WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1836
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1 Yoakum, History of Texcu;, II, 486. Morphis, History of Texas, 234-235. 2 William Christy (December 6, 1791-November 7, 1865), soldier, mer- chant, lawyer, son of George and Mary (Cave) Christy, was born at Georgetown, Scott County, Kentucky. His paternal ancestors were Scotch and were among the earliest settlers in Kentucky. At the age of fourteen William was left an orphan with a considerable amount of property. He had already chosen the law as a life career and was studying for his profession when the War of 1812 broke out. Immediately, he joined Gen- eral William H. Harrison's command and was made an aide to the gen- eral. When Fort Meigs was established at the falls of the Maumee River in Ohio, he was made acting quartermaster and storekeeper. On May 5, 1813, when General Green Clay's forces were approaching the fort, Christy, contrary to the orders of General Harrison, joined a body of 350 men who were sent out of the fort under the command of Captain William Sebree to capture a British battery. This little band of men were attacked in the rear by Tecumseh's Indians. Seeing that the situation was indeed desperate, Christy called to the men who could hear him to follow and led them in an attack on the Indians. Most of the little company were slaughtered, but this sacrifice gave those who pressed forward a chance to be saved from annihilation. When all but one of his band had fallen, and he himself had been twice wounded, Christy made a low bow to Tecumseh who was not twenty feet from him, then took to his heels in a desperate run for the main army of the Americans. The Indians poured 9 cross-fire upon him as they chased him, but much amused they soon gave up the chase, and Christy reached the American lines alive. Calling for volunteer aid, he retraced his steps, and a second time saved Captain Sebree's men from wholesale massacre. This feat gave Christy the sobri- quet, "Hero of Fort Meigs." He remained with the army till July, 1816, with the rank of lieutenant. He participated in the Bat~le of New Orleans, and afterwards remained in that city and engaged in trade as a tobacco merchant. Through the dishonesty of his partner, he lost his fortune in 1818, renewed his .study of law, and was soon admitted to the bar. From 1823 to 1833 he was a member of the New Orleans board of aldermen. In 1826 he compiled his first digest of the decisions of the Supreme Court c,f Louisiana; but as early as 1825 he had become interested in Texas, nnd this interest grew as the revolution for Texan independence developed. In fact, William Christy was one of the best friends Texas ever had out- site its own boundaries. Through his assistance the Texans were enabled to negotiate several loans, and he helped Adolphus Sterne and others to organize and equip two companies of soldiers for the Texas Army. These companies were known as the "New Odeans Grays," and were composed, for the most part, of young men from the southern and the middle United States. They reached San Antonio in the latter part of November, 1835, and participated in the "Storming of Bexar," December 5-10. l\lost of the men of these companies were killed in one or another of three disasters the Texans suffered during the early months of 1836: the fnll of the Alamo, March 6; the massacre of Fannin's army at Goliad, l\lurch 27; c.r the earlier disaster to Johnson's and Grant's bands at Refugio and Agua Dulce, respectively. It is a well known fact that William Christy spent a considerable part of his own fortune in giving aid in the Texan war of independence. From 1860 to 1854 he served as suryevor of cus- toms at New Orleans in order to rehabilitate himself; but he was always
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