History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 59

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

is nothing short of marvelous; and with a loss
of but two killed in battle and twenty-nine
wounded to the victors, against 630 killed
and 208 wounded of the enemy, to say nothing
of the prisoners; for all, or nearly all,
who were not killed or wounded, were captured.
hardly a man escaping! But oh! the
Texans had the fate of those two brave martyrs,
Travis and Fannin, in their minds, and
when the battle cry of " Remember the
Alamo!" rang out as they rushed to battle,
every man was a Hercules. Ten thousand
men could not have daunted their invincible
courage. They knew that defeat meant death
to every one of them, and it were better to
die in harness than to be led out like sheep to
the slaughter. They shot and struck to kill.
Death had no terror for those patriot., and
woe betide the brutal Santa Anna had he been
caught in the action! He was so sure of victory
that it is said that he contemplated with
pleasure the close of the light that he might
show his power. Every man, Houston and
all, of those San Jacinto heroes, would have
been immediately shot if they would have
been so unfortunate as not to be killed in
battle. Knowing this, how those Texans
could have refrained from killing this man
has always puzzled the friends of liberty. As
it was, it was the best. No stain rests upon
the escutcheon of the Lone Star State.
After much controversy, especially in regard
to the disposition of the captive President
of Mexico, a treaty was entered into by
President Burnett and most of his cabinet and
Santa Anna; but the clause providing for the
release of the latter was bitterly objected to,
and at one time the matter bid fair to be the
cause of serious troubles and internal complications.

During these exciting times a number of
captures of vessels on the coast near Copano

were made, especially by Captain Burton, who
commanded a company of mounted rangers.
Cavalry does not seem to be the best arm of
the service in naval warfare, but this bold
captain used very ingenious stratagems to induce
passing vessels to stop at Copano, when
his men would step aboard and take possession
in the name of the Republic of Texas.
THE INDEPENDENCE CQNVENTION.
Not to interrupt the crimson thread of the
war history, we have run past a remarkable
event, which must now be related.
By authority of a resolution adopted December
10, 1835, by the provisional government
of Texas, which existed from November,
1835, to March, 1836, delegates, clothed with
plenary powers, were elected February 1,
1836, to meet in convention at Washington,
on the Brazos, March 1. The provisional
government was composed of Henry Smith,
governor; James W. Robinson, vice governor;
and a council. At the period of the meeting of
the convention, the council had quarreled with
and deposed the governor, and Mr. Robinson
was acting governor.
The convention assembled at the date above
mentioned. The official journal opens thus:
"Convention of all the People of Texas,
through their Delegates Elect. " George C.
Childress of the municipality (county) of Milam,
moved that James Collingsworth, of
Brazoria, be called to the chair, which motion
prevailed; and Willis A. Farris was appointed
secretary pro tern.
After the roll of members was completed,
the convention proceeded to the election of
president, when Richard Ellis of Red river
(then Pecan Point) was elected unanimously.
H. S. Kimble was chosen permanent secretary.

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