Battle of San Jacinto – April 21, 2024

History of Battle of San Jacinto

The Mexican army, led by Antonio López de Santa Anna, was routed to the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, by around 900 soldiers, most of whom were recent immigrants to Texas, under the command of General Samuel Houston. The battle, fought along the San Jacinto River, was crucial to the success of American colonists during the Texas Revolution.

Citizens of the fledgling Republic of Texas were outraged by the demolition of the Alamo, a historic Spanish fortress, and the murders of unarmed Texans captured in Goliad. Volunteers poured in to join the expanding Texas army of General Houston. General Santa Anna charged into battle as the Texan rebels were put down. After his unsuccessful attempts to understand the Texan position, there was a shootout between the two sides, and an estimated 500 Mexican reinforcements arrived. Simultaneously, a Texan war council decided to attack, and General Houston marched to battle with his 900 troops that afternoon.

General Santa Anna, the President of Mexico, and General Martín Perfecto de Cos managed to flee during the conflict but were caught in the succeeding days. After three weeks of imprisonment, Santa Anna was forced to approve a peace agreement requiring the Mexican army to retreat from the region, effectively allowing the Republic of Texas to gain independence. The treaty also required him to advocate for Texas’ independence in Mexico City. These events led to the immortalization of Texan rallying cries, “Remember the Alamo” and “Remember Goliad,” and General Houston’s national recognition.