Travels and Adventures of Monsieur Violet

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

  It was during my convalescence that the fate of the Texian expedition toSanta Fe was decided; and as the real facts have been studiouslyconcealed, and my intelligence, gained from the Indians, who weredisinterested parties, was afterwards fully corroborated by an Irishgentleman who had been persuaded to join it, I may as well relate themhere. Assuming the character of friendly traders, with some hundreddollars' worth of goods, as a blind to their real intentions, which wereto surprise the Mexicans during the neutrality which had been agreedupon, about five hundred men were collected at Austin, for theexpedition.

  Although the report was everywhere circulated that this was to be atrading experiment, the expedition, when it quitted Austin, certainlywore a very different appearance. The men had been supplied withuniforms; generals, and colonels, and majors were dashing about in everydirection, and they quitted the capital of Texas with drums beating andcolours flying. Deceived by the Texians, a few respectable Europeanswere induced to join this expedition, either for scientific research orthe desire to visit a new and unexplored country, under such protection,little imagining that they had associated themselves with a large bandof robbers, for no other name can be given to these lawless plunderers.But if the force made a tolerable appearance on its quitting thecapital, a few hours' march put an end to all discipline and restraint.

  Although the country abounded with game, and it was killed from merewantonness, such was their improvidence, that they were obliged toresort to their salt pork and other provisions; and as, in thirty days,forty large casks of whisky were consumed, it is easy to suppose, whichwas indeed the fact, that every night that they halted, the camp was ascene of drunkenness and riot.

  During the last few days of the march through the game country, theykilled more than a hundred buffaloes, yet, three days after they hadquitted the prairies and had entered the dreary northern deserts, theyhad no provisions left, and were compelled to eat their worn-out andmiserable horses.

  A true account of their horrible sufferings would beggar alldescription; they became so weak and so utterly helpless, thathalf-a-dozen Mexicans, well mounted, could have destroyed them all.Yet, miserable as they were, and under the necessity of conciliating theIndians, they could not forego their piratical and thievingpropensities. They fell upon a small village of the Wakoes, whosewarriors and hunters were absent, and, not satisfied with taking awayall the eatables they could carry, they amused themselves with firingthe Indian stores and shooting the children, and did not leave until thevillage was reduced to a heap of burning ashes. This act of cowardicesealed the fate of the expedition, which was so constantly harassed bythe Wakoe warriors, and had lost already so many scalps, that afterwardsmeeting with a small party of Mexicans, they surrendered to them, thatthey might escape the well-deserved, and unrelenting vengeance of thewarlike Wakoes.

  Such was the fate of the Texian expedition; but there is another portionof the history which has been much talked of in the United States; Imean the history of their captivity and sufferings, while on their roadfrom Santa Fe to Mexico. Mr Daniel Webster hath made it a governmentquestion, and Mr Pakenham, the British ambassador in Mexico, hasemployed all the influence of his own position to restore to freedom thehalf-dozen of Englishmen who had joined the expedition. Of course theyknew nothing of the circumstances, except from the report of the Texiansthemselves. Now it is but just that the Mexicans' version should beheard also. The latter is the true one, at least so far as I can judgeby what I saw, what I heard upon the spot, and from some Mexicandocuments yet in my possession.

  The day before their capture, the Texians, who for the last thirteendays had suffered all the pangs of hunger, came suddenly upon a flock ofseveral thousand sheep, belonging to the Mexican government. As usual,the flock was under the charge of a Mexican family, living in a smallcovered waggon, in which they could remove from spot to spot, shiftingthe pasture-ground as required. In that country, but very fewindividuals are employed to keep the largest herds of animals; but theyare always accompanied by a number of noble dogs, which appear to beparticularly adapted to protect and guide the animals. These dogs donot run about, they never bark or bite, but, on the contrary, they willwalk gently up to any one of the flock that happens to stray, take itcarefully by the ear, and lead it back to its companions. The sheep donot show the least fear of these dogs, nor is there any occasion for it.These useful guardians are a cross of the Newfoundland and St. Bernardbreed, of a very large size, and very sagacious.

  Now, if the Texians had asked for a hundred sheep, either for money orin barter (a sheep is worth about sixpence), they would have beensupplied directly; but as soon as the flock was perceived, one of theTexian leaders exclaimed, with an oath, "Mexicans' property, and awelcome booty; upon it my boys, upon it, and no mercy." One of the poorMexicans who had charge was shot through the head, the others succeededin escaping by throwing themselves down among the thick ranks of theaffrighted animals, till out of rifle distance; then began a carnagewithout discrimination, and the Texians never ceased firing until theprairie was for miles covered with the bodies of their victims. Yetthis grand victory was not purchased without a severe loss, for the dogsdefended the property intrusted to their care; they scorned to run away,and before they could all be killed, they had torn to pieceshalf-a-dozen of the Texians, and dreadfully lacerated as many more. Theevening was, of course, spent in revelry: the dangers and fatigues, thedelays and vexatious of the march were now considered over, and highwere their anticipations of the rich plunder in perspective. But thiswas the only feat accomplished by this Texian expedition: the Mexicanshad not been deceived; they had had intelligence of the real nature ofthe expedition, and advanced parties had been sent out to announce itsapproach. Twenty-four hours after they had regaled themselves withmutton, one of these parties, amounting to about one hundred men, madeits appearance. All the excitement of the previous evening hadevaporated, the Texians sent out a flag of truce, and three hundred ofthem surrendered themselves unconditionally to this small Mexican force.

  On one point the European nations have been much deceived, which is asto the character of the Mexican soldier, who appears to be looked uponwith a degree of contempt. This is a great mistake, but it has arisenfrom the false reports and unfounded aspersions of the Texians, as tothe result of many of their engagements. I can boldly assert (althoughopposed to them) that there is not a braver individual in the world thanthe Mexican; in my opinion, far superior to the Texian, althoughprobably not equal to him in the knowledge and use of fire-arms.

  One great cause of the Mexican army having occasionally met with defeat,is that the Mexicans, who are of the oldest and best Castile blood,retain the pride of the Spanish race to an absurd degree. The sons ofthe old nobility are appointed as officers; they learn nothing, knownothing of military tactics--they know how to die bravely, and that isall.

  The battle of St. Jacinta, which decided the separation of Texas, hasbeen greatly cried up by the Texians; the fact is, it was no battle atall. They were commanded by Santa Anna, who has great military talent,and the Mexicans reposed full confidence in him. Santa Anna feelingvery unwell, went to a farm-house, at a small distance, to recoverhimself, and was captured by half-a-dozen Texian robbers, who took himon to the Texian army.

  The loss of the general with the knowledge that there was no one fit tosupply his place, dispirited the Mexicans, and they retreated; but sincethat time they have proved to the Texians how insecure they are, even atthis moment. England and other European governments have thoughtproper, very hastily, to recognise Texas, but Mexico has not, and willnot.

  The expedition to Santa Fe, by which the Texians broke the peace,occurred in the autumn of 1841; the Mexican army entered Texas in thespring of 1842, sweeping every thing before them, from St. Antonio diBejar to the Colorado; but the Texians had sent emissaries to Yucatan,to induce that province to declare its independence. The war in Yucatanobliged the Mexican army to march back in that
direction to quell theinsurrection, which it did, and then returned to Texas, and again tookpossession of St. Antonio di Bejar in September of the same year, takingmany prisoners of consequence away with them.

  It was the intention of the Mexicans to have returned to Texas in thespring of the year, but fresh disturbances in Yucatan prevented SantaAnna from executing his projects. Texas is, therefore, by no meanssecure, its population is decreasing, and those who had respectabilityattached to their character have left it. I hardly need observe thatthe Texian national debt, now amounting to thirteen millions of dollars,may, for many reasons, turn out to be not a very profitable investment.[See Note 1.]

  But to return to the Santa Fe expedition. Texians were deprived oftheir arms and conducted to a small village, called Anton Chico, tillorders should have been received as to their future disposition, fromGeneral Armigo, governor of the province.

  It is not to be supposed that in a small village of about one hundredgovernment shepherds, several hundred famished men could be suppliedwith all the necessaries and superfluities of life. The Texians accusethe Mexicans of having starved them in Anton Chico, forgetting thatevery Texian had the same ration of provisions as the Mexican soldier.

  Of course the Texians now attempted to fall back upon the originalfalsehood, that they were a trading expedition, and had been destroyedand plundered by the Indians; but, unfortunately, the assault upon thesheep and the cowardly massacre of the shepherds were not to be gotover. As Governor Armigo very justly observed to them, if they weretraders, they had committed murder; if they were not traders, they wereprisoners of war.

  After a painful journey of four months, the prisoners arrived in the oldcapital of Mexico, where the few strangers who had been induced to jointhe expedition, in ignorance of its destination, were immediatelyrestored to liberty; the rest were sent, some to the mines, to dig forthe metal they were so anxious to obtain, and some were passed over tothe police of the city, be employed in the cleaning of the streets.

  Many American newspapers have filled their columns with all manner ofhistories relative to this expedition; catalogues of the crueltiespractised by the Mexicans have been given, and the sympathising Americanpublic have been called upon to give the unfortunate men who hadescaped. I will only give one instance of misrepresentation in the NewOrleans _Picayune_, and put in juxta-position the real truth. It willbe quite sufficient. Mr Kendal says:--

  "As the sun was about setting those of us who were in front werestartled by the report of two guns, following each other in quicksuccession. We turned to ascertain the cause, and soon found that apoor, unfortunate man, named Golpin, a merchant, and who had startedupon the expedition with a small amount of goods, had been shot by therear-guard, for no other reason than that he was too sick and weak tokeep up; he had made a bargain with one of the guard to ride his mule ashort distance, for which he was to pay him his only shirt! While inthe act of taking it off, Salazar (the commanding officer) ordered asoldier to shoot him. The first ball only wounded the wretched man, butthe second killed him instantly, and he fell with his shirt still abouthis face. Golpin was a citizen of the United States, and reached Texasa short time before the expedition. He was a harmless, inoffensive man,of most delicate constitution, and, during a greater part of the time wewere upon the road, was obliged to ride in one of the waggons."

  This story is, of course, very pathetic; but here we have a few linestaken from the _Bee_, a New Orleans newspaper:--

  "_January_, 1840. HORRIBLE MURDER!--Yesterday, at the plantation ofWilliam Reynolds, was committed one of those acts, which revolt humannature. Henry Golpin, the overseer, a Creole, and strongly suspected ofbeing a quadroon, had for some time acted improperly towards MrsReynolds and daughters. A few days ago, a letter from WR was receivedfrom St. Louis, stating that he would return home at the latter end ofthe week; and Golpin, fearing that the ladies would complain of hisconduct and have him turned out, poisoned them with the juice of someberries poured into their coffee. Death was almost instantaneous. Apretty mulatto girl of sixteen, an attendant and _protegee_ of the youngladies, entering the room where the corpses were already stiff, foundthe miscreant busy in taking off their jewels and breaking up somerecesses, where he knew that there were a few thousand dollars, inspecie and paper, the produce of a recent sale of negroes. At first, hetried to coax the girl, offering to run away and marry her, but sherepulsed him with indignation, and, forcing herself off his hold, sheran away to call for help. Snatching suddenly a rifle, he opened awindow, and as the honest girl ran across the square towards thenegroes' huts, she fell quite dead, with a ball passing across hertemples. The governor and police of the first and second municipalitiesoffer one thousand dollars reward for the apprehension of the miserableassassin, who, of course, has absconded."

  This is the "_harmless and inoffensive man of delicate constitution, acitizen of the United States_," which Mr Kendal would give us as amartyr of Mexican barbarism. During the trip across the prairie, everyman, except two or three, had shunned him, so well did every one knowhis character; and now I will describe the events which caused him to beshot in the way above related.

  Two journeys after they had left Santa Fe they passed the night in alittle village, four men being billeted in every house under the chargeof one soldier. Golpin and another of his stamp were, however, leftwithout any guard in the house of a small retailer of aguardiente, who,being now absent, had left his old wife alone in the house. She was agood hospitable soul, and thought it a Christian duty to administer tothe poor prisoners all the relief she could afford. She gave them someof her husband's linen, bathed their feet with warm water mixed withwhisky, and served up to them a plentiful supper.

  Before they retired to rest, she made them punch, and gave them a smallbottle of liquor, which they could conceal about them and use on theroad. The next morning the sounds of the drums called the prisoners inthe square to get ready for their departure. Golpin went to the oldwoman's room, insisting that she should give them more of the liquor.Now the poor thing had already done much. Liquor in these far inlandcountries, where there are no distilleries, reaches the enormous priceof from sixteen to twenty dollars a gallon. So she mildly but firmlyrefused, upon which Golpin seized from the nail, where it was hung, avery heavy key, which he knew to be that of the little cellarunderground, where the woman kept the liquor. She tried to regainpossession of it, but during the struggle Golpin beat her brains outwith a bar of iron that was in the room. This deed perpetrated, heopened the trap-door of the cellar, and among the folds of his blanketand that of his companion concealed as many flasks as they could carry.They then shut the street-door and joined their companions.

  Two hours afterwards, the husband returned, and knocked in vain; atlast, he broke open the door, and beheld his helpmate barbarouslymangled. A neighbour soon told him about the two Texian guests, and thewretched man having made his depositions to an alcade, or constable,they both started upon fresh horses, and at noon overtook the prisoners.The commanding officers soon ascertained who were the two men that hadbeen billeted at the old woman's, and found them surrounded by a groupof Texians, making themselves merry with the stolen liquor. Seeing thatthey were discovered, to save his life, Golpin's companion immediatelypeached, and related the whole of the transaction. Of course theassassin was executed.

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  Note 1. Perhaps the English reader will find it extraordinary thatSanta Anna, once freed from his captivity, should not have re-enteredTexas with an overwhelming force. The reason is very simple: Bustamentewas a rival of Santa Anna for the presidency; the general's absenceallowed him to intrigue, and when the news reached the capital thatSanta Anna had fallen a prisoner, it became necessary to elect a newpresident. Bustamente had never been very popular, but having promisedto the American population of the sea-ports, that nothing should beattempted against Texas if he were elected, these, through mercantilein
terest, supported him, not only with their influence, but also withtheir money.

  When, at last, Santa Anna returned to Mexico, his power was lost, andhis designs upon Texas were discarded by his successor. Bustamente wasa man entirely devoid of energy, and he looked with apathy upon thenumerous aggressions made by the Texians upon the borders of Mexico. Assoon however, as the Mexicans heard that the Texians, in spite of thelaw of nations, had sent an expedition to Santa Fe, at the very timethat they were making overtures for peace and recognition of theirindependence, they called upon Bustamente to account for his culpablewant of energy. Believing himself secure against any revolution, thepresident answered with harsh measures, and the soldiery, nowexasperated, put Santa Anna at their head forcing him to re-assume thepresidency. Bustamente ran away to Paris, the Santa Fe expedition wassoon defeated, and, as we have seen, the president, Santa Anna, beganhis dictatorship with the invasion of Texas (March, 1842).