ent settlements to raise an army to resist the Mexican invasion; and a convention of the people issued a proclamation declaring Texas a free and independent republic. It was two weeks before General Houston received intelligence of the atrocious massacres at Bexar and Goliad, and of Santa Anna's advance. The country was in a state of panic. Settlers were everywhere abandoning

their homes, and fleeing in terror at the approach of the Mexican soldiers. Houston's force of a few hundred men was the only defense of Texas; and even this was diminished by frequent desertion from the ranks. The cause of Texan freedom seemed utterly hopeless.

In order to gain time, while watching his opportunity for attack, Houston

TRIUMPH OF SAN JACINTO.

223

slowly retreated before the Mexican army. After waiting two weeks for reinforcements, he moved toward Buffalo Bayou, a deep, narrow stream connecting with the San Jacinto River, about twenty miles southeast of the present city of Houston. Here he expected to meet the Mexican army. The lines being formed, General Houston made one of his most impassioned and eloquent appeals to his troops, firing every breast by giving as a watchword, "Remember THE ALAMO."

Soon the Mexican bugles rang out over the prairie, announcing the advance guard of the enemy, almost eighteen hundred strong. The rank and file of the patriots was less than seven hundred and fifty men. Their disadvantages but served to increase the enthusiasm of the soldiers; and when their general said, "Men, there is the enemy; do you wish to fight?" the universal shout was, "We do!" "Well, then," he said, "remember it is for liberty or death; remember the Alamo !"

At the moment of attack, a lieutenant came galloping up, his horse covered with foam, and shouted along the lines, "I've cut down Vince's bridge." Each army had used this bridge in coming to the battle-field, and General Houston had ordered its destruction, thus preventing all hope of escape to the vanquished.

Santa Anna's forces were in perfect order, awaiting the attack, and reserved their fire until the patriots were within sixty paces of their works. Then they poured forth a volley, which went over the heads of the attackers, though a ball struck General Houston's ankle, inflicting a very painful wound. Though suffering and bleeding, General Houston kept his saddle during the entire action. The patriots held their fire until it was given to the enemy almost in their very bosoms, and then, having no time to reload, made a general rush upon the foe, who were altogether unprepared for the furious charge. The patriots not having bayonets, clubbed their rifles. About half-past four the Mexican rout began, and closed only with the night. Seven of the patriots were killed and twenty-three were wounded, while the Mexicans had six hundred and thirty-two killed and wounded; and seven hundred and thirty, among whom was Santa Anna, were made prisoners.

The victory of San Jacinto struck the fetters forever off the hands of Texas, and drove back the standard of Mexico beyond the Rio Grande, never to return except in predatory and transient incursions. General Houston became at once the leading man in Texas, almost universal applause following him. As soon as quiet and order were restored, he was made the first President of the new republic, under the Constitution adopted November, 1835.

General Houston's first term as President of Texas closed in December, 1838. During the term of his successor, General Houston served two years in the Congress of the young republic. He did much good to the country, on one

occasion preventing an actual dissolution of the Texan government by the magic of his great speech in Congress, when that body was just on the point of adjourning sine die.

On May 9, 1840, he married his second wife, Miss Margaret M. Lea,

A BUCKING BRONCHO.

of Alabama, a most worthy woman, who had a great influence for good over her husband. He often Isaid that to her he owed his chief honor and happiness. He was deeply attached to her, and, when a Senator at Washington, invariably spent his Sunday afternoons in writing to her and his family. One of the questions presented by our Presidential election of 1844 was the annexation of Texas, which took place in 1845; and ex-President Houston and his fast friend and compatriot, General Thomas J. Rusk, were made her first Senators, taking their seats in January, 1846. These men of commanding mien produced something of a sensation, coming to sit in the na

tion's council-house as the representatives of a people who had, of their own free will, given up their national existence to become merely an integral part of our Union. Houston's course in the Senate was conservative. He voted for the

Oregon boundary compromise, and, if he could, would have averted the war with Mexico. After the passage of the compromise measures of 1850, there was no more popular man in the South than General Houston, and, in 1852, he was a prominent candidate for the Presidency before the Democratic convention. He had placed himself in strong opposition to the secession spirit shown in 1850, thus losing some of his most influential Southern supporters. In 1859 he was made the Union candidate for governor. With patriotic zeal he declared, The Constitution and the Union' is my only platform," and made but one speech, which was the best of his life. He was elected by more than 2000 majority.

Almost the first act of the new governor was to send in a sterling message in reply to the proposition made by South Carolina in 1860 for a convention of slaveholding States, with a view to secession. Houston's every effort and sentiment were for the preservation of the Union; and his conduct as governor, in standing almost alone against the tide of secession, was not less glorious than when, a quarter of a century before, he had led his little army against the forces of Santa Anna at San Jacinto. He made a speech at Galveston, in which, with prophetic power, he warned the people of the disastrous consequences of secession. While he was speaking, one horse of a team standing near became restive, and attempted to kick out of the harness. Houston paused in his speech: "He is trying a little practical secession," he remarked, to the amusement of his audience. The horse finally choked himself down, and the teamster began beating him. "You see how it works," said Houston. After his beating, the horse was got upon his feet, and the teamster fastened the broken harness. “See in what a fix he is brought back into the Union!" said the ready orator, amid applause and laughter.

But all would not do. The secession sentiment was too strong for even Houston to combat. A popular vote was taken, and the State voted out of the Union. The State officials were required to take an oath of allegiance to the Confederate government. This Houston peremptorily refused to do, and was accordingly deposed, being succeeded by the lieutenant-governor. He retired to his prairie home, saying, with pathetic dignity, "It is perhaps meet that my career should close thus. I have seen the statesmen and patriots of my youth. gathered to their fathers, and the government which they had reared rent in twain, and none like them are now left to re-unite it again. I stand almost the last of a race who learned from them the lessons of human freedom."

On the 26th of July, 1863, three weeks after the fall of Vicksburg, Houston died. "During the forenoon," writes his daughter, "we heard his voice in a tone of entreaty, and listening to the feeble sound, we caught the words, 'Texas! 'Texas!' Soon afterward, my mother was sitting by the bedside with his hand in hers, and his lips moved once again; Margaret!' he said; and the voice we loved was silent forever."