Battle of San Jacinto
(
21 April 1836)
Sam Houston and the meager army of Texas retreated eastward following the fall of the Alamo in the spring of 1836. The troops were becoming increasingly impatient, however, by the time they reached Buffalo Bayou, a few miles southeast of present day Houston.
On the morning of the April 19, the Texans crossed over and marched down the right bank of Buffalo Bayou to within half a mile of its confluence with the San Jacinto River. Here, the army prepared their defenses on the edge of a grove of trees. Their rear was protected by timber and the bayou, while before them was an open prairie.
On the following morning, Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna came marching across the prairie in battle array. A volley from the Texan's "Twin Sisters" artillery brought him to a sudden halt. Falling back to a clump of trees a quarter of a mile distant, Santa Anna formed in line of battle. Colonel Sidney Sherman, at the head of the Texas cavalry, charged the Mexican army, but accomplished little except to inspire the Texans with fresh enthusiasm for the following day.
The 21st of April dawned bright and beautiful. The main forces of the Texas army were there, totaling about 750 men. They faced over 1500 of the enemy, secure and flushed with pride at the offense they had enjoyed for the previous few weeks against the Texans. Early in the morning, Houston sent Deaf Smith, the celebrated Texas spy, with two or three men, to destroy Vince's bridge over which the Mexican army had passed, thus cutting off their only available escape.
When Houston's long awaited order to advance was given, the Texans did not hesitate. When within seventy yards the word "fire" was given, the Texan shouts of "Remember the Alamo" and "Remember Goliad" rang along the entire line. Within a short time, 700 Mexicans were slain, with another 730 taken as prisoners. The battle for Texas was won.
(Nine Texians were killed or mortally wounded. Sam Houston was shot in the ankle. Santa Anna was found the next day hiding in the grass and dressed as a common foot soldier.)
A panel on the side of the monument at San Jacinto today underscores the importance of the battle after more than a century and a half of reflection: "Measured by its results, San Jacinto was one of the decisive battles of the world. The freedom of Texas from Mexico won here led to annexation and to the Mexican War, resulting in the acquisition by the United States of the States of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma. Almost one-third of the present area of the American nation, nearly a million square miles of territory, changed sovereignty."
Battle of San Jacinto (21 April 1836)
April 21,1836 Timeline
3:30 PM
General Sam Houston ordered his men to form up and move out. The army advanced as units in the same order in which it had been camped. Silently they crossed through knee-high grass, approximately one mile toward the Mexican positions.
The Mexicans had not posted any sentries, pickets or lookouts, allowing the Texians to advance across the low ground, over the ridgeline, and to a short distance in front of the breastworks before being detected. This surprise was one of the major factors in the Texas Victory.
The Second Regiment formed the left of the Texan line and, advancing through some trees along the top of the bluff, had proceeded slightly ahead of the rest of the Texas line. The battle started there when the 2nd Regiment under the command of Sidney Sherman hit the right of the Mexican line.
4:30 PM
Mexican Colonel Pedro Delgado, in his account of the battle, noted: “No important incident took place until 4:30 p.m. At this fatal moment, the bugler on our right signaled the advance of the enemy upon that wing.”
5:00 PM
After about 20 minutes of intense fighting at or near the breastworks, the Mexicans retreated. The Texans pursued for more than an hour, driving them back to the water’s edge. During sporadic fighting and evasive flight by the Mexican soldiers, approximately 630 were killed.
6:00 PM
Over 700 Mexican soldiers were allowed to surrender to the Texian army.
Happy San Jacinto Day !!!