James A. Sylvester's Official Report on the Capture of Santa Anna, Certified Copy from the Galveston Historical Society
Page 1 of 4
Handbook of Texas article on James A. Sylvester
The Capture of Genl. Santa Anna
On the morning of the 22nd of April 1836,
news came into camp that a portion
of our Cavalry had surrounded Genl
Santa Anna, and a number of his
officers, in a mat [?] of timber some miles
from our camp, and called for re-
inforcements in order to capture them.
Col. Edward Burleson, commanding
the 1st Regiment of Texas troops, called
for volunteers, when a number of
soldiers from the different commands
immediately volunteered, & mounting
such horses, as was under their con-
trol, set out in search of the Mexi-
can Chief. After marching from
the Camp near Lynch's Farm, to
Vince's Bayou, where the bridge, but re-
cently burned by Deaf Smith, impeded
our further progress, & not knowing
where our services were required;
Col. Burleson called a parley.
Some of the party were anxious to pro-
ceed by fording or swimming the Bayou
while others thought it useless to pro-
ceed farther after an ignis fatuus [will o' the wisp]; when
Col. Burleson ordered myself to take
charge of such men as were disposed
to return to camp, & the others pro-
ceded toward the Brazos in search
of any Mexican straglers [sic] that might
be found.
The squad under my command, pro-
ceded back to camp. We left the main
road, & took down the Bayou. We had
not proceeded very far, before some one
of them proposed to skirt the timber
in search of game. I took the straight
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James A. Sylvester's Official Report on the Capture of Santa Anna, Certified Copy from the Galveston Historical Society, The Battle of San Jacinto Notebook, The McArdle Notebooks, Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.