The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 4, July 1900 - April, 1901 Page: 283
366 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
The San Jacinto Camyaign.
283
sequence. At least five hundred men in the course of twenty-four
hours abandoned the army for the purpose of guarding their fami-
lies and friends, believing that Texas was intrinsically lost.
You are now, however, on your route to Linchburg, and of course
you have some object in going there. You say to fight the enemy.
Be it so. We will look to your movements. While you were at
Donoho's, seventy miles from Linchburg, Santa Anna has crossed
the river at a point forty-five miles from Linchburg. Your object,
you say, was to intercept him. Let us inquire how you manage.
Your first day's march is to McCurley's, thirteen miles; your second
to Burnett's, fifteen miles; your next is fifteen miles, and about
eleven o'clock on the next day, 18th of April, you arrive opposite
Harrisburg. Immediately on your arrival, the mail destined to
Santa Anna was captured, and now for the first time you know that
he is below you in the neighborhood of Linchburg, having passed
through Harrisburg the evening of the 16th. * * * The cap-
tured mail gave you information of Santa Anna's position, and
that he had with him only five hundred men.1 You could now mus-
ter, say, nine hundred men. You were now between him and the
balance ,of his forces. * * *2
Why did you do so? It was not for the purpose of a fight,
because, as I have stated, you have already passed the enemy, and
by this move you place him between you and his army on the Bra-
zos. * * * At the ferry (Lynch's) you can have no wood, no
timber to shelter you from the hot burning rays of the sun; but in
a flat, marshy ground, without scarcely a dry place for an encamp-
ment, you have rushed your army, leaving the high sheltered
ground in your rear, from which the enemy lould play his artillery
without danger or risk. But, * * * I do not believe you had
any idea of encamping in such a place. I am satisfied that it was
your purpose to cross the San Jacinto and place that stream
between you and the enemy. And I am supported in this opinion
by your very next movement. Having almost reached the ferry,
messenger after messenger in quick succession arrived, stating that
the Mexican army was just in your rear. To cross from the ferry
1He really had 750 men.-E. C. B.
"The copyist has inserted a note saying that here a part of the original
MS. is lost.-E. C. B.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 4, July 1900 - April, 1901, periodical, 1901; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101018/m1/315/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.