Home of the Brave (32 page)

“Why? Did he tell you we
knew each other?”

“You didn’t answer
me.”

“Nobody I knew at West Point
was named James Fannin.”

Houston cackled at him. “He
told me he used the name James Fannin Walker back then and that he
dropped out because of poor grades and too many
demerits.”

“Why did you ask me if you
already knew?”

“I just wanted to see if I
could get you to tell me the gossip or a lie.”

Yank drew his pistol and
fired a shot toward the trees.

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph,”
Houston said, checking his startled horse. “What the hell was that
for?”

“I’m tired of watching those
Cherokees and I figured the shot would make them do
something.”

Houston craned his neck. “I
think they’re just takin’ it easy.”

“I think they’re just
waiting for somebody that’s easy to come along here.”

“I guess we could go talk to
‘em if it would make you feel better.”

“Shooting them might make me
feel better. Talking would make me feel worse.”

“How come you hate Indians
so much, Yank?”

“I don’t hate Indians in
general, Sam, just Indians that murder and kill my countrymen and
shoot me in the leg.”

“Might be best if we don’t
discuss that.”

“You brought it
up.”

“Not me.”

Yank turned in his saddle
and shaded his eyes. “Rider coming.”

Houston looked back. “He’s
killin’ that pony.”

“I see that. What will you
bet that it isn’t thunder we’re hearing?”

“No bet. I think that’s Deaf
Smith.”

March 1, 1836

Goliad, Texas

“If you’re here to ask me
why I’m not at the Alamo, ask gently,” James Fannin said angrily as
Yank dismounted. “We marched on February 26
^th
but we couldn’t find boats
to get our artillery across the San Antonio River and I had to come
back. Boats are Houston’s job, not mine.”

“I’m in no mood for your
temper tantrums, Jim,” Yank replied. “General Jose Urrea, with
maybe a thousand troops, attacked San Patricio a few days ago. He
must have marched up the coast while Santa Anna came straight up
across the Rio Grande.”

“Frank Johnson’s at San
Patricio with fifty men,” Fannin said.

“Not any more. Johnson and
four of his men escaped. They’re all wounded. The rest are dead or
captured.”

“Lord. That means there’s
nothing between us and Urrea except James Grant.”

“Grant’s dead too. This
morning I came upon a wounded man who said he was with Grant and
that everybody else was dead. I gave him my water and a blanket.
I’d bet he’s dead by now.”

Fannin rubbed his beard.
“Were you just with Houston?”

“Yes.”

“Where is he?”

“He should be at Gonzales
about now.”

“What did he say? Am I to
march to reinforce the Alamo or stay here to meet
Urrea?”

“Neither. You’re to move
back to Victoria.”

“What?”

“How many able-bodied men in
your command, Jim?”

“Three fifty, more or
less.”

“Urrea has three men to your
one and there’s nobody left to help you.”

“We can stand here,
Yank.”

“You’re ordered to
Victoria.”

“By you or by
Houston?”

Yank didn’t
answer.

“Houston doesn’t even know
about Urrea, does he?”

“He probably does by now,
but he didn’t when I left him.”

“You can’t give me orders,
Yank. You have no authority here in Texas.”

“You’re right. But I do have
a lifetime of experience, Jim.”

“I’ll consider your
advice.”

“Very well.” Yank grimaced
as he remounted.

“Where the hell are you
going?”

“To find Houston and get him
to issue you a retreat order, Jim.”

“Listen, Yank, I appreciate
your concern, but I know what I’m doing.”

“My only concern, Jim, is
that you don’t know what you’re doing and you’re about to waste the
lives of three hundred and fifty men that Texas desperately needs.
I’ll be back as soon as I can, and I hope I find you
gone.”

March 6, 1836

Washington-on-the-Brazos,
Texas

The Texas Constitutional
Convention convened on March 1
^st
and was attended by
forty-one delegates. Richard Ellis, the Delegate from Red River,
was elected President of the Convention.

On March
2
^nd
,
the
Texas Declaration of
Independence
, officially establishing
the
Republic of Texas
, was adopted unanimously with no debate. Based primarily on
the writings of John Locke and Thomas Jefferson, the declaration
proclaimed that the Mexican government had “ceased to protect the
lives, liberty, and property of the people, from whom its
legitimate powers are derived.”

Further grievances were
enumerated such as that the Mexican government had promised the
settlers constitutional liberty and a republican government. But
freedom of religion, the right to keep and bear arms and the right
to trial by jury were being denied by a centralist military
dictatorship, under Antonio López de Santa Anna.

Debate over the drafting
of the
Texas Constitution
was suddenly and unexpectedly halted when Ellis
banged his gavel. “Order please for an important announcement from
our secretary. The chair recognizes Herbert Simms
Kimble.”

Kimble stood and cleared
his throat. “We have just received a letter dated March
3
^rd
from Colonel William B. Travis who is, as you all probably
know, now in command of the Alamo. Colonel Travis says that they
are besieged by an overwhelming force under the command of Santa
Anna and he begs us for supplies and reinforcements stating that he
cannot offer any assurance that the Alamo will not fall very
soon.”

“Mr. President,” Robert
Potter shouted over the growing buzz of alarm. “I move that we
adjourn this Convention so the Delegates may march immediately to
reinforce the Alamo.”

The room erupted in
pandemonium that no amount of gavel banging or shouts for order by
Kimble could quell.

Finally, by climbing on a
table and drawing his pistol as if he would fire in the air,
Houston got some attention. “Listen to me,” he shouted. “Please.
Listen to me.” The room quieted a bit more. “We all knew that the
Alamo was under attack and for all we know now, it may have already
fallen.” He raised his pistol again and the shouts stopped. “There
is nothing more important to Texas at this moment than your
agreement on a constitution. Nothing. While you continue debate
here, I will ride, at best possible speed, to Gonzales where
Colonel Neill and Major Williamson have been gathering
volunteers.”

“I’ll go with him,” Yank
said to Thomas. “You stay here.”

“Somebody needs to get real
information from the Alamo,” Thomas replied.

“I’ll send Deaf Smith,”
Houston said. “If anybody can get in and back out of San Antonio de
Béxar, it’s him.”

“Who?” Thomas
asked.

“He’s a guide, a scout and a
spy,” Yank replied.

“I could have guessed that,
Dad,” Thomas said in a sharp tone. “I want to know if I need to
send my own scout.”

“Tell my bonehead son more
about Deaf Smith please, Sam,” Yank grumbled.

Thomas started to argue but
instead turned his attention to Houston.

“Erastus Smith, know as Deaf
Smith because of his poor hearing,” Houston supplied, mirroring
Yank’s irritation. “He’s been here forever; he’s married to
Guadalupe Ruiz Duran, a widow with three children. He’s well
accepted in both Texian and Tejano societies and he knows Texas
terrain. But send your own scout if you want to, Tom.” He shook his
head. “Everybody’s a God damned general, in Texas.”

March 13, 1836

Gonzales, Texas

“Deef Smith just come in the
gate, General Houston,” the aide announced. “He’s got a woman, a
baby and a Negro slave with him.”

Houston returned his salute.
“Tell Smith to report to me, have the others seen to, and then find
General Van Buskirk and ask him if I might have the pleasure of his
company.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yank arrived two minutes
later, just ahead of Smith.

Like most of the army of
Texas, Deaf Smith wore no identifiable uniform. “The woman’s name
is Susannah Dickinson, sir.” He saluted and waited for Houston to
answer it. “Santa Anna gave her a message for you.” He fumbled in
his pocket for the message.

Houston took the page from
Smith. “It’s dated seven March, 1836. It says:
‘From the General-in-Chief of the Army of Operations of the
Mexican Republic, to the inhabitants of Texas. Citizens: The causes
which have conducted to this frontier a part of the Mexican Army
are not unknown to you, a parcel of audacious adventurers,
maliciously protected by some inhabitants of a neighboring republic
dared to invade our territory, with the intention of dividing
amongst themselves the fertile lands that are contained in the
spacious Department of Texas…’
What a load
of horseshit.” Houston tossed the document across his desk toward
Yank. “If you’re interested, read the rest.”

“I’m not interested.” Yank
looked at Smith. “What’s the news from the Alamo?” he asked loudly
enough for Smith to hear him.

“That’s it, General.” Smith
pointed at the letter. “There ain’t no more news.”

“Did you talk to Travis?”
Houston asked.

“He’s dead, sir,” Smith
replied. “They’re all dead. Santa Anna’s done killed every livin’
soul except Mrs. Dickinson, her child and a slave of Colonel Travis
by the name of Joe. I brung ‘em, all three, back with
me.”

“All?” Houston gasped,
finally understanding the full implications of what Smith had been
saying.

“Santa Anna was wavin’ the
blood-banner, General. No quarter. Now, he says, he’s gonna butcher
us all.”

“Where is he
now?”

“Don’t know, sir. But he’s
usin’ his flyin’ columns so he might be right on my
heels.”

Houston looked at Yank.
“What do you think?”

Yank shrugged. “You can’t
defeat him with a handful of raw volunteers, Sam.”

“I know, but…”

“Your only viable choice is
t burn Gonzales and retreat back toward Louisiana. Leav Santa Anna
nothing but scorched earth. Train your men on the
march.”

“These men volunteered to
fight, not retreat, Yank. If I try that I’ll soon have open
rebellion on my hands.”

“Retreating and keeping the
army together is going to take a great leader, Sam. I think you’re
the one that can do it. Otherwise, Texas is lost.”

“Okay,” Houston said with
resolve. “We’ll need to link up with Fannin at
Victoria.”

“Beggin’ yer pardon, sir,”
Smith said. “Colonel Fannin ain’t at Victoria.”

“He must be; he left Goliad
the day before yesterday,” Houston replied.

“The Mexicans are in
Victoria, sir.”

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty near,” Smith
replied.

“I’ll go,” Yank
said.

March 27, 1836

The lower Colorado River,
Texas

Leaving Gonzales in flames
on March 13
^th
, Houston began his retreat
toward the Sabine River where American General Pendleton Gaines had
assembled an army to protect Louisiana in case Santa Anna intended
to invade the United States. As Houston marched, he drilled the
volunteers and they complained.

With Santa Anna on his
heels, Houston reached the lower Colorado River and found it
swollen by the spring rains. Camping on the west bank, he arrayed
his green troops in a defensive formation then sent details in both
directions to gather any boats they could find.

On the
27
^th
,
with the last of his troops and supplies across, he ordered the
boats to be burned.

“Wait,” Houston shouted.
“Don’t burn that boat.”

The men with torches backed
away.

Houston pointed across the
river. “That’s General Van Buskirk. You men go get him.”

“We done burned all the
barges, sir. There ain’t no way to get his horse
across.”

Houston was about to answer
when Yank walked his horse into the water and slipped off the
saddle. “That stupid bastard,” he grumbled.

Yank and the horse were
being swept downstream but at the same time, they were making
progress across the river. “Burn that last boat and move out.”
Houston swung onto his horse and cantered downstream, matching
Yank’s pace in the current until he reached a bend in the river
where both horse and rider made landfall. “I was gonna send a boat
for you.”