of Texas Indpendence
(^-above) Texian flag at the Battle of San Jacinto -original now on display in the Texas legislature.
Labadie moved to St Louis where he learned the medical trade under Dr. Samuel Merry of the University of Pennsylvania. He eventually became an expert in the fields of medicine and pharmacology. He also earned extra money as a clerk for a St Louis merchant before moving to Ft Jesup, Louisiana. He first came to Texas in January of 1831 when he visited the San Felipe colony and decided that he should move to the garrison town of Anahuac. He journeyed back to New Orleans to stock up on medical supplies and returned to Anahuac in March where he was given the job of post surgeon by Colonel John Davis Bradburn. He also treated civilians and went into the mercantile business with Charles Willcox until 1833. After being dismissed as post surgeon Labadie joined the rebellion against Colonel Bradburn in 1832, part of what became known as the "Anahuac Disturbances". He then moved to his planation on the banks of Lake Charlotte where he stayed until 1838 raising hogs, corn, cattle and honey to supplement his medical practice.
However, like everyone in Texas, Labadie was caught up in the war that broke out in 1835 between the Texians and the Mexican government under General Santa Anna. On March 11, 1836 (after the fall of the Alamo in San Antonio) Labadie joined the Liberty militia and marched to join the forces assembling under General Sam Houston. At Groce's plantation General Houston made him the official surgeon of the First Texan Infantry Regiment on April 6, 1836. He used his talents to aid the Texan soldiers with the usual army camp illnesses, but undoubtedly the most memorable day of his life came on April 21, 1836 when he fought in the battle of San Jacinto which won the independence of Texas. Accompanying Colonel Sidney Sherman, he doubled as a soldier and a surgeon, fighting as well as treating wounded men. He was also one of the few who tried to save Mexicans who had been taken prisoner from the fury so many felt after the battle of the Alamo and massacre at Goliad. When General Houston was severely wounded in the leg it was Dr Labadie who cared for him.
Unfortunately, the kindness Labadie had shown the enemy had not been returned and when he was able to go home he found his plantation had been looted and his family forced to flee for their lives. Yet, he continued on as he had before and was given a new plot of land in Galveston, Texas by Secretary of War Thomas Rusk. He moved there and became a founding father and pillar of the community in Galveston. He built the first Catholic Church in that city and was active in several businesses as well as medicine, finally trading his plantation property for wharf rights in Galveston. Eventually he opened his own shipping line which sailed to and from Pensacola, Florida carrying lumber. After 1861 Dr Labadie saw military service again when he became examining surgeon for newly recruited Confederate soldiers in the Galveston area. Nicholas Labadie was married three times, outliving all but the last. He had three daughters by his first wife, one son by his second and none by his last wife. Dr Nicholas D. Labadie died on March 13, 1867 and was buried in the Catholic Cemetery of Galveston, Texas.
Sources:
Texian Iliad by Stephen L. Hardin
Handbook of Texas Online
San Jacinto Museum
Source: The New Orleans Greys By Gary Brown