Jamie picked up their trail and found they had gone south for a few miles, then cut east toward the Sabine River. He followed the obvious trail for a few miles, then gave it up when it became clear the gang was quitting the hunt. For what reasons, Jamie did not have a clue.
“Good,” he muttered, and turned his horse’s head north, toward Kate and home.
Everyone was both surprised and pleased to see him return so soon. Kate had feared that he might be gone for weeks, or even months. And, secretly, she feared for her husband’s life, for she knew him better than anyone, and knew the chances he took. Hannah had explained the warrior’s way to her. And even though Jamie had spent only a few years with the Shawnees, the lessons he had learned there were burned deep within him, and they would remain there all his life.
So for nearly a year, the political struggling and rumors of war were forgotten by those in the Big Thicket as they concentrated on their own struggling to stay alive, work their fields, and raise their families. Jamie did not know why the Saxon Brothers had given up their hunt for him, but he felt sure that one day he would meet them and it would have to be settled.
In the world outside the Big Thicket, events were rushing toward war. Santa Anna had sent his brother-in-law, General Martin Perfecto do Cos, to Saltillo, with orders to get rid of the Federalist governor and his staff, who were openly opposed to Santa Anna’s dictatorial ways. War between the Texans and the forces of Santa Anna moved closer.
Sam Houston continued to tell his followers to stay calm. War was coming, but not just yet.
Over in San Felipe, a flamboyant young attorney, William Barret Travis had put together a small force of some twenty-five men. Hardly an army, but it was the beginning of one. Some say it was Travis and his little force, a few months later, who really fired the first shot of the revolution — but Texas was huge, and there were shots being fired all over the place, so no one is really sure.
Fontaine sent Bonham to fetch Jamie. Travis wanted to meet him. Jamie agreed, but could not understand why the special interest in him. There were hundreds of men who knew Texas better, so why him?
Bonham shrugged his shoulders. A few days later, at the rear of Smith’s store, Fontaine cleared it up. “Because you represent what Texas is all about, Jamie. It doesn’t make any difference whether you were born here, or not. At this point in time, most Texans have come in here from somewhere else. But you’re free, and you’re willing to die for that freedom. You’re a little bit wild, and you don’t give a tinker’s damn whether others approve of that, or not. You’re true to yourself and to your family. That’s Texas. You stand up for what you believe in, and if the law, or lack of it, can’t handle it, you will and to hell with those who don’t have the backbone to fight for what they believe in. That’s Texas, Jamie.” The government man smiled and called, “All right, Mr. Travis, please come in.”
Jamie Ian MacCallister and William Barret Travis shook hands and sized each other up. Jamie had heard that Jim Bowie and Travis did not really like one another, and Jamie could see why.
As they drank coffee and talked, Jamie could see that the two men were opposites. Bowie was wild and unruly and oftentimes quite unpredictable, while Travis was outwardly cold and calculating. But Travis was also hotheaded and did not like his orders questioned, and he was the sort who felt that his way was the only way. Regardless of that, Jamie and Travis, in only a few short hours that day, grew to like and respect each other. And Jamie could sense that Travis, like Bowie, was fearless. When everybody involved finally made their declaration and committed, it was going to be a matter of wills as to who would actually lead the Texas Army of Independence, Travis or Bowie.
Travis left Jamie with these words: “Stand ready for the call, Jamie MacCallister.”
“Blowhard,” Bowie muttered.
Jamie was back home in time to help with the spring planting.
* * *
On a warm and not unpleasant Saturday evening, when all were gathered at Jamie and Kate’s for an evening of conversation and food and some hard cider for the men (the men didn’t know it, but the ladies had a jug hid out behind the woodpile for themselves), Jamie broke the news to them all.
“I might get the call to go and fight at any time. So I’ve arranged for help to come over. Juan has brothers just recently moved into this area, and they’re good people and need to work. I ...” He shook his head and smiled. “We don’t even have an army yet. But Bowie, Travis, Smith, and Fontaine want me to leave the land and become a scout for them. I’m torn, I tell you.”
“Do you want to go, Jamie?” Kate asked.
“Yes. I do.”
“Then it’s settled. You’ll go.”
“Texas obviously needs you, Jamie,” Sam said. “I believe it’s your duty.”
“Jamie,” Swede said, leaning closer. “We all live within shouting distance of each other. We’ve quite a little settlement here and we can put together a fighting force in a matter of seconds.”
That was true. Jamie had insisted upon all the women mastering rifle and pistol.
Jamie nodded his head. “All right. But I’ll be gone for months, surely.”
Kate looked at him, her blue eyes twinkling. “But won’t it be fun when you do return?”
* * *
Jamie reached San Felipe in time to speak briefly with a very excited Travis. “They’ve done it, lad!” Travis said. “General Cos has reopened the garrison and the customs house at Anahuac and is sending troops in to reinforce those stationed there. We grabbed a Mexican courier and took these dispatches from him.” He waved several papers under Jamie’s nose. “But wait! There is more. Much more. In here,” he thumped the papers, “is a signed statement from a ranking Mexican general, clearly stating that when the conquest of Zacatecas is complete, Santa Anna himself will lead the Mexican Army to us and crush us!”
Actually, Travis’s Spanish was not that good. Nowhere in the dispatches did it mention the word “crush,” which is aplastar. The word castigar was used, which meant punish or chastise.
“We ride for the garrison?” Jamie asked.
“We ride, lad!”
“How many in your army?”
“Twenty-five brave Texans and one cannon!” Travis said proudly.
Jamie blinked at that. “Against how many?”
“That’s what you are to find out, Jamie. Ride like the wind and report back to me immediately.”
“Yes, sir, ah...?”
“Colonel, Jamie. In the Texas Army of Independence.”
“Yes, sir, Colonel Travis.”
When Jim Bowie heard of that he, too, became a colonel and started putting together his own command. It was sort of an odd way to fight a war.
“We’ll meet you on your way back!” Travis shouted.
Jamie lifted a hand and was gone.
What Jamie found in the garrison at the tiny settlement of Anahuac was one officer and about fifty enlisted men. He learned this by sitting in a cantina and watching the post.
That the Mexican officer in charge was hated by most of the Mexican locals was summed up when a man engaged Jamie in conversation and called the Mexican officer a rotten son of a bitch.
But the man was watching Jamie closely, too closely. And Jamie sensed he was an informer and merely smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “I never get involved in local politics,” he told the man. “I’m from Louisiana over here visiting friends.” He jerked a thumb. “Up north.”
The man smiled and Jamie could see him relax. “You are wise, senor. If you are hungry, they serve excellent food here. I know. My sister is the cook!”
Jamie ate the hot spicy food and drank about a gallon of water to cool the flames. Then he began the long ride back east. About halfway there, he met Travis and his command.