1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 671 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pride 1-4 in paying tribute to the life of Captain Jesse Billingsley 1-5 and in recognizing the role he played in our state's history 1-6 on April 21, 1836; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Born October 10, 1810, in Warren County, Tennessee, 1-8 Jesse Billingsley moved to Missouri in 1817 and later settled near 1-9 David Crockett in Gibson County, Tennessee, in 1828; and 1-10 WHEREAS, On May 5, 1835, he arrived in Bastrop County and 1-11 settled in Cedar Creek, Texas; he joined the Texas Army under 1-12 the command of General Edward Burleson and became captain of the 1-13 Mina Volunteers; and 1-14 WHEREAS, Upon hearing that his friend and role model 1-15 Davy Crockett had been killed at the Alamo, Captain Billingsley 1-16 reorganized the Mina Volunteers and is credited with being the 1-17 first man to proclaim the famous battle cry, "Remember the Alamo!"; 1-18 and 1-19 WHEREAS, As commander of Company C, Captain Billingsley 1-20 ignored orders to countermarch and courageously proceeded to 1-21 San Jacinto to assist Colonel Sidney Sherman and his men who 1-22 were outnumbered by Santa Anna's army; and 1-23 WHEREAS, Captain Billingsley's men suffered severe 1-24 casualties from the blast of the enemy's cannon fire, and 2-1 Captain Billingsley sustained a wound to his left hand, leaving 2-2 it crippled for life; however, he and his regiment saved the lives 2-3 of many of Colonel Sherman's men and helped them to be victorious 2-4 in that famous battle on April 21, 1836; and 2-5 WHEREAS, Captain Billingsley was honored for his valor by 2-6 artist William H. Huddle who placed Captain Billingsley behind 2-7 Santa Anna in his painting of the historic moment of "The Surrender 2-8 of Santa Anna"; and 2-9 WHEREAS, After the Battle of San Jacinto, Captain Billingsley 2-10 represented Bastrop County in the First and Second Congress and 2-11 the Fifth and Eighth legislatures of Texas; he then sacrificed his 2-12 public career by taking a stand against secession from the Union 2-13 and by becoming an advocate for the literacy of slaves; and 2-14 WHEREAS, In 1874, Captain Billingsley stepped forward to 2-15 insist that the name of a black soldier, Maxlin "Mack" Smith be 2-16 inscribed on the San Jacinto honor roll after his name had been 2-17 omitted from the bronze plaque listing those who fought in the 2-18 Battle of San Jacinto; and 2-19 WHEREAS, Captain Billingsley died quietly October 1, 1880, 2-20 and was buried in his front yard in McDade, Texas, beside his 2-21 faithful white horse, Gopher; his body was exhumed under 2-22 the direction of L. W. Kemp in 1929 and was reinterred in the 2-23 State Cemetery in Austin near his fellow patriot Stephen F. Austin, 2-24 "the Father of Texas"; and 2-25 WHEREAS, Captain Billingsley's great-great-grandson is 2-26 Randy Billingsley, who is visiting the Capitol on April 21, 1999, 3-1 and is joining other descendants of Captain Billingsley's men in 3-2 paying tribute on San Jacinto Day to the Battle of San Jacinto and 3-3 to Captain Jesse Billingsley; now, therefore, be it 3-4 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 3-5 76th Legislature, hereby honor the memory of Jesse Billingsley and 3-6 pay tribute to all Texans who participated in the Battle of 3-7 San Jacinto; and, be it further 3-8 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 3-9 Randy Billingsley as an expression of esteem for Captain Billingsley 3-10 from the Texas Senate. 3-11 Bernsen 3-12 Armbrister Harris Ogden 3-13 Barrientos Haywood Ratliff 3-14 Bivins Jackson Shapiro 3-15 Brown Lindsay Shapleigh 3-16 Cain Lucio Sibley 3-17 Carona Luna Truan 3-18 Duncan Madla Wentworth 3-19 Ellis Moncrief West 3-20 Fraser Nelson Whitmire 3-21 Gallegos Nixon Zaffirini 3-22 Perry, President of the Senate 3-23 ______________________________________ 3-24 President of the Senate 3-25 I hereby certify that the above 3-26 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-27 on April 20, 1999. 3-28 ______________________________________ 3-29 Secretary of the Senate 3-30 ______________________________________ 3-31 Member, Texas Senate