Houston v1

WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 183(.

Captain John Hart's company on January 30, 1836, at Velasco, was trans- ferred to Captain Amasa Turner's company, and honorably di~charged from the army, October 27, 1836 ( Comptroller's ivl-ilitary Service Records, Texas State Library). At the muster on Galveston Island, February 28, 1837, he was a member of Captain John Smith's company. In private life he was a lawyer of some prominence, and was elected chief justice of old Burnet County in 1841. He died at Austin, May 14, 1879. See E. W. Winkler (ed.), The Secret Jom-nals of the Senn.te, Republic of Texas, 1886-1845 205. Dixon and Kemp, Heroe11 of Sept Jacinto, 111. 3 Captain John Smith. Since George \V. Browning was mustered out, February 28, 1837, as a member of Captain John Smith's company, it is probable that he is the Captain Smith concerning whom Houston writes in this letter. That John Smith was born in Northfield. New Hampshire. He was a sergeant first in Captain Amasa Turner's company B, First Regi- ment of Regular Infantry, Texas Army, and had enlisted, February 13, 1836, to serve "for and during the war," and discharged by promotion, June 21, 1836. He was twenty-six years old at this time, five feet and eight inches tall, had light complexion, light blue eyes and dark brown hair (Comvti·oller's Military Ser·vice Records, Texas State Library). This descriptive document was signed by Henry Millard, lieutenant colonel. Smith's promotion on June 21, 1836, was to the rank of first lieutenant and adjutant on the staff of Colonel Millard; later he was promoted to captain of Company A, First Regiment of Infantry, on August 29, 1836. This infantry company was stationed on Galveston Island undet· the com- mand of Major Isaac N. Moreland. The muster rolls of February 28, 1837, show that Captain Smith had been ordered to the seat of Government by the Secretary of War, and that on that day his company was under the command of Lieutenant N. Levy. See Dixon and Kemp, Heroes of San Jacinto, 116-117. 4 Captain George W. Jewel] was a resident of McMinnville, Tenne£see, in 1836. He was a man of considerable property and had a profitable business. After the disasters at the Alamo and at Goliad in the spring of 1836, he became so greatly interested in Texas affairs, that he raised a company of volunteers at his own expense and with this company left McMinnville on August 16, 1836, arriving in Texas on September 11, and entered the ~ervice on September 19. He served for six months. He enlisted as cap- tain of his volunteer company, and was sent immediately to Fort Houston. There being more soldiers at that post than were ordinarily enrolled in one company, it was ordered that there should be two companies formed with a major commanding both. George Washington JewelJ was elected major of the post, and later, in 1837, remained at the same post as major of a ranging company stationed there. Besides a considerable sum of money expended in raising and transporting his company of volunteers from Ten- nessee to Texas in 1836, Major Jewell furnished wagons and teams for the Texas Army. In 1856, his heirs applied to the Texas Government for payment for this service, and were granted relief to the amount of 320 r.cres of land. See Com]Jtroller's Milifrr.1·11 Service Records, Texas .State :,ibrary.