John Joseph "Juan" saw a lot. He witnessed much of what led up to the Texas Revolution, experienced a lot of the Revolution itself, and saw every single day of the Republic's existence. In 1883, when he was in his eighties, he gathered his thoughts and his papers, and with the help of his writer friend Victor M. Rose, turned it all into this fine book.

Who was J. J. Linn? He was an Irish immigrant who came to Texas in 1829. He ran a general store in Victoria, served as that town's alcalde and first mayor, and founded the town of Linnville. He was a delegate to both the consultation and the independence convention. He served Gen. Sam Houston as quartermaster and was instrumental in keeping the army supplied during the San Jacinto Campaign. There's not much in the Republic era that Linn didn't see. The writing is lively and colorful, making this a supremely enjoyable memoir of early Texas. We are pleased to keep it in print for today's Texans.