Re: Caleb Sinclair of the Mier Expedition, 1842

["Jean Grigsby" <jgrigsby@bcni.net>]

[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@jump.net.
[ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html
-------

I visited your site.  I do not know how it was missed  when our family group
was  working on my article.  As my article is solely on the research of one
prisoner and that is in my 1988 copyrighted book, I cannot share my
information at this time.  However, it is interesting that you cared enough
to join this website.  Have you joined the sites  representing  each of  the
other prisoners?  I would like to find descendants of certain ones who were
not listed on your site.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks- Jean----- Original Message -----
From: Diane Hettrick <dhettrick@earthlink.net>
To: <sinclair@jump.net>
Cc: Carolyn Harris <Tall_Trees@Bigpond.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 13, 1999 5:03 PM
Subject: Re: Caleb Sinclair of the Mier Expedition, 1842


>
>[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@jump.net.
>[ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html
>-------
>
>Hello,
>
>Carolyn Harris of Australia has been researching the Mier Expedition for
>several years.  Her web page on the topic is at
>http://www.users.bigpond.com/Tall_Trees/mier.htm   She is looking for
>descendants of the expedition.  Her email address is Carolyn Harris
<Tall_Trees@Bigpond.com>
>
>Diane Hettrick
>Seattle
>dhettrick@earthlink.net
>
>John Carpenter wrote:
>>
>> [ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@jump.net.
>> [ For more information, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html
>> -------
>>
>> My ancestor's brother was Caleb Browning St. Clair (b. ca 1799, d. 25 Aug
>> 1872), son of John Sinkler/St. Clair (b. ca 1767 in VA, d. ca 1856 in
>> Jackson Co AL). Caleb married Harriett Palmer. His brother, my ancestor,
was
>> Paschal Patterson "Pack" St. Clair (b. ca 1801 in Bedford Co VA, d. 187x
in
>> Oso, Fayette Co TX) who married Eliza Jane Ragland (b. ca 1814 in TN, d.
in
>> Fayette Co TX).
>>
>> I have read several books on the Mier Expedition during 1842-1844. This
was
>> a force of about 300 from Central Texas who captured the Mexican town of
>> Mier on 23 Dec 1842. They were tricked into surrendering after a battle
>> 25-26 Dec, except for two: Caleb Sinclair and William Chalk. These two
hid
>> in an outdoor bread baking oven and managed to escape. They made their
way
>> back to Texas and informed the Texians about what had happened. It was
such
>> a disgraceful loss for the Texians that their story was initially
doubted,
>> until later confirmations appeared. After an escape attempt, the captured
>> Texians were sentenced to "decimation" in the Black Bean Episode. 159
white
>> beans and 17 black beans (10% of 176 men) were mixed in a jar. The
Texians
>> had to each draw a bean, with those who drew black beans going to the
firing
>> squad. Eventually, the last remaining prisoners were released in 1844.
>>
>> About half of the books I have read indicate that Caleb Sinclair was from
>> Gonzales Co TX. If so, then he was Caleb Browning St. Clair, brother of
my
>> ancestor. But, other books indicate that Caleb Sinclair was from New
York.
>> So who was the Caleb Sinclair of the Mier Expedition?
>>
>> I owe the majority of my Sinkler/St. Clair information to the research of
>> Jean Grigsby -- so thanks Jean!
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Rick