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I was at Chicago, Illinois practicing medicine, in company with Dr. G . . . . , when the news of the Texan revolt from Mexico reached our ears, in the early part of December, 1835. They were in arms for a cause that I had always been taught to considersacred, viz; Republican principles and the popular institutions. They had entered into the contest in spirit, and were carrying it on with vigor. Goliad had been taken in a gallant manner and the Texan forces were collecting to capture San Antonio, where was situated the most important fortress in the country, – the Alamo.
They had made a call for volunteers from other countries, more especially from U. S. of the North, to assist them, and the sympathies of many in the Fatherland were enlisted in their favor. I was instantly possessed with a desire of rendering my personal services, how ever insignificant they might be, in their behalf. Accordingly, I hastily closed my business with Dr, G . . . . , and left Chicago on the 14th of December, in company with two young men bound for Texas. We were to proceed by stage to Peoria, and there be joined by two or three others, and then travel on to Texas, in company. The weather was cold and disagreeable, but we went merrily along. Our stage companions were lively and agreeable, and far from giving us any discouragement in our enterprise, on the contrary, they confessed to a secret hankering for a share in the business, and would have gladly gone on with us, but just then some imperious necessity prevented. For instance Col. H . . . . , was in possession of a lucrative business, which could not be abandoned. Rev. M . . . . , was so much engaged in the cause of souls, some of which might be lost if he thus abandoned them; and Capt. P . . . . , of the United States Army, was certain that his Col. would not, on any consideration, spare him from the regiment. But encouragement and good wishes, they constantly gave us in abundance. Nothing occurred to obstruct our journey, nothing to mar the harmony and good feeling of the company. We arrived at Peoria on Wednesday evening, where our party left the stage, fondly wishing that our agreeable beginning might augur a satisfactory termination of the enterprise. Thursday, 17th – The remainder of our company not having come on, I walked ten miles to Pleasant Grove and called on Dr. P. . . . . , who had been a fellow student with me at the Berkshire Medial Institute, and afterward a neighboring practitioner in Lower Canada, which cold clime we both left the preceding spring, for the blooming regions of the far west. Passed this and the succeeding day with him and his agreeable family, when our party arrived. Saturday, 19 – Bade our kind friends adieu and proceeded onward seven of us (five for Texas) in an open wagon, rather crowded. A thaw had taken place and the roads became muddy. We had less of sociality and gaiety and more of discomfort and inconvenience, than the first part of our trip, but our resolution was as strong and our hearts as high with hope as ever. Sunday we passed through Springfield. Tuesday, 22 – Arrived at St. Louis and found we must wait some days for a steamer going down. Christmas was a noisy merry day, and all appeared to enjoy it. While here I had a gratifying proof that the friends I had left behind had not forgotten me, and were not unmindful of what might be of service to me in a new country, among strangers. Letters of recommendation from persons of standing and influence were forwarded to me, directed to several prominent men in Texas, both civil and military. And though I had determined to rely on my own acts and conduct to win me a character and standing, yet I did not feel like disregarding such auxiliaries, and was duly gratified at their reception. In one or two days more we embarked on the steamer Junius, Captain Jordan, for New Orleans; found several passengers onboard for Texas, some as volunteers, some as immigrants. We had a safe and pleasant passage down, for about ten days. The Mississippi presents a singular appearance to the first view of a Northerner. I had been on the broad and majestic St. Lawrence, but in hardly one respect does it resemble the “Father of waters”. Having their sources in the same region, some of them had branches interlocking. The former runs its course to the North-east forming . . . . .the wonder of the world) and then gradually widening as it rolls onward to the Gulf of the same name, its outlet to the sea. The later runs to the South, and after a course of thirteen hundred miles, receiving in its way the tribute of many a noble stream, instead of widening out, actually becomes narrower at New Orleans than at St. Louis. Waters throughout are turbid and its extreme tortuosity and endless and regular succession of “points and bends;” its cottonwood banks, in some places making others losing, bound the view on either side. After reaching Louisiana, we began to perceive the “Spanish moss” on the trees, giving them a singular and venerable appearance. The weather becomes sensibly warmer, and Live Oaks, with their refreshing greenness, cheer the site. The banks are low, and we have a view of towns and plantations as we travel rapidly by. We reached New Orleans on the 6th day of January 1836. The news of the taking of San Antonio, and the death of gallant Milan, had reached here – had been dramatized and acted on the stage with great applause. The commissioners from Texas were also here: Messrs. Austin, Wharton and Archer. I called on General Austin, who encouraged me to proceed. On to JANUARY 1836The text was copied verbatim including spelling and grammatical errors.
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