The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 4, July 1900 - April, 1901 Page: 337
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The San Jacinto Campaign.
337
airy. I think his view must have been thus to bring on a general
engagement. * * *
The next morning, the 21st of April, there was a restless and
anxious spirit pervading the camp; * * * rumor said that the
Mecxicans had been largely reinforced at an early hour that morn-
ing; and for once rumor did not lie. General Cos had effected a
junction that morning with the commander-in-chief, Santa Anna;
and it was farther said that we were to cross the bayou, by some
means, perhaps by making a raft of Zavala's house, and continue
our retreat to the east. I do not recollect to have heard a single
man hint that he was in favor of such a move. * * * Hence, if
there was an idea of retreat, as has been charged, it was certainly
not based on the remotest disposition of those who were to meet the
charge of the enemy, nor was any such idea based on prudence, as,
in my humble judgment, refusal to fight on the part of the com-
mander-in-chief would have mutinied the greater part, if not the
entire army.
After the reinforcements of the enemy had crossed in the morn-
ing of the 21st, as above stated, our commander-in-chief ordered
Deaf Smith to take a party and demolish the bridge over Vince's
bayou, which was done accordingly; and about the hour of three or
four o'clock in the afternoon, our colonel, Edward Burleson, rode
along the line of encampment of his regiment, and ordered the
captains of the same to meet him * * * forthwith. They fol-
lowed on, * * * when our colonel told us he wished to take our
vote upon the best time for attacking the enemy-whether immedi-
ately or at four .o'clock the next morning. All the captains but
Mosely Baker and myself voted for immediate attack; Baker and
myself for four o'clock in the morning. Upon which we were
ordered to parade our companies for immediate action.
* * * As so much has been said about General Houston's
reluctance to fight on that occasion, I will simply give my own
conclusions, without charging him with, or believing he felt a pos-
itive reluctance to fight. I think he wished, in case of failure or
disaster, an apology, towit, that he fought against his own judg-
ment, and suffered himself to be controlled by the opinions and
clamor of his officers and men. * * *
The fire from our division was delivered when we were within
sixty yards of the foe. * * * The action was very poorly con-
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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/m1/369/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.