Transcript Independence Won at the Battle of San Jacinto

Texas Independence
Won at the
Battle of San Jacinto
Chapter 12
The Road to
San Jacinto
• The Texas cause
seemed hopeless
in March of 1836.
• Santa Anna was anxious
to return to Mexico, as he believed
the Texas rebellion was crushed.
However, his most trusted aide
persuaded him to delay his return to
Mexico until Central and East Texas
were occupied by Mexican troops.
Sam Houston’s Texas Army
• Houston knew that the
Texas campaign was
not over, when he
attended the
Convention of 1836
at Washington-on-the-Brazos.
• Houston was named
commander in chief
of the Texas army, so
he left for Gonzales.
Houston’s
Texas Army
• Two days after he arrived
in Gonzales, Houston
learned that the Alamo had fallen.
• Houston picked up fewer than 400
untrained volunteers and ordered a
retreat eastward toward the Colorado
River hoping to pick up more men.
• Houston also ordered Fannin to
retreat from Goliad, blow up the
garrison, and join him with the badly
needed 300 men.
Retreat of Houston’s Army
• Houston’s army
began its withdrawal from
Gonzales on
Sunday, March 13, 1836.
• Juan Seguin destroyed all those
possessions that could not be
carried and helped civilians in
the area to escape.
Retreat of Houston’s Army
• Houston’s army
crossed the Colorado
River at Burnham’s
Crossing and waited
there, so it could drill
and allow the civilians
to cross the river to safety.
• Houston’s scouts learned that
Fannin and his soldiers had been
captured at Goliad.
Houston’s Retreat
(continued)
• Houston again
ordered a retreat
to the Brazos River,
which caused anger and
resentment among many of
Houston’s officers and soldiers.
Their homes were being
destroyed, and their families were
fleeing from Mexican troops.
Houston’s Retreat
(continued)
• Houston felt his
troops were too
weak to oppose
the Mexican army,
and he knew that
as the Mexican army was drawn
farther east, their supply lines
would become longer and that in
East Texas the Texans would get
help from the United States.
The Runaway Scrape
• The Alamo disaster, the
massacre of Fannin’s unit,
and Houston’s decision to
continue the retreat to
San Felipe panicked the
families living between
the Colorado and Brazos rivers.
• Hundreds of settlers on the Colorado
and Brazos Rivers fled towards
Louisiana when they learned that
Santa Anna was marching eastward
after his victory at the Alamo.
The Runaway Scrape
(continued)
• Women, children,
slaves, horses, cattle,
and creaking wagons
trudged along muddy
roads and suffered from lack of
food, spring rains, and sickness
on a miserable journey to the
Sabine River.
Houston’s Army
• Houston’s army
reached the
Brazos River on
March 28, 1836,
where Houston
posted two
companies and
continued northward
to Groce’s plantation
Houston Trains His Army
• At Groce’s
plantation, Houston
wisely trained his
army in the
fundamentals of
warfare despite the
troops’ complaints and the urging of
President David G. Burnet to attack
Santa Anna.
The Mexican
Army Advances
• After crossing the Colorado River,
the Mexican forces advanced
eastward toward the Brazos River,
which they reached at San Felipe
on April 7.
• Santa Anna failed to dislodge the
two Texas companies guarding the
Brazos River, so he moved 30 miles
downriver.
Santa Anna
Continues to Advance
• Santa Anna learned
that President Burnet
and his cabinet were
only 30 miles away at
Harrisburg.
• When he reached Harrisburg,
Santa Anna learned the
government had moved to
Galveston Island.
Houston Moves His Troops
• After receiving
two six-pound
cannons—named
“The Twin Sisters,”
• Houston moved his
troops southeastward toward the
San Jacinto River.
Houston Moves His Troops
(continued)
• Next Houston moved the
Texas army to the west
bank of Buffalo Bayou on
April 18, where
he planned to
meet the
Mexican army.
Routes of the Two Armies
Eve of the San Jacinto Battle
• About 850 Mexicans
were camped on the
edge of the prairie
along the San
Jacinto River with marshland and
swamp extending to the right
and rear of the army about ¾
mile from Houston’s camp.
Soldiers of San Jacinto
• Mirabeau B. Lamar
commanded the
Texas cavalry.
Juan Seguin
led the
courageous
Tejanos.
The Day of the Battle
April 21, 1836
• General Cos and
450 mostly inexperienced soldiers
arrived at Santa Anna’s camp.
• Santa Anna did not post guards
around the camp and allowed
the army to rest, including
himself.
The Day of the Battle (continued)
• Houston ordered
Deaf Smith and
Henry Carnes to
destroy the bridge across Vince’s
Bayou in order to
cut off a path of
retreat for both the
Texas and Mexican
armies.
The Battle
• After a council of war at noon, at
3:30 P.M., Houston ordered his
officers to assemble the troops for
an immediate attack.
The Battle
(continued)
• The Texans moved
out of the woods
across the open
prairie.
• “Remember the
Alamo! Remember
Goliad” was the
cry, as the Texans
opened fire with
rifles and cannons.
The Battle
(continued)
• The Mexican officers tried to
rally their troops, but the effort
was futile, as total confusion
occurred.
• Many of the soldiers, including
Santa Anna, attempted to flee
from the battle.
The Battle
(continued)
• The Texans were upon the enemy
camp before the Mexicans knew an
attack was underway.
• The “Twin Sisters” blew a hole in
the Mexican fortifications, and the
Texans stormed through the
enemy’s lines,
seized the Mexican
artillery, and
engaged in
hand-to-hand combat.
The Battle
(continued)
• The Mexican cavalry and many
fleeing soldiers were cut down
by Lamar’s cavalry and the
Texas army.
• The organized resistance lasted
18 minutes, but the killing
continued until dark.
Role of the
Texas Navy
• Even though only
four ships made up
the Texas navy, it
played an important
role in the Texas Revolution.
• The Texas Navy brought supplies to
the Texas armies, and it cut off
supplies to the Mexican divisions.
Losses of the Texas
Army at San Jacinto
• Fewer than ten Texans were
killed or fatally wounded.
• Thirty others were injured,
including General Houston,
whose ankle had been
shattered by a cannon ball.
Losses of the Mexicans
at San Jacinto
• Houston listed 630 Mexicans
killed and 730 prisoners taken.
• Santa Anna was also captured,
which was a great achievement
for the Texans, as it kept Santa
Anna from rejoining his other
troops still in Texas.
Santa Anna’s Capture
• If Santa Anna had escaped, he
might have continued the war.
Velasco--Capital of Texas
• President Burnet
moved the
government from
Galveston to
Velasco at the
mouth of the Brazos River.
• Santa Anna was taken to
Velasco to sign two treaties
with the Texas government.
The Public Treaty of Velasco
• Santa Anna agreed to
1. Never fight against the
Texans again
2. Order all Mexican troops out
of Texas immediately
3. To exchange the Texas and
Mexican troops captured in
the fighting
The Secret Treaty of Velasco
• Santa Anna promised to work
for Mexican recognition of
Texas independence.
• The Texas government pledged
to release Santa Anna and give
him an escort back to Mexico.
• Santa Anna agreed to work in
Mexico to set the Texas
boundary at the Rio Grande.
President
David Burnet
• Burnet was determined to carry out
the terms of the Velasco Treaties, and
he refused to permit the execution of
Santa Anna.
• This angered many Texans who
prevented the Invincible from sailing
to Mexico.
• Santa Anna was imprisoned for
several months and then was finally
allowed to leave Texas.
The Meaning of
San Jacinto
• Texas won its independence from
Mexico in one of the most decisive
battles in history.
• The news of the defeat of the
Mexican forces and the capture of
Santa Anna soon spread throughout
Texas and allowed those who had
fled in the Runaway Scrape to return
to their homes.