Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/122

 spread through the city on this memorable Sunday a dense crowd rushed to the levee of the Mississippi River to see the wounded soldier. Col. Wm. Christy, his early devoted friend, with whom he had served as a lieutenant in his youth, had prepared for him every comfort which his situation required. He was eager to grasp the hand of his old comrade, and to extend to him a most cordial welcome. Dr. Kerr, the surgeon who had operated on his wounds about thirty years before, also hastened to the vessel, where Houston was found lying on the deck. He fell upon the wounded hero, and embraced him like a father. Every attention was given him by Drs. Kerr and Cenas, who said that if he had arrived a few hours later his life could not have been saved, as his wound had begun to show the first symptoms of mortification. The vessel was in danger of sinking, because of the great crowd present to look on the victor of San Jacinto. The pier was also so densely thronged that it was a long time before the General could be gotten ashore. An attempt had been unsuccessful to lift him ashore. His torture was so great that it seemed that he would die before it could be done. Feeling that his strength was going, rising on his crutches with a desperate effort, he got over the gunwale himself. Immediately laid upon a litter, he fainted again. Bands of music meantime had come down to the levee and played martial airs while the landing was being effected. Houston, who seemed to be dying, was placed on a cot, and borne through the vast throng to the hospitable mansion of his friend Christy. Here, a mere skeleton of disease and suffering, he found repose.

Remaining two weeks in New Orleans, and although far from being out of danger, he was so anxious to return to Texas that he took passage on a Red River steamer, to Natchitoches. His feeble health could ill endure the fatigue and exposure of the journey. To recover his strength, he was compelled to stop several days. At the first moment he was able to travel, he proceeded to San Augustine, where he remained till he received intelligence that the Cabinet had made a treaty with Santa Anna, and had resolved on his liberation. It was also stated, at the same time, that the enemy was preparing for another campaign. At New Orleans, Natchitoches, and San Augustine, demonstrations of great respect had been made, and dinners offered to him, all of which compliments he declined; but when the report of the advance of the enemy had brought together a vast concourse of people at San Augustine, he was taken to the meeting resting on his crutches, and delivered so effective and arousing an address, that in two days one hundred and sixty men took up their march for the frontier.

About this time news reached the General that the army, then at