Newspaper Article Unexpectedly Ties StLGS Member to a Mexican War Tragedy

The post that follows is from StLGS member, Beth Davis, who wrote to us after our recent blog on the Mexican American War. (Did you miss that one from 14 November 2022? You can access it here.) Beth gives us a perfect example of how you never know where something that pertains to your family will show up! Read on for her fascinating discovery.

Beth’s email said, “I enjoyed your blog on the Texas Revolution. I thought I might add just a little. Not all that were involved were soldiers. While checking through the New Orleans archives, I found information on a distant relative. This was the newspaper article of the time.” 

(We are reproducing the article and the letter that ties to her family as Beth sent them to us, and we thank her very much for sharing!)

“Mexican War,” Hopkinsville Republican, January 1836

The New Orleans papers by last night's mail contain intelligence of the fall of San Antonio, and the complete route [sic] of the Mexican troops in Texas [that] General Cos is said to have killed together with most of the Mexican officers. We regret to learn that Col. Miam, the commander of the Texans, was also killed. These are all of the particulars of the capture that have reached us. The intelligence of the execution of twenty-eight unfortunate men at Tampico proves but too true. They were all shot on the 14th December––among them the following native Americans. (Etching of the Alamo shown above in the public domain.)

We the undersigned prisoners of war, condemned to be shot on Monday next, the 14th inst. at 7 a.m. by a military court martial, conformable to the established custom of the country, and composed of the Mexican Army, the sentence 4 p.m. by Captain Alexander Faulac of said army, as our last dying words, do declare ourselves innocent of the charge of either participating or colleaguing with any person or party, having for its object the revolutionizing or disturbing in any manner the tranquility of the Government of Mexico, and that the testimony given before the honorable Court of Inquiry will corroborate this declaration.

We have now but nine hours allotted us, and conclude hastily by requesting all who may hear of our fate to entertain no erroneous impression. We also annex the following letter from Thomas Whitaker to his brother, William H. Whitaker, formerly of this place. (New Orleans)

• Arthur N. Clement, native of Pennsylvania aged 40 years––no parents
• Thomas Whitaker, native of Pennsylvania––father in Pennsylvania
• William C. Barclay, native of New York, aged 20––parents in New York
• Jacob Morrison, native of New York, aged 21––parents in Kentucky.
• Edward Mount, native of New York, aged 23––mother in the state of New York
• Charles Gross, native of Pennsylvania, aged 23––mother in Pennsylvania.
• Isaac F. Leeds, native of New Jersey, aged 30––no parents.
• Mordecai Gist, native of Maryland, aged 53––father in Maryland. His own last residence Indiana.
• David Long, native of Ohio, aged 25––mother in Ohio.
• William H. Mackay, native of Virginia, aged 20––mother in Virginia.
• James K. Stewart, native of Vermont, aged 33––mother in Vermont.
• James Mccormick, of Kentucky, and Fleming, of Pittsburgh, died in the Hospital.

"UnHappy Fate"

To: William H. Whitaker of New Orleans

From: Thomas Whitaker––Tampico, Mexico

Date: Dec 12, 1835––The Kentucky Republican––Hopkinsville, Ky.

My Dear Brother 

Prepare to read these lines, conveying the news of my unhappy fate with the same firmness that you would have done, had you been summoned to attend my death-bed. But reflect that the momentary pang which separates temporal and eternal life shall have passed ere this reaches you. To be brief, as the time allotted me to compose my mind for the event is short, I have only to say, that instead of arriving in Texas a freeman and at large, as I had supposed when I left you, the vessel was taken to Tampico, and myself and companions were compelled to March against a city which I had never seen, and to shoot down the inhabitants of a country that had never offenced me;––rest assured this was an order not very faithfully executed, the consequence of which was, that a great many prisoners were made, among them I am now confined under sentence of death, to be SHOT on Monday morning, at 7 o’clock. It is a great consolation that I die innocent of any crime, and feel better enabled to encounter death than I could have expected. 

Present my dying affections to my wife and family, and believe me to remain.

Your affectionate brother,

Thomas Whitaker

P.S. Endeavor to broach the intelligence as smoothly as possible to our aged father, and remember me to all my friends in Pennsylvania. 

Beth added, “Feelings on both sides ran high. General Santa Ana (Mexico) had crossed the border and destroyed Goliad and then the Alamo, which is in present day San Antonio. He went on to San Jacinto, which is located in South Houston.  He was there at Easter when the Texans surprised and beat his army.  Santa Ana survived. The battle cry 'Remember the Alamo' is still used today!” She ended by saying, “I must admit, finding this was quite a surprise to me.  Thomas Whitaker was writing to his brother, Dr. William Heslit Whitaker, who was my maternal great-great grandfather.”