Texas -- History -- Revolution, 1835-1836 -- Fiction
An interpreter was called up, and Santa Anna asked for a piece of
opium, saying he was suffering much pain. The opium was given him and
this quieted his nerves.
"That man may consider himself born to no common destiny who has
conquered the Napoleon of the West," went on the Mexican general,
bombastically. "It now remains for him to be generous to the
vanquished."
Again Houston looked at him, a look that made Santa Anna quail.
"You should have remembered that at the Alamo," said the Texan
commander.
"I am not to blame--I acted under the orders of the government of
Mexico," cried Santa Anna, hastily, and tried to explain that there was
a law which held that prisoners taken with arms must be treated as
pirates. But Houston cut the interpreter short when translating the
words.
"Who is the government of Mexico?" he exclaimed. "You, and you alone,
and you are responsible for the law that made the slaughter at the
Alamo possible. And you are likewise responsible for the massacre at
Goliad!" went on Houston, with great intensity of feeling.
"No, no, you are mistaken," answered Santa Anna, and then tried to
excuse the massacre of Fannin and his men in various ways. He wanted to
treat for peace and for his release, but Houston told him that only the
government of Texas had jurisdiction in the matter. Then Santa Anna was
placed in a tent, given his private baggage, and a strong guard was
set, that some of the more headstrong of the Texans might not kill him.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
BACK TO THE RANCH--CONCLUSION.
Immediately after the battle, Dan sought out medical aid and had his
father attended to. Mr. Radbury was still unconscious, and for several
days it was not known whether he would live or die. During all that
time, his son remained at his side, hoping and praying for the best. At
last the planter was pronounced out of danger, but the wound had been a
deep one and it was doubtful if Mr. Radbury would ever be as strong
again as he had been.
While father and son were at the temporary hospital which the Texans
had opened, Dan made a discovery which filled him with interest. Among
the Mexican prisoners that had been taken, the youth found a man from
San Antonio whom he knew well,--a person who had joined Santa Anna's
army after the fall of the Alamo. During a talk with this individual,
he learned that Carlos Martine was also in the army, having joined at
the same time.
"I must find that man and have a talk with him," said Dan to himself,
and as soon as his father was a little better he set out on his hunt.
He had not made many inquiries, when he learned that Carlos Martine was
dead, having been shot down while trying to escape across the open
prairie, and the body had already been put away.
"But what of the dead--were the things in their pockets buried with
them?" asked Dan of one of the Texan guards.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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