The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 31, July 1927 - April, 1928 Page: 368
390 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Anahuac; when Travis was authorized by the government at San
Felipe to organize a company of volunteers for the relief of Andrew
Briscoe and Clinton Harris, who were held in prison there, the
sloop Ohio, with a six-pounder cannon aboard, commanded by
David Harris, carried the company of about twenty-five men to
attack the Mexican garrison under Tenorio. The garrison sur-
rendered promptly, and its members were sent on board the sloop
to Harrisburg, thence to march to San Antonio.
Besides these ships, the Harrises are said to have brought out
the Cayuga-a small steamboat named for their native town-
which was used by the provincial government at Galveston in the
summer of 1836. She carried two light guns and was commanded
by Captain William P. Harris.
The widow of John R. Harris had been living in her comfort-
able new home less than three years when she was called upon to
perform an unexpected role, that of hostess to the cabinet of the
Texas provisional government. The convention at Washington on
the Brazos having adjourned, President Burnet instructed the
cabinet to proceed to Harrisburg and assume their duties. On
March 21 they arrived, and from that time until the advance of
the Mexican army warned them to seek safety at Galveston they
were her guests. Although poorly equipped to accommodate this
large accession to her household, she cheerfully made them wel-
come, and sacrificed her own comfort for their convenience.
There was confusion everywhere; rumors of the advance of a
Mexican army caused a feeling of tension and unrest, even among
the members of the cabinet. Few important measures were for-
mulated while here; among them was the device for a naval flag
for the Republic of Texas by President Burnet; it was copied from
that of the United States of America, except that a single white
star shone on the blue field instead of the galaxy of stars.
Few details have been preserved of official cabinet meetings dur-
ing this period of storm and stress. Private letters and diaries
reflect the usual discontent of individuals outside of the govern-
ment as to government management, often betraying deplorable
ignorance of actual conditions.
President Burnet had frequently expressed himself as favoring
Harrisburg for the future seat of government, and in adjourning
to meet there he chose the best possible location. The honor of368
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 31, July 1927 - April, 1928, periodical, 1928; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101088/m1/392/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.