Santa Anna was captured next morning, looking wretched in stolen clothes and still wearing red Moroccan slippers from his nap the afternoon before. It was one of the most lopsided battles ever fought. The Texans lost six killed and 26 wounded. Six hundred and eight Mexican soldiers were killed, 208 wounded, 730 captured.

'We were relieved when they placed us around the fire to warm ourselves and dry out our clothes.' Delgado thought they were going to be burned alive in retaliation for those Texas bodies burned at the Alamo. They were marched to the woods where they saw a huge bonfire. Pedro Delgado, on Santa Anna's staff, made it to Buffalo Bayou before he was captured, with other bewildered Mexican survivors. 'Gentlemen,' he berated his men, 'I applaud your bravery but damn your manners.' The frenzied killing was done in the heat of battle, unlike the cold-blooded murder at Goliad, but it left a stain on the day's victory.Ĭol. In a blind and furious rage, the Texans killed everything that moved. The battle lasted 18 minutes but the slaughter continued until dark. Mexican officers tried vainly to rally their men to their own defense. Mexican soldiers, confused and fleeing in panic, were shot, stabbed, or clubbed to death as they ran or tried to surrender. The Twin Sisters ripped holes in the breastwork as a four-man Texas band played an old Irish folk tune, 'Will You Come to the Bower?' The Texans broke into a wild charge, yelling 'Remember the Alamo!' 'Remember Goliad!' as they streamed over the breastworks and into the encampment, attacking with ferocity. The Texans crept through tall grass and were within 200 yards of the Mexican camp before the alarm sounded. The Texan artillery, the six-pounders called the Twin Sisters, anchored the middle.

Houston rode in front on a charger named Saracen. (The tale that he had a private interlude in his tent with a young black woman named Emily has never been substantiated beyond one hearsay reference of doubtful veracity.)Ībout 3:30 that afternoon Houston ordered his men to form lines to attack. Santa Anna also took a nap in his brown-and-white striped tent. Cos's men were worn out after the forced march. Santa Anna had expected Houston to attack early that morning but when the Texans failed to show, he told his soldiers to get some rest. Santa Anna ordered his men to build a makeshift breastwork and sent a courier urging Perfecto de Cos, who was 20 miles away with 500 men, to join him.Ĭos arrived at 9 a.m. Houston's army camped in woods 400 yards away. It was a park-like area, with lush green grass, that lived up to its Spanish name, Jacinto, for hyacinth. Santa Anna turned back and made camp between Buffalo Bayou and San Jacinto River. Texas leaders fled to the coast and escaped across Galveston Bay in a small boat. Santa Anna's 750-man special task force found Harrisburg deserted. His men cheered, knowing they would run no more. But when he came to a fork in the road he chose the one leading to Harrisburg. It would put him closer to support and succor from American friends. Perhaps Houston intended to retreat to Nacogdoches, where the piney woods would provide ideal ground for Texas rifles and hamper Mexican cavalry. This was an opportunity to catch Santa Anna away from his main army. Houston learned that Santa Anna was leading a detached regiment trying to capture Texas leaders, who had moved to Harrisburg. David Burnet, interim president, wrote a sharp reprimand: 'You must retreat no further. The men wanted to stand and fight and were near the point of mutiny, but Houston was not going to get trapped between converging Mexican columns.Īt Groce's, Houston drilled the army and tried to instill discipline among soldiers as likely to debate an order as carry it out. The armies watched each other across the rushing stream.Ī week later Houston's army pulled out at dusk, leaving campfires burning, and marched to San Felipe then to Groce's Plantation. Ramirez y Sesma, leading one of Santa Anna's armies, camped west of the rain-swollen river, which was too high to cross. Houston burned the ferry and they marched up the east bank to Beason's Crossing. They marched to the Colorado and crossed at Burnham's Ferry. Houston had 400 men, some without weapons, and most without training. Sam Houston burned Gonzales and retreated, leaving a scorched earth behind him, while settlers trying to get away from the war fled in the Runaway Scrape.

He split his 6,000-man force into four parts and planned to make short work of Houston's ragtag army. Only mopping up operations were left, Santa Anna thought, after his army reclaimed the Alamo and destroyed Texas forces at Goliad.

Texas mutiny 2016