Talk:Texas Revolution/Moore

Stephen Moore. 18 Minutes

Introduction

p xiii

San Jacinto campaign lasted 41 days - March 11 through April 21

"San Jacinto was the deciding moment in the Texas Revolution"

p xiv

Houston's retreat covered 215 miles

his long marches wore down Santa Anna

brought Texans closer to their population - and supplies - and Mexican army further from theirs

retreat brought them into east Texas, with more trees

some believed if they fell back toward the border, the US might intervene the idea was that Santa Anna might incite the Indians to fight with him, and then the US would be bound by the Florida Indian Wars treaty to intervene

p xv

Houston later Pres of Tx, US Congressman, and Governor of State of Tx

p xvii

earliest complete account of San Jac published 1837 - written by a vet of the battle, Robert Coleman. Lots of jabs against Houston

1841, a detailed account in Henry Foote's Texas and the Texans

p xviii

more accounts from veterans over the next 20 years

"streets, schools, ships, and even a college have been named after San Jacinto"

700,000 sq miles of territory from mexico to the us

p xix

legislature approved san jac monument in the 1890s; openeded 1939, the tallest obelisk in the world

reenactments at San Jacinto every year

Chapter 1, Mar 3-5, 1836

p 5

Travis in his letters vowed tofire cannon 3s per day - morning, noon ,night, as long as texans held the fort

p 6 Santa Anna had fought in Mexican Revolution against Spain; commanded 2000 Mexican soldiers in defending Tampico in 1829 battle and emerged a hero

p 7

won presidency in 1833 as a liberal

1834, abolished Const of 1824 (modeled after US const) and named himself dictator

p 8

Mexican Army organization, Feb 1836 Brigadier General Joaquin Ramirez y Sesma led the Vanguard division - 1541 men Brigardier General Antoni Gaono led First Infantry Brigade = 1600 men

Brigadier General Eugenio Tolsa led 2nd Infantry Brigade = 1839 ,em Brig. Gen Juan Jose de Andrade led Cavalry Brigade = 437 men Urrea's Division (Brig. Gen. Jose Urrea) had 601 men

p 9

1835, Santa Anna took command of the army, and left Miguel Francisco Barragan as interim president

began organizing his army Dec 1835 in San Luis Potosi

"to further his regime and to set an example", plus mad about his brother-in-law

Feb 13, Santa Anna reached the Rio Grande; 6k Mexican troops strung out over 300 miles

winter storms - "snow, sleet, and gusting cold winds"

Feb 23, Mexican infantry arrived in San Antonio

p 10

Mar 5, Mexican council of war. Some officers said the walls were weakening and they should just wait - Texan provisions would run out Santa Anna, Almonte, and Sesma said no, let's attack - he thought that would boost morale a great deal

Houston a delegate to the convention from Refugio

p 11

Houston had lived with the Cherokee Indians for a time and had been in the US Army during War of 1812

p 13

Fannin and johnson both separately named to lead an attack on Matamoros Smith ordered Houston to go get the army

Jan 15, Houston arrived Goliad - few provisions, troops not prepared to march far away about that time, Neill sent a letter asking for help - attack coming Houston thought that there was no way to hold the Alamo effectively and said to blow it up

Bowie and Bonham and Neill thought the Alamo was "crucial to the defense of Texas" (word Moore)

p 16

March 6, the Convention got Travis's left appeal for help Robert Potter (Nac delegate_ said to adjourn the convention and go there to help

Houston said this was 'madness' and said he'd go organize the troops, you people create a govt

Chapter 2

p 18

Jose Antonio Menchaca "family was of Spanish descent" - he was b Bexar in 1800 joined Seguin's company Bowie held council of war Feb 1836 to discuss Santa Anna's arrival Bowie and Seguin both wanted Menchaca to move his family away from Bexar out of fear of what SA would do to them

> 6' tall, speaks and writes English and Spanish fluently

moves hid family to Seguin's ranch; stayed there 6 days, then he and family went to gonzales for help; arrived Mar 5

p 19

one of only 29 Tejanos who fought at San Jac

Gonzales abt 70 mi east of Bexar

Menchaca went to Green DeWitt's house; Burleson was there already

Mar 6 he tried to take his family east of Guadalupe and Burleson said no, all men needed. He joined with 14 other Tejanos from Bexar to form a loose company

pp 22

few adult men in Gonzales by early Mar - all had gone to the Alamo

Billingsley's men from Mina arrived Mar 4-5, ready to go to the Alamo

p 23

Mar 5, about 200 volunteers gathered at Gonzales, no overall commander

p 24 This considered not enough men, so waiting for more

support by US individuals: Sidney Sherman sold his cotton-bagging factory to have enough to equip a company of 50 men to come from Ky in Dec in cincinnati, ppl raised money to buy arms and ammo for Texas

p 25

this funded the Twin Sisters, which arrived late in the San Jac campaign

p 26

Sherman arrived Nac on Feb 1; his men had been there 2 weeks earlier

p 27

Seguin b Oct 1806 in Bexar. Father from Canary Islands (Castilian)

p 28

Seguin left Alamo as a courier on Feb 25 with Antonio Cruz

arrived Cibolo River and found Captain Francis L. Desauque, who told him that Fannin be there in 2 days; they decided to wait for him there later got word Fannin had turned around

Seguin gatherd up 25 Tejanos - most had left Bexar when the Mexican army got there

by Feb 28th, joined by Dr. John Sutherland and 12 men, plus Dr. Horace Alsbury

when Fannin wasn't coming, Seguin moved to Gonzales to find more men

p 29

got to Gonzales by Mar 6; gathered up the 14 Tejanos already there, including Menchaca, into his new company

Menchaca was voted 2nd lt (helped translate for the men who spoke only Spanish) Salvadore Flores was 1st lt

p 31

Moseley Baker, b 1802 in Norfolk, Va; moved to Montgomery, AL

became a lawyer; founder and first editor of the Montgomery Advertiser lots of debt and in 1832 charged with defrauding the Bank of Alabama of 21k. arrested, escaped, ran to Texas with only $1. borrowed $10 in San Felipe and opened a law practice wanted independence from Mexico; participated in Grass Fight went home after Bexat; San Felipe reorganized militia on Feb 29

Mar 1, he was elected captain. John P Borden (son of Gail Borden), 1sst lt, E.b. Wood 2nd lt. abt 30 men

p 33

company included SFA's nephew Moses Austin Bryan and Judge Joseph Baker (a cofounder of Telegraph and Texas register)

Gail Borden Jr and 2 others in town were drafted but excused from military service so they could put out the paper, which was by now the only one in Texas company marched into Gonzales March 6

p 34 Baker chosen to take charge of all the men in Gonzales; camped on east bank of the Guadalupe, 1 mi below Gonzales

p 35

James Robinson, Consultation acting govt, enrolled in Joseph Bennet's company in March

p 37

Filisola said "the bloodshed of our soldiers as well as our enemies was useless" - just a show of force

Chapter 3, Mar 3-11

p 39

Neill while on furlough in Feb was trying to raise money visited the provisional govt in San Felipe and got $600 from Smith for provisions

reached Gonzales Mar 6 and used the funds to buy supplies, including shoes, 104 lbs of coffee, and medical supplies organized a group of 48 men to help bring supplies to the Alamo

p 40

about 20 were scouts, incl Seguin 18 mi from Bexar, Neill and 27 other men driven back by a Mexican force

p 41 Mar 9, Fannin ordered by houston to bring 2 light artillery, 50 muskets, and provisions for 10 days and come to Gonzales - leave 120 men to hold Goliad

p 42

Mar 11, Col Morales (Mex) sent from Bexar to Goliad to reinforce Urrea

p 43

Gen Ramirez y Sesma and Col Eulogia Gonzales left from Bexar to go to San Felipe de Austin; about 700 men; Filisola went with them path would bring them through Gonzales

Houston arrived Gonzales 4 pm Mar 11 and took over 300+ men, some with previous military experience, almost none with military discipline low on rations Houston read them the Texas Declaration of Independence

p 44

2 Tejano men showed up shortly after 0 Anselmo Bergara and Andrew Barcena; news Alamo had falled

p 45

Houston said they were spies and arrested them - didn't want a panic

soon after, a few of Neill's last party, under Lt Wm Smith, arrived - seguin's scouts too they had gotten within 8 miles of the Alamo and spent 2 days there. No sign of Travis's pre-arranged cannon signal

p 47

late that day, Houston ordered Fannin to retreat to Victoria with everything that could be moved; send 1/3 of the men to Houston now; blow up La Bahia

Chapter 4, Mar 12-19

p 48

Mar 12, houston started organizing the army Burleson (now a private), promoted to be over the 1st regiment of Infantry. Sherman the lt col; Alexander Somervell a major this included 8 companies of men already at Gonzales, including Seguin's and Baker's men

p 50

late Mar 12, Houston sent orders to Dimmitt in Victoria to jon him Dimmitt arrived after Houston had left

p 52

Texian troops counted for the 1st time on Mar 13 = 374

p 53

Alamo courier John Smith joined Houston's forces when he couldn't get back to the Alamo

Cap Wm Patton left the Alamo after feb 5

p 54 he was a courier

Erastus Deaf Smith was age 49 in 183. His heading was bad but it was said he could detect people and animals long before anyone else could some called him "deef"; Houston did not

1822 - married a Mexican woman; lived near Bexar participated in battle of Concepcion; wounded Dec 5 while on top of the Veramendi house

Mar 13, Houston put him in charge of recruiting for a cavalry company

Henry Karnes - 24 in 1836; short, heavy, red hair grew up in TN; worked with his father a a trapper across Tx and Arkansas fought in siege of Bexar

p 55

Mar 13, Smith, Karnes, and Robert Handy told to pick a horse in camp and go to Bexar to figure out what was going on

20 miles west, they found Susanna Dickinson, who gave them dispatches from Almonte; Karnes took these to Houston; Smith escorted Dickinson, carrying Angelina for part of the trip

Karnes arrived Gonzales 8-9 pm, the others > 11 pm Fear spread

p 56

women questioned her about the fate of their men - then wailing

houston sent couriers everywhere to spread the word and tell people the Mexican army was advancing 25 men deserted when Karnes arrived

p 57 a council of war was held after Dickinson arrived -> army to retreat women ordered to leave, and troops to cover that retreat and defend them (some soldiers without weapons) started leaving at midnight

p 58

The Gonzales cits were afraid that the Mexican army (about 2k men headed their way) arrival was imminent

retreat so fast some Tx scouts didn't figure it out until after the town was evacuated

Houston gave 3 of his 4 supply wagons to citizens as well as about $300 meant the army couldn't brings its two 24-pounders, so these thrown into the Guadalupe River; the last wagon carried ammo

teams grazing and hard to find burned most of the provisions, including food, because no way to carry it and didn't want the Mexican army to have it several families left behind initially

p 59

some cits ahead of the army (on horseback); others on foot

Karnes ordered to burn the town - "not a roof large enough to shelter a Mexican's head was to be left' (per John Sharp); by dawn the whole town in flames or ashes

Horace Eggleston lost $3k of merchandise that had just arrived and 17 cattle. With no home or business, he joined the army

p 60

"retreat was hasty and included some chaos" - "all accounts seem to agree"

Seguin's company were rear guard for the initial retreat; Flores + 25 to help guard the families and evacuate the area ranches also worried aout Indians

Seguin sent 3 men to go get his own family

p 61

Army marched all night; stopped before sunrise at Bartholomew d. McClure's place on Peach Creek, about 10 miles away for breakfast and rest

More citizens caught up with the army

p 62

army rested 2 hours - more volunteers arrived too

p 64 capt John Bird's company had passed 2 women and their kids fleeing on foot. He had a wagon that was hauling boxes of tobacco. He had the tobacco thrown on the ground, told the men to help themselves, and gave the wagon to the women

army marched east and rested again after 5+ miles; bried - Houston spokle

p 65

now about 470 troops

p 66

almost all cits on foot, with women carrying some kids after sunset Mar 14, the army made camp at Williamson Daniels house on the Lavaca River; used his fence for their campfires

p 67

Refugio - King's men were reported to Mexican troops by locals and were captured

p 68

urrea promised to treat them as POWs, yet they were executed Mar 16 on Bexar-Goliad rd

Mar 15 am, Houston heard rumors that Mary Millsaps, a blind woman, and her 7 kids had been left behind 30 miles back. He sent a guard to go get them her husband Isaac Millsaps had been killed at the Alamo

p 69

Army marched east toward Navidad River

houston concerned that the deserters from his army were spreading fear with exaggerated reports

p 71 reached Navidad at 1 pm and made camp early - marched 26 of last 38 hours

Mar 15, SA learned of retreat from Gonzales (from local Tejanos)

SA had sent Sesma to go to Gonzales with 700 infantry and they got there the 14th - buildings still smoldering

Mar 17, SA sent Tolsa and 600 more men to join Sesma

p 72

Sesma's men kept going to find the Texan army

p 73

Moore's Fort (now La Grange) deserted by noon Mar 13 when got word that Mex army approaching

Mar 15, Gonzales citizens started arriving there along La Bahia road - this was not the direction the army had gone

p 74

from Navidad, Mar 16 houston headed north instead of going east to Columbia "This move indicates that Houston was wary of the movements of Santa Anna's forces and that he was dodging them by moving in a direction other than what they would first expect."

p 75

Army reached Burnham's crossing at 4:30 pm Mar 16 (colorado River)

rear guard a few miles back - their families had taken a different road, so they went to retrieve them about 500 soldiers and several hundred women and children

p 76

rain on Mar 17 houston said the army would wait and help the women and kids cross the Colorado

p 77 Andrew Briscoe info

Burnham's camp - soldiers practiced marching, guard duty, following orders

p 78

new govt sworn in at 4 am on Mar 17

p 80

mid-March 1836, 9 companies of Texas Rangers bio of robert mcAlpin Williams - Three Legged Willie moved to San Felipe 1826 from Georgia, where he was a lawyer fluent in Spanish newspaper editor for one of the first Texas papers "early expeditions against hostile Indians"

Nov 28, 1836, named commander of new Texas Ranger battalion, based at Bastrop

p 81

houston asked him to have his men monitor Gaona's march to the Trinity

when heard of the Alamo, Bastrop started evacuating Rangers sunk ferries on the Colorado so Mexican army couldn't cross Mar 18, Mexican troops began arriving at the other side of the Colorado - Williamson's Rangers retreated toward the Brazos, hoped to join Houston

p 82

Ranger's purpose to ward off Indians, but now the Mexican army a greater threat most joined Houston's army; others escorted family to safety

p 83

abt 80 Rangers joined the army - fierce fighters and good scouts

Mar 18, army helped civilians cross the Colorado, then army crossed; done by 3 pm moved t John Crier's home a few miles down river

Mar 19, only a few more miles - rain - camped early

Karnes named head of 2nd company of Tx Spies (Mar 20 - Sep 26( Karnes and his men (including Deaf Smith) sent to figure out what the Mexican army was doing

Chapter 5, Mar 20-23

p 87

Beason's Ferry is now Columbus (on direct route from Goliad)

p 88

Karnes' men scouting and encountered a band of 6 Mexican soldiers Mexican fled, one killed by Tx; captured one soldier - Karnes and Smith and David Murphee

p 89

bartered his life for info - told them Mexican troops a few miles away, about 6-800 men Karnes lost his horse - it had run away when he got on foot to chase the Mexican soldiers through a thicket

managed to catch a horse abandoned by fleeing Mexicans

only abt 5 mi ahead of Mexican army, so rushed

p 90

Houston and army reached Beason's/Columbus at noon on Mar 20

Wyly/Wylie Martin joined with 30 men there Martin = 60, from Ga, teacher and store clerk joined US army 1805; served under Wm henry Harrison in 1812 and with Andrew Jackson at the battle of Horseshoe Creek; promoted to Captain killed a man in a duel in 1823 and went to Tx one of old 300; alcalde; political chief of Gonzales district in 1835

p 94

Mar 19 - more reinforcements for houston; now 632 men

Sherman sent to protect DeWee's crossing downstream with 50 men

Mar 20, Sesma's men camped between those 2 crossings - 2 mi as the crow flies from the Tx army

p 95

Sesma had 725 men; their ammos and guns wet and needed to be cleaned

Mar 20, Burnet and his cabinet were at Groce's (Grimes County), then to Harrisburg

p 100 abt 810 Texan soldiers on Mar 20/21

p 103

now that the army growing, some soldiers were granted furloughs to help their families - generally in hardship cases

p 104 - new rules; only 1 armed man per fleeing family; join the army or give us your gun

p 105-106

small skirmish with Sesma's forces Mar 22 - Tx sought them out

Tx destroyed Beason's and moved out

Sesma did not pursue

p 107

the little attack unsuccessful but made Tx army more eager to fight

Mosely Baker on Mar 22 wrote letter to Telegraph editors asking for volunteers and appealing to the women to make their men join

3 more Mexican prisoners taken Mar 23 by Sherman while foraging for food

p 108

Moses Austin Bryan led the questioning said Mex troops had threadbare clothes and were building a boat to cross

expected Sesma to cross and attack son

p 109

Houston on Mar 23 to Rusk - "Oh, curse the consternation which has seized the people!" - he was responsible for their safety; couldn't move too fast or would leave them behind

Mar 23 houston learned of Fannin defeat

Chapter 6, Mar 24-27

need to transcribe 111 - 114

p 115

Houston thought defeating Sesma would be, per Moore, an "indecisive victory" b/c Santa Anna still had a lot of troops elsewhere Houston's troops undisciplined and untrained, with no artillery no means to transport wounded soldiers after a battle and, Houston thought his soldiers probably just had one good fight in them

Houston told them they were moving on to find new grass for the animals; Mar 26 ordered a retreat - going east toward the Brazos, new recruits should meet them at Columbia

most of the Texans upset - they thought they were a large enough army to defeat Sesma

p 116

a lot of resentment against Houston for the retreat

Some called him a coward

many left the army - they didn't see a plan

p 117

prob about 200 left at this point - went home to their families retreat was swift, just like the one on the 13th

Marched 7 mi on Mar 26 before making camp the Beasons came with them - their ferry, farm, and boardinghouse burned in the retreat

p 123

William S. Fisher born in Virginia, came to Texas in 1834 delegate to Consultation Dec 1835 appointed collector of customs at Port of Brazos at Velasco elected captain of the volunteers gathering at Velasco on Mar 8, 1836

p 124

Fisher's company called the "Velasco Blues" combined with other companies under Major John Forbes

they all seized a cargo ship in Velasco in late March; it was impressed to the army, its cargo too then heard about massacre at Goliad, and Urrea's advance, so they left the vessel after an hour and went overland to try to find Houston

p 126

Fisher and his men reached Houston's army at 2 am on Mar 27

p 127

Horton's men - Fannin's advance party - had avoided capture; 3 of the men reached Houston's army on Mar 27

p 128

Mar 27, they stopped near home of Samuel Mays Williams, abt 2 mi west of San Felipe his fencing was used as firewood for Houston's army

p 130

28 Texans survived the Goliad massacre Capt Benjamin Holland struck a Mexican soldier, grabbed his gun, and ran to river John C. Duval knocked over when the man in front of him collapsed, so he played dead John J. Holliday and Samuel T. Brown also played dead and ran for the river when the Mexican soldiers took off after those fleeing

Sgt Isaac D. Hamilton hit by a musketball in the left thigh. Ran, and got a bayonet wound in right thigh went to the woods; Zachariah Brook, Wilson Simpson, and Dillard Cooper found him and they stayed together as a group headed toward friendlies

Brooks had severe wounds. Simpson and Cooper had no wounds

William Haddin survived first volley and ran with 3 others; pursued by cavalry. The four jumped into the river - one killed in the water, one on the bank, third unknown. Haddin escaped ok and made it to Harrisburg on April 7

William L. Hunter survived despite being sot, stabbed with bayonet, clubbed with gun butt, throat cut after clothes removed after nightfall, crawled away to a thicket Mexican woman brought him food and water until he could travel

p 131

Charles Shain survived and fought at San Jac

no one in the 3rd division escaped; one division led to Victoria Road, one to San Antonio Road

p 131

Besides the 28, others escaped but were followed and killed before they went far

six of the 28 made their way to Houston's army = Shain, Thomas Kemp, David J. Jones, William Brenan, Nathaniel C. Hazen, Daniel Murphy

Hazen had only come to Texas in Jan 1836

p 132 Lt Col de la Portilla wrote to Urrea: "I feel much distressed at what has occurred here; a scene enacted in cold blood having passed before my eyes which has filled me with horror. All I can say is, that my duty as a soldier, and what I owe to my country, must be my guarantee ... Being but a subordinate officer, it is my duty to do what is commanded me, even though repugnant to my feelings."

per Moore "Had Santa Anna spared these men and kept them prisoners, he could have deposited them on United State soil demoralized, defeated and yet appreciative of the humanity of their Mexican captors." Instead, he made himself appear barbaric

Chapter 7, Mar 28-Apr 2

p 134

By Mar 28, Tx army had gone 120 miles total from Gonzales

before leaving Williams house, Houston told Moseley Baker to take a small guard to san Felipe - a key crossing on the Brazos

p 135

Army marched to San Felipe and got supplies

p 136

March 29, Houston said we're moving north, to Jared Ellison Groce's plantation - Groce's Landing 15 miles from San Felipe as crow flies; 20 mile march along the river

Houston knew that the Yellow Stone was there and hoped there would be lots of food to take with them

Captain Wyly Martn and Moseley Baker refused to go up to Groce's

Baker asked permission to stay and defend San Felipe

p 137

basically, they just refused to go

Houston's strategy was not to directly challenge them - he didn't want the others to take sides and risk losing his army so he gave them orders to basically do what they wanted to do

Houston personally rode back to talk to Martin and told them to defend the crossing at San Felipe and help all the local make it across to the east bank and to stop the Mexican army from crossing

Martin told to move downstream 25 miles to protect crossing at Fort Bend (now Richmond)

p 138

some volunteers given permission to help their families from the San felipe area to move out

Seguin's company told to stay at Groce's plantation house while army retreated (later)

Jared Groce built a plantation he called Bernardo in 1822, 4 mi south of what is now Hempstead and across river from Groce's Landing

Jared didnt' like the swampland in the area and move northward to get away from malaria risk - that new house called Groce's retreat, now in Grimes County

p 139

the move north "caused some mutiny and further fragmentation that was tough to afford in this campaign"

at San Felipe, he had about 1400 men - probably the largest number in the campaign

about 200 deserted

Borden, Jr wrote Burnet asking for a wagon and team to help move the press, as since the army was retreating he thought it best to move. Otherwise, he'd have to sink the press

when people heard the army was moving from the Colorado to the Brazos, Runaway Scrape got worse

then San Felipe burned and Burnet and his cabinet fled to Groce's Retreat; by Mar 21, they were at Harrisburg (on Buffalo Bayou) at home of Jane Birdsall Harris

p 140

Baker had about 40 men in San Felipe - "the public highway of Texas"

fortified themselves on the east bank - cut trees and dug ditches - abt 124 yds of ditch in shape of an L; finished on the 31st

Mar 29, Deaf Smith and John York on Mar 29th said they saw the Mexican advance guard a few miles from San Felipe; turned out to be wrong - a cattle drove was not a cavalry squad this caused panic however, and San Felipe burned Baker said Houston ordered it; Houston said he absolutely did not

"the burning of San Felipe, Stephen F. Austin's original town, would become another of the little controversies that would be political fire for Sam Houston in the years to come." likely Santa Anna would have burned it anyway

p 141

Baker set the fire with his own hands after Moses Bryan (SFA's nephew) refused to do it

p 142

much uproar in the army when they heard that the town had been burned

Mar 29, rain rain rain rain for days - some roads almost impassable. Took 2 days to go 18-20 miles

p 143

Houston blamed the govt's move to Harrisburg as causing panic second only to the fall of the Alamo

p 144

illness - poor diet, lots of marches, not enough sleep, wet and cold; Felix Wright died ot illness - firs Texian death of the San Jacinto campaign (Mar 30)

p 145

the death decreased morale even more but then about 80 reinforcements from the Red Lands - East Texas

p 147

Mar 30, Houston had 30 men build a road about 1.5 mi long and then clear a campground for the army

Houston blamed the citizens of San Felipe for burning their own homes

p 149

This new clearing by Groce's Landing - they stayed here 2 weeks, Mar 31 - Apr 12 opposite Groce's Landing; campground 9 mi NE of Bellville on State Hwy 59, then right for 2 miles on a county road

still some families going with the army - women sewed shirts for the men to help earn their keep

Houston said no liquor or playing cards within 10 mi of the camp

p 150

no music in the camp

Yellow Stone impressed into service to help the army cross the river when they were ready

p 151

more illnesses in Texas camp - measles

time spent on discipline, exercise, company drilling

p 152

practiced forming a line, firing volleys, advancing by quickstep

they learned fundamentals of battle formation

reorganization of some of the units

Twin sisters - field pieces from Cincinnati finally reached Texas - but not yet the army

p 154

Mar 24, Santa Anna sent Gaona toward Nac with 700 men and artillery

Mar 27, Col Augustin Amat ordered to march to San Felipe

Gaona to march from the NE to the Texans; Urrea from S through Victoria; Sesma up the center just behind Houston

Santa Anna had 550 men and 1 howitzer left with him, with Lt Col Jose Enrique de la Pena in charge

Mar 29, 4 pm, they left Bexar toward the Colorado River

only cavalry under Gen Juan Andrade remained in Bexar to hold the town. Filisola to go with SA

Santa Anna and his men moved toward Gonzales, catching up with Amat's men

p 155

Santa Anna wanted to be fast and end the battles before the spring floods - except the rain was already awful

delayed for 3-4 at the Guadalupe River because of flooding

SA had little to no intelligence on Houston's movements in early April, he wrote in his memoirs that "Houston, learning of the approaching Mexican army, completely disappeared."

Mexican deserter reached Houston April 1-2 and told them that the Mexicans had very little food - no bread and little beef. Mexican soldiers demoralized

p 157

April 2, 4 survivors from Fannin's original men wandered into Baker's camp - had been under Wm Ward; included Samuel G. Hardaway, Joseph Andrews, James P. Trezevant, M.K. Moses

p 158

Hardaway joined Baker's company for rest of the San Jac campaign

Baker got some more reinforcements - total of about 120 men; Baker thought that ought to be enough to hold the crossing against the combined Mexican army

p 159

Houston had a court-martial on April 2 against Pvt Abraham Scales and Pvt John T. Garner 3 charges of mutiny/desertion against Scales

p 160

both convicted, sentenced to death, and mercy recommended

p 160

Houston ordered the executions to be set up, but at last minute pardoned them; Scales successfully deserted a week later

Chapter 8, Apr 3-10

p 163

Apr 1, Burnet ordered Sec of War Rusk to join Houston's army and 'stop a further retreat of our army, and to bring the enemy to battle'

de Zavala's son arrived in camp Apr 3

p 164

Baker named by Houston the person in charge of all troops east of the Brazos; told to respect private property.

p 165

Apr 3 - Houston's men received news of Goliad massacre; at that time they believed there was only 1 survivor

p 168

weeks at Groce's Landing - cold winds, lots of rain, much disease

Houston worked with the men with the least training as foot soldiers; even taught them how to clean their weapons

tents were open campsite was partly flooded and full of mud most had only one thin blanket

p 169

Rusk joined Houston at camp on April 4

Houston won him over, and that made the men feel better

p 170

Apr 5, Houston sent Baker orders via Lt Ben Noble concerned that Baker's men were destroying goods and public property - Houston said your job is to preserve this stuff unless you get an order saying otherwise

Ira Ingram told to go to east Texas and get more volunteers and bring them quickly

p 174

Houston had his hospital established on Groce's Bernardo plantation, to keep them isolated

Dr Nicholas Labadie thought the sickness caused by drinking the stagnant water from an old river bed - dysentery

p 176

On April 5, Santa Anna caught up with Sesma's troops on the Colorado River only one canoe in the area to cross the river, so SA ordered Woll to make his men build rafts

on April 6, this combined force moved to San Bernard Creek, then marched into San Felipe at dawn April 7

captured a Texan soldier who told them that Houston was at Gross Pass with 800 men and meant to withdraw to the Trinity if Mexicans crossed the Brazos

p 177

captured man was Pvt Bill Simpson of Baker's men

Baker's men had hidden all the boats and rafts on the east bank evening of April 6, Baker sent 3 men (Simpson, James M. Bell, Isaac Hill) to San Felipe to be pickets and warn them when Mexican troops approached

Simpson had the 3rd watch and was supposed to wake the others at daylight he didn't - they were awakened by the noise of horses, and saw 100 cavalry about 70-80 yds away

p 178

cavalry captured Simpson but hadn't noticed Bell and Hill

the other 2 ran for their canoe and barely got away

Simpson was asleep and was lassoed and taken prisoner

Santa Anna posted a sniper on the west bank who fired on the Texans throughout the afternoon

SA had Mexican soldiers dig a trench on his side and put 2 six-caliber cannons there Texans kept firing; 2 Mexican soldiers and a mule driver killed

p 179

Wyly Martin learned from spies that Santa Anna was with the Mexican army section that was close by

p 181

Santa Anna's men were busy building rafts whlie the cannons fired on the Texans nonstop on Apr 8

Baker sent an express to let Houston know what was going on. At this time they had about 90 men, and he said he needed more. One Texan killed

p 182

Private John Bricker was the man who died after hit with grapeshot - first Texan casualty of the San Jacinto campaign

Texians fired enough that Mexicans couldn't launch the boat there

Santa Anna later wrote of the delays "This loss of time seemed to me to be an irreparable evil since considering the situation of the army of the Republic the ending of the campaign before the rainy season was very important"

p 184

Houston and his men could hear the Mexican cannon fire; many Texan soldiers wanted to go fight now

p 185

at this point, grumbling amopng the men that they needed a new commander, and Col Sidney Sherman suggested;

Houston had notices written up and posted around the camp that anyone trying to take over would be court-martialed and shot

April 8, twin sisters arrived at Harrisburg

Texas Navy - Invincible, under Capt Jeremiah Brown, had defeated the Montezuma, she had been driven aground and was sinking Brown towed it into Galveston, took custody of the cargo for the Texan army and confiscated many documents showing what Santa Anna had been doing since Bexar

p 186

Apr 9, Santa Anna took 500 grenadiers and 50 infantry and rode down west bank of Brazos, away from Groce's. Sesma and the other 850 men stayed put and waited for Filisola, Urrea, and Gaona

p 187

got news of Texan movements from a free mulatto man named Wilson; that afternoon, SA and his troops set out for Old Fort (Richmond)

April 10 about 5:30, Santa Anna and his men stopped at San Bernard River at inn owned by widow elizabeth Powell; she hadn't run away in the Scrape

held a council of war there. Her young son Joseph understood Spanish, so after listening in he rode away to let the Texans know that SA moving to Fort Bend

Mexican troops kept moving after a brief rest, wanting to go to Fort Bend and ambush the Texan troops there

p 188

April 9, Baker and his men voted to retreat. Mexican cannon was able to strike their makeshift fortifications (my words), and their camp surrounded by flood - only way out was the main road

after the Texans left, the Mexican forces withdrew from San Felipe, but they didn't know where

p 189

On April 10, Burnet sent Houston a note: 'The enemy are laughing you to scorn. You must fight them. You must retreat no further. The country expects you to fight. The salvation of the country depends on your doing so.'

Chapters 9-10, April 11-15

p 190

Apr 11, Mexican army began crossing the Brazos. Tx army spies relayed the news, and Tx army began crossing on the yellow stone the 12th

p 194

morning of April 11, survivors of the Goliad Massacre made it into Houston's camp

they joined: Daniel Murphy, Thomas Kemp, Charles Shain, David Jones, William Brenan, Nat Hazen

p 196

SA and his troops began crossing near Fort Bend

Wyly Martin and his men tried to hold the spot, but there were only 46 men and 4 places to cross

exchanged fire throughout the day on April 12, but as more and more Mexican troops made it to the same side as the Texans, Martin gave order to retreat to the prairie

p 198

Joseph Powell told them that Santa Anna was headed to Harrisburg from the Powell inn

p 199

crossing the Brazos on the Yellow Stone: "little riverboat would act as little more than a giant raft, with her engines using only enough power to combat the angry river's swift currents"

TX army started crossing at 10 am April 12 and finished afternoon of April 13

p 201 cannon arrived! at Bernardo April 12, on the east side of the Brazos River

p 205

Santa Anna arrived near Thompson's Ferry early April 11 and set up an ambush along the road

Almonte and his men got a flatboat; Almonte called out to a black servant in English to bring over the boat

the servant thought they were Texans and brought the boat for them

Mexican troops crossed to the other side and captured the home of Joseph Kuykendall - he was crippled so couldn't flee, and he was captured

Martin and his men fellback once more Mexican troops crossed the river, after some skirmishing that wounded two Mexican soldiers

SA and his troops captured Thompson's Ferry and sent word for Sesma to join them at Old fort Settlement

Sesma and his men joined SA on April 13

p 206

Filisola and his men were trying to join Santa Anna, but were moving very slowly in first two weeks in April much difficulty crossing the Navidad River - supply wagons constantly bogging down in the mud before and after that

took Filisola 4 days to cross the Colorado; this done by the 13th

on April 13, SA left orders for Filisola to send Cos with 500 men to seize Fort Velasco, and keep some men to guard Thompson's Ferry also told him to look out for the Yellow Stone, which could be very useful to capture

the Yellow Stone passed Filisola's men on April 15. Scared them - most had never seen anyting like the noisy steamboat

p 207

They fired on her boilers, but no real damage Capt Ross had piled his cargo - hay bales - around the important parts of the ship, and they were effective armor

SA learned the Tx cabinet was in Harrisburg from some locals. that was 12 leagues from where SA was

Filisola scheduled to reach Ft Bend on Apr 17th

Urrea was supposed to claim Matagorda and then go to Brazoria

"The decision to further fragment his army by personally chasing President Burnet's cabinet insured that Santa Anna could not easily or quickly gather all of his forces."

One factor in his decisions - the acting president, VP Miguel Barragan, died Mar 1. the new person put in his place, Jose Justo Corro, was not as loyal to SA - uncertainty of his political strength

p 208

decided to return a battle hero rather than rush back to take over

"Had he maintained his troops in one large body and simply continued his pursuit of Sam Houston's rebels, he would likely have brought them to battle with the entire strength of his command."

he thought if he captured the Tx govt leaders, the rebellion would end

April 14, SA crossed the Brazos to Harrisburg with 750 men, expected to be back in 3 days

SA had a large fear of water, according to his secretary Ramon Caro, which affected his conduct

crossing a swollen creek, some of the Mexican army provisions lost

p 209

April 13, Houston wrote a letter to people of TX says that Mexican troops had crossed the Brazos and were now 'treading the soil on which they are to be conquered'

asked for volunteers

Rusk sent out a letter: 'Will you desert the principles of liberty? You entail upon yourselves and your children eternal infamy and disgrace, if you will not march at once to the field, join the army now on the line of march to meet the enemy, and conquer him, or die nobly in the cause of liberty and their country.'

p 211

US troops could not officially help unless they were working agianst enemies who had incited hostile Indians - Texans representatives, including Sec of State Samuel Carson, trying to convince Gen Edmond Pendleton Gaines of that at Ft Jessup in Natchitoches

Carson also sent out notices to governors in Southern states, asking for help. He was certain large numbers of volunteers would arrive

p 212

Carson told Houston to keep moving to the Sabine - reinforcements would come

April 15, Gaines marched 600 US troops to the Sabine River to wait and see. If he got word of Indian depredations, they were in

Houston had to balance waiting for reinforcements with losing the men he already had with the delay

April 14, the Yellow Stone released by the Tx army

hard to move the cannon - few wagons, flooded prairies

p 214

Baker and Martin and their men joined Houston's camp on April 14

p 215

Nac completely abandoned by mid April; thousands in hiding in the woods

San Augustine people also fled

several volunteer companies remained to protect the town

April 13, Burnet and de Zavala left Harrisburg to take care of their families; only Thomas Hardeman, Bailey Hardeman, and David Thomas left in Harrisburg. Sec of Navy Robert Potter had gone to Galveston Bay

Thomas got news of the Mexican army movements near Fort Bend

p 216

He wrote Houston April 14 that: 'It is my opinion that if you cannot meet the enemy before he gets out of the Brazos bottom, the best movement would be to face down towards Galveston, where you would be near the provisions and munitions of War, and prevent if possible Galveston falling into their hands. All our vessels are in the Bay and the fortifications are progressing as rapidly as possible.'

Texans started marching again April 15 Baker and Martin's men had arrivedin the middle of the night, and Martin and his men refused to march until they ad had a chance to eat breakfast Houston was angry and told Martin that his new job - after breakfast - was to take the families that were still with the army to safety

p 217

they were to go to Robbins Ferry on the Trinity to help the women and children

after that order, Baker and his men decided to comply

"at this critical juncture, the army left the fleeing civilians to make it on their own for Nacogdoches" about 300-400 men left the army now, most with official furloughs from Houston to help

p 218

April 15, SA and his men burned the plantation of William Stafford, after gathering what foodstuffs they could get

reached Harrisburg late April 15

p 219

April 15, they captured the three men working on the Telegraph and Texas rEgister - only newspaper in Texas Gail Borden Jr had left town one hour before

printers also told him that the cabinet had departed at noon on the 15th for Galveston Island, aboard the steamshiip Cayuga; thought they were moving towards New Washington, where San Jac Bay joins Galveston Bay (now Morgan's Point - 20 mi east of Harrisburg)

printers also told SA that Houston had about 800 men and had recently left Groce's. also mentioned the two new cannon

at this point, the TX army was 50 mi NW of Harrisburg, moving toward Lynchburg Ferry on San Jac Ticer

SA angry at missing the TX leaders had presses destroyed and thrown in the river

p 220

SA sent Almonte with 50 dragoons to try to catch Burnet and to intercept Houston and Lynch's Ferry

chapter 11, Apr 16-18 (The Road to San Jacinto)

pp 222-223

April 16 - The Texian army departed Sam McCarley's homestead and reached the fork in the road. The road east led to Nacogdoches, and safety across the Sabine River. The southeast road led to Harrisburg and Santa Anna's army.

p 224

Moore said it is unlikely Houston would have hauled the cannon through the awful conditions if he didn't intend to fight

p 226

Taking the fork south to Harrisburg was a clear signal Houston was ready to fight

p 227

Rusk noted the Mexican army was headed to Galveston and Anahuac.

Rusk ordered some forces that were gathering to stay at the Trinity River near Nac - in case the Mexican army split up and were also headed there

pp 227-228

Houston borrowed Pamela Mann's oxen to move the Twin Sisters cannon

p 229

The Texian army camped at Matthew Burnett's property on Cypress Creek.

p 230.

Burnet and his family and cabinet members got off the steamship at Lynchburg and rode overland to New Washington

got word that Almonte almost there

p 231

Burnet and his servant each grabbed one of the little kids and threw them in the boat; Mrs Burnet followed. This family was in a skiff; the cabinet jumped onto a flatboat

Burnet refused to sit down - he stood in the skiff while they rowed away so that he would be the target instead of his wife and children

Almonte ordered a halt to firing because he did not want to hit Mrs. burnet

p 232

Tx govt now installed themselves on Galveston Island

Almonte and his men took control of provisions that had been stored in New Washington and told Santa Anna to join him there

SA and his men looted and burned Harrisburg - although he said that the Texans did it; not possible because they hadn't been there yet

p 233

Night of April 16, Houston got word that SA's men were in Harrisburg, 25 mi south of their camp

Tx army travelled 15 mi south on April 17, camping 6 mi north of Harrisburg

p 234

from March 13 - April 17, TX army marched 200 miles

April 18, TX marched into Harrisburg to find only ashes

p 235

Mex army had left the previous day

SA wanted to stop Houston from crossing the Lynchburg ferry, and have the battle there

April 17 - SA ordered Col. Pedro Delgado to burn Harrisburg, and personally helped burn it because he was angry at missing the TX govt

SA thought that Houston's army was marching towards Nac, escorting the families. No idea they were right behind them

SA received word of Almonte's allowing Burnett to escape.

ordered Filisola to stop Cos from going to Velasco and have him join SA as soon as possible

p 236

April 18, SA force reached New Washington

Filisola and the main part of the army were at Thompson's Point (Ft Bend area), waiting for orders

New Washington mostly deserted, except for indentured servants

At Vince's Bayou at the William Vince ranch, Col. Juan Bringas stole Old Whip, the horse of Allen Vince.

p 237

Mex army looted the town and then burned it. The indentured servants taken under guard. This included Emily D. West, indentured servant of James Morgan.

SA met up with Almontes force. They saw a German schooner that was stranded (no winds) and were preparing to seize it when one of the Texas Navy schooners arrived and opened fire. Destroyed the German schooner so that the Mexican army couldn't take it. SA was going to use it to sail to Copano Bay

"The best thing going for the Texas Army was the resourcefulness of its spies and their uncanny ability to gather intelligence on their enemy."

April 18 - Houston's army rested at Harrisburg.

p 238

Karnes and a small scouting force that included Deaf Smith and Wm Pearce captured 3 Mexican horseman with mail for Santa Anna. One of the three Mexicans was a former member of Seguin's company who had gone to Bexar to take care of his family, captured by Sesma and forced to be a guide.

p 239

the Mexican courier had saddlebags stamped W.B. Travis

p 240

Smith exchanged clothes with the Mexican courier. The clothes did not fit - too short and too small, but now he had a disguise

couriers gave information about SA's forces

Antonio Menchaca and Lorenzo de Zavala Jr asked to help translate the letters from Filisola

p 241 gave details of location and strength of the Mexican forces in Texas

some of the mail was personal mail from the soldiers to the their families back home

also letters from Cos which said his exact plans

now Tx knew that Santa Anna had no idea where the Texians were, and that the Mexicans underestimated the strength of the TX (now about 1100 men)

Houston asked for volunteers, under Col Sidney Sherman, to cross the river and "probe the enemy's strength"

p 241

tried to swim the horses across the flooded Buffalo Bayou but the horses kept turning back - scared of the flames from the building sstill burning

finally decided to turn back

Chapter 12: April 19 ("Determined to Conquer or Die")

p 242

Apr 19, Houston decided the baggage wagons would not cross Buffalo Bayou and head to Lynchburg knew he needed to attack quickly

left the sick behind in Harrisburg too. Dr James Phelps and Dr Anson Jones ordered to remain behind and look after the sick, but Jones said No. He had said all along he was still a soldier and he wanted to fight

p 243

some guards had to be stationed to protect the sick and the doctors, under Mjr Robert McNutt

the men weren't happy about being left behind

p 245

Texas Ranger companies ordered to remain behind and protect

p 246

Houston gave the men a choice - those who didn't want to march into battle could volunteer to remain behind at Harrisburg; no one, except those too sick to walk, volunteered to say behind

p 247

Seguin's company was ordered to stay behind

Manchaca questioned the orders, delivered by Sherman, and was told they came from Houston

when Seguin arrived back, he and Manchaca went directly to Houston to find out why they had to stay behind and saying loudly they intended to fight

Manchaca told Houston that 'he could not deprive me of my commission'. Wanted to fight 'and that I wanted to do so even if I died facing the enemy. I did not enlist to guard horses and would not do such duty'

Menchaca said he'd leave the army and go with his family to Nac if he couldn't go with the bulk of the army

Houston said they spoke so eloquently, they could go

Lynchburg had 2 roads - one from Harrisburg, one from New Washington; roads merged close to the ferry

p 248

Buffalo Bayou, at this point, up to 300 yds wide with the flooding

Txns finally found a mostly crossable point just below the mouth of Sims Bayou

p 249

before crossing, Houston gave his first formal speech of the campaign

Houston gave them permission to stay behind if they wanted if they didn't feel like crossing

told the men to "remember the Alamo, the Alamo! the Alamo!" This was the start of the battle cry

Rusk then gave an inspiring speech - he had signed the Declaration of Independence (9 others who signed were part of the army here: Houston, Briscoe, Robert Coleman, William Mottley, James Collinsworth, Thomas Gazley, William Scates, Edward Oswald Legrant, John Wheeler Bunton)

p 250

Txns instructed to bring rations for 3 days with them across the Bayou, but little left to take

crossed 2 mi below Harrisburg

took all day to cross (actual site today is Lawndale ave in Pasadena, 2 mi west of Richey)

p 252

5 pm April 19, the men had all crossed

arrested Major James Perry on suspicion of trying to find and help the Mexican army

p 253

2 am on Apr 20, the army stopped marching - 2.5 mi from Lynch's Ferry

Chapter 13: April 20 (The First Engagement)

p 254

while some rested, Texas scouts moved on ahead to find out where the Mexican army way. Others were on guard duty

one of the members of the Texan army was Nicholas Lynch, the regular army's adjutant - he had operated the ferry until Burnet told him he couldn't charge the citizens in the Runaway Scrape anymore

extra cold for this time of year and this area along the coast

p 255

on the move again at 6 am, without breakfast (no supper for most eaither)

reached the ferry before SA and stopped for breakfast - shot 3 cows nearby to feed all of them

just after the firest started to cook the meat, Sherman and Karnes and their men came to say the Mexican army advance guard was nearby

Txns scrambled to break camp

p 256

TX troops ordered to discharge their weapons, clean, and reload, bc they would be needed soon....except Houston didn't like the order and wanted them to stop firing. Men said their weapons had been loaded for weeks and were wet and needd to be cleaned and didn't listen

so many Tx scouts that the Mex scouts thought they had found the main part of the Texas army, so they turned and fled. 4 of them had their horses shot out from under them by Sherman's men

p 257

TX scouts captured a young boy who had been working as an apprentice on the Telegraph and Tx Register and had been taken captive. He told the Tx that SA was about 8 mi away, coming back towards Harrisburg and moving towards Buffalo Bayou; he had contrived to run away when he saw the Txns

SA sent the Mexican advance party out on morning of April 20, looking for Houston's men Mex burned New Washington April 20, while the scouts were gone

p 258

SA raced to prepare for the attack, even running over one of his men; troops started to panic too, seeing SA panic a bit

other officers helped restore order until SA regained composure

SA very pleased with the intelligence a little later that Houston and his troops were in a small wooded area near the bayou - no retreat; they'd have to fight or be in the water

"The whole San Jacinto campaign had essentially come down to a race for Lynch's Ferry. The winner would have the first choice of establishing his ground to defend." Houston won by a few hours

p 258-9

Texans moved to a "small grove of live oak timber near the elevated banks of the bayou. The big trees, draped with Spanish moss, skirted Buffalo Bayou above its junction with the San Jacinto River."

p 259

in front of the trees was a half-mile of prairie with tall grass, bordered on the left by woods, on the right by swamp and river

p 260

Txns were settled half a mile from Lynch's Ferry

p 261

Apr 20, Txn scouts saw a small ferry flatboat sail along Buffalo Bayou, with 10 Mexican soldiers, and lots of provisions

the Txns fired on the boat, the crew dove overboard, except for one man, who yelled that he was an American - he was one of the printers taken captive by SA on April 15

p 262

some of the Txns swam out to the boat and helped the printer steer the boat to the Txn camp.

The supplies had come from New Washington and were meant for the Mexican army, now the Texan army's - Texans had very few provisions left; most left at Harrisburg

p 263

most of the Txns hidden, so SA couldn't see how many there really were

SA sent out an advance force to test them and see how many there might be

Mex troops approached the thicket. musicians supposedly played Deguello, which had been played when the Alamo was attacked

11;30 am April 20 the Mex troops marched

Txns stayed quiet and laid on the ground to conceal themselves

p 264

Houston ordered the cannons fired - the first time they had ever been fired in Texas (not enough cannonballs for even a test fire)

first shot too high, but frightened enough of the cavalry that they all turned and went back

p 265

SA sent his artillery, the Golden Standard, out onto the field

halfway between the armies, about 150 yds from the Txns, was a little stand of oaks. That is where Cap Fernando Urriza took the cannon

larger than the Txn cannon - either 9 or 12 pounder

p 266

Mex artillery fired into the trees

first few rounds took limbs off the trees, then fell into the bayou

Houston told Neill to take the Twin Sisters to the very edge of the trees and fire; this landed just to the right of the Mex artillery

p 267

one of the early Txn shots killed 2 pack mules harnessed to the Golden Standard, also killed Urriza's horse and severely wounded him

cannons traded shots; no Txns injured in first 30 min, then Neill struck by grapeshot, which broke his hip

Baker said that 'it was with the utmost difficulty that I could prevent my company from rushing on the enemy.'

Houston told Sherman to lead half of the mounted men out to take a small island of timber

p 268

got there and realized Mexican infantry already there - up to about 400 of them

Sherman ordered a retreat; Mexican riflemen killed several horses and wounded others

Mex infantry advanced and Houston allowed one round of fire - only by those of his men who could kill a deer at a hundred paces; abt 50 Txns came forward and fired a volley in line

p 269

Twin Sisters turned to fire into the other thicket of woods, to help Sherman's men as they retreated. With tree limbs falling around them, the Mexican infantry retreated; the artillerymen then withdrew too - Txns won first round of this skirmish

firing died off because the other side out of range

the skirmish lasted from 11:30 - 3 Neill only one wounded

p 270

SA chose his spot - near the San Jac River at edge of a small thicket. Between thicket and river was march and Peggy's Lake

p 271

about 100 Mex cavalry guarded their cannon

Sherman asked Houston for permission to take men to go get the cannon. Houston said no, but Sherman continued to argue Houston finally agreed to let him "reconnoiter"

Sherman asked for volunteers for the mission - asked that those who had horses and didn't want to participate pass the mounts to others, and some did so

most of the scouts volunteered, incl Karnes and Deaf Smith

p 272 and James Robinson, the former acting Gov for the interim govt

p 273

ultimately, Sherman had 68 volunteers

Houston offered less than 90 infantry to provide support if there was trouble - he didn't want a general conflict yet

Sherman went to other infantry commanders and quietly asked for their help if he needed it

p 274

About the time that Sherman and his men rode out, Mex soldiers began moving the cannon back toward the main camp - nothing to do with the Txn advance

p 275

SA gave orders for cavalry commander, Cap Miguel Aguirre to engage - no full battle, but a little skirmish

abt 100 Mex cavalry advancing toward them. Mexican officers were out front, and yelling to "Venga aqui" (come here)

Txns yelled "charge" and ran forward. Mex Cannon started firing

Mex infantry moving around to cut off the retreat

Txns mostly had rifles, and after they discharged they had to dismount to reload

Mex cavalry charged forward again when they saw about 1/2 the Txn cavalry on the ground Txns still mounted did the best they could to defend. When everyone remounted, Sherman ordered a second charge, and Mexican cavalry driven back

p 276

SA ordered bugler to play Deguello and sent 2 companies of infantry in

10-15 min, Mex infantry fired continuously

Houton allowed 1 of the two cannons to be advanced

p 277 abt 300 yds; took 8 men to drag it over the muddy ground

Capt Aguirre ordered a 2nd advance while the men were reloading again; sabers drawn

during this 2nd Mexcan charge, 4 Txns had horses killed - George Sutherland, Matthew Cartwright, and Robert Goodloe, and Wm Kibbe. They managed to run away

p 278

Rusk got penned in; Mirabeau Lamar charged in and knocked down someone on a smaller mount so that Rusk could get away

Lamar then saved Walter Lane, age 19, who had been knocked off his hourse

p 279

knocked out momentarily when hit the ground

Karnes saw him fall and ordered him men to turn around and help

Lamar rode up and shot a Mexican lancer who was about to kill Lane; Karnes raced in and pulled Lane onto his horse as Lamar held them back

Txns retreated

p 280

Mexicans won the 2nd skirmish

reserve infantry had wanted to rush in to help, but were told no

2 Txns had been wounded

SA had commanded the Golden Standard during this skirmish

p 281

Houston finally sent Robert Coleman out to order Sherman to fall back

Sidney Sherman didn't take the cannon, but he "did manage to earn the respect of nearly every Texan present for his bravery" He almost succeeded in forcing a wider fight - which might have been his motive

p 282

If Houston had sent in his men, there would have likely been a full scale battle

FOUR Txns wounded on April 20 - Neill, Devereaux Woodlief and Olwyn Trask (both wounded in Sherman's skirmish; Trasklater died), and Thomas C. Utley (prob in the earlier skirmish). The wounded were taken to Lorenzo de Zavala's house, just across the bayou. This would be the hospital

2 Txns died that day in Harrisburg of illness too

p 283

armies camped within 1 mile of each other

SA had marsh and lake behind him, woods to his right, open plain ahead and on left

through the night, Mex soldiers worked to create breastworks of saddles, supplies

Txns doubled their guard that night - expected battle at any moment. 50 guards

p 284

Houston beat the reveille that night (April 20)

He stayed awake most of the night, planning for the next day

Sherman, after the skirmish, yelled at Houston for not allowing the rest of the army to join the fight

Baker started a letter saying that most of the men thought that Houston had no intention of fighting. thought Houston would procrastinate until SA got reinforcements, and then they would not be able to fight because they would be so badly outnumbered

Chapters 14-16: April 21

p 286

the fields where both armies were camped were owned by Peggy McCormick

Txns had reveille beat at 4 am on April 21

Houston had given orders not to be disturbed - first time he had slept more than 3 hours at a stretch since the campaign started very cold morning

Mexicans had reveille just before 5

p 287

Houston woke up at 7

Mexican army had 3 companies of men guarding the woods on SA's right one battalion at battle formation in center

to left, the Golden sTandard, protected by cavalry and a column of companies under Lt Col Santiageo Leulmo

SA up early, watching through his spyglass

some of the Mex staff did not like the camp location

Col Pedro Delgado later wrote that "The camping ground of His Excellency's selection wa,s in all respects, against military rules. Any youngster would have done better."

front was exposed to enemy fire; enemy was sheltered

retreat easy for the enemy (to his rear or right), but not for our own troops - trees at the back to the bay

Delgado brought his concerns to Castrillon

p 288

Castrillon agreed with him, but said there was nothing he could do - SA did not like to be second-guessed

sun rose and temps rose too

about 8 am, Tx scout Capt Benjamin Franklin saw a Mexican force approaching from Harrisburg - Cos with 400 men

Houston was expecting the reinforcements, thanks to the mail

Deaf Smith and Henry Karnes sent to figure out the strength of the reinforcements

Smith is said to have taken off his shoes and put on the sombrero he had taken off the Mexican prisoner. He was tanned and pretty tattered - he looked like a Mexican field hand

Smith wandered around the camp and counted. When asked questions, he played dumb or mumbles answers in Spanish

he then wandered out of the camp, back to Karnes and then on to Houston

p 289

in Harrisburg, Mjr Robert McNutt set 6 of his men to repairing the flatboat the army had used to cross Sims Bayou, just in case they would be called to help with the battle

loud - hammering and chopping - Mexican scouts heard and came to see. Fired upon then, injuring one Txn

As McNutt gathered a lot of his men up to go help, the Mex scouts disappeared, so the Txns went back to camp

p 290

Houston told Lamar he'd be promoted to be in charge of the artillery on April 21; position open bc Captain Poe's wife had shown up "in great distress" and Poe was given leave to go help them for a few days

Lamar declined, giving no reason Rusk then invited Lamar to become aide-de-camp on his staff, and Lamar agreed

cavalry men then approached, asking Lamar to command them; he refused until Karnes and William Smith rode up and said they were okay with it

p 291

when Txns learned that Cos had arrived, they expected the Mexican army to attack at any moment

Cos explained that his men had not slept at all the night before

p 292

given permission to sleep for a few hours

SA's soldiers very glad to see these reinforcements

SA unhappy because Cos did not bring experienced soldiers, instead raw recruits, and bc 100 of Cos's men had been left behind when they weren't following quickly enough

men who arrived at 9 am on Apr 21 were exhausted- no sleep or food in over 24 hours

p 293

Houston sent Wharton and de Zavala Jr to the de Zavala home to scrounge for supplies that could help the Texans; inluded a box of carpenter tools, cooking utensils, shovels, spades, axes, nails, etc

p 294

mid-morning, Smith sent out with Pvt Walter Lane to count the Mexican army tents; 300 yds away

Smith estimated about 1500

he stayed there until cavalry sent out to intercept them

p 296

only one Texas company had uniforms - Capt William Wood's Ky Rifleman (had largely been paid for by Sidney Sherman when he originally raised that company)

about 930 men present with Houston

p 297

9 men from April 20 not able to fight April 21 - wounded or ill, or Poe's furlough; 255 men at Camp Harrisburg

hard to count because a lot of company swapping

largest company there was Baker's San Felipe company, known as

p 298

Company D of the First Regiment; 59 men

only real flag carried by Wood's Ky company: a half-naked woman with a banner reading ;Libery or Death'; given to them by ladies of Newport, Ky

Mex army had at least 3 flags - those of the Guerrero and Toluca battalions, and the Matamoros Battalion

Matamoros Battalion fought at Alamo, Coleto, and San Jac

SA had about 1250 men now that Cos was there. They had Brown Bess muskets or Baker rifles

uniforms of infantry were white, known as Russian ducking

dragoons wore short red coats and tall black helmets with horsehair plumes

officers generally wore blue jackets and blue or white pants

p 299

at San Jac, Tex: 60% of the men were single, median age of 28

at least 5 blacks and 29 Tejanos in service at battlefield or guarding at Harrisburg

p 301

noon on April 21, Houston was told that officers wanted a council of war

he said okay

Houston suggested that they build a floating bridge across Buffalo Bayou so they would have a way to retreat if necessary didn't want a slaughter like the other 2 battles.

didn't go over well - others didn't want to retreat any more

p 302

Houston asked for a vote of his officers - do we attack or do we wait for them to attack?

4 - Burleson, Sherman, Henry Millard, and Somervell all voted not to fight right away. Joe Bennett and Lysander Wells voted to fight now

all wanted to fight today, just didn't have to be this minute

Rusk thought they didn't have enough bayonets to march in broad daylight

p 303

as soon as council of war over, Houston ordered Smith to destroy Vince's Bridge, 8 mi SW of Lynch's Ferry on only direct road between Lynchburg and Harrisburg

the reason why not as clear; "popular version" so that no more reinforcements could easily reach SA - would have to ford Vince's Bayou or go miles out of the way

p 304

another version is that the cavalry came up with the plan in the morning to cut off the retreat of the Mexican army and that Smith presented the plan to Houston

p 305

Smith called for 6 volunteers with horses from his men: Deaf Smith, Denmore Rives, John Coker, Young Perry Alsbury, Edwin R. Rainwater, John Garner, Moses Lapham

Garner was the one previously court-martialed and pardoned

Tx calvary staged a diversion

p 306

smith and his men would need to ride 8 mi and be within range of the Mexican cavalry

The cavalry maneuvered as if they were going to start a fight, drawing the attn of the Mx cavalry; once smith and the volunteers were out of range, the other Txns turned around, leaving the Mex convinced they had scared the Txn off

p 307

logs wouldn't brrun through, so the Tns cut a few timbers until the bridge fell into the bayou

on the way back, Smith told the men to halt, that he'd go out and see if there were any Mexican soldiers nearby. He came back saying there were a lot of Mexican horsemen between them and the Txn army, new reinforcements for SA

He said he was going back to camp, as those were his oirders, and told the men they had the chance to flee for their lives now. They all chose to follow him

he said to follow him one at a time, that they'd be within 100 yds of the Mex cavalry

p 308

said that he would go first and be killed but try to make room fro them to escape through

As they all raced out, Smith started laughing and they realized it was a joke - no Mexican soldiers around

p 309

Houston wandered through the camp, tleling the men to have a late lunch and then be ready to fight

Rusk asked Seguin about the Mexican habit of taking a siesta and what the Mexican army did during that time.

starting to become obvious that SA was waiting for the Texans to attack

p 311

Burleson called the officers of his regiment together and asked them whether they wanted to attack now or at 4 am. Baker and Captain Robert James Calder voted for 4 am; everyone else said now

2nd Regiment also discussing the matter, without the 1st regiment knowing

p 312

they decided NOW would be good

they all got into line

3:30, they paraded for battle

within half an hour, the men in four divisions in front of the hardwoods

p 313

Extreme Right was Lamar and 62 cavalry nest was Lt Col Henry Millard's 92 regulars and then the 6-men band left and just ahead was the artillery corps then, at the center, was Burleson's 1st Regiment - 386 men in 8 companies Then the 2nd regiment under Sherman - 330 men in 10 companies

p 314

no orders for the doctors, so they voted to march with their companies and fight if needed

speeches given Baker's speech later written out by Private John Menefee from memory

supposedly told them to offer no quarter, and they hoisted a red handkerchief as a flag

p 315

the captains, and Houston, told the men clearly that if they didn't think they could face a bayonet, they needed to stay behind

2 Txns there from the Alamo - Seguin and Antonio Cruz, who had left as messengers

p 316

4 pm they started forward

told not to fire until they were 50 yards from the Mexican camp

tall grass hid the Texan advance

p 317

slight rise in the middle of the field also hid them

Mexicans expecting another 100 men with Col Garcia's supply train, supposedly coming from Harrisburg

Santa Anna had assigned 32 men under Col Miguel Aguirre to be an escort force at noon, Aguirre asked if his troops could be allowed to rest and to feed and water the horses, since none of them had eaten (had come with Cos's men). SA said yes, but told htem to be quick and get back on duty. They didn't

SA decided to rest too, since he hadn't slept muh put Castrillon in charge

p 318

TXn line hundreds of yards wide pulling cannon with leather straps

marched in silence; music started once the first shots fired

Sherman's 2nd Regiment moved through the trees at the edge of the marsh - perfect cover until the last 100 yds

Sherman's 2nd Regiment reached the Mexican camp first

they opened fire on soldiers that were in the woods - surprised them

p 319

Mex soldiers returned fire and then fell back into their campground

after first shot that Sherman's men fired, they didn't have time to reload - fighting became hand-to-hand

came over the Mexican breastworks into the area where Almonte and Cos's men were

p 321

Sherman the first to shout "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" others picked it up

Mexicans were firing back, with rifles and with cannon

Houston's horse hit with grapeshot and died almost instantly when he was about 40 yds from Mexican lines, and just in front of the cannon

p 322

a private caught a riderless horse and Houston mounted it, his feet dangling below stirrups

now the Mexican camp was aroused, and the rest of the Texans rushed in

cavalry was in front of the infantrry, and the Mex cannon turned on them Mex riflemen firing on the 1st Regiment

the first Mexican volley went over the heads of the Texans

Smith and his little band rode up as the troops were marching into battle,

p 323

Houston sent Smith to tell the others that no more reinforcements coming for the Mexicans; Houston imself announced it to Burleson's regiment

p 324

Mex riflemen adjusted their aim and fired again, killing several Texans advancing

p 325

The small Tx band was from 3 different companies, with not a lot of time to practice Will You Come to the Bower was a popular song and may have been one of the few that all of them knew enough to play

about 200 yds away, the Twin Sisters began firing

at about that time, Houston started yelling to the men to charge, and they did

Baker one of the first to be wounded, so 1st Lt John Borden took over

smoke from cannon and rifles made it very hard to see

p 326

the Txn regiments started mixing as the ran

during the battle, a Mexican officer called out to Antonio Menchaca as a "brother Mexican"; "No, damn you, I'm no Mexican. I'm an American. Shoot him!"

p 328

rumors later that SA was entertaining Emily D. West he had taken a mock bride in San Antonio, but her carriage was sent to Mexico City on April 2, when the roads were too bad for her to go too many historians dismiss the story of the Yellow Rose of Texas as folklore

Col Delgado said that when Mexicna buglers announced the arrival of the Txn army, many men were sleeping, some eatin, others in the woods looking for wood to construct shelters, cavalry horses not saddled

Catrillon had just finished his bath and had a conversation with other members of the staff SA accused him of not visiting the guard lines all afternoon, so the men got too relaxed

Caro said too much blame on Castrillon

p 329

SA said he was sound asleep when heard the firing

SA organized an attack column which marched toward the main fire

Mexican cannon kept up steady firing

strong resistance for Mexican forces in the first few minutes breastworks about 4-5 ft high, with a gap for the cannon about 8-10 ft wide protected the riflemen in the beginning

Txns jumped over the breastworks, and then there were issues most did not have bayonets; not enough time to reload; use the guns as clubs

Many Txn guns broken in this fight

p 330

Smith's horse tripped and threw him just as they reached the breastworks, at the front of the Texan lines Smith landed in the middle of the Mexican camp, alone his sword had fallen

he drew a pistol, fired at a soldier trying to bahyonet him. It didn't go off so he threw it at the head of the Mexican soldier it stuneed the man, so Smith grabbed the soldier's gun and used that until the rest of the army arrived around him. Private James H Nash then came to the rescue

p 331

some Txns shot during the advance, but most casualties in front of or inside the campground; 1st Regiment had more, since they didn't have as good a cover

p 333 after the first volley, Texans did not wait for other volleys or orders to fire. They reloaded, ran to pick a new target, fired again, stopped to reload

"The Second Regiment routed the newly arrived troops under General Cos, most of whom had been lying down asleep:

some rushed into battle without their guns once they woke up

p 334

Golden standard men were fiercer fighters; fired 3 rounds before a Twin Sisters shot hit the cannon's water bucket. Wounded or scared off most of the men around it

a division of Mex soldiers under Col Manuel Cespedes charged upon the Txn artillery when they were about 100 yds from the breastworks

only the Tx regular unit did not suffer casualties in the battle; every other Tx unit did

Castrillon, Almonte, and Lt Col Pedro Delgado all yelling at their men to fight

Golden Standard had been firing on the cavalry, then Castrillonordered it to help

p 335

Cespedes' charge on the artillery

just as they were goin gto light it to fire, the soldier manning it was shot by a rifle

Cespedes's column and another under Lt Col Santiago Leulmo forced to run - Lelmo dead, cespede seriously wounded

this caused the men at the Golden Standard to panic also, axcept for Lt Ignacio Arenal and Castrillon

Castrillon standing on the ammunition boxes behind the cannon, fully exposed, shouting at his men

some of the Mexican officers went to Castrillon and said he needed to call for a retreat; he said no

Walter Lane called him 'an old Castillian gentleman'

p 336

Rusk though Castrillon 'to be quite a gentlemanly, honourable man'

Txns captured the Golden Standard quickly

within 18 minutes, Texans through the camp and Mexican soldiers, officers and everyone, fleeing

p 337 Ramon Caro described it as 'lightning rapidity' that the Texans overran the Mexcans: 'It is too much to admit that even the cavalry had unsaddled their horses and turned them loose to graze, while the enemy was in sight.'

Santa Anna wrote that 'With all hope lost and every man for himself, my desperation was as great as my danger'. he accepted a horse from a servant of Col Juan Bringas, said 'The battle is lost' and retreated

found 2 members of his personal guard saddling up - said the others already running wanted to go toward Thompson's Pass, where Filisola was

Caro saw him go and followed on horseback

pp 337-8 Caro wrote 'Thank God we were not among the last who fled, for of those, very few survived to tell the tale'

p 338

Houston was wounded early, but few realized it until after the battle; he was still riding down the lines yelling at the men to fire

p 339

injured in the left ankle about the same time his 2nd horse shot out from under him

the picture is wrong - LEFT, not right

some rumors that he was shot by his own men - shot in the ankle facing the Texan lines

Lamar thought it was deliberate

p 340

Houston mounted a 3rd horse and kept going

several witnesses said Houston ordered the men to halt midway, saying enough blood had been shed

Rusk countermanded, saying 'If we stop we are cut to pieces. Don't stop - go ahead - give them hell!'

p 341

Sherman's men, at this time, still fighting troops in the timber

some troops say the halt was only at a small part of the army - at men who were looting and vandalizing property in the Mexican camp

p 342

About 240 of Almonte's men ran across a ravine; at bottom of the ravine was a quagmire, and horses and mules stuck

Houston told the Texans pursuing them to halt and form a line and told Smith to tell the Mexicans that they would be POWs if they would surrender

p 343

No Texan was really listening - commanders found it impossible to get control of their men

p 344

Texans cont pursuing the Mexican army until twilight

no mercy, not even to the wounded lying on the ground

one Texan shot a Mexican boy who had 2 broken legs and was begging for mercy, even after Moses Austin Bryan asked him not to

p 345

Menchaca said about 2 hrs 15 minutes until everything over

many Mexican soldiers cried out for mercy; most answered with "Remember the alamo" and death some Mexicans tried to climb trees to hide - some Texans shot them out of the trees

Delgado barely escaped; he described it as 'horrid slaughter carried on all over the prairie by the blood-thirsty usurpers' when retreating, a deep bayou, not very wide made the men clog together, and the Texans picked them off

ColAlmonte swam across, with one hand grasping his sword held in the air

Delgado got his horse to leap the bayou, but it got stuck in the bog on the other side; Delgado sank waist deep; finally pulled himself out; shoes left behind

p 346

Texans could cross the bog by stepping on the horses that were stuck in it

on other side of the bog, Peggy Lake

one Texan stopped others from killing a Mexican woman; when he stood up for her, 3 more came from hiding begging for help Pvt Stephen Sparks turned them over to Juan Seguin

many Mexicans tried to swim across Peggy's Lake to a little island many shot in the water

some Mexican soldiers scalped

some Mexican soldiers pursued over a mile

p 348

one solider on the Texas side said that Peggy's Lake was 'a scene of slaughter which defied description'

p 349

Wharton tried to stop the slaughter

p 350

Seguin and his men were at Peggy's Lake a Mexican officer called out to him asking to surrender

Seguin ordered a cease fire, and it extended down the line quite a ways. Then many officers came out, including Col Juan Maria Bringas, Col Almonte, and Col Dias. They were taken prisoner

1 Mexican woman was killed, by Col John Forbes, who did it on purpose, after she had been taken prisoner

p 351

Forbes didn't participate in the main part of the fighting; just came after for the massacre

p 353

witnesses spread the word through the camp, and Forbes was ridiculed for it

Santa Anna, Caro, and Cos and a large group of cavalry retreated toward Vince's Bridge

Karnes called for those with horses and loaded weapons to follow him towards the Bridge, where the fleeing officers would be stuck; about 18 men

p 354 2-3 miles from the battlefield, a group of 3-4 Mexican cavalry broke off from the larger group that was running and headed off across the prairie Elisha Clapp followed them and shot one the others turned to fight him, since his rifle was empty, and he retreated these 3 men escaped and made their way to Filisola

one of the Goliad Massacre survivors was with this group of Texans headed towards Vince's Bridge; they killed over a dozen Mexican soldiers - singly or in small groups as they caught up to them

p 355

Texans stopped to regroup 1/2 mile from where Vince's Bridge had been - knew that the Mexicans left would regroup there to fight. They felt that Santa Anna was with this group and needed to be killed or captured

reached the bridge, found it gone, retreated to a little thicket - SA hid in the pine trees; it was getting dark, so he thought he might make it

Capt Marcos Barragan managed to cross the bayou and escape

p 356

a few hundred yards from the bridge, the Texans found an officer on a fine horse. Karnes asked if he was Santa Anna. The man replied yes - assuming SA would be left alive - and Karnes swung his sword. Officer began yelling that he wasn't really Santa Anna and jumped into the bayou; he was shot

found 4 horses with no riders - assumed 4 men had dismounted and hidden, but it was getting dark and impossible to find them

Alsbury was with them, and called out in Spanish telling Santa Anna he wouldn't be harmed if he surrendered. No answer

Sent word back to Houston that they thought Santa Anna was in the thicket and they needed more men

surrounded the thicket, leaving a gap in the direction of the battle-ground

guard duty all night

Smith was the one sent back

p 357

Smith asked for 100 men. Burleson said only volunteers - Calder's entire company volunteered, so he picked 25

Lorenzo de Zavala had been at his house/hospital, saw the Texans moving, and crossed the river and joined the Army then and there - almost over by then

p 360

some Texans went through, bayonetting the injured

Sherman and his men began taking prisoners of anyone who wanted to surrender St Robert Goodloe was protecting 2 Mexican drummer boys. Some of the regulars wanted to kill them, but he had bowie knife in hand Sherman came up and took the young men from him - Goodloe said Sherman saved his life

hundreds of prisoners actually taken, inclduing Almonte

p 361

Almonte and his men surrendered 3 mi from the battlefield; TExans didn't know who he was he surrendered leading 200 m en from the woods, en masse, to 12 Texans, none who could speak much Spanish

asked if they could speak English; Almonte said, in Spanish, that they could not told to form and march to camp one soldier dropped out of line, and a Texan told him, in English, to get back in line or be killed with bayonet Almonte quickly translated the threat

Rusk was there, saw that the officer understood English, and said "You must be Colonel Almonte" and Almonte admitted it Rusk then shook his hand and said it was a pleasure to meet him

p 362

Wharton wanted to lead a group on to attack the reinforcements Houston said no likely afraid another battalion of Mexican soldiers might come on them soon Texans now widely scattered - Houston said 100 well-disciplined soldiers could probably beat them now

p 363

Rusk approached with the 200 Mexican soldiers; light was poor, and Houston reportedly said "My God, all is lost!" thinking that the reinforcements had arrived

he ordered double the sentinels and patrols

Houston finally got off his horse, with Rusk's help; compound fracture of the left tibia and fibula, just above the ankle

p 364

Texan losses - 7 men killed, 4 wounded badly enough to die soon, 30 others wounded

Mexicans: prob 630 killed, 730 captured, 208 wounded

p 366

Texans looted the Mexican campground; one of the chests had up to $12k - a guard detail watched over this also took 600 muskets, 300 sabers, 200 pistols, several hundred mules and horses

p 367

Makeshift "prison" around the Mexican prisoners made of battelfield debris; at the Mexican campground 6 women were prisoners too

all 3 cannons loaded and pointed at the prisoners to ensure that no tricky business

Menchaca had taken charge of the prisoners at Peggy Lake, including Lt Col Juan Bringas

built bonfires, and the Mexican soldiers"brought forward to dry their clothes" many thought they were going to be burned alive

insulted by the Texans , including by one of the Tejanos who spoke Spanish

2 dozen Texans stood guard over the prisoners, most with multiple guns

p 368

Delgado said there wasn't much interest in escape - they didn't know the terrain, didn't know where to go

Chapter 17: April 22

p 370

19 Texans wounded

p 371

Sml Hardway said "The appearance of the battle ground can be better imagined than described. Piles and clusters of their dead and dying lay in every direction."

once SA and Caro reached the marshes near Vince's Bridge, dismounted Cos swam Buffalo Bayou and headed for Brazos on foot SA had fled in white silk drawers, linen shirt, gray vest, red morocco slippers

dawn Apr 22, Caro gave himself up

p 372

to Karnes; Alsbury as interpreter Caro said SA had escaped from the thicket

Karnes sent word back, and Burleson gathered 50 mounted men to search Caro brought to Houston for questioning and Houston spared his life

SA had spent night in tall grass

after dawn crossed a creek to Vince Ranch and looted old slave clothes - blue cotton round jacket, cotton pantaloons, old hide cap and horse blankets as a serape (still wore linen shirt and slippers)

then SA began fleeing down Bayou again some Tx patrols set fire to the marsh grass to smoke out the officers hiding there; one who tried to run was shot

between Peggy's Lake and San Jac Bayou, found 28 Mexicans

p 373

one Tx shot and wounded a Mexican soldier who asked for water; Capt Robt Calder scolded him severely and so did rest of the company

Mex soldiers cont to surrender Dr Labadie asked to attend to the wounded Mexl he and other doctors reluctant Houston promised Labadie would get $300 (by 1858, hadn't gotten it)

p 374

April 22 morning, dispatches to McNutt at Camp Harrisburg to let them know of the battle some of his men sent to Houston

p 374

Tx officers eager to cont. attack on Mexican army - Mjr Ben Smith wanted to lead men to Ft Bend Houston ordered the MEx baggage be divided among the men - "popular" but took days

p 376 Tx search party divided into groups of 5 or 6 Sgt James Sylvestor and Pvts Sion Rocord Bostick, Alfred Miles, CharlesP Thompson, Joel Walter Robison, Joseph D. Vermillion

p 377

stalking some deer and saw a MExican man creeping around Mex hid himself when he realized he'd been spotted, so Tex began combing grass until they found him He stood, came forward, shook Sylvester's hand, kissed it, and asked where Houston was Bostick wanted to kill him no idea who it was

p 378

Robison acted as interpreter prisoner said SA and Cos had gone to the Brazos said he was from cavalry and not an officer; said his legs hurt and he couldn't walk Miles allowed the prisoner to use his horse for 2-3 mi, then asked for it back SA said no, until Sylvester insisted then SA got to ride behind Robison; asked lots of questions on how many Tx killed, prisoners taken

p 379

and when the prisoners would be shot Robison told him that Americans don't kill POWs

as they neared the other prisoners, Mex soldiers jumped to their ft, clapped, murmurs of "SA" -Mx officers shouted for them to be quiet.

p 381

burning of vince's bridge a major factor in capture of SA - he was too afraid of water to try to cross

SA turned over to Col John Forbes, who brought him to Houston, lying under a large oak tree, left leg propped up

p 382

Many Tx soldiers gathered around; Houston said those shouting threats had to move away, then had to station guards for crowd control

translators - Moses Bryan remembered later that he said "I am Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, President of Mexico, Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Operations and I put myself at the disposition of the brave General Houston. I wish to be treated as a general should when a prisoner of war"

Forbes brought Caro, who told Houston yes, this was SA Almonte then brought to also confirm

SA offered lots of compliments

p 383

thanked Sylvester for his kindness

Huddle's portrait from 1886 shows incorrectly Houston had rt leg injured

p 384

Almonte bowed before SA as soon as he got there de Zavala, Jr also identified him - SA gave him a hug

Almonte now the translator, Rusk did the questioning; 2 hours of questions

SA dignified Rusk asked why SA massacred Alamo survivors; he said normal to kill all when a small force wouldn't surrender and forced many casualties

then started negotiating an armistice

p 385

finally SA agreed to order his other troops to retreat.

Rusk allowed Caro to go back to battlefield (with guard) to get SA's official stationery and SA's bed; Houston slept on ground, SA got his bed some say SA took a dose of opium from his med chest when Caro ret, Caro wrote up the orders to Filisola and Gaona to fall back to Bexar, Urrea to go to Victoria Filisola now in charge of the army per SA also, Filisola to order no damage

p 386

to Tx property and all Tx prisoners to be released and sent to San Felipe

almonte then asked how the document should be dated. Houston said Lynchburg; Wharton said San Jacinto

Chapter 18: April 23

p 387

Deaf Smith given copies and rode off on Apr 22

morning of April 23, encountered Mex courier; took his dispatches and gave him the new ones to bring to Ft Bend

Smith and his cmopanions found Cos and took him prisoner

no idea who he was

p 388

rode into camp, and Cos soon identified on April 24 now 48 officers prisoners

SA kept separate from the others, near Houston's tent

p 389

showed good manners -. asked after Houston's wound every day

SA shared a tent with Caro and Almonte Caro given back his trunk, which had clothes so SA could change; the pesos were gone

late afternoon on Apr 23, steamboat Cayuga arrived with VP Zavala and Col James Morgan; they hadn't heard of the battle until they got to New Washington; possibly Emily West told them

new supplies Zavala shocked; found Castrillon's body - they were old friends

p 390

Zavala had his servants carry Castrillon's body across bayou and bury him only known Mexican officer to have a proper burial after San Jac

fire in Mex baggage on April 23; carelessness in Tx moving the gun powder lots of sm explosions

p 391

fire doused soon

p 392

stench really bad by April 24 -> too many to bury, so left to rot Apr 25, Col Jose Maria Romero captured, Apr 26 Lt Col Eulogio Gonzales

Filisola and his 1408 learned of defeat Apr 22; withdrew to near San Felipe and told Urrea to bring his 1100 men - they were in Brazoria

overall, 4k Mexican troops in texas

p 393

Apr 25, Filisola reorganized his army into 3 brigades under Gaona, Tolsa, Urrea Ramirez y Sesma named 2nd in command sent word toMexico City

Apr 26, Filisola's men set out for Victoria- very slow with rains 2 pm on Apr 27 he got the dispatch from SA with withdrawal orders

Apr 28, Filisola sent word to SA that he had pulled army together and that they were happy he was alive Woll and 3 others sent with the msg to verify everything ok

Apr 25, SA had drafted a 2nd message, telling Filisola to pull back to Rio Grande Burleson selected to hand this to Filisola personally - took 300 men with him

Filisola retreated immediately, while Tx waiting for a reply they left some of the sick and wounded and much of their baggage

p 394

Burleson's men followed to make sure they were going to Matamoros

Peggy McCormick angry and demanded Houston get the Mexican bodies off her land Houston said the land would one day be a historical landmark she said "to the devil with your glorious history! Take off your stinking Mexicans!"

Apr 26, army moved 5-6 mi away, to get away from stench

Mex soldiers unhappy that Tx didn't bury or burn the bodies

p 395

booty divided; Col John Forbes in charge of keeping the books

p 396

Houston had fever - wound infected

of $ captured, $3k voted to be given to Navy, rest divided

p 397

on avg, privates got $9, use it in auction of captured Mex goods companies gone during auction got nothing

rumors $ had been pilfered

p 398

Apr 26 - booty auction: horses, mules, saddles, spurs, baggage, clothes, etc SA saddle auctioned for $800

p 401

Apr 27, word reached Burnet in Galveston Rusk asked Burnet to come - quickest boat was the Yellow Stone

p 402

Houston ordered inquiry into whether Forbes did kill a woman he admitted he did it no one came forward to talk about it - one MExican female prisoner testified Forbes had been nice to her

p 403

Sherman found Forbes hadn't done it intentionally on Apr 28 no censure

St Ashley Stephens died 9 days after battle

p 404

Giles Giddings died Jun 7, 1836

Woll allowed into Tx camp under flag of truce

p 405

Burnet mad that Tx army not pursuing Mex forces Burnet and his cabinet worked w/SA on the treaty based on Rusk's Apr 22 agreement

Houston needed to go to US formedical attn. - his dr afraid he would die

p 406

Houston resigned and Rusk took over Lamar became Sec of War, only 3 weeks after coming to Tx Burnet and cabinet and prisoners moved to Galveston left on Yellowstone May 7

p 407

in Galveston May 8 SA moved to schooner Independence cabinet and SA then moved to Velasco

Houston arrived NO on May 28 and stayed there until he was well in late summer

p 408

Filisola's troops demoralized - few provisions, wind, rain, floods, sickness

SA wanted treaty in 2 parts - w/ind of Tx and boundaries in a secret doc, only published when SA back in power

Velasco treaty had 10 parts

a) hostilities over now

p 409 b) Mex troops to leave and goS of Rio Grande c) Pvt property not destroyed

finalized and signed May 14 by SA, Burnett then brought to Filisola

June 1, SA boarded Invinvible to go to Mexico but couldn't sail for 2 days then on June 3, steamboat Ocean arrived with new volunteers from US mob insisted on executing SA

Invincible captain decided he wouldn't sail with SA aboard

SA stuck in Tx for months - Tx did not fulfill that part of the treaty

p 410

in fall, SA sent to wash to be questioned by US govt, reached DC on Jan 18, 1837 met with Pres Jackson and then sent home

battle of San Jac ended Runaway Scrape

about 650 Tx died in Tx Rev, most at Alamo and Goliad

p 413

Sep 1836, landslide for Houston as Pres over SFA (Sec of State) and Henry Smith (Sec of Tres)

p 414

Forbest filed a libel lawsuite against Labadie - went to court in 1859 settlement in 1866; Labadie retracted his statements

p 420

Dec 31, 1837, Houston signed law giving 640 acres to all San JAc vets in addition to the land bounties already offered

p 421

Houston pres 2x, US Senator, and Gov of Tx, thanks to being a hero of Rev

all pres of Rep of Tx fought at San JAc, and 2 state governors

1/3 of those in the 1st Congress were San Jac veterans

Burleson a VP

p 422

1836, Baker paid back his bank loans gave $1000 to build 1st church in Houston

p 423

Tx Veterans Assoc formed and held 1st convention May 13-15, 1873 (75 vets present) annual meetings during wk of Apr 21 dissolved in 1907, and Daughters of Rep of Tx took over

p 425

Peggy McCormick never got compensated for property she lost during battle

8 of Tx who died at San Jac buried at Tx campgrounds w/wooden headstones 1870s, Judge J. L. Sullivan started campaign for a monumtent; Tx legislature authorized 1k for iron rails around it

Apr 25, 1882, memorial unveiled Capt Wm Wood asked to be buried at San Jac battesite; was in 1854

1883, state bought 10 acres of McCormick's property for a memorial park - now 400 acres 1894, survivors of battle brought in to help id sites, and then again in 1901

p 426

today, chemical refineries everywhere and Houston ship channel a major waterway

Lynch's Ferry now connects the park with I-10

San Jac Monument is l570 ft tall and is in Guinness as tallest stone column monument int he world on top ofthat is 34' star to symbolize Lone Star

shaft is made of cordova shell stone quaried from Burnet County 125' sq base, 30' sq at top walls 4' thick base, 2' thick top each block = 500 lbs, so altogether 70.3 millions lbs

Public Works Admin project started Apr 21, 1936 completed Apr 21, 1939, cost = $1.5 million

8-acre, 1800 ft reflection pool also built then

museum has 35k rare books, 10k visual images, 250k documents

obs floor 489 ft up restoration "current" to restore to 1836 appearance

p 427

reclaimed 300 acres of march, which is now silty

p 428

2002, 510-ft boardwalk opened, leading to reclaimed marshes where many MEx died

$!0 mil restoration to repair stonework plans to remove reflecting pool -> on ground Tx army advanced monument stands on highest part of the rise

reenactments in Apr yearly