Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/112

 pursued him, whereupon he fell down in the grass. Sylvester dashed on in the direction where he fell and his horse came very near trampling upon him. Disguised in a miserable rustic dress, wearing a skin cap, a round jacket, pantaloons of blue domestic cotton, and a pair of coarse soldier's shoes, he sprang to his feet, and without the slightest apparent surprise looked his captor full in the face. His countenance and manners showed that he belonged to a different class from that indicated by his coarse disguise. Beneath his common garb his victors espied a shirt of the finest linen-cambric.

"You are an officer, I perceive, sir?" said his captor, raising his cap politely. "No, soldier," was his reply. He then drew out a letter in Spanish, addressed to Almonte. Seeing that there was no hope of escape, he inquired for Gen. Houston. As the party with the captured Santa Anna rode into the Texan camp past the Mexican prisoners, they cried out with the greatest surprise as they lifted their caps, and exclaimed, "El Presidente."

The news spread rapidly through the camp that the Dictator, Gen. Santa Anna, was a prisoner, and had been taken to Gen. Houston.

Having slept very little during the night, the General was lying on the ground, having fallen into a doze. Santa Anna, coming up behind him, took his hand. Rousing himself and turning over, Houston gazed up into the face of the Mexican. Santa Anna, laying his right hand on his heart, and extending his left arm, said, "I am General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, President of the Mexican Republic, and I claim to be your prisoner of war." Houston, pointing to a box, the only seat in the camp, said, "Ah! General Santa Anna, take a seat; I am glad to see you." Then sending for Almonte, who spoke English perfectly, he requested him to act as interpreter. Santa Anna showed by his keen glances around the camp, with his timid expression, the pressure of the sides of his breasts with his two hands, and his half-suppressed groans, that he was suffering severe pain. Gen. T. J. Rusk, who was present, relates a deeply interesting incident which occurred about this time:

"At the time Santa Anna was brought into our camp, I was walking- with young Zavala, son of the noble and venerable Zavala, who distinguished himself as the friend of Texan Independence. We approached him together. Santa Anna recognized young Zavala at once, and advanced to meet him with great apparent cordiality, uttering many expressions of kindness, such as are customary among the Mexicans on such occasions; several of which I remember. Among other things he exclaimed, 'Oh, my friend, my friend! the son of my early friend!'