They are
camped under at stand of trees along the banks of Buffalo Bayou. General
Sam Houston and his army of Texians prepare to do battle with the notorious
Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Outnumbered and tired,
they are aware that "no quarter" will be given by the Mexicans
should they fail. They have with them 2 small cannons, the "twin
sisters" to face the larger Mexican cannon, "The Gold Standard."
About a
mile away is the Mexican camp, on higher ground with the marshy wetlands
to their back. Santa Anna's troops are also tired. They have been chasing
the Texas government under the leadership of President David Burnet.
Santa Anna's army has followed them as they fled first from Washington
on the Brazos to Harrisburg and on to Galveston.
The morning
brings no assault and the Mexicans make the mistake of taking their
afternoon siesta. Guards are given leave of their posts with no replacements.
They are convinced the Texans will not fight this day.
Around
3:30 in the afternoon the battle cry is given,
"Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!"
The small
group of 800 Texians charges the Mexican army of 1,600 and the battle
is won in 18 minutes!
The next
day General Santa Anna, wearing peasant clothes, is captured near Vince's
Bayou. He was heard to say to General Sam Houston, "I am General
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, and a prisoner of war at your disposition.
You have captured the Napoleon of the West."
Winning
this battle changed the course of not only the Texans but also the United
States. It allowed expansion to the west which the Mexican government
had sought to suppress. The new Republic of Texas covered almost a million
square miles of land. This included the present day states of Texas,
New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and reached as far north as Colorado and
Wyoming.
Click
HERE for re-enactment photos
