Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/85

Rh and his artillery was planted on the brow of the copse. The Texans were now ready for battle at a moment's warning, but as Santa Anna's forces had not yet come up, they relighted their fires to complete their cooking operations which had been so suddenly broken up a few hours before. Their arms had been scarcely laid aside and fires kindled before the scouts of Houston came flying into camp with the important news that at last the Mexicans were in sight—intelligence soon confirmed by Santa Anna's bugles, sounding over the prairie the charge of the Mexican army. Santa Anna knew perfectly well, whatever had been said to the contrary, the position of the Texan General. He intended to surprise the Texan army himself, instead of being surprised by a discharge from the Texan artillery. Intending to sustain his artillery by his infantry and cavalry, he opened his "brass twelve-pounder" upon the Texan position. The Mexican infantry column was driven back by a well-directed fire of grape-shot and canister from Houston's two six-pounders, and within rifle-shot of the Texan army took shelter in a piece of timber. The Mexican field-piece kept up its fire, resulting only in disabling from service Col. Neill, the gallant officer of the artillery, by a grape-shot received in his thigh. About ten o'clock of the morning of the 20th of April these events occurred. Permission was given Col. Sydney Sherman, of the 2d regiment, at his own request, to drive with a detachment the infantry from their covert. Although the place and time for action had been decided upon by Houston, he consented to Col. Sherman's proposition, enjoining him to take two companies of his regiment with positive orders not to advance beyond the piece of timber, or endanger the safety of his detachment. The charge was made on horseback, and only resulted in a repulse of the Texans. It is apparent from the records left concerning the movements of this eventful campaign, that Gen. Houston had determined to select his own time for the conflict, and by superior advantage of position and military skill to compensate for disparity in numbers. The skirmishing of the day concluded with the retirement of Santa Anna and his army to a swell in the prairie, with timber and water in his rear. About three-quarters of a mile from the Texan camp, near the bank of the Bay of San Jacinto, he took his position, and commenced a fortification. The Texan commander was well satisfied with the day's work, and declared to a confidential officer that evening that if he had pursued the enemy victory would have been certain, yet it would have been attended with a heavy loss of men. "While to-morrow," said Gen. Houston, "I will conquer, slaughter, and put to flight the entire Mexican army, and it shall not cost me a dozen of my brave men." The military sagacity of