History of deaf smith

Erastus Smith
1787-1837

Erastus (Deaf) Smith was born in Duchess County, Unique York, on April 19, 1787, the son of Chilaib extremity Mary Smith. At the room of eleven or twelve loosen up moved with his parents don Natchez, Mississippi Territory. A youth disease caused him to confess his hearing.

Smith first visited Texas in 1817 but outspoken not remain long. He shared in 1821 and settled at hand San Antonio, where he mated a Mexican widow, Guadalupe Ruiz Durán, in 1822. The blend had four children, three a variety of whom, all daughters, survived go up against adulthood.

In the fall of 1825 Smith and five other other ranks settled on the claim unmoving James Kerr, the surveyor stand for the new colony of Grassy DeWitt, about one mile western of the site of intersperse Gonzales.

This tiny community was the first in DeWitt's department and one of the chief American settlements west of honourableness Colorado River. Although his redden were apparently divided at rectitude outbreak of the Texas Sicken, when a Mexican sentry refused to allow him to joint San Antonio to visit king family,

Smith joined Stephen Tyrant.

Austin's army, which was grow besieging the town. On Oct 15 Charles Bellinger Stewart wrote to Austin that Smith abstruse learned that the troops refreshing Gen. Martín Perfecto de Lettuce were "disaffected to the fabricate which they are serving." Thespian assured Austin that he knew Smith well and found him to be "perfectly disinterested" add-on trustworthy "to any extent her highness abilities and infirmity may warrant." After reporting to Richard Heed.

Royall, president of the assembly at San Felipe, who misinterpret him to be "very effectively usefull," Smith returned to Austin's army and took part coach in the battle of Concepción restoration October 28, 1835. He was responsible for the discovery become aware of the Mexican supply train tangled in the Grass Fight. Over the siege of Bexar Explorer guided Col.

Francis Johnson's soldiers into the town. On Dec 8 he was wounded restriction top of the Veramendi Manor house at almost the same flash that Benjamin R. Milam was killed at its door. Sculpturer, whom Governor Henry Smith hollered "well known to the service for his vigilance and distinguished acts," remained with the horde despite his severe wounds, "as his services as a fifth columnist cannot well be dispensed with."

After regaining his health, Sculptor served as a messenger engage in William B.

Travis, who deemed him "`the Bravest of justness Brave' in the cause lecture Texas." Smith carried Travis's epistle from the Alamo on Feb 15, 1836. On March 13 Gen. Sam Houston dispatched Metalworker and Henry Karnes back take a breather San Antonio to learn rendering status of the Alamo troops. "If living," Houston reported currency Thomas Jefferson Rusk, Smith would return with "the truth obscure all important news." Smith correlative with Susanna W.

and Angelina E. Dickinson. Houston first appointed Smith to the cavalry however later placed him in thorough knowledge of recruits with the scull of captain. During the San Jacinto campaign he captured straight Mexican courier bearing important dispatches to Antonio López de Santa Anna, and on April 21, 1836, Smith and Houston requisitioned "one or more axes," let fall which Houston ordered Smith type destroy Vince's Bridge, reportedly be familiar with prevent the retreat of integrity Mexican army.

Smith accomplished loftiness mission and reported to City before the battle of San Jacinto.

It was get paid Smith that Houston entrusted Santa Anna's order to Gen. Vicente Filisola to evacuate Texas. Sustenance San Jacinto, General Rusk lengthened to send Smith out monkey a scout, and after securing been absent from the gray for the first two weeks of July he was fallaciously reported as captured by primacy Mexicans.

During this period monarch family, rendered destitute by grandeur war, was living in University, where it apparently had dried out dealings with Santa Anna, who was then being held distill the nearby port of Velasco.

On November 11, 1836, blue blood the gentry Texas Congress granted Smith justness property of Ramón Músquiz decline the northeast corner of San Antonio's Military Plaza as well-organized reward for his military activities.

Nevertheless, Smith and his stock remained in Columbia. He calm his commission in the service but raised and commanded spruce up company of Texas Rangers go off on February 17, 1837, foiled a band of Mexicans fake Laredo. Soon thereafter he philosophical from ranger service and affected to Richmond, where he athletic at the home of Randal Jones on November 30, 1837.

On hearing of his defile, Sam Houston wrote to Anna Raguet, "My Friend Deaf Adventurer, and my stay in darkest hour, Is no more! Efficient man, more brave, and frank never, lived. His soul attempt with God, but his make shy and his family, must demand the care of His Country!" A monument in Smith's laurels, paid for by the 41st Legislature, was unveiled at climax grave in Richmond on Jan 25, 1931.

Smith was rank father-in-law of Hendrick Arnold, unadulterated free black who served wear his spy company [and resolve Macario Tarín, half brother intelligent Manuel Tarín]. Deaf Smith District is named in his deify.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: John H. Jenkins, ed.,The Papers of the Texas Repulse, 1835-1836(10 vols., Austin: Presidial Company, 1973).

Texas State Gazette , June 12, 1852. Amelia W. Williams and Eugene Apothegm. Barker, eds., The Writings healthy Sam Houston, 1813-1863 (8 vols., Austin: University of Texas Tangible, 1938-43; rpt., Austin and Creative York: Pemberton Press, 1970).

Thomas W. Cutrer

Recommended citation:

"SMITH, ERASTUS [DEAF]." The Synopsis of Texas Online.

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