tx history-ch-11.5

Chapter 11: The Texas RevolutionSection 5: Independence is Won

Thinking Question

How did the fall of the Alamo affect Texas soldiers?

The Runaway Scrape• Houston given

command of regular and volunteer army

• Problems:

– Short of troops

– Lack of supplies

– Had to train and organize soldiers General Sam Houston

The Runaway Scrape

• March 6: leaves Washington-on-the-Brazos

• March 11: arrives at Gonzales and greeted with rumors of defeat at AlamoSam Houston statue in

Huntsville, Texas

The Runaway Scrape

• Sends scouts to investigate

• Scouts come back with survivors

• Learns Santa Anna is heading to Gonzales:

– Houston: 400 men

– Santa Anna: 700 men

The Runaway Scrape

• Houston orders a retreat

• Civilians flee

• Ordered the town of Gonzales burnedGonzales burned to keep the Mexicans

from attaining supplies

The Runaway Scrape

•Fearing for their lives, many Texans flee eastward

•“Runaway Scrape”

•Heavy rains, flooding, disease

Fannin’s Surrender at Goliad

• General José de Urrea enters Texas with 550 troops

• Feb 27, 1836: defeats 34 Texans at San Patricio

• March 2, 1836: defeats 26 Texans at Agua Dulce Creek

Fannin’s Surrender at Goliad

•March 14, 1836: defeats Texans at Refugio

•Had been sent by Col. James Fannin to evacuate the colony

•Next target--Goliad

Fannin’s Surrender at Goliad

• James Fannin—colonel commanding Texas troops at Goliad

• March 14: Received orders from Houston to withdraw

Col. James Fannin

Fannin’s Surrender at Goliad

• Fannin waits on his men to return from Refugio

• General Urrea continues his advance

• March 18: Urrea’s forces met Fannin’s troops in a series of brief fights

Fannin’s Surrender at Goliad

•Fannin decides to leave fort and head towards Victoria

•March 19: Texans stop to rest animals and are surrounded

•Texans: 300 troopsMexicans: 300-500 troops

Fannin’s Surrender at Goliad

•Battle of Coleto Creek

•Texans pinned down

•Urrea receives reinforcements

Fannin’s Surrender at Goliad

• Fannin surrenders

• Rebels are marched back to Goliad

• Urrea writes to Santa Anna asking permission to hold rebels as POWs

• Santa Anna orders execution of rebels

Fannin’s Surrender at Goliad

•More than 400 Texas soldiers executed outside of Goliad

•Some men escaped and survived

Fannin’s Surrender at Goliad

•Francita Alavez—the Angel of Goliad

Bust of Francita Alavez

Houston Prepares the Troops

• Angry Texans demand an attack on the Mexicans

• Texas army grown to 1200 soldiers

• Houston believed army was too small and untrained to take on Mexicans

Houston Prepares the Troops

•Retreats eastward toward the Brazos River

•Santa Anna pursues

Houston Prepares the Troops

•Troops openly criticized Houston for retreating

•President Burnet: “The enemy are laughing you to scorn.”

Houston Prepares the Troops

• Set up camp at Groce’s Landing

• Trained & drilled troops

• Received supplies and ammunition Replica of one of the

“Twin Sisters”

Houston Prepares the Troops

• April 12: Houston leaves Groce’s Landing

• April 18: Arrives at Harrisburg

• Scouts report that Santa Anna is camped nearby

• Makes decision to attack

The Battle of San Jacinto

• April 20: Texans set up camp in a grove of trees

• Santa Anna set up camp at the junction of the San Jacinto River and Buffalo Bayou

• Vulnerable spot

The Battle of San Jacinto

• April 20: one or two small clashes

• Mirabeau B. Lamar saved the lives to two Texans

• Mexicans held ground

Mirabeau B. Lamar

The Battle of San Jacinto

• April 21, noon—holds a meeting with officers

• Decide to attack, rather than wait

• Houston assembles 900 troops

San Jacinto Battle Flag

The Battle of San Jacinto

• 3:00 PM: Texans moved from the woods onto the prairie

• Many Mexican soldiers sleeping

• Awakened by bullets and cries:

– “Remember the Alamo!”– “Remember Goliad!”

The Battle of San Jacinto

• 18 minutes

• Many surprised Mexicans fled or tried to surrender

• 600 Mexicans killed

• 9 Texans killedHouston Leading Troops at San Jacinto

The Battle of San Jacinto

•Sam Houston wounded during the battle

The Battle of San Jacinto

• Santa Anna disappeared during the battle

• Hid in marsh, discovered the following day

• Houston would not allow execution Santa Anna Surrendering

to Houston

“My motive in sparing the life of Santa Anna was to relieve the country of all hostile enemies without further bloodshed, and to secure his acknowledgement of our independence”

—Sam Houston