Wednesday, December 8, 2021

The Murder of the Spanish Royalists

After the Republican Army of the North took San Antonio in April, 1813, fourteen royalist officers, including Governors Manuel Salcedo and Simon Herrera, were tried. Found guilty, they were sentenced by the court to death, but after vociferous complaints by the Anglo-American contingent of the army, the sentences were commuted to banishment. 

Nonetheless, in the early morning hours of April 4, the officers were marched out under heavy guard to the site of the recent Battle of Rosillo and executed. I take up the story with the account of Carlos Beltran, the Mexicanized American:


Beltrán, the American who had lived so long amongst the Mexicans, had been chilled by his fellow Bexareños’ stony silence upon hearing of the captives’ reprieve. On the evening of April 3, he left the city to go visit a friend and relative of his adoptive Tejano family, José Sánchez, just outside of town. The latter, who had been among the Tejano troops at Rosillo, was severely wounded in the battle. Beltrán and another friend, Pablo Rodríguez, spent the evening nursing their injured comrade. They returned just before dawn and were surprised to see a large body of Mexican cavalry waiting outside the Alamo. Out of curiosity, the two young men walked up to them and saw the prisoners being placed on horses for their journey. To their surprise, the men were bound securely with ropes to their horses. Ominously, the commander of the guard was the same Antonio Delgado who had threatened the royalists before.[1]

I knew Captain Delgado quite well – we had always been on the most friendly terms – and, observing me closely watching his movements, he brusquely asked what I was doing there, and who had sent me to spy on his actions. I answered by saying that I was there on my own volition and that considering the high station held by these prisoners, I thought it a shameful humiliation to their dignity and manhood to tie them on their horses when there was absolutely no occasion for such brutal treatment, and that I would immediately report the matter to Colonel Kemper. This seemed to nettle the captain, and he ordered us away.[2]

Beltrán and Sánchez rushed over the river and entered the town, where they tracked down Kemper and Ross. The American commanders were appalled at what they heard. They had known of the transport – indeed, Kemper had even signed a letter authorizing it. But they had expected humane treatment and certainly would not have agreed to the troop being led by Delgado. Upon discovery that Delgado’s party had already departed, Kemper and Ross “went straightway to the quarters of Gutiérrez and demanded the return of the prisoners without delay,” Beltrán wrote. “They told Gutiérrez that they had pledged their honor, as American soldiers, for the safety of those men...” Gutiérrez insisted that the Spaniards were safe, that Delgado was a reliable and honorable soldier, and if anything happened to the prisoners, Gutiérrez would have Delgado shot immediately upon his return.[3]

Delgado and his prisoners, with an escort of 100 men on foot, had left in the early morning hours of April 4, leading a group of 14 royalists, including nine native-born Spaniards and five Creoles. It had been four and a half years since Manuel Salcedo had trekked across the United States, dined with Natchitoches Indian Agent John Sibley, then entered Texas on the heels of the French revolutionary general Octaviano D’Alvimar. He had sought in that time to do his job dutiful to his king and country. His enemies, of course would counter with charges of cruelty. Nonetheless, he had weathered storm after storm with few resources, while enduring the many slights and petty tyrannies of his uncle. During the Casas revolt, he had pathetically attempted to demote himself to ordinary soldier rather than go into captivity. Then, there was imprisonment, liberation and the masterminding of the victory at the Wells of Bajan, where he no doubt felt he had helped save the empire he loved so much. Now, it seemed, this was the end.[4]

Simón de Herrera y Leyva was older than Salcedo by 20 years. He had been the governor of Nuevo León, fought bravely for his country in an expedition against the Portuguese in South America, helped besiege Gibraltar, then fought alongside Bernardo de Gálvez in the Spanish army in 1782-83. He even led a highly successful attack against a force of Apaches and Comanches. He had faced off with General Wilkinson in what had almost been an American-Spanish war in 1806, before the two had negotiated the Neutral Ground Agreement, preventing conflict, but ultimately fueling the insurgency that had now brought him to the very brink. Herrera’s fate was the most tragic. With his good command of English and friendly disposition, he had won over the sympathy first of Dr. Robinson, then Augustus Magee, and finally Samuel Kemper. There are hints that Herrera may have been a closet supporter of the revolution. If he had switched to the rebel cause, he could have brought much of his own state of Nuevo León into the rebel fold. But it was not to be.[5]

Riding alongside Herrera that day was his younger brother, Geronimo Herrera and six fellow Spaniards. Three native-born, but loyal, Mexicans accompanied them: Captain Miguel Arcos, who had been the judge who condemned Gutiérrez’s messengers Bergara and Grande, along with his two sons. A civilian from San Antonio who had assisted in the arrest of Colonel Delgado was also with them. Now this party was led by Colonel Delgado’s father Antonio, and they were not going to La Bahia or Matagorda, and certainly not to Cuba. It is doubtful that the ship Gutiérrez had conjured up in his speech in the plaza in San Antonio had ever existed.[6]

A few miles out of San Antonio, and not far from the Rosillo battlefield, was a place called La Tablita. It lay near where the Salado creek flowed into the San Antonio River, and here the party halted. The prisoners were untied from their horses and made to dismount. Their guards then proceeded to tie them to trees. The royalists, knowing what was about to happen, begged their captors to at least delay the execution until a priest could be brought down from the city to give them last rites, but this was refused. “You sent my father into eternity, denying him the consolation of religion in his last extremity,” Delgado allegedly sneered to Salcedo’s face. One of the governors, probably Salcedo, was the third man to be tied up, and in Beltran’s account called to one of the republicans, a Lieutenant Santos. He handed him his watch and his ring and asked that they be given to Dr. Orramel Johnston – the Anglo-American doctor and brother of their would-be lawyer – to be delivered on to his family.[7]

The rebels stripped the men of their clothing then finished tying their victims. Lieutenant Col. Herrera, according to Beltrán, “warned Delgado of the day of signal retribution and defied him to do his worst.” Another account says of him, “It is said Herrera prayed earnestly to be that shot instead of being butchered like a dog.” A third account says it was Salcedo who made the request. The sources differ on whether the request was granted, but given the level of brutality, one suspects it was not. According to one witness, the governor’s tongue was cut out, ending these requests. José Antonio Navarro, who was not a witness, but reported the event second-hand, said Delgado’s men had no swords, only the dull knives they kept on their belts for camp use. “With inhuman irony, some of the assassins sharpened their knives on the soles of their shoes in the presence of their defenseless victims.” They hurled insults upon the prisoners, then cut their throats. When this was done, Delgado’s men left them tied to the trees, where they drowned in their own frothing blood. After they expired, the bodies were taken down and tossed into the creek.[8]


There were 14 royalists executed. The actual list of names varies from source to source, but the names listed as in the presumably accurate burial records were: Manuel Salcedo, Simon Herrera, Geronimo Herrera, José Goseachocea, Juan Ignacio Arrambide, Lieutenant Juan Caso, José Amador, Francisco Pereira, Joaquín Ugarte, Antonio López, José Mateos, Captain Miguel Arcos, along with his two sons, Francisco and Luis.



[1] Navarro said Delgado’s escort was 60 men. Hunter, “San Antonio’s First Great Tragedy,” 47. Anonymous [Navarro] account in Gulick, 4(2):7.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Hunter, “San Antonio’s First Great Tragedy,” 47. Baker, 228-9. “Deposition of Guillermo Navarro,” April 8, 1813, in I. Wayne Cox, 21.

[4] Salcedo’s wife and daughter appear to have remained in New Orleans. It is possible they never even entered Texas. Samuel Davenport, who visited the town periodically on business, kept Salcedo informed about his family’s situation. Presumably, Gen. Herrera’s family was still in Mexico. La Vere, 114.

[5] Harris Gaylord Warren and Jack D. L. Homes, “Herrera, Simon de,” HOTO, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fhe33 accessed May 12, 2018.

[6] There were 14 royalists executed. The actual list of names varies from source to source, but the names listed as in the presumably accurate burial records were: Salcedo, Herrera, Geronimo Herrera, José Goseachocea, Juan Ignacio Arrambide, Lieutenant Juan Caso, José Amador, Francisco Pereira, Joaquín Ugarte, Antonio López, José Mateos, Captain Miguel Arcos, along with his two sons, Francisco and Luis. Along with the governors, five of these had been among the royalists initially sent to Mexico by Casas two years before.

Of five sources reporting the names, the closest, with 12 of 14 names correct (and each with one additional incorrect name), are Carlos Beltrán and José Antonio Navarro. The fact that Beltrán is so accurate, and includes a name that Navarro does not, is alongside other verifiable facts in his account, definitive proof that his narrative is at least partially authentic. The other accounts are Spanish soldier Guillermo Navarro (discussed later in this chapter), Antonio Menchaca, and an unknown republican soldier writing an account reported by John Sibley. Burial records from San Fernando Church Burial Book 3, 1802-1817, Archives of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas. This is reprinted in Waynne, 27-34, available at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/ita/vol1990/iss1/1. Hunter, “San Antonio’s First Great Tragedy,” 47. Anonymous [Navarro] account in Gulick, 4(2):8. “Deposition of Guillermo Navarro,” April 8, 1813, in I. Wayne Cox, 21. Sibley to Secretary of War, May 7, 1813, in Garrett, “Dr. John Sibley,” 49, no. 3 (Jan., 1946), 425. Chabot, Texas in 1811, 82.

[7] In Beltrán’s account, the prisoner who hands over his possessions is identified as Governor Antonio Cordero, but this is impossible, since Cordero was not in Texas and indeed lived until the 1820s. Beltrán was likely confused; elsewhere in the account, he admits that he’s not sure of all the details because of the lapse of the decades between the event and the recording of it. Orramel Johnston’s connection to the prisoners is unknown, though his brother was their legal counsel. It is possible Orramel, a doctor, attended the prisoners. Hunter, “San Antonio’s First Great Tragedy,” 48. “Deposition of Guillermo Navarro,” April 8, 1813, in I. Wayne Cox, 21.

[8] Mexican Historian Lúcas Alaman placed the blame for the murder on Captain Pedro Prado as the commander of the execution squad, though American sources all identify Delgado as the commander of the executioners and Prado as merely a deputy. Delgado, based on other references, would have been senior. Alaman, 484.

Hall and Beltrán both mention the one man who begged to be shot, as does Natchitoches Indian Factor Thomas Linnard. Beltrán identifies this man as Salcedo, Linnard as Herrera. Schwartz, 31. Hunter, “San Antonio’s First Great Tragedy,” 48. Linnard to Mason, May 7, 1813, Letterbook of the Natchitoches Sulphur Fork Factory, National Archives, T1029. McDonald, 26. Anonymous [Navarro] account in Gulick, 4(2):7.


Saturday, December 4, 2021

The Case of John Smith T

When I decided to write my book, The Lost War for Texas, I wanted to explore the shadowy origins of the Gutierrez-Magee Expedition. Most historians believed that the expedition was secretly organized by the Madison Administration through its special agent, William Shaler. However, my early research caused me to doubt this. Among the few historians who rejected this idea was J.C.A. Stagg, the editor of the Madison Papers. Certainly, I thought, if there was any documentary evidence, he would know it best. Further reading into the Shaler papers myself, I found no evidence for this theory and strong evidence against it. The William C.C. Claiborne Papers, furthermore, were practically awash with rumors and reports and secret correspondence that pointed to individuals related to the Aaron Burr Conspiracy as being active in promoting a filibuster. 

Letter from John Smith T. to Father Huerta

Subsequent research proved this to be true, but how exactly the Burr diaspora did this remains obscure. But as I was conducting research into this period for my book, I came across a secondary reference to a rather shocking letter from April 1811, in which an American promises to aid the Mexican Rebel cause. I was on the hunt for the originators of the filibuster, and here, it seemed, was the potential smoking gun. The letter was in Spanish, so I had it professionally translated. Here it is, in its entirety:


Natchitoches, April 29 [24?], 1811

Venerable Sir: [stricken] A few days ago I had taken the liberty of writing to you about some explanations regarding the project of insurrection. Up to now I have not received a reply, and the interests of all of the enemies of liberty and equal rights of all humankind believe that that is for the best; and for this reason I will reiterate [the explanations] to you in a second [letter], regarding this project. Born as I was in a free country, and having at an early time in my life learned the very good sentiments of liberty and independence, I feel interest for the good of my compatriots, neighbors, and brothers, who have come asking for relief and assistance. To help them, I am willing to provide this assistance in defense of their rights, liberty, and independence, and to throw off the yoke of slavery and oppression of their sovereign. Now is the time for you [stricken] to embrace thousands my offer. I will lead thousands of men in an uprising and place them around your banners, and help you to defend the cause that so justly you have begun to defend. The gods wish to protect you until victory is won, [but] you must with the utmost promptness abandon your King, who is undignified to rule you[r people], because he has surrendered his sovereignty to the tyrant Napoleon, having caused the spilling of so much blood in the heart of his Kingdom. No. No, it is not possible[!]  ^ Your conscience and the laws of nature demand justice. Honorable sir, since you are seen by the inhabitants of this country as a father and protector of the people; they will follow your protection and good counsel. Tell your children, then, these truths: that all men are born equal by divine and human law, since among us is life, liberty, and glory.

            When a government comes to oppress its subjects, they have the right to abolish it and establish, of their own free will, Laws that are in favor of humankind. Show the world in not allowing yourself to contribute to the oppression of the tyrants, let ^ and encourage [the people] to procure their liberty and independence with their lives, estates, and all they esteem. These sentiments spread spontaneously, spontaneously from the heart, born of [illegible] of those born of the heart that wants to rise up, and of your hearts too. I am confident that you will do me justice by believing in this offer that I make to you in defense of the just cause that you defend; I am a friend of truth and of the rights of men. If you so desire, you will count on me regarding this project, and you will inform me, as you would any other person (that you may wish to) about how things are in the Kingdom, since here there are a considerable number of men ready to march to your aid and defense; and if it were necessary to send more, more would come with the utmost brevity to unite with us. To the Reverend Father Huerta.   A certain Smith.

It is a copy.

This letter was pure dynamite. There was just one problem. The only name on the letter was "A certain Smith" ("Un tal Esmit" in the original Spanish). And yet, in the pages of Carlos Castañeda’s excellent work, "Our Catholic Heritage in Texas," the eminent historian miraculously pulls a full name "John F. Smith" out of a hat. Who was John F. Smith? He certainly appeared in no census records, or any others for frontier Louisiana, though it was certainly plausible he was there under the radar. Did Castañeda have access to another source? Sadly, his footnotes gave no clue to how he came up with the identification.


I had put aside the topic and then proceded to other issues. Eventually, I began looking deeper into the three Missouri traders who venture to Santa Fe, who seemed to be involved in the expedition or possibly in a separate parallel one. One of these was a Reuben Smith, and in researching his background, I came across his extraordinary brother, John Smith T. 

John Smith T.


Smith T - whose extra post-name initial stands for "Tennessee" - was a mining baron operating in Missouri in the early 1800s, where he was a bitter rival of Moses Austin, father of future Texas empresario Stephen F. Austin. Smith T. was a refined man - his portrait looks downright prissy. And yet, he was brutal, dirty, and had killed 15 men in duels. But most importantly, he had fingers deeply stained with the suspicion of involvement in filibusters. He was certainly an interesting character, and as I learned more about him, I thought, he would be an excellent candidate for my mysterioius "Certain Smith." The Castañeda "John Smith" was certainly an interesting coincidence, though the F. seemed very definitive and so was the fact that he was from Natchitoches, which was completely wrong for my Smith T., who lived in Missouri. That being said, the letter was written from Natchitoches, and it certainly seemed plausible that he had only been visiting.

Eventually, I stumbled upon a biography of Smith T which examined his brother Reuben's capture, and suggested that Smith T. had secretly made his way into Mexico to try to liberate him. This part of the story seems fanciful, but it seemed more likely an exaggeration rather than something made up out of whole cloth. Had he made his way to Nacogdoches and met with Father Huerta? He certainly would have gone as far as Natchitoches, where he could have written the letter to be smuggled in to the Mexican revolutionary priest.

But this was speculation, and there was no proof of a tie. So there I left the mystery for a whole two years while moving the book towards completion. Then, I came across the Hernandez y Davalos files in the Benson Latin American collection, which included a small number of original documents from the post-Battle of Medina period, when Mexican exiles and Americans tried to restart the failed filibuster. And there, I found it. It was the document that Castañeda must have used. In a list of "foreign officers" serving under Jose Alvarez de Toledo in 1815 was a curious name: Juan Sansitte. At first it baffled me. All the other names in the list I knew: they were verifiable members of the Republican Army of the North: Samuel Kemper, Henry Perry, Reuben Ross, etc. But here was an unknown Juan Sansitte, listed as a Colonel, no less, no small rank. Only when I came back to it on the third or fourth time did I see what had been right under my nose, was an initial after his name:





It actually said, "Juan Sansitte F."  Certainly, this "Sansitte" was Smith, and the "F" was the origin of Castaneda's "John F. Smith." And yet, it was at the end of his name, not the middle. And was it really an F? In cursive, it's hard to tell. Castaneda thought so, but all one had to do was look at the rest of the document, and there, three names below him, was "Josiali Taylor" - Josiah Taylor - proving the "F" was actually a T. In fact, looking at the signature proves how Toledo formed his "f" and his "t" in cursive, for it has both letters in it:


Thus, I was able to solve a mystery. Ultimately, I did not prove that Smith T. was the person who launched the Gutierrez-Magee Expedition of 1812: the sources do not prove this. But he did launch its predecessor, an attempted filibuster under Gutierrez's subordinate Jose Menchaca in 1811. He was also connected to the attempts to lauch a filibuster in 1815, thus making him a bookend of the whole period. He certainly was an extraordinary individual who would have been mentioned in any of the accounts of the Gutierrez-Magee Expedition in some way or form, so the evidence points to him either remaining apart from the expedition (perhaps due to some disagreement with other persons, like John Adair who were facilitating it), or he turned his attention away from Texas after Menchaca's failed filibuster and then re-engaged later on. Nonetheless, I was able to tie this fascinating frontier character to the filibuster period, with a little sleuthing.




Sunday, November 28, 2021

List of Foreign Volunteers in the Republican Army of the North

 

Compiled from various sources, including expedition accounts, Spanish sources, newspapers, genealogical works, archival records. This list represents at most one quarter of all participants, likely less.

 

1.             Samuel Alden – Shoe salesman who traveled with Toledo to Texas. Believed to have died at Medina

2.             Benjamin Allen – Killed at the Battle of Medina

3.             David Allen – Killed at the Battle of Medina

4.             Hiram Allen – Killed at the Battle of Medina

5.             Martin Allen – Was on a recruiting trip to Natchitoches when Battle of Medina occurred. Father Benjamin Allen, Brother Hiram Allen and nephew David Allen all killed. Old 300 settler

6.             William Richmond Anderson – In Sexton list of Republican Army Veterans seeking Mexican Pensions.

7.             Robert Armstrong – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. Had been on the Arkansas Frontier as a horse smuggler in 1811.

8.             John Ash – Fought at La Bahia and Rosillo, but left with Reuben Ross when he abandoned his command in June 1813.

9.             J. John Baker – In Sexton list

10.          J. Littleton Bailey – In Sexton list

11.          Samuel Barber – Was at La Bahia, but left somewhat later. Migrated to Texas in 1829. Died in 1864.

12.          Stephen Barker – Later served on James Long’s “Supreme Council.”

13.          Carlos (Charles) Beltran – Name is an invention. Real identity unknown. Claimed he was Burr recruit who settled in Texas in 1807. Imprisoned at the Alamo, fought at Battle of Alazan and Medina. Settled in Chihuahua in later years. His account was preserved by the American consul there and published in the 1940s.

14.          Horatio Biglow – Also spelled Bigelow. Printer from Boston who assisted in producing the Gaceta de Tejas in 1813. Served on Long’s “Supreme Council” and published Nacogdoches Texas Republican.

15.          Moses Bonner – In Sexton list

16.          Matthew Bonnette – Possibly French from Natchitoches.

17.          Peter Boone – At 12 years old, he was the youngest member of the Republican Army. A son of Daniel Boone, an American gunsmith in the Spanish service. Captured by the Spanish, he was imprisoned in Monterrey and released on October 14, 1813, King Ferdinand VII’s birthday. Married a Mexican woman and died in 1827. His widow married fellow Republican Army veteran and Spanish prisoner, John Villars.

18.          Benjamin Bradley – In Sexton list

19.          Charles Brandenburg – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader.

20.          James Brown – In Sexton list

21.          William Brown – In Sexton list

22.          Aylett(e) C. Buckner – Known as “Strap” for his physical prowess. Probably fought in all battles in 1813. Returned to Texas and was part of Stephen F. Austin’s “Old 300” settlers.

23.          James Busseuil – In Sexton list. French. Probably the James Bushel listed in the Battle of New Orleans records.

24.          Henry Adams Bullard – Born in 1788 in Massachusetts. See Chap. 2 for full biography. Was aid of Toledo and the Secretary of State of Texas. Engineered Gutiérrez’ ouster. Settled in Louisiana and became successful lawyer, Supreme Court Justice and U.S. Congressman.

25.          William Bullock/Bullett – Possibly a lawyer and Judge in Louisiana or Mississippi after the war. It is possible the “Judge Bullock” or “Judge Bullet” is a conflation with Henry Adams Bullard, who was also a judge.

26.          John G. Burnett – Also spelled Burnet. Served on Long’s “Supreme Council.” Despite the name similarities, there is no indication he is related to future Republic of Texas interim President David G. Burnet.

27.          Joseph Burton – In Sexton list.

28.          Richard Cage – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. His brothers mounted a campaign to have him freed, including letters to Andrew Jackson, in which they claimed he was a trader not at arms. He was from St. Francisville, home of Samuel Kemper.

29.          Bernard Caillavet – – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From New Orleans.

30.          Evariste Calvettes – A Frenchman. Listed as Caliavette in some accounts. Possibly related to Bernard.

31.          John M. Cannon – In Sexton list.

32.          Joseph Carr – A man of property from Mississippi. Mentioned as missing after the Battle of Medina but survived. He submitted a land claim to the Republic of Texas, which is on file in the Texas State Archives. There is no evidence he is related to Judge John C. Carr.

33.          ? Caston – A man from Mississippi probably killed at the Battle of Medina.

34.          Andrew Chase  – No further information.

35.          Michael Chesneu – Possible conflation with Chesneau Tontin, below.

36.          Joshua Child(s) – In Sexton list. Served on Long’s “Supreme Council.”

37.          Albert Cole – No further information.

38.          ? Colonie – A Frenchman traveling with Toledo mentioned by Bullard. It is unclear if he continued on to Texas.

39.          Hamlin Cook – No further information.

40.          Godwin Brown Cotton – A Toledo recruit, helped publish the Gaceta de Tejas. Published the Louisiana Gazette in New Orleans. Settled in Austin’s colony, was the next-door neighbor of William Barret Travis and published the Texas Gazette in San Filipe after 1829.

41.          Charles Craig – In Sexton list. Was a hatter in Catahoula Parish after the war. Was close to Jim and Rezin Bowie.

42.          William Craig – In Sexton list.

43.          William Custard – In Sexton list.

44.          James A. Daniel – In Sexton list.

45.          Samuel Davenport – Spanish Indian trader and one of the wealthiest citizens of Texas before 1812. After joining the rebels, became the Republican Army quartermaster. Left the army at La Bahia and resettled in Natchitoches after the war.

46.          ? Deane – Was living in Mississippi about 1841 and named as a participant in the Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition by Henry Stuart Foote in Texas and the Texans.

47.          Henry Derbonne – Frenchman. Possibly Derbaune, Derbaunne or Derbane.

48.          Bernardo Despallier – French Creole settled in Texas in 1806, expelled in 1809-10. Was key early aid to Gutiérrez. Left after Battle of La Bahia and settled in Rapides, Louisiana. Father of Alamo defenders Carlos Despallier and Blaz Philippe Despallier. Father-in-law was Luis Grande, a republican messenger killed by the Spanish.

49.          George M. Dick – Mentioned in Toledo’s list of Republican Army Officers as a lieutenant. Killed at the Battle of Medina.

50.          Peter Dillon – No further information.

51.          Pierre Dolet – A Frenchman living in Nacogdoches region prior to 1809, when most foreigners were expelled.

52.          Bernardo D'Ortolant – Also D’Ortolan. Long-time resident of Nacogdoches. Was the Frenchman who spoke with Gen. Octaviano D’Alvimar after his detention in Nacogdoches in 1809.

53.          Robert M. Doughty – In Sexton list.

54.          Anthony Dubois – A Frenchman living in Nacogdoches region prior to 1809, when most foreigners were expelled.

55.          William Dukes – In Sexton list.

56.          Andrew Dumar – In Sexton list.

57.          ? Eoses – Mentioned in the Gaceta de Tejas.

58.          William Evans – In Sexton list.

59.          John Ewing – In Sexton list.

60.          William Ferguson – In Sexton list.

61.          John Ferguson – In Sexton list.

62.          Thomas Fetty Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

63.          William Fisher – The Adjutant General of the Republican Army.

64.          Bart Fleming – From Louisiana. Sent a letter on June 7, 1813 describing the Battle of Rosillo.

65.          Dr. Samuel D. Forsyth – Former U.S. Army Surgeon’s Mate. Served at La Bahia and conspicuous in valor at the Battle of Rosillo. Escorted Gutiérrez out of Texas after he had been removed from command. Continued revolutionary activity as an aid to Simón Bolivar in Venezuela. Died in 1841.

66.          Isaac Foster – Survived the Battle of Medina and gave an affidavit in 1815 stating that Peter Sides was killed in the battle. Was living in East Baton Rouge Parish at the time.

67.          David Foster – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. Possible relative of Isaac.

68.          William Francis – According to the Lamar papers was a reluctant member of the expedition, as he joined to avoid arrest. However, Claiborne’s letters suggest Francis was caught smuggling arms to the expedition, was paroled after feigning ignorance and then escaped to join the republicans.

69.          James Gaines – Returned to Texas; signed the 1836 Texas Declaration of Independence. See Gaines, James Taylor, Handbook of Texas.

70.          Alexander Germeuil – Listed as Germaile in some records, from North Carolina and considered one of the ablest men in the army. Served as aide-de-camp to Gutiérrez, but could not command because he was a Frenchman. Likely the same A. Germeuil who served alongside other Texas veterans at the Battle of New Orleans.

71.          Henry Gilmore – In Sexton list.

72.          Charles Gormley – Also listed as Gromby. Led the fight around one of the Pickets at La Bahía.  Listed as killed at the Battle of Medina by Toledo but was actually captured by the Spanish and imprisoned. Released on King Ferdinand’s birthday in 1814. He was not identified in these accounts as Charles, but he is likely the Charles Gonevey listed in Toledo’s list of officers.

73.          ? Gormley– Accounts of the battle in Niles Register listed “two Gormleys” as missing.

74.          Alexis Grappe

75.          H. Greg – In Sexton list.

76.          Nathan M. Hale – American who served as the Republican Army of the North’s representative on the Béxar Junta. He signed the letter which initially discouraged Toledo from coming to Texas.

77.          Darlington Hall – Born in 1785 in South Carolina, moved to Tennessee in 1809. Fought in the Battle of Medina, was wounded and died a short time later.

78.          John "Jack" W. Hall – Brother of Warren D.C. Hall. Family came to Louisiana soon after the Louisiana Purchase. Survived the war and returned to Texas in 1822. Established a ferry at the site of Washington-on-the-Brazos, where the 1836 Texas Declaration of Independence was signed. Jack Hall was the Washington County sheriff and County Judge, who raised the local militia and provided supplies for the revolution. Died in 1845.

79.          Warren D.C. Hall – Brother of Jack Hall. Close friend of William Murray. Wrote one of the first-hand accounts of the 1812-13 revolution. Left San Antonio after the murder of the royal officials. Joined the Aury Expedition with Henry Perry in 1815. Settled in Texas in 1828. In 1836, appointed adjutant general of the Provisional Republic of Texas and later served as Secretary of War. Was part of the Somervell Expedition in 1842, which was part of ongoing hostilities between the Republic of Texas and Mexico. Died in 1867. Hall County, Texas is named after him. See Hall, Warren D.C. in Handbook of Texas

80.          William Ham – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader.

81.          Eli Harris – No further information.

82.          Charles A. Hickman – No further information.

83.          William Hickman – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. Possible relative of Charles.

84.          John Holly – In Sexton list.

85.          Stephen Holstein – In Sexton list.

86.          ? Holmes – Served at La Bahia. Led a company of 50 republican soldiers that attacked the Spanish rear during its retreat from La Bahia, capturing the baggage train, according to Hall.

87.          Amos Hubbard – In Sexton list.

88.          Daniel James – In Sexton list.

89.          George James – In Sexton list.

90.          James Johnson – In Sexton list; also among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

91.          Jud Johnson – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, possible relative of James.

92.          Darius Johnston – Brother of Orramel. Was a lawyer from Kentucky. Captured after Medina and imprisoned by the Spanish. Returned with health wrecked. Died in 1819.

93.          Orramel Johnston – Brother of Darius. A doctor from Louisiana. He wrote the letter to President Madison warning him about the filibuster, then joined it anyway. According to Beltran, when the Spanish officers were about to be executed, one asked the rebel executioners to give his watch to Orramel Johnston. Like his brother, captured and health wrecked. He died in 1826.

94.          Frank Johnstone – Probable member, based on an account of the Battle of Medina provided to Republic of Texas official Richard R. Royall in the 1830s. Lamar Papers.

95.          Blake B. Jones – In Sexton list.

96.          David G. Jones – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader.

97.          William Justice – In Sexton list.

98.          Samuel Kemper – From Cincinnati, Ohio. Moved to West Florida with brothers Reuben and Nathaniel, was a leader in the West Florida revolution (noted in Chapter 1). Served as the Republican Army of the North commander from the death of Magee to the surrender of San Antonio. Left on a furlough and missed the Battle of Alazán. Returned from the Battle of Medina. Plagued by ill health, died in late 1814.

99.          James Kenneday/Kennedy – In Sexton list. Took over from Captain Scott, who had fled the army during the fighting at La Bahia. Served at Battle of Alazán, where his detachment was ordered to repel Col. Elizondo’s flanking attack.

100.      John Gladden King – Survived the Battle of Medina, settled in Texas in 1830. Son William Phillip King died at the Alamo

101.      Amalie Lafitte – No further information. There are many Lafittes in Louisiana, and not all are closely related to the famous pirates of that name.

102.      Bernard Lafitte – No further information. Possible relative of Amalie.

103.      Abner Lane – Wounded at the Battle of Medina and hid with Comanches along with Charles Beltrán. Possible he is the same person as A.W. McClain.

104.      Charles Lauranu – In Sexton list.

105.      Louis Lathum – From the Neutral Ground, where his home was burned by Augustus Magee in 1812. He survived and returned there.

106.      David Long – No further information.

107.      James Louard – In Sexton list; also among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader.

108.      Thomas Hussey Luckett, Jr. – Served as the Republican Army artillery officer. Survived the war and submitted a claim on the Republic of Mexico.

109.      ? Lutzer – In Sexton list.

110.      John Lynch – In Sexton list.

111.      Joel Lyon – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader.

112.      Dan MacLean/McClean

113.      ? Madison – Possible participant in some sources. This may be a conflation with the “Madison Brigade.”

114.      Augustus Magee – Commander of the Republican Army of the North, died of illness at La Bahía. See Magee, Augustus in Handbook of Texas.

115.      William Manadue – In Sexton list.

116.      Louis Massicot(t) – Republican Army/Béxar Junta secretary. Killed at the Battle of Alazán.

117.      A.W. McClain – A native of North Carolina who escaped the Battle of Medina by hiding with friendly Indians. Likely the same “Abner Lane” whom Beltrán describes with a similar story. Returned to Texas and settled in the Austin Colony, settling near Crockett, Texas.

118.      John McFarlan – “Little John” McFarlan, long term Spanish resident of Texas, smuggler and Republican Army Scout. Returned to Texas as a squatter at San Felipe.

119.      James McKim – Leader of the Neutral Ground banditti, kept a diary that was available to Henderson Yoakhum, but since lost.

120.      William McLane – Survived, settled in San Antonio and wrote a narrative of the expedition.

121.      John McLannahan – No further information. Possible relative of the Missouri Santa Fe trader Joseph McLannahan.

122.      Thomas McLaughlin – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Mississippi Territory.

123.      James McWilliams – In Sexton list.

124.      Martin McWilliams – In Sexton list. Possible relative of James.

125.      Francis J. Menepier – A Frenchman who also served as Gutiérrez’ secretary. Name appears in Carr documentations. Possibly the “Menezee” to whom John Villars attributed a since-lost narrative of the expedition published in Cincinnati (undiscovered).

126.      Tenoss Moinet – No further information.

127.      Aaron Samuel Mower – Printer who arrived with Toledo and set the type for the Gaceta de Texas, the first newspaper ever set in Texas. Sometimes called “Moore.”

128.      ? Munholland – In Sexton list. Possibly Mulholland.

129.      Charles Muill – Listed as Carles Muill in 1815 Toledo list of officers. There is no definitive proof he had been with the army in Texas, as some later officers joined after Medina.

130.      Henry William Munson – Wounded at Medina and survived after being saved by a Mexican rebel, Santiago Mordella. Fought in the Long Expedition and settled in Texas in the 1820s.

131.      William A. Murray – Early Burr recruit and friend of Augustus Magee. Accompanied Magee to negotiate with Salcedo and Herrera at La Bahia. Was still listed as a Captain in service in Toledo’s army in February 1815. Became a judge in Rapides Parish, Louisiana after the war.

132.      Jacob Myers – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Cole’s Creek, Mississippi Territory.

133.      Samuel Noah – Native of England. Jewish West Point graduate who resigned his commission in the U.S. Army in order to avoid conviction in a court martial in 1809. He joined the expedition after it had entered Texas. Served at La Bahia. Abandoned the expedition after the murder of the Spanish royalists. Fought in War of 1812. Taught school in Virginia in 1840s. At death was the oldest living graduate of West Point.

134.      James O’Donnell – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Cole’s Creek, Mississippi Territory.

135.      H.J. Offutt – Possibly Offeet. Ross Papers.

136.      George Orr – One of the original company captains. Fought at the Battle of Medina. Submitted a claim with the Mexican government but did not receive payment. Settled in Atascocita, Texas where he was an alcalde alongside fellow veteran Munson.

137.      William Owen(s) – Originally from Baltimore, was living in Natchitoches as a merchant where he was implicated in trade with the Texas smuggler John Magee. Joined the expedition and was killed at the Battle of Rosillo.

138.      William Parker – TFTOSF

139.      Anthony Parish/Pared – From North Carolina. Settled in Nacogdoches in 1801. Was expelled with most other foreigners in 1810. McLane describes him as bearing a brand for a crime committed in North Carolina.

140.      Alexander Patterson – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Cole’s Creek, Mississippi Territory.

141.      Frederic Patterson – In Sexton list. Possible relative of Alexander, or alternatively, of the James Patterson of the Missouri Santa Fe traders.

142.      Leonard Patterson – In Sexton list. Possible relative of the other Pattersons noted.

143.      Stephen Paul – In Sexton list.

144.      Isaac Paul – In Sexton list. Possible relative of Stephen.

145.      Henry Perry – The Commander of the Republican Army at the Battle of Alazán. Survived the Battle of Medina and commanded a battery of cannon at the Battle of New Orleans. Joined the Anaya and Perry Expeditions into Texas in 1816 and 1817 and was surrounded by Spanish forces outside La Bahía, where he committed suicide rather than be captured.

146.      David Phelps – A doctor from Louisiana.

147.      W. Phierson – Was with Reuben Ross when he returned from his recruiting expedition in Natchitoches during the Siege of La Bahia.

148.      Joseph Phillips – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Baltimore.

149.      Juan Pincornel – Old Spanish revolutionary who joined Toledo’s band of recruits in Philadelphia. Later betrayed the revolutionary cause and reconciled with Spain.

150.      George Powell – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Natchitoches.

151.      Joseph Powell – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Kentucky.

152.      William A. Prentiss

153.      ? Prudhomme – Most likely Jean Baptiste or Francois Prudhomme, both of whom lived in Nacogdoches before being expelled by the Spaniards.

154.      William Price – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Natchez.

155.      Edmund Quirk – American Revolutionary War veteran. Settled in Spanish Texas in 1797. Owned land on Ayish Bayou, now the site of the City of San Augustine, where the opening battle of the revolution was fought. He was implicated in smuggling, captured and imprisoned in the Alamo. Liberated by the republicans, he was recaptured and imprisoned once again before being released in a subsequent amnesty. It has been asserted, but never proven, that he joined the Republican Army. Returned to Texas in 1818. One account has him killed in 1835, although this may have been his son, Edmund Quirk, Jr.

156.      Michael/Miguel Quinn – Former Texas resident, smuggler. On Toledo’s list of captains of the Republican Army.

157.      William Ramage – In Sexton list.

158.      Samuel Richards – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader.

159.      Elisha Roberts – Was a messenger for the Republican Army. Possibly had lived on Edmund Quirk’s land before the war.

160.      Andrew Robinson – Returned to Texas in 1824 and settled in Brazoria County, where he served in Stephen F. Austin’s militia. His daughter married fellow Republican veteran John W. Hall. May have moved to Mississippi before 1841. See Robinson, Andrew in Handbook of Texas.

161.      Benjamin Robinson – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From South Carolina. Possible relative of Andrew.

162.      Charles (Charley) Rollins – A Coushatta Indian chief who fought with the Republican Army alongside his Anglo father. Joined when Reuben Ross came to East Texas to recruit.

163.      ? Rollins – Charley Rollins’ father.

164.      Reuben Ross – Third Commander of the Republican Army after the departure of Samuel Kemper, then abandoned the force at the urging of his Tejano girlfriend. Returned to Mexico to seek a pension in 1826. Was killed by bandits in northern Mexico in 1828. His nephews, Reuben Ross and James Ross served in the army of the Republic of Texas. Reuben Ross the younger joined the army of the Republic of the Rio Grande.

165.      Samuel Ross – In Sexton list. Not related to Reuben Ross.

166.      Samuel Rowe – In Sexton list.

167.      James Royall – On Toledo list as a captain, killed at the Battle of Medina. Richard Royster Royall, who provided information about the expedition to Mirabeau Lamar, is a possible relative.

168.      Lacy Rumsey – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From Natchitoches.


169.      Joseph Ruth – No further information.

170.      ? Scott – No further information.

171.      Samuel Sexton – Possibly a doctor, he stayed in San Antonio for 47 days after the Battle of Medina, evidently with permission of the Spanish, to attend the prisoners. Led the efforts of republican veterans from Louisiana to obtain Mexican pensions.

172.      Peter Sides – From North Carolina. Fought in the American Revolution. Served in the republican army under Captain Gormley/Gromby. Killed at the Battle of Medina.

173.      Thomas Slocum – Possibly a doctor. In Sexton list.

174.      William Slocum – In Sexton list. Possible relative or even conflation with Thomas.

175.      Horatio Smith – In Sexton list.

176.      Lovett Smith – In Sexton list.

177.      Orren Smith – In Sexton list.

178.      Patrick Smith – In Sexton list.

179.      William Snodgrass – Native of Mississippi reported killed at Battle of Rosillo.

180.      Benjamin Stokes – In Sexton list.

181.      James Stone – In Sexton list.

182.      Daniel Sullivan – In Sexton list.

183.      Ambrose Sutton – In Sexton list.

184.      Charles Swan – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. From New York.

185.      Josiah Taylor – Burr conspirator and leader of one of the wings of the Republican Army at the battles of Alazán and Medina. Wounded at Medina. Returned to Texas and had five sons who served in the forces of the Republic of Texas.

186.      Thomas Taylor – Josiah Taylor’s African American slave who fought in the army and was killed at the Battle of the White Cow. Said to be among the best soldiers in the army.

187.      Chesneau Tontin – Possibly the same person as Francisco Tuotin, mentioned in Spanish archival sources as an Indian trader.

188.      William Utridge – In Sexton list.

189.      John Villars – Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader. Transferred to prison in Monterrey, survived and returned to Texas. Settled in San Fernando, Coahuila. Gave historical notes to Mirabeau Lamar.[1]

190.      W.W. Walker – Survived and served as a key member of the Long Expedition. 

191.      Augustus Wallace – In Sexton list.

192.      James Wallace, Sr. – In Sexton list.

193.      James Wallace, Jr. – In Sexton list.

194.      Stephen Wallace – No further information.

195.      Charles F. Walthers – In Sexton list.

196.      Isaac Walthers – In Sexton list.

197.      George Westfield – No further information.

198.      Osgood Whittier – In Sexton list.

199.      Joseph Biddle Wilkinson – Son of General James Wilkinson. Died of wounds received at Medina.


200.      James Biddle Wilkinson – Possibly served in the army, although it is possible he was confused with his brother Joseph.

201.      (Adjutant) Wilson – No further information.

202.      Samuel Winfield (Wingfield) – In Sexton list. Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader.

203.      Michael Wolford/Wolforth – Also Woolfourth. In Sexton list. Among group of 29 men captured after the Battle of Medina mentioned in the Mississippi Free Trader.

204.      Walter Young – From New York and handled artillery at Alazán. Served in War of 1812. Subsequently joined the Mina Expedition.