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Show Wstorical Mighlights . Clmo. Scott Illation Released by Western Newspaper Union.) Heroes of San Jacinto THE Battle of San Jacinto, which won Texan independence from Mexican rule, had two outstanding heroes. The Lone Star state claims both of them as her own and, to help perpetuate their fame, has named one ofher leading cities for Sam Houston and one of her counties coun-ties for "Deaf" Smith. But four other oth-er states also claim them. Virginia points with pride to the fact that Sam Houston was born near her town of Lexington on .March 2, 1793, but Tennessee is equally proud of the fact that his boyhood was spent within her borders, bor-ders, that he fought the Creek Indians Indi-ans under her Gen. Andy Jackson, that he was made agent for the Cherokees, who had once adopted him into their tribe, and persuaded them to accept a new home beyond the Mississippi. Then Tennessee sent him to congress con-gress in 1823, re-elected him in 1825 and in 1827 chose him as her governor. gov-ernor. She gave him one of her fairest daughters as his bride and was ereatlv mvstified when his young wife left him and he, with re-election in 1829 certain, suddenly resigned his office and left the state. At this point in his career, Oklahoma Okla-homa claims him, for he lived with the Cherokees there and married an Indian woman, Tiana Rogers. After spending several years with the Indians, Houston went to Texas to take part in her struggle for liberty lib-erty and on his birthday m 1836 be- i ' ' ' Sam Houston, President of the Re-! Re-! public of Texas. (From a minia-I minia-I ture made in 1837 or 1838.) came one of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Chosen commander-in-chief of the Texas revolutionary army, Houston made good that declaration seven weeks later with his victory over Gen. Santa Anna at San Jacinto. Visit the state capitol in Austin today to-day and you will see there a huge painting which depicts "The Surrender Sur-render of Santa Anna." At the foot of a tree lies Sam Houston with his bandaged leg stretched out on the blanket upon which he is reclining. Standine before him is the slight figure of the conquered and humiliated humili-ated Mexican leader. Seated on a stump beside Houston is a buckskin-clad buckskin-clad figure, his long rifle resting across his knees and one hand cupped to his ear to catch his leader's lead-er's words to the defeated enemy. This stalwart frontiersman is "Deaf" Smith. Erastus Smith was the name his parents gave him when he was born in New York state. But by the time he had joined the Texas patriots, deafness had already overtaken over-taken him and so his comrades in arms called him "Deaf" Smith (only they pronounced it "Deef"!) As a scout, Smith had performed invaluable service for the leader of the Texans during their retreat. Several times he brought in Mexican prisoners from whom Houston obtained ob-tained information about Santa Anna's movements. Finally, when Houston had maneuvered the Mexican Mexi-can dictator into following him to a battlefield of his own choice and was ready to attack, he sent Smith and a companion to cut down Vince's bridge across Buffalo bayou. On the afternoon of April 21 Houston Hous-ton drew up his line of battle. Suddenly Sud-denly a horseman came dashing up. His mount was covered with mud and foam. Swinging an ax over his head, he shouted: "I have cut down Vince's Bridge Now fight for your lives and remember the Alamo!" The Texans did both so well that in 20 minutes Sam Houston had won one of the most astounding victories in American history. Out of a force of 783, the Texans lost only six killed and 24 wounded. Estimates of the Mexicans' losses vary, but the Texans claim 630 killed, 208 wo.inded and 730 prisoners, a total of 1,68. By this one stroke Texas won ner freedom. The ioldiers in Houston's army were given grants of land in the new republic hich was founded soon afterwards and which elected Houston Hous-ton as its first president. Smith was given an additional honor by being allowed to take his pick of "any (public) house and lot in the city of Bexar" and by being ordered to the new capital of Houston to have his portrait painted. However, he died shortly afterwards and, although Houston made a search for the portrait por-trait several years later, it was nev-I nev-I er found. |