Our vessel the lay nearly along side of the Mexican armed
schooner the Venus a beautiful top sail schooner with a 12 pounder
a long 9 and 6 six pounders and 40 men waiting to be put aboard
at the Belise. We had with captain -and crew about 30 men 2 six
pounders and plenty of muskets and ammunition. It was said this
Mexican schooner would follow us out.
On the 14th [April] we left the levee in the afternoon and
dropped down to the Magazine and took in powder. I had a fine
view of the N. 0. Battleground and saw the tree under which Sir
Edw Packingham breathed his last.
15th dropping down with the current but the wind was con-
trary and drove us frequently ashore. 16th passed the two forts
on the river both handsome places. I took my first lesson as a
sailor and climbed to the mast head to get a good view. We were
now able to use our sails and beat down the river criss crossing
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 25, July 1921 - April, 1922, periodical, 1922; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101082/m1/138/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.