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ur army, from
which an occasional interchange of small arms took place between the
troops, until the enemy withdrew to a position on the bank of the San
Jacinto, about three-quarters of a mile from our encampment, and
commenced fortification. . . . . . .

About nine o'clock on the morning of the 21st, the enemy were
reinforced by 500 choice troops, under the command of General Cos,
increasing their effective force to upwards of 1,500 men, whilst our
aggregate force for the field numbered 783. At half-past three o'clock
in the evening, I ordered the officers of the Texan army to parade
their respective commands, having in the meantime ordered the bridge
on the only road communicating with the Brazos, distant eight miles
from our encampment, to be destroyed, thus cutting off all possibility
of escape. Our troops paraded with alacrity and spirit, and were
anxious for the conflict. Their conscious disparity in numbers seemed
only to increase their enthusiasm and confidence, and heightened their
anxiety for the conflict. . . . . . .

Col. Sherman, with his regiment, having commenced the action upon our
left wing, the whole line, at the centre and on the right, advancing
in double-quick time, rung the war-cry, "_Remember the Alamo!_"
received the enemy's fire, and advanced within point-blank shot before
a piece was fired from our lines. Our line advanced without a halt,
until they were in possession of the woodland and the enemy's
breastwork, the right wing of Burleson's and the left wing of
Millard's taking possession of the breastwork; our Artillery having
gallantly charged up within seventy yards of the enemy's cannon, when
it was taken by our troops.

The conflict lasted about eighteen minutes from the time of close
action until we were in possession of the enemy's encampment, taking
one piece of cannon (loaded), four stands of colors, all their camp
equipage, stores, and baggage. Our cavalry had charged and routed that
of the enemy upon the right, and given pursuit to the fugitives, which
did not cease until they arrived at the bridge which I have mentioned
before--Captain Karnes, always among the foremost in danger,
commanding the pursuers. The conflict in the breastwork lasted but a
few moments; many of the troops encountered hand to hand, and not
having the advantage of bayonets on our side, our riflemen used their
pieces as war-clubs, breaking many of them off at the breech. The rout
commenced at half-past four, and the pursuit by the main army
continued until twilight. . . .

 [In this battle General Houston himself was severely
 wounded, one ball shattering his ankle. After this, "the
 battalion of Texan infantry was gallantly charged by a
 Mexican division of infantry, composed of more than five
 hundred men. . . . The Commander-in-Chief, observing the
 peril, dashed between the Texan and Mexican infantry,
 and exclaimed, 'Come on, my brave fellows, your General
 leads you.' . . . The order to fire was given by Gen.
 Houston, . . . a single discharge, a rush through the
 smoke, cleaving blows of rifles uplifted struck down
 those whom the bullets had not slain. Only thirty-two of
 the five hundred Mexicans survived to surrender as
 prisoners of war. Gen. Houston's wound in the ankle,
 meanwhile was bleeding profusely. His horse was dying,
 and with difficulty could stagger over the slain. Still
 the Commander-in-Chief witnessed every movement of his
 army, and as it rolled victoriously over the field, saw
 the tide of battle crowning his brave soldiers with
 unparalleled success."--See Crane's Life of Sam
 Houston.]

HOW TO DEAL WITH THE INDIANS.

(_From a speech on the Indian Policy of the Government, in the Senate,
January, 1855._)

Sir, if the agent appointed by Mr. Polk, who has been restored by the
present Executive--it is a bright spot in his Administration, and I
commend him for it--had never been removed, there would have been
peace to this day on the borders of Texas; but as soon as the Indian
agent who was appointed to succeed him went there, he must forsooth
establish a ranche; he must have a farm. The Indians who had been
settled there from 1843 up to 1849, had been furnished by the
Government of Texas with implements of husbandry, with seeds of every
description, and they were cultivating their little farms. They were
comfortable and independent. They were living in perfect peace. If you
can get Indians located, and place their wives and children within
your cognizance, you need never expect aggression from them. It is the
Indian who has his wife in security beyond your reach, who, like the
felon wolf, goes to a distance to prey on some flock, far removed from
his den; or like the eagle, who seeks his prey from the distance, and
never from the flocks about his eyrie.

The agent to whom I have referred lost two oxen from his ranche where
he kept his cattle. He went to the officer in command of Fort Belknap,
got a force from him, and then marched to those Indians, sixty miles
from there, and told them they must pay for the oxen. They said, "We
know nothing about your oxen; our people are here; here are our women
and children; we have not killed them; we have not stolen them; we
have enough to eat; we are happy; we have raised corn; we have sold
corn; we have corn to sell; we have sold it to your people, and they
have paid us for it, and we are happy." The agent and the military
gentlemen scared off the Indians from the limits of Texas, and drove
them across the Red River to the Wichita Mountains, taking every horse
and animal they had to pay for the two oxen. This was done by an
accredited agent of the Government, and by an officer who deserved but
little credit. Are such things tolerable, and to be tolerated in the
present age and condition of our Government?

What was the consequence? Those Indians felt themselves aggrieved.
They saw that a new _régime_ had come; they had had the era of peace
and plenty, and now they were expelled by a different influence. They
felt grateful for the benign effects of the first policy toward them,
and that only exasperated them to a greater extent against the second;
and they began to make incursions, ready to take vengeance on any
white man they might meet in their neighborhood, and slay whoever they
might find. They made their forays from the opposite side of the Red
River, from the Wichita Mountains, and came like an avalanche upon our
unprotected citizens. There is one fact showing how your interference
with the Indians within her limits has injured Texas. . . . . .

Well, sir, there is a remedy for all this, and it is very easy to
apply it; but how are we circumstanced there? Is it supposed by some
that we are deriving great aid from the army, and that the greatest
portion of the disposable forces of the United States is in Texas, and
protecting it? How can they protect us against the Indians when the
cavalry have not horses which can trot faster than active oxen, and
the infantry dare not go out in any hostile

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