Battle of San Jacinto


Battle of San Jacinto
Image:Sam Houston at San Jacinto.jpg
Sam Houston at the battle of San Jacinto
Conflict Texas Revolution
Date April 21, 1836
Place Houston, Texas
Result Decisive Texan victory
Combatants
Mexico Texas
Commanders
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna Sam Houston
Strength
1,500 750
Casualties
1,500 9
The Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution, took place on April 21, 1836. On that day, Texas forces led by General Sam Houston ambushed General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in the area. Hundreds of Mexican soldiers died, while very few Texan soldiers died. Santa Anna himself was captured after the battle. During the early years of Mexican independence, numerous Anglo colonists had settled in Texas, then a part of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas. In 1835 they rebelled against the Mexican government of General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Besides capturing a number of outposts and defeating the Mexican army garrisons in the area, they formed a provisional government and drafted a Declaration of Independence. Early in 1836, Santa Anna personally led a force of several thousand Mexican troops into Texas to put down the rebellion. First, he entered San Antonio and defeated a Texan force at the Battle of the Alamo, then the right wing of his offensive, under General Urrea, defeated a second Texan force near Goliad. Santa Anna ordered that all prisoners be put to death. San Jacinto Memorial Sam Houston, now in command of the main Texan army, retreated. Santa Anna pursued him and he devised a trap, in which three columns of Mexican troops would converge on Houston's force and destroy it. However, he diverted one column to attempt to capture the provisional government, and a second one to protect his supply lines. Meanwhile, he lead the only remaining column against Houston. Santa Anna caught up to Houston on April 19. He established positions around the San Jacinto river, and Houston established his positions across a field from the Mexicans. Santa Anna decided to rest his army on April 21, and then attack on the 22nd. Houston, however, pre-empted him. With his army of about 750 men, he decided to attack Santa Anna, whose troops numbered about 1,500. Most of the attack would come over open ground, where the Texan infantry would be vulnerable to Mexican gunfire. Even riskier, Houston decided to outflank the Mexicans with his cavalry, stretching his troops even thinner. He did, however, have several things working to his advantage: first, the Mexican army had a swamp to its back and thus had nowhere to retreat; second, Houston decided to attack while the Mexican troops were taking a siesta. On April 21, the Texan attack began. The Texan army charged across the plain, only stopping a few yards from the Mexicans to open fire. Confusion ensued. Many Mexican soldiers fled, thinking they were defeated, and ran into a marsh. Some of the Mexican army rallied and attempted to push the Texans back, mostly using hand-to-hand combat. During the battle, Sam Houston was wounded and Santa Anna escaped. In less than twenty minutes, the Texan army had won, taking 700 Mexican prisoners. The inscription of the memorial The following day, Santa Anna was captured. On 14 May he signed the Treaties of Velasco, in which he agreed to withdraw his troops from Texan soil and, in exchange for safe conduct back to Mexico, lobby there for recognition of the Republic. However, the safe passage never materialized; Santa Anna was held for six months as a prisoner of war (during which time his government disowned him and any agreement he might enter into) and finally taken to Washington, D.C.. There he met with President Jackson, before returning in disgrace to Mexico in early 1837. By then, however, Texan independence was a fait accompli, although Mexico did not officially recognize it until the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. Today, the San Jacinto Battleground State Park of Texas commemorates the battle. The monument is in Deer Park, about 25 miles east of Houston. San Jacinto
attle of San Jacinto Bttle of San Jacinto Batle of San Jacinto Batle of San Jacinto Batte of San Jacinto Battl of San Jacinto Battleof San Jacinto Battle f San Jacinto Battle o San Jacinto Battle ofSan Jacinto Battle of an Jacinto Battle of Sn Jacinto Battle of Sa Jacinto Battle of SanJacinto Battle of San acinto Battle of San Jcinto Battle of San Jainto Battle of San Jacnto Battle of San Jacito Battle of San Jacino Battle of San Jacint aBttle of San Jacinto Btatle of San Jacinto Battle of San Jacinto Batlte of San Jacinto Battel of San Jacinto Battl eof San Jacinto Battleo f San Jacinto Battle fo San Jacinto Battle o fSan Jacinto Battle ofS an Jacinto Battle of aSn Jacinto Battle of Sna Jacinto Battle of Sa nJacinto Battle of SanJ acinto Battle of San aJcinto Battle of San Jcainto Battle of San Jaicnto Battle of San Jacnito Battle of San Jacitno Battle of San Jacinot Battle of San Jacint BBattle of San Jacinto Baattle of San Jacinto Batttle of San Jacinto Batttle of San Jacinto Battlle of San Jacinto Battlee of San Jacinto Battle of San Jacinto Battle oof San Jacinto Battle off San Jacinto Battle of San Jacinto Battle of SSan Jacinto Battle of Saan Jacinto Battle of Sann Jacinto Battle of San Jacinto Battle of San JJacinto Battle of San Jaacinto Battle of San Jaccinto Battle of San Jaciinto Battle of San Jacinnto Battle of San Jacintto Battle of San Jacintoo attle of san jacinto bttle of san jacinto batle of san jacinto batle of san jacinto batte of san jacinto battl of san jacinto battleof san jacinto battle f san jacinto battle o san jacinto battle ofsan jacinto battle of an jacinto battle of sn jacinto battle of sa jacinto battle of sanjacinto battle of san acinto battle of san jcinto battle of san jainto battle of san jacnto battle of san jacito battle of san jacino battle of san jacint abttle of san jacinto btatle of san jacinto battle of san jacinto batlte of san jacinto battel of san jacinto battl eof san jacinto battleo f san jacinto battle fo san jacinto battle o fsan jacinto battle ofs an jacinto battle of asn jacinto battle of sna jacinto battle of sa njacinto battle of sanj acinto battle of san ajcinto battle of san jcainto battle of san jaicnto battle of san jacnito battle of san jacitno battle of san jacinot battle of san jacint bbattle of san jacinto baattle of san jacinto batttle of san jacinto batttle of san jacinto battlle of san jacinto battlee of san jacinto battle of san jacinto battle oof san jacinto battle off san jacinto battle of san jacinto battle of ssan jacinto battle of saan jacinto battle of sann jacinto battle of san jacinto battle of san jjacinto battle of san jaacinto battle of san jaccinto battle of san jaciinto battle of san jacinnto battle of san jacintto battle of san jacintoo

Search box

More info