Lewis M. H. Washington was born 1813 in Georgia. He participated in the Siege of Béxar in December 1835, as a member of James W. Fannin’s staff. In 1838 he delivered the eulogy on Charles Edward Hawkins, late commander of the Independence in the Texas Navy. Before April 1840 Washington and Edwin Ward Moore purchased the vessel Merchant for the Texas Navy. While his family lived in Nashville, Texas, part of Robertson’s Colony, on the Brazos River, Washington spent most of his time in Austin writing sentimental, political, and philosophical articles for several newspapers and taking part in various skirmishes with Mexico. He was captured in Costa Rica by Costa Rican forces and later shot under the orders of General Moro.

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William Tom was born 1792 in Southwest Territory (Tennessee). He participated in the battles of Horseshoe Bend and New Orleans in the War of 1812. In June and July 1835 Tom organized his neighbors for campaigns against the Comanche and Tawakoni Indians. He joined the Volunteer Army of Texas at Gonzales on October 10, 1835, and marched with it to San Antonio, where he participated in the battle of Concepción and the Grass Fight. He was with Ben Milam in the Siege of Béxar and remained in San Antonio under the command of James C. Neill until February 11, 1836, when he returned to Washington-on-the-Brazos in time to assist in the evacuation during the Runaway Scrape. Tom commanded a ranger company on the Sabinal River during the period of the Republic of Texas. Tom died in 1871.

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