Military Monday - The Last Survivor of the Battle of San Jacinto

Private Alfonso Parcutt Steele

Alfonso Parcutt Steele was born on April 9, 1817 in Hardin County, Kentucky to the marriage of Stephen Parcutt Steele and Suzannah McCarty.

In 1835, Alfonso joined Captain Ephriam M. Daggett's company of volunteers in Louisiana and traveled with the company to Texas to aid in the Texas Revolution.

He later joined a company of men who were serving under Captain Joseph L. Bennett and this company later joined General Sam Houston's army.  Alfonso served in the Battle of San Jacinto as a private in Captain James Gillespie's company of Sidney Sherman's regiment.

Severely wounded in the early stages of the battle, he continued to fight until the end.  During much of the battle, Alfonso's gray horse was ridden by General Houston until the animal was shot beneath him.  

In 1907, at the age of ninety, Alfonso Steele revisited the San Jacinto Battleground at the invitation of Colonel Andrew Jackson Houston, son of General Sam Houston.  It was his first visit to the scene of the great conflict since fighting there seventy-one years prior.

Col. A. J. Houston and Alfonso Steele holding the Texas flag

Excerpt from article below:

Arriving at the grounds, three hours were spent following the old veteran in his enthusiastic rambling over the old battlefield, and we had to move, too, for it seemed that he had the youth and vigor of by gone days as soon as he alighted from the hack, as he out-walked us all in seeking out the location of his camp and the place where the Sherman regiment was formed for the battle.

On February 10, 1909, the 31st Texas Legislature presented Alfonso Steele with a gold medal for his bravery at the Battle of San Jacinto.  

A life size portrait of Alfonso Steele is displayed in the San Jacinto Monument.

Alfonso Parcutt Steele

Two portraits of Alfonso Steele are also in the State Preservation Board's permanent Capitol art collection.  Marie Cronin was commissioned by the state in 1909 to paint the portrait below, which hangs prominently in the Senate Chamber.  

Sen. Kirk Watson in front of Alfonso Steele Portrait

Palestine Daily Herald - June 5, 1909

Alfonso Parcutt Steele passed from this life on July 8, 1911 in Kosse, Limestone County, Texas.  He is buried alongside his wife, Mary Ann Powell Steele, in the Mexia City Cemetery in Mexia, Limestone County, Texas.

El Paso Herald - July 11, 1911

2012 Mexia Proclamation:

Alfonso Parcutt Steele was my great-great-great grandfather through his son, Francis Marion, grandson, Isham Alfonso, great granddaughter, Mary Allye Steele Edmonds, and great-great grandson, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds.