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The
Battle of San Jacinto
April 21, 1836
by Murray Montgomery |  |
| | San
Jacinto Monument
Photo courtesy Texas Parks & Wildlife |
Saturday,
April 21, 2001, will mark the 165th anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto.
Because of the eventual consequences of this encounter, the battle is considered,
by many historians, as one of the most important in world history.
After spending weeks retreating from Mexican troops in an attempt to buy
some time to train his "rag-tag" army, General Sam Houston had finally
found the right place and time to fight the superior forces under the command
of the Mexican dictator, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The fierce confrontation
was destined to take place on a grass prairie near the Texas gulf coast; a place
we know today as Houston, Texas.
The events that led to the battle at San Jacinto actually began at Gonzales,
Texas, in March of 1836. General Houston had arrived at Gonzales just
in time to receive the news of the disaster at the Alamo.
He immediately made an attempt to form military units within the army. After he
had accomplished some sort of organization to his little militia, Houston decided
that he must retreat. He knew that his group would be no match for Santa Anna's
disciplined troops and his only hope was to withdraw and lure the Mexican forces
deeper into Texas. He hoped to lengthen their (Mexican) supply lines and make
it difficult for them to move rapidly. |
| | San
Jacinto Monument
Photo courtesy San Jacinto Museum of History |
As
the Texas army retreated east and sometimes northeast in a zigzag sort of way,
many of the soldiers became disgruntled and were tired of running-some deserted,
most of them just wanted to fight. But, "General Sam" had a plan. A plan he shared
with no one.
When the Texans arrived at the Colorado River, Sam
Houston's army was at its peak strength. It is estimated that he had anywhere
from 1000 to 1500 men at this time, but to the chagrin of many of his soldiers
and Texas government officials, he continued to retreat.
Everyone felt
sure that Houston would make his stand at the Colorado and when he did not, some
thought that he should be relieved of his command and indeed this might have happened
if there had been a qualified replacement. Sam Houston overcame these difficulties
in his same determined way and the exhausted little army moved on toward the plain
at San Jacinto.
When the Texas army reached the Brazos River,
General Houston turned it toward the north and Groce's Landing. Again,
the men started the angry talk about their commander. They were tired of running!
Heavy rain was constant and having to trudge through the mud day after day was
beginning to take its toll. |
| | Mexican
soldier reenactors at Goliad
Photo courtesy Jerry Tubbs |
While
camped at Groce's, Houston continued to drill and train his men. He began to mold
his volunteers into a fighting unit. Jared Groce had a fine plantation
and he gave all he could to the Texans, including lead to make ammunition. He
also gave them vegetables from his garden as well as, a supply of meat from his
vast herd of cattle. It was at this time that the Texans received another; much
needed gift - two cannons from the citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio. They were
promptly named, "Twin Sisters."
After playing his game of "cat
and mouse" with the Mexican army for more than a month, Sam Houston was finally
ready to spring his trap. Although the odds still favored the Mexicans, Houston
must have felt that this was the best chance he had to secure a victory and better
yet, possibly capture Santa Anna. At approximately 4:30 p.m. on April 21, 1836,
some 800 Texans began their assault against 1300 to 1400 Mexican soldiers. The
book Battles of Texas, describes the Texans' charge as follows: "Incredibly
the Texans reached within two hundred yards of the Mexican barricade before they
were seen .... The "Twin Sisters" roared and muskets barked and men cursed
furiously and suddenly all was bedlam."
General Sam Houston had two horses
shot out from under him during the battle. He was shot through the ankle. Santa
Anna grabbed a horse from one of his men and fled. The Mexican army was caught
completely off-guard and the Battle of San Jacinto was over in less than 18 minutes.
The battle had been won, but the killing continued. Thirsty for revenge,
emotions ran wild among the Texans. They shot, clubbed, and stabbed the Mexicans
as they attempted to escape. Some of the enemy soldiers were even scalped, before
the Texas army officers finally restrained their men. It has been estimated that
650 Mexicans were killed and 700 captured. General Santa Anna was taken captive
the next day.
The Alamo
and Goliad
had been avenged. Texas independence was secured.
Lone
Star Diary April,
2001 Column
Published with author's permission. |
Battle
of San Jacinto - Related ArticlesSan
Jacinto Day by Archie P. McDonald
News of the fall of the Alamo
on March 6, 1836, and the execution of Texians captured at Goliad three weeks
later, produced the terrible Runaway Scrape, a mad flight of refugees who scrambled
eastward to escape a similar fate at the hand of General Antonio Lopez de Santa
Anna’s armies. In the midst of these troubles, one man, Sam Houston, rode west...Baker
Talk by Mike
Cox ("Texas Tales")
"In modern times, battles begin with
precision air strikes. In the 19th century, battles began with stirring speeches.
Sometime in the early 1900s, the Beeville Picayune published the talk Captain
Mosley Baker supposedly gave to the men of his company at San Jacinto on April
21, 1836..."
The
Top Ten Facts About The Construction of The San Jacinto Monument San
Jacinto Monument by Mike Cox ("Texas
Tales")
"Most people think the towering star-topped limestone monument, built during
the Texas Centennial in 1936, is the only San Jacinto monument. Actually, it’s
only the biggest."Alfonso
(Alphonso) Steele - Last Texas survivor of the battle of San Jacinto, and
a State Park dedicated to himThe
Last Hero by Bob Bowman ("All Things Historical" )
The
last surviving veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, lies in
an almost forgotten cemetery in deep East TexasThe
Treaty of Velasco by Archie P. McDonald ("All Things Historical"
)
General Sam Houston, and later Interim President David G. Burnett, chose
negotiation instead of revenge for the massacres at the Alamo and Goliad.
Survivor's Account of the Goliad Massacre by Murray Montgomery ("Lone
Star Diary")
"There is a day in Texas history that quite possibly
could be considered one of the most tragic. On that day, March 27, 1836, General
Santa Anna ordered the execution of some 380 Texas army soldiers - they were prisoners
of war. ....." | |
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