USA > Texas > Tarrant County > Fort Worth > History of Texas : Fort Worth and the Texas northwest edition, Volume I > Part 42
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
Whether Houston ever received Carson's letter, informing him of the movements of General Gaines, is questionable. At any rate, he proceeded to Harrisburg, arriving opposite its site in the forenoon of the 18th. The Texans rested here until the following morning, and during their halt two couriers were captured, bearing dispatches from Filisola and the Mexican government to Santa Anna, from which Houston first definitely learned that the latter was leading the troops to the east of him.
On the morning of the 19th both Houston and Rusk made encour- aging addresses to the soldiers, declaring that they were now going to fall upon the enemy, and urging them to avenge their comrades of the Alamo and Goliad. After leaving in camp here his baggage train and some hundred and fifty or two hundred sick and inefficient, with seventy-five men under Major McNutt to guard them, Houston marched down the left bank of Buffalo Bayou, and, crossing below the mouth of Sims's Bayou, passed on across Vince's bridge towards the San Jacinto. The march was kept up till nearly midnight, when the exhausted men were allowed to rest for a few hours. At daybreak. however, they were again put in motion, and when, about 6 o'clock, a halt was made for breakfast and the scouts came galloping up and reported that they had discovered the advance guard of the enemy returning from New Washington, the half-cooked food was bolted
314
HISTORY OF TEXAS
down and a hurried march continued to Lynch's Ferry, where they arrived early in the forenoon.
Almost immediately upon their arrival at the ferry the enemy's advance guard was seen approaching, and the Texans fell back about half a mile, to establish themselves in a live-oak grove on the bank of the bayou. In front of them, and extending to the right towards Vince's Bayou, was a prairie, perhaps two miles in width, bounded on the south by a marsh; to the left was the San Jacinto river; and at their back Buffalo Bayou. Into this prairie the Mexicans soon filed from the direction of New Washington-which they had just burned -and formed their camp near the southern edge.
Early in the afternoon Santa Anna advanced his artillery-one six-pounder-under cover of the cavalry, and fired a shot at the Texans, but this was immediately returned from the "Twin Sisters," and the cannon was hastily withdrawn to the protection of a cluster of timber, from which it continued to be fired at intervals throughout the afternoon. A few hours later Colonel Sherman, according to his own account, asked and obtained permission to advance with mounted volunteers and attempt to capture it. But he got into a rather lively skirmish with the Mexican cavalry, creating a good deal of excitement in the Texan camp thereby, and returned with two men seriously wounded, one of whom afterwards died. Nothing else of interest occurred during the rest of the afternoon.
In the light of a subsequent event-the arrival of reinforcements to Santa Anna on the 21st-it would have been better for General Houston to fight the battle of San Jacinto on the 20th; but his delay was natural. The army had made forced marches from Harrisburg, had slept little the previous night, and the men were necessarily greatly fatigued ; a complete rest for them, therefore, might well have been considered desirable. It is by no means certain, either, that, as has been charged, the dispatches captured at Harrisburg gave the Texans definite information that Santa Anna was expecting rein- forcements, though they did, perhaps, afford ground for suspecting it.
On the morning of the 21st General Cos arrived with some four hundred men, and increased Santa Anna's strength to eleven hun- dred and fifty or twelve hundred .* This gave the latter considerable advantage over Houston, who had but 783 men.
*Texas historians generally, following Houston's official report of the battle of San Jacinto, place this number much higher, varying it from sixteen hundred down to thirteen hundred men. Houston says (Report, 3-published also in Brown, II, 18-23; Yoakum, II, 498-502; Kennedy, II, 222-227; and elsewhere) concerning the whole number of the enemy, Cos came up, "increasing their effective force to upwards of 1.500 men"; and again, after the battle, he reports, "The enemy's loss was 630 killed * * wounded, 208, * * * * prisoners, 730." But all Mexican authority, accepted by Yoakum (II, 122) and Bancroft (II, 250), agrees that Santa Anna left Fort Bend with no more than 750 men,- though Brown (II, 11), counting, perhaps, Sesma's whole division, a part of which remained on the the Brazos, says he "had with him between eleven and twelve hundred." And Texan writers almost uniformly put Cos's reinforcements at 500 about 100 of whom, as we know from both Mexican (Verdadera Idea. 87; Filisola : Memorias para la Historia de la Guerra de Tejas, II, 473) and Texan authority were left at Harrisburg. Houston himself, unless he counted the wounded twice, disposed of only 1,360, and it is well established that scarcely 40 escaped.
315
HISTORY OF TEXAS
Sometime during the forenoon Deaf Smith left camp to destroy Vince's bridge-not, as is popularly believed, for the purpose of making the approaching conflict a death struggle, but to obstruct the march of additional Mexican reinforcements .* And about midday Houston called a council of war in which it was decided to attack the enemy at day break the following morning; but this decision being rather sullenly received by the majority of the army, most of which opposed delay, the question was submitted directly to the men through their respec- tive captains, and settled in favor of immediate attack.
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon of April 21, therefore, Houston gave the order to prepare for action. The line having been formed, an advance was made upon the enemy which took them almost com- pletely by surprise, most of the officers-Santa Anna included-being asleep. The Mexicans made one confused effort to sustain the charge, then broke and fled in utter panic. The Texans pursuing, the rout became a slaughter which only stopped at nightfall, though the battle proper lasted perhaps not more than thirty minutes. Practically the entire Mexican force was either killed or captured, and, of the Texans, two were killed and twenty-three wounded-six mortally. The fol- lowing day Santa Anna was captured and brought into camp, when an armistice was arranged between him and Houston providing for a cessation of hostilities until a permanent peace could be negotiated. And in the meantime Filisola was to fall back from Fort Bend to San Antonio, and cause Urrea to do the same from Victoria.
From San Jacinto Santa Anna was taken with the other prisoners to Velasco, and there on May 14 the treaty of that name was arranged between himself and the government of Texas. The public treaty pro- vided, among other things, for a cessation of hostilities; the immedi- ate withdrawal of the Mexican forces beyond the Rio Grande; the restoration of property taken by the Mexicans; and, finally, that the Texan army should not approach nearer than five leagues to the retreating Mexicans. At the same time a secret agreement was made with the captive dictator in which the government promised, in return for his solemn pledge to use his influence in securing an acknowledg- ment of Texan independence, to immediately liberate him and send him to Vera Cruz.
On May 26 General Filisola ratified the public treaty and fulfilled its provisions by abandoning Texas; but through the interference of the enraged army the Texan government was compelled to break the secret articles, and Santa Anna was detained a prisoner until late in 1836, when he was sent to Washington, D. C. Quite naturally he felt himself absolved from his promise to labor for Texan inde- pendence. And though this was practically established by the battle of San Jacinto, it was not until the settlement of the Mexican war by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 that Mexico formally renounced her claims to Texas.
*The whole episode of Vince's bridge has received an emphasis from the his- torians which is probably far beyond its real importance. The bayou does not exceed three miles in length, and could have been "headed" by either reinforce- ments or fugitives with the loss of but a few hours at the most.
*
316
HISTORY OF TEXAS
The official reports of Houston and Santa Anna which follow give additional details concerning the battle of San Jacinto.
"Headquarters of the Army, "San Jacinto, April 25, 1836.
"To His Excellency David G. Burnet, President of the Republic of Texas.
"Sir: I regret extremely that my situation, since the battle of the 21st, has been such as to prevent my rendering you my official report of the same, previous to this time.
"I have the honor to inform you, that on the evening of the 18th inst., after a forced march of fifty-five miles, which was effected in two days and a half, the army arrived opposite Har- risburg. That evening a courier of the enemy was taken, from whom I learned that General Santa Anna, with one division of choice troops, had marched in the direction of Lynch's Ferry on the San Jacinto, burning Harrisburg as he passed down. The army was ordered to be in readiness to march early on the next morning. The main body effected a crossing over Buffalo Bayou, below Harrisburg, on the morning of the 19th, having left the baggage, the sick, and a sufficient camp guard in the rear. We continued the march throughout the night, making but one halt in the prairie for a short time, and without refresh- ments. At daylight we resumed the line of march, and in a short distance our scouts encountered those of the enemy, and we received information that General Santa Anna was at New Washington, and would that day take up the line of march for Anahuac, crossing at Lynch's Ferry. The Texan army halted within half a mile of the ferry in some timber and were engaged in slaughtering beeves, when the army of Santa Anna was dis- covered to be approaching in battle array, having been encamped at Clopper's Point, eight miles below. Disposition was immedi- ately made of our forces, and preparation for his reception. He took position with his infantry and artillery in the center, occu- pying an island of timber, his cavalry covering the left flank. The artillery, consisting of one double fortified medium brass twelve-pounder, then opened on our encampment. The infantry, in column, advanced with the design of charging our lines, but were repulsed by a discharge of grape and canister from our artillery, consisting of two six pounders. The enemy had occu- pied a piece of timber within rifle shot of the left wing of our army, from which an occasional interchange of small arms took place between the troops, until the enemy withdrew to a posi- tion on the bank of the San Jacinto, about three-quarters of a mile from our encampment, and commenced fortifications. A short time before sunset, our mounted men, about eighty-five in number, under the special command of Colonel Sherman, marched out for the purpose of reconnoitering the enemy. Whilst advancing they received a volley from the left of the enemy's infantry, and after a sharp encounter with their cav- alry, in which ours acted extremely well and performed some
317
HISTORY OF TEXAS
feats of daring chivalry, they retired in good order, having had two men severely wounded and several horses killed. In the meantime, the infantry, under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel Millard, and Colonel Burleson's regiment with the artil- lery, had marched out for the purpose of covering the retreat of the cavalry, if necessary. All then fell back in good order to our encampment about sunset, and remained without any ostens- ible action until the 21st, at half past three o'clock, taking the first refreshment they had enjoyed for two days. The enemy in the meantime extended the right flank of their infantry so as to occupy the extreme point of a skirt of timber on the bank of the San Jacinto, and secured their left by a fortification about five feet high, constructed of packs and baggage, leaving an opening in the center of the breastwork in which their artillery was placed, their cavalry upon their left wing.
"About nine o'clock on the morning of the 21st, the enemy were reinforced by 500 choice troops, under the command of General Cos, increasing their effective force to upwards of 1,500 men, whilst our aggregate force for the field numbered 783. At half past three o'clock in the evening, I ordered the officers of the Texan army to parade their respective commands, having in the meantime ordered the bridge on the only road communicat- ing with the Brazos, distant eight miles from our encampment, to be destroyed, thus cutting off all possibility of escape. Our troops paraded with alacrity and spirit, and were anxious for the contest. Their conscious disparity in numbers seemed only to increase their enthusiasm and confidence and heighten their anxiety for the conflict. Our situation afforded me the oppor- tunity for making the arrangements preparatory to the attack, without exposing our designs to the enemy. The first regi- ment, commanded by Colonel Burleson, was assigned the center. The second regiment, under the command of Colonel Sherman, formed the left wing of the army. The artillery under the spe- cial command of Colonel George W. Hockley. Inspector-General. was placed on the right of the first regiment ; and four companies of infantry, under the command of Lieut-Col. Henry Millard, sustained the artillery upon the right. Our cavalry, sixty-one in number, commanded by Colonel Mirabeau B. Lamar, whose gallant and daring conduct on the previous day had attracted the admiration of his comrades and called him to that station,
. placed on our extreme right, completed our line. Our cavalry was first dispatched to the front of the enemy's left, for the pur- pose of attracting their notice, whilst an extensive island of timber afforded us an opportunity of concentrating our forces and deploying from that point, agreeably to the previous design of the troops. Every evolution was performed with alacrity. the whole advancing rapidly in line and through an open prairie, without any protection whatever for our men. The artillery advanced and took station within two hundred yards of the
1
318
HISTORY OF TEXAS
enemy's breastwork, and commenced an effective fire with grape and canister.
"Colonel Sherman with his regiment, having commenced the action upon our left wing, the whole line at the center and on the right, advancing in double-quick time, rung the war cry, 'Re- member the Alamo!' received the enemy's fire and advanced within point blank shot before a piece was discharged from our lines. Our lines advanced without a halt, until they were in possession of the woodland and the breastwork, the right wing of Burleson's and the left of Millard's taking possession of the breastwork; our artillery having gallantly charged up within seventy yards of the enemy's cannon, when it was taken by our troops. The conflict lasted about eighteen minutes from the time of close action until we were in possession of the enemy's encampment, taking one piece of cannon (loaded), four stands of colors, all their camp equipage, stores and baggage. Our cavalry had charged and routed that of the enemy upon the right, and given pursuit to the fugitives, which did not cease until they arrived at the bridge which I have mentioned before, Captain Karnes, always among the foremost in danger, commanding the pursuers. The conflict in the breastwork lasted but a few moments; many of the troops encountered hand to hand, and not having the advantage of bayonets on our side, our riflemen used pieces as war clubs, breaking many of them off at the breech. The rout commenced at half past four, and the pursuit by the main army continued until twilight. A guard was then left in charge of the enemy's encampment, and our army returned with their killed and wounded. In the battle our loss was two killed and twenty-three wounded, six of them mortally. The enemy's loss was 630 killed. among whom was one general officer, four colonels, two lieutenant-colonels, five captains, twelve lieu- tenants. Wounded: 208, of which were: five colonels, three lieutenant-colonels, two second lieutenant-colonels, seven cap- tains, one cadet. Prisoners, 730; President-General Santa Anna. General Cos, four colonels, aides to General Santa Anna, and the Colonel of the Guerrero battalion are included in the num- ber. General Santa Anna was not taken until the 22nd, and General Cos on yesterday, very few having escaped.
"About six hundred muskets, three hundred sabres and two hundred pistols have been collected since the action. Several hundred mules and horses were taken, and near twelve thousand dollars in specie. For several days previous to the action our troops were engaged in forced marches, exposed to excessive rains, and the additional inconvenience of extremely bad roads, illy supplied with rations and clothing ; yet, amid every difficulty. they bore up with cheerfulness and fortitude, and performed their marches with spirit and alacrity. There was no murmuring.
"Previous to and during the action, my staff evinced every disposition to be useful, and were actively engaged in their duties. In the conflict I am assured they demeaned themselves
319
HISTORY OF TEXAS
in such manner as proved them worthy members of the Army of San Jacinto. Colonel Thos. J. Rusk, Secretary of War, was on the field. For weeks his services had been highly beneficial to the army ; in battle he was on the left wing, where Colonel Sher- man's command first encountered and drove the enemy. He bore himself gallantly, and continued his efforts and activity, remaining with the pursuers until resistance ceased.
"I have the honor of transmitting herewith a list of all the officers and men who were engaged in the action, which I respect- fully request may be published as an act of justice to the indi- viduals. For the commanding general to attempt discrimination as to the conduct of those who commanded in the action, or those who were commanded, would be impossible. Our success in the action is conclusive proof of such daring intrepidity and cour- age; every officer and man proved himself worthy of the cause in which he battled, while the triumph received a lustre from the humanity which characterized their conduct after victory, and richly entitles them to the admiration and gratitude of their general. Nor should we withhold the tribute of our grateful thanks from that Being who rules the destinies of nations, and has in the time of greatest need enabled us to arrest a powerful invader, whilst devastating our country.
"I have the honor to be, with high consideration, "Your obedient servant, Sam Houston, "Commander-in-Chief."
Santa Anna's report is dated March 11, 1837, after his return to Mexico from his imprisonment in Texas. He says:
"Early on the morning of the 19th, I sent Captain Barragan, with some dragoons, to a point on the Lynchburg road, three leagues distant from New Washington, in order that he should watch and communicate to me, as speedily as possible, the arrival of Houston ; and, on the 20th, at eight o'clock in the morn- ing, he informed me that Houston had just got to Lynchburg. It was with the greatest joy that all the individuals belonging to the corps, then under my immediate orders, heard the news; and they continued the march, already begun, in the best spirit.
"At my arrival, Houston was in possession of a wood on the margin of Buffalo Bayou, which. at that point, empties itself into the San Jacinto Creek. His situation rendered it indis- pensable to fight; and my troops manifested so much enthusiasm, that I immediately began the battle. Houston answered our firing, but refused to come out of the cover of the wood. I wished to draw him into a field of battle suited to my purpose, and in consequence withdrew about one thousand yards dis- tance, to an eminence affording a favorable position, with abund- ance of water on my rear, a thick wood on my right, and a large plain on my left. Upon my executing this movement the enemy's fire increased, particularly that of his artillery, by which Captain Fernando Urriza was wounded. About one hundred cavalry sallied out of the wood, and boldly attacked my escort,
320
HISTORY OF TEXAS
which was posted on the left, causing it to fall back for a few moments and wounding a dragoon. 1 commanded two com- panies of cazodores to attack them, and they succeeded in repell- ing them into the wood.
"It was now five in the evening, and our troops wanted rest and refreshment, which I permitted them to take. Thus was the remainder of the day spent. We lay on our arms all night, dur- ing which I occupied myself in posting my forces to the best advantage, and procuring the construction of a parapet to cover the position of our cannon. I had posted three companies in the wood on our right, the permanent battalion of Matamoras formed our body of battle in the centre, and on our left was placed the cannon, protected by the cavalry, and a column of select com- panies (de preferencia). under the orders of Lieutenant-Colonel Santiago Luelmo, which composed the reserve.
"On the 21st. at nine in the morning. General Cos arrived with four hundred men belonging to the battalions of Aldama, Guerrero, Toluca, and Guadalaxara, having left one hundred men under the orders of Colonel Mariano Garcia, with their loads in a swampy place, near Harrisburg; and these never joined me. 1 then saw that my orders had been contravened; for I had asked five hundred select infantry, and they sent me raw recruits, who had joined the army at San Luis Potosi and Sal- tillo. I was highly displeased with this act of disobedience, and considered the new reinforcement as trifling, whereas I had before its arrival entertained well-founded hopes of gaining some decisive advantage with the new succor, which was to have given me the superiority of numbers. I disposed myself, how- ever, to take advantage of the favorable disposition which I per- ceived in our soldiers on the arrival of General Cos; but the lat- ter represented to me that having made a forced march in order to reach my camp early, his troops had neither eaten nor slept during twenty-four hours, and that while the baggage was com- ing up, which it would do within two more hours, it was indis- pensable to grant some refreshment to the soldiers. I consented to it, but in order to keep a watch over the enemy and protect the said baggage. I posted my escort in a favorable place, rein- forcing it with thirty-two infantry, mounted on officer's horses. Hardly one hour had elapsed since that operation, when General Cos begged me. in the name of Don Miguel Aguirre, the com- mander of the escort. that I would permit his soldiers to water their horses, which had not drunk for twenty-four hours, and let the men take some refreshment. Being moved by the pitiable tone in which this request was made. I consented, commanding at the time that Aguirre and his men should return to occupy their position as soon as they should have satisfied their neces- sities ; and his disobedience to this order concurred to favor the surprise which the enemy effected.
"Feeling myself exceedingly fatigued from having spent the whole morning on horseback, and the preceding night without
321
HISTORY OF TEXAS
sleep, I lay down under the shade of some trees, while the sol- diers were preparing their meal. Calling General Castrillon, who acted as major-general, I recommended him to be watchful and to give me notice of the least movement of the enemy, and also to inform me when the repast of the soldiers would be over, be- cause it was urgent to act in a decisive manner.
"I was in a deep sleep when I was awakened by the firing and noise; I immediately perceived we were attacked, and had fallen into frightful disorder. The enemy had surprised our advance posts. One of their wings had driven away the three companies (de preferencia ) posted in the wood on our right, and from among the trees were now doing much execution with their rifles. The rest of the enemy's infantry attacked us in front with two pieces of cannon, and their cavalry did the same on our right.
"Although the mischief was already done, I thought I could repair it, and with that view sent the battalion of Aldama to rein- force the line of battle formed by that of Matamoras, and organ- ized a column of attack under the orders of Don Manuel Ces- pedes, composed of the permanent battalion of Guerrero, and the piquets of Toluca and Guadalaxara, which moved to the front with the company of Lieutenant-Colonel Luelmo, in order to check the advance of the enemy ; but my efforts were vain. The line was abandoned by the two battalions that were covering it ; and, notwithstanding the fire of our cannon, the two columns were thrown into disorder, Colonel Cespedes being wounded and Colonel Luelmo killed. General Castrillon, who ran to and fro to re-establish order in our ranks, fell mortally wounded; and the new recruits threw everything into confusion, breaking their ranks and preventing the veterans from making use of their arms, whilst the enemy was rapidly advancing with loud hurrahs, and in a few minutes obtained a victory which they could not, some hours before, even have dreamed of.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.