Telegraph and Texas Register (San Felipe de Austin [i.e. San Felipe], Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 16, Ed. 1, Saturday, February 20, 1836 Page: 1 of 8
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VOL. I.
Sam Felipe de Austin, Saturday, February SO, 1836.
NO.J6.
: I :";' - . AM TEXAS
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DECLARATION
..i?d representation of the prisoners, executed
at Tampico.
We, the undersigned, prisoners of war,
condemned to be shot on Monday next, the
14th inst., at 7, P. M., by a court martial,
conformable to the established customs of
the country, and composed of officers of the
,Mexican army, the sentence being read and
interpreted to us on Saturday at 4, p. m.,
by captain Alexander Faulac, of said army,
as our last dying, words do declare ourselves
innocent of the charge of either purticipat-
- ing or colleaguing with any pel son or party,
having for its object the revolutionizing or
disturbing in any manner the tranquillity of
the government of Mexico, and that the
" testimony given before the honorable court
of enquiry will corroborate ibis declaration,
" the facts and circumstances being briefly as
follow:, ' . t
t That about one hundred and thirty men,
,'r- composed of Americans, French and Ger-
mans,v two-thirds of which being of the
first- named class, (including three who are
natives of foreign nations, but naturalized,)
' embarked, on the 6lh of November last, on
on board the American schooner Mary Jane,
captain Hall, said to have been chartered
or employed by a committee, of which Mr.
William Christy, of New Orleans, was the
agent, to convey emigrants to Texas, then
tinderstot d to be at variance with the Mexi-
can government. This opportunity afford-
ed many'in pecuniary circumstances, a pas-
sage free,' which was readily embraced and
accepted of. The terms agreed upon were
that it was optional whether the party took
up arms in defenceof Texas or not; that
they were at full liberty to act as they pleas-
ed when landed on theTexian shore. That
taking advantage of this favorable opportu-
nity, they accordingly embarked, the vessel
proceeded on the voyage, and nothing trans-
pired to indicate a belief but that all was
right as it should be, ;until ihe sixth day we
'. were out from the Balize, although it had
been previously understood that a general,
with his officers or staff, was on board the
''vessel, whose design was to act in concert
with the Texians, and induce us to join him.
Of this, however, we received no certain
assent, but the truth is, Tampico was our
destination, and an attack on that city the
design, which was now evident and not be-
fore: the land being in sight, and the ves-
sel standing in, it was announced'that it was
Tampico; that the steamboat, then also in
sight, would have us in tow, and Tampico
would be in our possession. Elated with
. this harangue, proceeding from the authori-
ty (through Ihe instrumentality of captain
Hawkins, one of the aids) of general Mexia,
some were induced to join his standard but
of these the number could not have exceed-
ed fifty, thirty-five of whom were French
and Creoles,, of New Orleans, who doubt-
less had a previous understanding, they
having the quarterdeck to themselves, and
seemingly armed and equipped premature-
ly. The boat had us in tow soon, and all
that could be crammed below were driven
there until she struck the bar, and thejsteam
boat soon afterwards. In this awful pre-
dicament, night closing on us, the sea break-
ing over us, efforts were used to reach the
fahore, which, at eminent danger, was ef-
fected safely, and all were landed during
the latter part of the night, and early part
of the morning of the following day. A
formidable fort surrendered without an at-
tack, and we buill. fires to dry our clothing,
The party were now tendered arms and am-
munition, and, never having been soldiers
before, some probably took them from cu-
riosity, others from necessity, and others
from compulsion; and it is asserted andjbe-
lieyed, that no person was or had been ac-
quainted with two others of the number of
us, so added to the hurry and bustle of the
officers, that before we could have an un-
derstanding, we were commingled and bun-
dled together-more like a hoard or drove of
swine, than a company of soldiers compe
tent to act as such, particularly against re-
gularly trained soldiers. At about 5,' p. jr.,
on Sunday, we were formed and made rea-
dy for the attack, having added to our num-
ber about from thirty-five to fifty citizens,
soldiers and adherents, and wnich were all
judged to Mexicans, a number being fellow
prisoners with us, but without trial to this
moment. Having no other resource we
were necessarily compelled, from obvious
reasons, reluctantly to join the party, with a
full determination not to act in concert with
it, bul to submit ourselves as prisoners of
war, having no design or intention to fight;
and without one single expection, every in-
dividual of the undersigned, from motives of
conscience, and oppression added to the
shameful abduction or deception practised
on us, and chose to throw ourselves on the
clemency and mercy of the authorities, and
this being the substance of our testimony
before the court, yet notwithstanding, 'mark
te result which has terminated, not in an
ignominous, but christianlike death. . Trust-
ing in God, and bearing in mind his promise,
and with our trust in his mercies, we die
both as christians and men.
We have now but nine hours allotted us,
and conclude hastily by requesting all who
may hear of our fate, to entertain no erro-
neous impression.
List of persons under sentence of death by or-
der of a military tribunal, held at Tam-
pico, to be shot on Monday, 14th Decem-
ber, 1835.
Arthur N. Clement, native of Pennsylva-
nia, aged 40 years. No parents.
Thomas Whitaker, native of Pennsylva-
nia, aged 30,- Father in Pennsylvania. ,
Wm. C. Barclay, native of , New York,
aged 20. Parents in New York.
Jacob Morison, native of .New .York,
aged 21. Parents in Kentucky. kj 0 .
Edward Mount, native of j"few York,
aged, 23. Mother in state of New York. ,
Qharles Gross, native of Pennsylvania,
aged 23. Mother in Pennsylvania.
Isaac F. Leeds, native of New Jersey,
aged 30. No parents.
Mordecai Gist, hative of Maryland, aged
53.. Father in Maryland. His own last
residence-Indiana m ,
David Long, native of Ohio, aged 25.
Mother in Ohio.
Wm H. Mackay, native of Virginia,
aged 20. Mother in Virginia. --
Jonas K. Stuart, native .of Vermont,
aged 33. Mother in Vermont.
Daniel Holt, native of Canada, aged IS.
Parents in Canada.
James Cramp," native' of England, aged
22. Parents in Oswego, N. Y.
Lewis Jacobs, native of England cged
21. Mother in Lower Canada.
Thos. H. Rogers, native of Ireland, aged
23. Parents in Ireland. " - -Daniel
Donnelly, native of Ireland, aged
20. Parents in St.' Johns', N.B.
James Farrell, native of Ireland, aged
23. Father in Greene co., N. Y.
John M: Ives, native of England, aged
35, No parents, '2 brothers in New Or-
leans. J
Auguste Saint Cyr, native of France,
aged 22. Parerits in France.
Auguste Demoussent, native of France,
aged 25. Parents in France.
Fred. Delboy, native of Dantzic, aged
24. Parents in Dantzic.
Fk. Wm. Mauer, native of '.Germany,
aged 22. Parents in Saxony.
Henry" Wagner, natrvV of Germany, aged
24. -No parents, last residence Philad.
John Ivish, native of Germany, aged 24.
No parents.
Andreas Helm, native of Germaiiy, aged
50. No parents.
George J. Selin, native of Germany,
aged 27. Father in Germany.
Wm. H. Morris, native of New -Providence,
aged 28. No parents.
L. M. Bellepont, native of Hanover,
aged 26. No parents. "
Three prisontrs died in the hospital, viz:
Fleming, aged about 25, native of Pitts-
burgh, Pennsylvania.
Harris Blood, aged 40 native of Eng-,
land. '
Jas. McCormick, aged 30, native of
Kentucky. ' - '
.
The following is a letter fron one of the
prisoners to his friend in this city,
Tampico, Dec. 13. 1835. 9 o'clock, p. m.
Dear friend, I will in as few words as
possible, give you intelligence' of my fate,
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Baker & Bordens. Telegraph and Texas Register (San Felipe de Austin [i.e. San Felipe], Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 16, Ed. 1, Saturday, February 20, 1836, newspaper, February 20, 1836; San Felipe de Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth47883/m1/1/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.