Texas Journal of Genealogy and History, Volume I, Fall 2002 Page: 12
32 p. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
The Making of a Soldier: Tom Green in Texas and
Mexico, 1836-1846Donald S. Frazier, Executive Director, The Grady McWhiney Research
and Chair, Department of History, McMurry University, Abilene, TexasT he day's shadows were already grow-
ing long on the banks of the San Ja-
cinto River that April 21 in 1836. A
squad of thirty-one men strained at the
wheels and ropes of the Twin Sisters,
two six-pounder cannons, rolling the
guns up a slightly rising slope toward the
sizable encampment of General Antonio
Lopez de Santa Anna's army. Ten yards
behind and on either side, stretching for
hundreds of yards in both directions was
a ragged, two rank line of Texians, their
long rifles at the ready and their faces
determined. Twenty yards ahead, Gen-
eral Sam Houston rode his black steed,
Saracen, across in a zigzag pattern to-
ward the enemy. As the Mexican camp
loomed larger, just 200 yards ahead,
scattered musket shots rang out form
behind its barricades, followed by the
boom of a single, large, 12-pound can-
non. After the whistling slugs passed
overhead, the Texian artillerymen, in-
cluding 21-year-old Tom Green, swung
their guns around, set the trail of their
pieces in the soft soil, and responded to
this enemy challenge, sending lead slugs
and chopped up horseshoes whipping
through the camp. The Battle of San
Jacinto had begun.
In the next few minutes, Tom Green
and his fellow gunners, including the
later more famous Ben McCulloch, fired
four blasts each from the Twin Sisters.
The crews fired each shot some thirty
yards closer than the last as they rolled
the guns forward in what would be later
be described as the cannon charge at
San Jacinto. Within moments of the
opening rounds, the undisciplined Tex-
ian line halted, fired a ragged volley, and
disintegrated amid cries of "Remember
the Alamo," and "Remember Goliad."
Passing the six-pounders, the infantry
quickly swarmed into the enemy camps,
putting the Mexicans to flight. For
young Tom, now a spectator, this was
the first real taste of battle; he quickly
surmised that citizen soldiers, armed
with rifles, knives-and guts-could
sweep any enemy before them.1
Green would go on to have an inter-
esting career. He returned to his father's
home in Tennessee where he finished
his studies in law before returning to
locate his land bounties in the new Re-
public of Texas. Establishing himself inLaGrange, Green associated with soon
to be famous men, and fit into the tim-
bre and tone of Texas life. A brief flirta-
tion with politics revealed that Green
would rather serve as a bureaucrat than
lawmaker, and he served in a variety of
supporting clerkships for the Texas legis-
lature and later the Texas Supreme
Court. Even so, like most Texans with
reputations to build, he took occasional
breaks from his job to fight Comanches
or Mexicans, depending on who needed
fighting the most. By 1841, Green the
pencil pusher had earned enough of a
reputation as a warrior to be sought af-
ter as a company commander on cam-
paign. By November the following year,
Green's military career mirrored his pro-
fessional life as he left the role of line
officer in the Texan army and assumed
increasingly responsible staff positions
under General Alexander Somervell.
Green's military career marked him as
a typical Texan of his time. Its officials
declared that an armed citizenry was to
be the nation's salvation. "We are few in
numbers, and the very nature of our sit-
uation and habits makes everyman a sol-
dier," observed one lawmaker. Indeed,
one immigrants guide put the issue very
plainly. Those that feared combat were
declared neither "constitutionally, mor-
ally, nor physically qualified to become
citizens of such a dangerous country,
either in war or peace."2
Indeed, any man with public ambi-
tions was expected to have shouldered a
rifle. Those hoping for serious consider-
ation to high office had to serve on ac-
tive campaign against either Indians or
Mexicans. In all of the governments of
Texas prior to annexation-1832-
1845-97 per cent of the legislators had
served in the ranks or had mustered into
a military organization when the call
went forth. Forty-eight per cent of these
lawmakers had actually been shot at or
marched against the enemy during the
life of the republic. Of the eight Texas
governors that held office prior to the
Civil War, all but one claimed military
service and of the U.S. congressmen that
Texas sent forth during the same period,
all were warriors, some of who were
prominent rangers.3
While earning these vital military cre-
dentials, Green also made importantFoundation, Associate Professor
connections and was seen as a leading
light and emerging talent in the state,
although living in the shadow of other
men. Jack Hays, Sam Walker, Ben Mc-
Culloch, and James Gillespie were all
more experienced Rangers, and had
spent significantly more time in the sad-
dle and on the hunt than Green. All of
these others, too, had been entrusted
with leading campaigns against Indians
and Mexicans, and were all considered
to be excellent scouts and skirmishers.
Green was their friend, but seemed cut
from slightly different cloth. Instead of
being a man of independent action, he
seemed to relish the role of the reliable
subordinate.
Green's time as a ranger, and with his
association with famous rangers, greatly
influenced his understanding of war, his
time under fire reinforcing what he had
already learned at San Jacinto. On Feb-
ruary 15, 1839, a group of 150 rangers
including Green encountered Co-
manches encamped near the confluence
of the Colorado and San Saba rivers in
western Texas. After stalking their
quarry the previous night, the Texans
simply took a position under cover of a
creek bottom, flanked the town, and,
when discovered, charged pell mell
among the defenders. After initial suc-
cess, however, the Comanches retreated
to a stream bordering the opposite side
of the town. The Texans discovered
themselves outnumbered and their en-
emy in a strong position, and disengaged
with eight men wounded versus claims
of some fifty Indian casualties.
A year and a half later, Green accom-
panied another ranger expedition up the
Colorado River. This time, however, the
future Confederate general witnessed his
leaders send a party to block the Indian
retreat while three other companies
made a mounted charge through he vil-
lage to drive the natives into the trap.
This pistol charge, under cover of a
fierce winter storm, succeeded in driving
the Comanches into confusion, and
many who fled to the prairie fell to the
bullets of the rangers lying in wait. After
the initial clash, the main force of Tex-
ans, including Green, dismounted and
shot fleeing men, women, and children.
The troops then remounted and pursued
the broken remnant for four miles. This12
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Howard Payne University. Texas Journal of Genealogy and History, Volume I, Fall 2002, periodical, 2002; Brownwood, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth599838/m1/15/: accessed May 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Howard Payne University Library.