Henry Wax Karnes
Encyclopedia
Henry Wax Karnes was notable as a soldier and figure of the Texas Revolution
, as well as the commander of General Sam Houston's "Spy Squad" at the Battle of San Jacinto.
Karnes City, a city
in Karnes County
, Texas
, United States
is named after Henry Karnes. It is the county seat
of Karnes County
also named after Henry Karnes.
, first visited Texas
in 1828. During the Texas Revolution, he was one of Sam Houston
's most important spies and worked closely with Deaf Smith
. While serving in a volunteer company, Karnes was sent with Smith to bring word about the fate of the Alamo
. Karnes was one of the men who found Susanna Dickinson after the fall of the Alamo. By the time of the Battle of San Jacinto
, he had become a captain and later was a colonel
.
After the war, he served in the Texas Rangers
. Karnes was wounded by an arrow in the Arroyo Seco Fight
, an operation against the Comanches in August 1839. He died of yellow fever
the next year in San Antonio, Texas
.
Karnes was buried outside of Old Campos Cemetery as he was a Protestant and only Catholic
s were allowed to be buried there. This cemetery was later moved and Santa Rosa Hospital was built in its place across from Milam Park. A monument to Karnes was erected in 1932 in Milam Park as this was the closest to his grave that the city knew of. The monument remains there to this day.
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
, as well as the commander of General Sam Houston's "Spy Squad" at the Battle of San Jacinto.
Karnes City, a city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Karnes County
Karnes County, Texas
Karnes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 15,446. Its county seat is Karnes City. Karnes County is named for Henry Karnes, a soldier in the Texas Revolution.-Geography:...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is named after Henry Karnes. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Karnes County
Karnes County, Texas
Karnes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 15,446. Its county seat is Karnes City. Karnes County is named for Henry Karnes, a soldier in the Texas Revolution.-Geography:...
also named after Henry Karnes.
Biography
Henry Wax Karnes, a native of TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, first visited Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 1828. During the Texas Revolution, he was one of Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
's most important spies and worked closely with Deaf Smith
Deaf Smith
Erastus "Deaf" Smith was an American frontiersman noted for his part in the Texas Revolution and the army of the Republic of Texas. He fought at the Grass Fight and the Battle of San Jacinto. After the war, Deaf Smith led a company of Texas Rangers.-Biography:Smith was born in Dutchess County, New...
. While serving in a volunteer company, Karnes was sent with Smith to bring word about the fate of the Alamo
Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a battle fought during the Texas Revolution.Alamo may also refer to:-Places:*Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas*Alamo, California*Alamo, Georgia*Alamo Township, Michigan*Alamo, Nevada*Alamo, New Mexico...
. Karnes was one of the men who found Susanna Dickinson after the fall of the Alamo. By the time of the Battle of San Jacinto
Battle of San Jacinto
The Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
, he had become a captain and later was a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
.
After the war, he served in the Texas Rangers
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
. Karnes was wounded by an arrow in the Arroyo Seco Fight
Arroyo Seco Fight
The Arroyo Seco Fight was a clash between Texas militia, Rangers of the Republic of Texas and a large Comanche war party traveling with Chief Essowakkenny, which took place on the Seco Creek, in Medina County, Texas on August 10, 1838.- Background :...
, an operation against the Comanches in August 1839. He died of yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
the next year in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
.
Karnes was buried outside of Old Campos Cemetery as he was a Protestant and only Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s were allowed to be buried there. This cemetery was later moved and Santa Rosa Hospital was built in its place across from Milam Park. A monument to Karnes was erected in 1932 in Milam Park as this was the closest to his grave that the city knew of. The monument remains there to this day.
Relatives
Karnes is the great great uncle of Patsy Yvonne Karnes (aka Patsy Swayze), the mother of actors Patrick and Don Swayze.See also
- John CokerJohn CokerJohn Coker was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto that helped seal the decisive Texian victory.-Biography:...
- Young Perry AlsburyYoung Perry AlsburyYoung Perry Alsbury was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution. He was among the group of volunteers for the mission that was successful in burning the strategically important Vince's Bridge during the Battle of San Jacinto...
- Battle of San JacintoBattle of San JacintoThe Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
- Deaf SmithDeaf SmithErastus "Deaf" Smith was an American frontiersman noted for his part in the Texas Revolution and the army of the Republic of Texas. He fought at the Grass Fight and the Battle of San Jacinto. After the war, Deaf Smith led a company of Texas Rangers.-Biography:Smith was born in Dutchess County, New...
- Sam HoustonSam HoustonSamuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
- Antonio López de Santa AnnaAntonio López de Santa AnnaAntonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
- Vicente FilisolaVicente FilisolaVicente Filisola was a Spanish military figure, Mexican military and political figure in the 19th century.-Life and career:...
- José de UrreaJosé de UrreaJosé de Urrea was a noted general for Mexico. He fought under General Antonio López de Santa Anna during the Texas Revolution. Urrea's forces were never defeated in battle during the Texas Revolution...
- Martín Perfecto de CosMartín Perfecto de CosMartín Perfecto de Cos was a 19th-century Mexican general. He was married to Lucinda López de Santa Anna, sister of Antonio López de Santa Anna.-Background:Cós was born in Vera Cruz in the year 1800, the son of an attorney...
- Juan AlmonteJuan AlmonteJuan Nepomuceno Almonte was a 19th century Mexican official, soldier and diplomat. He was a veteran of the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution...
- Timeline of the Texas RevolutionTimeline of the Texas RevolutionThis is a timeline of the Texas Revolution, spanning the time from the earliest independence movements of the area of Texas, over the declaration of independence from Spain, up to the secession of the Republic of Texas from Mexico....
- Runaway ScrapeRunaway ScrapeThe Runaway Scrape was the name given to the flight and subsequent hostilities that occurred, as Texan, Tejano, and American settlers and militia encountered the pursuing Mexican army in early 1836....
- Vince's BridgeVince's BridgeVince's Bridge was a wooden bridge constructed by Allen Vince over Sims Bayou near Harrisburg, Texas. Its destruction by Texas armed forces played a critical role during the April 1836 Battle of San Jacinto in the decisive defeat of the Mexican army, which effectively ended the Texas Revolution...
External links
- Santa Anna's Account of the Battle
- San Jacinto
- Read Henry Karnes' entry in Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas hosted by the Portal to Texas History. Dead Link.
- Karnes County, TX Genealogy
- Account of Karnes fight on the Arroyo Seco in 1838 from Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas by John Henry Brown published 1880, hosted by The Portal to Texas History