Fort Bend County, Texas - Chapter 5, 1904

Dr. James Long was born February 9, 1793 - a native cf Tennessee, a nice, accomplished gentleman, good physician and surgeon, and in his young days, no doubt, had no ambition higher than that of succeeding in his chosen profession and being surrounded by his friends, and at all times enjoying the home circle of a happy family. How often, however, in this life do circumstances turn the tide of human affairs and plunge an individual into a vortex as resistless as fate, which bears him on to his doom, and instead of living a long and contented life in the midst of his loved ones, and enjoying the refined society for which he is so well fitted, he spends a short season in the midst of a bloody revolution, his family exposed to all the horrors of war, and he himself cut down in the prime of life by the assassin's bullet, and they of his flesh and blood devotedly following his fortunes, left alone on a wild and desolate shore. This is only one instance in tens of thousands of a similar character which has befallen unhappy humanity since the race of mankind began.

During the war of 1812, with England, Dr. Long was a surgeon in the army of General Jackson, and as such participated in the battle of New Orleans, fought on the 8th of January, 1815.

He owned a fine plantation npar Natchez, and when the war was over resigned his commission in the army and married Miss Jane Wilkinson of that vicinity, and settled on his farm as a planter and to the practice of his profession. His wife was the daughter of General Wilkinson of the United States Army, and was a noble, grand,

The influence of the times and the day in w^hich he lived shaped the destiny of Dr. Long. Residing in the region which had been, in 1S00| and again in 1812-13, the headquarters first of Phillip Nolan and next of Magee, Kemper, Perry and other leallers, he became imbued with the idea of Americanizing Texas, and found no difficulty in drawing to his standard a large number of followers. The enterprise of Dr. Long was undertaken shortly before Moses Austin took the first steps that led to the establishment of American colonies in the Province of Texas, and were not without minor effect. Many of Long's men at a later date became valuable citizens of the Province, Republic and State.

In 1819 Dr. Long was active in getting up a public meeting in Natchez for revolutionizing Texas, and subscribed liberally to the scheme. It was then expected that General Adair of Kentucky would lead the expedition, but that gentleman declined, and Dr. Long was selected for the commander. On the 17th day of June, 1819, he left Natchez with seventy-five men, and very soon his force numbered about three hundred.

Among those vffio joined the standard of General Long were Col. Samuel Davenport, Benard Gutierrez, Hamlin Cook, Horatio Bigelow, Stephen Baker, John C. Burnett, John Sibley, J. Child, Pedro Procillo, etc. Most of these were refugees who had been driven from Texas by the Spaniards. General Long arriving at Nacogdoches, in Texas, a provisional government was organized consisting of a supreme council, and a proclamation issued declaring Texas to be an independent Republic. Liberal laws were enacted providing for the disposition of public lands. During the passage of General Long and his force from the United States to Nacogdoches, Texas, Mrs. Long and her two children had been left at Alexandria with her sister, Mrs. Cavitt. In the month of July she arrived at Nacogdoches on horseback, escorted by Capt. Randall Jones, her children being left with her sister, and one of them, her youngest, dying soon after her departure. The troubles and the sorrows of this noble woman were now commencing. The loss of his child and the hardships which his young wife had to endure to reach him cast a shadow over the life and plans of General Long for a period in this, the incipiency of his conquest, but he was in the current of events and must drift with it and see his hopes crowned with success or succumb to the inevitable ; so the work went on.

A newspaper was established, edited by Horatio Bigelow; trading houses were established on the Trinity and at the falls of the Brazos by David Long, brother of the General, and Captain Johnson. Captain Walker erected a fort a few miles below where the town of Washington was afterwards built, and Major Cook a block house at Pecan Point, on Red River. Captain Smith, with fortynine men, was stationed at the Cooshattie Village, on the Trinity.

Now, at this time the pirate leader, Jean Lafitte, occupied Galveston Island with several hundred of his followers, and his ships were depredating on Spanish commerce. He had, some years previous to this, destroyed a few American vessels, but when the British army were threatening New Orleans he sailed for that place with his men, and offered his services to General Jackson, which were accepted, and he and his force took an active part in the famous battle of the 8.th of January. For this service all previous offenses against American commerce and shipping on the high seas were forgiven Lafitte, but with a strict injunction amounting to a threat that if these out-

It will be proper here to state that the Spanish authorities which then ruled Mexico, of which Texas was a part, had news of the invasion of Long, and sent Colonel Perez with a strong force to drive him back. This body of troops were now on the way, coming through the wilderness which lay between San Antonio (one of the Spanish military posts) and the Sabine River, the boundary line between the United States and the Spanish possessions.

General Long was very desirous of getting the aid of Lafitte in his enterprise, and sent James Gaines to Galveston Island to solicit his co-operation, but that dignitary referring to the failure of Mina, Aurey, Magee and others in previous attempts of the kind, declined to give any assistance. When Gaines came back and reported his failure. Long determined to visit the pirate chief in person, but on reaching the Cooshattie Village he received the startling and unexpected intelligence of the advance of Perez, and at once sent instructions to his wife to abandon Nacogdoches and recross the Sabine, which she promptly obeyed.

On the Brazos Perez surprised and captured Captain Johnson and ten of his men. Those of his force who escaped hastened to Walker's camp, below the mouth of the Navasota. The fugitives were pursued and Walker's camp attacked with such suddenness that its occupants, abandoning everything except their firearms, wdth difficulty succeeded in reaching Smith's camp at the Cooshattie Village on the Trinity. The camp and trading post of David Long on the Trinity was next attacked and Long killed. His men fled to Nacogdoches with the news of these three quickly ^cceeding disasters, which produced such a panic that the whole garrison and population, men and women, fled across the Sabine into Louisiana. Gen- era! Long, learning of these disasters, hastened back to Nacogdoches, to find the place depopulated. As speedily as possible he crossed the Sabine, to find his wife and those who fied with her in safety on the east side.

Colonel Perez, finding Nacogdoches evacuated, sent a body of troops in pursuit of the refugees, but too late to overtake them before they crossed the Sabine. At the head of his principal force Perez, by an oblique countermarch, proceeded to the Cooshattie Village, where Captain Smith, reinforced by the fugitives from WalkePs camp and Johnson's men from the Brazos, had about seventy-five men. He retreated down the valley of the Trinity, but was closely pursued and overtaken by Perez. The Americans, few as they were, turned fiercely upon the Spaniards, and a short but bloody and desperate battle took place. Being overwhelmed, however, by largely superior numbers they again retreated, having lost a number of men, but at the same time indicting heavy loss on the enemy. This fight checked the Spanish army or royalists, as they were called (fighting for the King of Spain), and the Americans, not being pursued any further, went on and formed a camp at Bolivar Point, on the main land opposite Galveston Island.

Without unnecessary delay, however, and undismayed. Long, with a few followers, took the coast route from Louisiana, joined his friends under Captain Smith at Bolivar Point, and began the erection of a mud fort.

In the meantime some interesting things had transpired on Galveston Island. A desperate character named Brown, one of the lieutenants of Lafitte, had scuttled and plundered an American ship in Matagorda Bay, but some of the crew making their escape reported the fact to the United States authorities, and a warship, commanded by

Lieutenant Kearny, was at once sent to Galveston Island to drive Lantte and his band away. Before the arrival of the American man-of-war Brown and his crew arrived, and some of the men informed the pirate chief of the destruction of the American vessel by orders and assistance of the sub pirate chief. When Lieutenant Kearny sailed into the harbor and cast anchor in front of the red house occupied by Lafitte, the latter knew what his mission was, and at once had Brown hung to the yardarm of the Pride, the favorite ship of Lafitte. He then went in a boat out to the American vessel, and invited the command* er and his officers to come ashore and dine with him ( which they did, and were served in a most sumptuous manner), and explained that Brown had positively disobeyed his orders in molesting American shipping, and had paid the penalty of his disobedience by being promptly stimiig up to the yardarm of the Pride, as they could plainly see, as his body was still suspended there. All of this statement, however, was of no avail. Kearny told him his orders were imperative, and he and his band must go, and he would remain there with his guns trained on them until they departed. So when General Long arrived at Bolivar Point the sails of Lafitte^s ships were just disappearing beyond the waves of the Gulf of Mexico.

To secure additional aid in men and munitions. General Long set out from Bolivar Point in an open boat for New Orleans. Here he was cordially received by General Ripley and other men of wealth and prominence, and met for the first time Col. Benjamin R. Milam, also John Austin, Colonel Christy and Don Felix Tres Palacios. The latter, an exile from Mexico, who was seeking to fit out an expedition to aid his countrymen to throw off the yoke of Spain, and with whom Milam, Austin and Christy were co-operating. An agreement was entered into to make common cause against Spain, and four small vessels.

Arriving there, it was agreed that Tres Palacios, Milam and Christy, with a small force, should sail down the coast in one of the sloops, effect a landing somewhere in the region of Tampico, and endeavor to raise an army with which to move north to meet and co-operate with Long in his contemplated descent southward from Goliad. They sailed accordingly before the departure of Long from Bolivar Point, and successfully effected a landing.

Before General Long left Bolivar Point a French sloop loaded with wines and other supplies stranded on Galveston Island, near the present City of Galveston. Now, after the departure of the pirates from the island, it had been again occupied by the Craunkaway Indians, ^vho had once fought a disastrous battle with Laiitte and his men there, and been driven away. These Indians discovering the stranded ship, came, to the number of 200, and attaclied and butchered the crew, plundered the sloop and engaged in a drunken frolic and war dance. General Long, from Bolivar Point, witnessed all of this, and determined to chastise the Indians. After nightfall, with thirty men he passed over to the island in small boats, and while the orgies were at their height poured a destructive volley into their midst. The Indians, although taken by surprise, outnumbered Long's men seven to one, and being heated with wine, rallied and stood their ground. For a time the fight raged desperately, the combatants fighting hand to hand. Finally Long and his men were compelled to get back to their boats and escape again to the mainland, having three men killed and several wounded - two severely. Thirty-two Indian warriors were left dead on the ground. During the fight General Long captured two

Among Long's men was Mordella, a nephew of Tres Palacios, who attempted to organize a conspiracy against the expedition. It was discovered, however, by Long, and the conspirator was brought to trial, found guilty, and executed on the east end of Galveston Island. When the expedition finally started from Bolivar Point the General left his wife and one child, a colored servant girl, Mrs. Dr. Allen, Dr. Edgar, and three or four men, a mounted cannon, small arms, ammunition, and a supply of provisions.

Everything being now in readiness, he set sail for Goliad (then called La Bahia) with fifty-two men, the names of some of them being as follows: James Long, commander: Major Burns, Captain John Austin, Captain Johnson, Captain Williams, Lieutenant Eagan, Lieutenant Robinson, Stanley Williams, Lieutenant Elliott, Lieutenant Chase, Lieutenant Tobey, Sergeant Robinson, Dr. Alien,

The fieet consisted of a schooner and two sloops. They entered Matagorda Bay, passed through what is now known as McHeni*y's Bayou into the bay of Esprita Santo, and proceeded to Mesquite Landing, on the west bank of the Guadalupe, and fifteen miles above the mouth of that stream. Here General Long and his men disembarked, and, leaving the boats in charge of Black, marched upon Goliad. Black was killed a few days later by Spanish scouts. Long's party reached Goliad and surprised the fort at night without being discovered, and made the attack at daylight. The resistance was feeble, and the garrison soon surrendered. Long and his men remained in quiet possession of the town for three days. On the morning of the fourth they were aroused by the drums and bugles of a Spanish force consisting of 700 cavalry from San Antonio, and volunteers from the immediate vicinity, commanded by Francisco Perez, and Fernando Kodrigues. These troops had with them four cannon, and, crossing the San Antonio River, attacked Long, but were defeated and driven back with severe loss. The Spanish commanders then sent in a message saying that they did not wish to shed blood, and if Long would surrender he would ke kindly treated. General Long refused to surrender, but expressed his willingness to settle the contest by single combat with any man in the Spanish camp, but this was declined. About this time Garcia, who commanded the fort when it surrendered to Long, fired a pistol shot at the General, the bullet going through his clothing and making a slight wound on the side of his body.

The battle was now renewed, and kept up for two hours. The Spanish soldiers occupied housetops, and were protected by palisades. The Americans during the engagement with their rifies dealt death to all who exposed themselves on the roofs.

The Spaniards again sounded a parley, and sent in the following message : ^^We have made a mistake, we thought you were royalists. We are patriots too. We wish to receive you as friends."

General Long then asked them why they were fighting under the Spanish fiag. '^Because," they said, ''there is a large Spanish force near at hand, and we wished to deceive them if it became necessary."

Matters remained in this condition for two days, when they succeeded in deceiving Long and inducing him to receive them into the fort as friends. Under the pretext of quieting the fears of the women and children of Goliad they next induced him to lay down his arms. It is a surprise to some that General Long was deceived by this ruse in view of the well known perfidy and inhumanity that at all previous times marked the conduct of the royalist commanders towards Revolutionists. We must, however, take into consideration that he was expecting large accessions to his force of patriots - that likely Milam, Tres Palacios and others had been successful in their venture, and the flames of revolution were spreading over Mexico and that his dreams of conquest were about to be realized. The tragedy of the Alamo and Chiliad had not as yet been enacted, and cut off from all communication, knew not that at this time Milam and his compatriots had also been taken at Tampico and were now in durance vile. If General Long had discovered their true character after they had gained admission to the fort, and seeing no chance to fight them successfully, might have given up the guns of his men to avoid a massacre, which would have ensued had he refused to comply with their request, as they, now in vast superior numbers, had poessssion of the fort.

By the terms of the agreement. General Long was to have an escort to conduct him to Tres Palacios and his men were to follow, when he sent back an express with an order to that effect.

As soon as the Americans laid down their arms, the Spaniards embraced them warmly, professing sincere friedship. Horses and escort were provided, and Long, Burns and John Austin were sent forward to San Antonio. The Americans remaining at Goliad were ordered into line and each man required to give his name, age and place of nativity, for the purpose, they said, that they might be assigned places of residence among the families in the town. The house in which they were assembled was then suddenly surrounded by a large party of soldiers, the bells rang, loud huzzas were heard outside, and they were told that they were prisoners. They were then removed to a filthy prison and fed with beef and half cooked corn, producing a sickness from which Patton and Eagan died. They were then hurried on to San Antonio. After remaining there three days, they were sent with General Long, Bums and Austin, under a strong guard, to Laredo, where in February or March, 1820, they were transferred from the control of Perez to that of a younger and more humane officer.

At Laredo they were detained for a considerable time, but were kindly treated. They were finally conducted to Monterey, where General Lopez, royalist commander of the Eastern Province, had his headquarters.

After a time General Long, Burns and Austin were allowed to proceed to the City of Mexico, and arrived there in October, 1821, just as Iturbide's government was organized, and they were received and treated as friends.

Iturbide was the commander of the revolutionists against the Spanish royalists, or adherents of the King of Spain, and was now in the ascendency. Here, also, in the City of Mexico were Milam, Tres Palacios and others who had been sent there from Tampico after their capture, but all were now released by Iturbide. The other followers of Long still being at Monterey, but no longer prisoners. General Long speedily won many friends. Tres Palacios was greatly honored, receiving the appointment of Governor of Texas, but soon manifested a jealous and hostile spirit towards General Long, which to some extent for a while marked the demeanor of President Iturbide also. Soon after this, while General Long was just entering the Old Inquisition building on a visit to the Commissioner from Chili, he was confronted by a soldier and shot and instantly killed on March 24, 1822.

was a hired assassin of Tres Palacios, and Milam, Christy and John Austin indignantly left the city and rejoined their friends at Monterey. To them they freely expressed the belief that Tres Palacios instigated the murder of their commander. It was resolved to avenge Long's death upon the anticipated arrival of Tres Palacios to Texas, but Wilson and Miller, two of their companions, betrayed them. These two men secretly repaired to Saltillo where they expected Tres Palacios, and warned him of the impending danger; Milam, Christy and Austin and their associates were at once arrested and conveyed to the City of Mexico by w^ay of Saltillo, San Luis Potosi and Queretaro, proceeding by slow marches and stopping a few days in those towns. At the capital they were cast into prison, where they remained ten months.

It will also be remembered that the traitor nephew of Tres Palacios was executed by General Long at Bolivar Point, and no doubt the new Texas Governor w^as at the bottom of the assassination of the brave and gallant Long.

Following the successful installment of Iturbide's government, the Congress of the United States, on the recommendation of President Monroe, on the 4th of May, 1822, acknowledged the independence of Mexico ; whereupon, the President ordered Joel R. Poinsett, of South Carolina, then recently appointed envoy to Chili, to pass through Mexico while en route to his mission, make careful observations and inquire and report on the condition of the country.

Mr. Poinsett, learning the facts connected with Long's expedition and the imprisonment of his countrymen, secured their unconditional release, and an escort for them to Tampico Avhere, by his instructions, the United States sloop of war ''John Adams" was in waiting to convey them home, the officers furnishing them with clothing and money.

In winding up this sketch of the unfortunate expedition of General Long, our minds now turn back to the lonely wife left at Bolivar Point, deserted by all except one faithful little servant girl - w^aiting, waiting, waiting, to liear some tidings or get some assurance from the man she loved, who told her to remain there, and to whom she was so true and faithful. In another sketch we will dwell upon this sad history more in detail.