March 21, 1836 - The Battle of Goliad

"...(I) ask that He who buildeth up and pulleth down nations will, the mercy preserve and unite us. For a Nation divided against itself cannot stand. I wish, if this Union must be dissolved, that its ruins may be the monument of my grave, and the graves of my family." - Sam Houston. These were the final words of a very worried Sam Houston; a man who raised up Texas and got her into the United States of America only to watch her go down in the flames of Civil War in March of 1863. One of the most important acts which he brought about was the the Battle of Jacinto which took place on today's date, April 21 in 1836. It once and for all settled the question of whether the Lone Star Republic would be a part of the United States... it would. A detailed, first-hand account of the battle was written by General Houston from the headquarters of the Texan Army in San Jacinto on April 25, 1836. Numerous secondary analyses and interpretations have followed. What follows is the best that I could manage, based on on-line and separate sources not to mention the recent book by Brian Kilmeade. Lorenzo de Zavala had opposed Santa Anna's power grab in Mexico wherein he openly supported the Democratic reforms. To Santa Anna, Zavala was a traitor and needed to be arrested, along with his supporters. Unfortunately, Santa Anna missed the government at Harrrisburg when they bolted town some several hours ahead of the strutting martinet. Santa Anna did get there in time to destroy all of the government's printing equipment;

General Houston (right) arrived a few days later. He was a man of strongly-held opinions; there was something reminiscent of George Washington in the man, and this was likely what got him named major general of the army at the beginning of the Texas Revolution. When he arrived at Harrisburg he found the town had been wrecked. After their long March most of the Texians wanted to settle and make Camp. But Deaf Smith* (*- so named because of a childhood disease that made him lose his sense of hearing) was determined to take a few of his men and go looking for these men who had made such a Mess of Harrisburg. "They were of one mind,"one colonel said,"to march down and fight the enemy!"

At this point on that same day, a Mexican courier carrying intelligence on the locations,and future plans of all of the Mexican troops in Texas was captured and dragged into camp with Spanish language documents in their saddle bags. These were quickly translated and showed that the Mexican forces in the area were much smaller than the Texians. About 1500 to the nearly 3,000 Texians. Sam Houston realized that his army was ill-trained. So Houston continued to retreat to the great displeasure of so many of his officers. Houston was keenly aware of how untrained they were, hence the reason for the continual retreats. They had moved back by 120 miles. On March 31 they paused and began training together. And at this time they were joined by Secretary of War Thomas Rusk and Preident David G. Burnet, as well as Secretary of War Samuel Carson. Houston convinced these men that his plans were legitimate, and they should retreat to the Sabine river. They moved through the town of Harrisburg, and that the Mexicans had about 600 men in Texas. Realizing that this showed the Mexicans those who had commited the massscres at the Alamo and at Goliad were now in smaller numbers and not far away.Also there were copies of the Texas Declaration of Independance around.The steamboat "Cayuga" had moved out with the Government members who Santa Anna had been looking to catch up with. When Houston showed up at Buffalo Bayou three days later (8/17/1836)they found that Santa Anna had already been there and left that place a mess. But they now knew that man - Santa Anna - who had ordered the massacres at the Alamo, and Goliad was within reach. The two armies were now within striking distance of each other. With his army standing in formaton. He spoke of meeting their opposites and glory and victory, but when he got right down to one thing that would fire all of their hearts: "Some of us may be killed; remember the Alamo, the Alamo, The Alamo!!" His army then raced as fast as it could towards Lynchburg.The area was filled with Oak Groves and marshes; quite at home for the Texians, but strange as could be imagined for the Mexicans. Houston's 900 man force arrived in the morning of April 20, Santa Anna's 700 mn force a couple of hours later. The Houston group set up camp near the banks of Bufallo Bayou which gave them decent cover, but little room to get away if needed. The set-up of Santa Anna's forces caused Colonel Pedro Delgado to write later "the camping ground of His Excellency's selection was in all respects, against military rules. Any youngster would have done better." Over

the next couple of hours skirrmishes broke out, with the Texians forcing the Mexicans to withdraw from a spot near the (above, Santa Anna surenders to Sam Houston)center. Then Mexican Dragoons then forced the Texians out of the area. Houston was unhappy that the Mexicans got a better look at his forces. Some of the men were unhappy that a full battle hadn't occurred. Genral Cos arrived in the morning with @540 reiforcements. But these men were all untrained and green. Santa Anna allowed his men to rest and relax. During this interval Houston ordered the destruction of Vinces Bridge thus blocking off the only escape for the mexicans. As this morning lingered on and there was no attack, the Texicans got busy. The Texican cavalry was initially dispatched to the Mexican forces' far left, and the artillery advanced through the tall grass to within 200 yards of the Mexican breast works. "The Twin Sisters" (cannons brought from Cincinnati)opened the battle at 4:30. After this opening salvo the Texians broke ranks and began swarming all around the mexican lines yelling "Remember the Alamo! Remember tha Alamo" to initiate hand to hand combat with the Mexicans, who were taken completely by surprise. Santa Anna snd his officers issued conflicting orders while trying to lead some kind of defense. But it wasn't working. The Texian infantry forces charged on without halt until they had control of the woodland and the Mexican breastwork. The right wing of Burleson's and the left wing of Millard's forces had taken possession of the breastwork. Within 18 minutes, Mexican soldiers abandoned their campsite and fled for their lives, The killing lasted for hours. Many Mexicans tried to go through the marshes of Peggy Lake while shooting at anything that moved. But they had fallen prey to these Alamo/Goliad Avengers. The totals at the end of the day left Mexican soldiers killed and 300 captured. Eleven Texians died, with 30 others, including Houston, wounded. Santa Anna had escaped towards Vince's Bridge. Finding the bridge destroyed, he hid in the marsh and was captured the following day, wearing the uniform jacket of a private. But this failed when his own men recognized him as such and pointed him out to the Texian authorities. His Excellency was brought before Houston's own boys wanted him hung on the spot.He had escaped towards Vince's Bridge. Finding the bridge destroyed, he hid in the marsh and was captured the following day, wearing the uniform jacket of a private. But this failed when his own men recognized him as such and pointed him out to the Texian authorities. His Excellency was brought before Houston whose own boys wanted him hung on the spot. In what historian Davis calls "one of the most one-sided victories in history",650 Mexican soldiers were killed and 300 captured. Eleven Texians died, with 30 others, including Houston, wounded. Eventually dealing with Santa Anna became a matter between one country and another. In 1874, he took advantage of a general amnesty issued by President Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada and returned to Mexico, by then crippled and almost blind from cataracts. Santa Anna died at his home in Mexico City on 21 June 1876 at age 82. He was buried with full military honors in a glass coffin in Panteón del Tepeyac Cemetery. *********** ************** ******* ***************** ***** ___________________________________________________________________________________ SOURCES = "Sam Houston and the Alamo Avengers"by Brian Kilmeade,Large Print, New York, Penguin Random House https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_San_Jacinto, https://www.history.com/topics/mexico/battle-of-san-jacinto https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo