[The first of these two letters is in the Wilson Scrap-book, and is mentioned in the description given in The Quarterly for October, 1897, pp. 132-3. The second came into the collection of the Association through the kindness of Mrs. W. G. Belding of Fort Worth and its possessor, Mrs. J. F. Miller of Gonzales. It was written to Col. A. Turner, the father of Mrs. Miller.—Editor Quarterly.]
Castle of Perota 22nd April 1844. Dear Brother
At last addressing you from the confines of a Prison, contrary to what I ever anticipated but in character with the present condition of our Country in my former letters I gave you a history of our fight at Mier broke at the Salado &c notwithstanding our many sufferings on our march a distance of fifteen hundred miles many of us barefooted myself marched three hundred miles barefooted during the time there were three hail storms that in the wash the Hail lay ancle deep badly fed and almost naked at last brought up at this miserable place Perota the castle contain twenty six acres walls Eight feet thick of stone and cement twentyfive feet high heavy Lock and we chained by the leg this shows the improbability of escape the sixteen of our men did dig under the wall and escape four retaken this place is situated in a vally the surrounding mountains covered with snow summer and winter upon the whole the most unpleasant climate I have yet visited the condition of most of our men have been Eleviated by their friends in the United States by sending them money as for myself sence the 25th December 42 I have been destitute of money not one cent to buy soap to wash my skin Cloth is out of the question we are all Lousy as pigs All comunication is stoped between Texas and this country which precludes all posibility of obtaining any relief from home I drew upon Alexander Spiers Brown &Co of New York for four hundred &twenty Eight dollars which they were due me my latter date 29th Dec. 43 No answer as yet Feby 23rd drew upon Bursides &Co Orleans as a matter of favour No answer here a prisoner without one cent an Epimdemic visited us and reduced our nos one third then was the trying moment of my life fear came over me amongst our acquaintance Joseph A Cruz died about the first of Feby 44 Wm A Walace is here a prisoner with me who at the same time suffered Marturdom with myself in the Hospital the eppidemic that prevailed affected the Head all was in a state of delirium he Wm A W was lashed hard and fast on his back with roaps which marks will show as long as he lives— We are required to perform the most menial service that ever white men did perform sweeping the streets gathering all the filth that may accumulate in baskets under the superintend of the vilest of convicts with seeming discretion to use the pole instead of the rod the application of which keeps every one up to the mark—
To myself I never have heard from my native country but once that was Govr McDowel to U. S. Consulate Black in favor of my friend Wm A W— Writing time after time farewell
Wm. F. Wilson P S leaving home I was a candidate for the sherifalty of Liberty County with an expectation of reaching home by the day we were taken prisoners making no provision for the safe keeping of my affects Send this to Mr Andrews Walace and tender him my ..... 47 for his interposition in our behalf W F W
Republic of Mexico Castle of Perota 29th July 1844 Dear Coln
Again I write you still believing that I canot be so far forgotten by you as not to answer my letters but attribute it perhaps to miscariages Since a prisoner I have written you four or five times &Mrs Turner once Coln Bowyer at least once per month Coln Hardin Coln Woods Major John D Andrews of Houston John B Johnson of San Philopy David White of Mobile and Osker Farish and as yet I have received nothing— we are in a most retched condition badly fed naked made to work like beasts of burthen Some time ago we were fed upon meet of so doubtful a character that it is yet a matter undecided whether it was dried Dog or Goat meat My impression is that it was dog from the cooks finding the foot of a dog to the end of a shank and it not differing in appearance or flavour from the Balance in our naked condition we suffer much from cold being fourteen thousand feet above the level of the see and of course it snows very easy we are in sight of snow all the time except when locked up in the Vally wher we are situated it Rains at least once in twenty four Hour &frequently mixed with snow. this Castle contains twenty six acres of ground wals eight feet thick that it has not been heated by other than animal heat for the last five hundred years they at times have from one hundred to a thousand Prisoners of their own. having but a thin mat maid out of a flag and an oald Blanket we sleep upon the brick floor and it damp which we suffer much from Rheumatism Hours of work per day ten after the Bexher Prisoners left we ware closely confined twenty Hours out of the 24 they finding it was injuring our health they maid a change for the better tho it was imposing more work the things who oversee us is the vilest of convicts with seeming discresion to exercise all the crualty over us thay may think proper in which for their amusement they inflict stripes &Blows in which we can have no redress at this time I feel it more my duty to write than formerly that I may keep you advised of all the movements so far as I can tho we are pretty much secluded from everything except insults &taunts. Mr B E Greens letter to W S Murphy United States charge d affairs to Texas as published in weekly news bearing date 17th June 1844 superseeds my entering into particulars as I otherwise would do this letter referred to is upon the subject of Invasion He leaves the number of troops indefinate the Officers in this Castle tell us sometimes that it is thirty Thousand &from that down to seventeen Thousand Thay also inform us that thay are to be supplyed with a Navy from England &the same maned by Englishmen seamen again they tell us that the are to be furnished seventeen ships by Spain a number of the officers that guarded us have been ordered and on their way to Texas as published in the weekly News of Galveston Canalus is commander and chief but not so it is Canalizo Mormon his aid who speaks English very well told me a few days ago that he would start the first of August to Texas The most of the troops is in St. Lewis Petocia at this time— As to Federation or Revault in Mexico it was got up for the purpose of deluding Texas or throwing hir of hir guard so look out and be on the alert I have a skeam in view but in case this should be overhalled It would operate against me but do urge the people to be prepared. I do not wish this to be published but give the news as much publicity as possable I recomend you arming both your sons and yourself well and the same to every Texian for all will have to bear a hand after reading this send it to Coln Bowyer as I wish him to get up the colt I got from Mr Hardin &have him Broak but neither main nor tail altered My respects to Mrs. Turner &famly Mrs. Bowyer &little Lewis reserving a part for yourself and Coln Bowyer.
Wm. F. Wilson
How to cite:
"TWO LETTERS FROM A MIER PRISONER ", Volume 002, Number 3, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, Page 233 - 236. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v002/n3/article_5.html
[Accessed Mon Dec 1 18:48:07 CST 2008]
