A
man without a country... The
Texas Revolution produced many heroes and legends.
of those people. Mexican,
the Anglos didn’t trust him— even though he had fought
valiantly for the revolution. The Mexican government considered
him a traitor and would have shot him on sight.
Col.
Seguin, after whom our city is called, was a native Texan. His
Mexican-Spanish ancestors were of the early settlers of San
Antonio. From
the earliest record of the family they were wealthy and of a proud
stock. A daughter of Col. Seguin, aged 82 years died in San Antonio a few weeks ago, and he has several grand-daughters still living there.
The
Seguins (as well as Antonio Navarro, who lived near the Ewing
Springs, a few miles north of town) were lovers of independence,
fond of the frontier, and always had quite a retinue of followers.
From before the war for Texas independence, Juan N. Seguin owned
and lived on a stock ranch at the old San Antonio crossing of the
Guadalupe, two miles down and on the south side of the river. Col.
Seguin was one of the restless and daring spirits who, in an
effort to check the troubles and incursions on the border, took
part in the scheme of endeavoring to organize the Republic of the
Rio Grande. Col.
Seguin was in Sam Houston’s army and at the battle of San
Jacinto he commanded a company of dashing rancheros. He was
accounted one of the bravest fighters on the illustrious field of
honor and victory. And it was a well-founded conviction that, had
Santa Anna captured Sam Houston and his little army at San Jacinto, every Mexican in it would have been put to death—and
likely every American as well. While
every man who fought for Texas independence at San Jacinto or
elsewhere is dear to the heart of the true patriot, yet most
pathetic memories cling to one noble deed of Juan N. Seguin
performed in 1837. Such great respect did Sam Houston have for
this noble Mexican that he commissioned him and his command to go
to San Antonio and gather up and properly bury the remaining bones
and ashes of the heroes of the Alamo massacre. With
promptness Col. Seguin undertook the mournful task. The bodies of
the dead Texans had been burned by order of Santa Anna in three
piles, a layer of wood and a layer of bodies on each pile. Col.
Seguin and his men ascertained the places where three piles of
bones and ashes lay, carefully gathered them up, put them in a
black coffin, on the inside of the coffin writing the names
“Travis, Bowie, Crockett, Bonham.” They
then formed a funeral procession and with orations and military
honors buried these remains. Strange to tell, tradition only
locates the exact spot of interment. Editor’s
note: Juan Seguin spoke the following words as he and his men
prepared to bury the remains of the Alamo defenders. This document
is reprinted as it appears in Bill Groneman’s book,
The Alamo Defenders. "What
a brilliant example! One worthy of inclusion in the pages of
history. From her throne above, the spirit of liberty appears to
look upon us, and with tearful countenance points, saying,
'“Behold your brothers, Travis, Bowie, Crockett as well as all
the others. Their valor has earned them a place with all my
heroes.”' "Yes,
fellow soldiers and fellow citizens, we are witness to the
meritorious acts of those who, when faced with a reversal in
fortune, during the late contest, chose to offer their lives to
the ferocity of the enemy. A barbarous enemy who on foot herded
them like animals to this spot, and then proceeded to reduce them
to ashes. "I
invite all of you to join me in holding the venerable remains of
our worthy companions before the eyes of the entire world to show
it that Texas shall be free, and independent. Or, to a man, we
will die gloriously in combat." Juan
N. Seguin San
Antonio de Bexar, Texas 2/25/1837
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