‘…hiding in the grass.’
Posted by TFG on April 21st, 2008
Just a reminder that today is a day of celebration for us old-school Texans, for this is the day we defeated the Mexicans decisively at San Jacinto back in 1836.
The battle is notable for any number of other things, like Santa Anna neglecting to post lookouts, Houston destroying the bridge to prevent retreat by either army, the Texans attacking during the Mexicans’ siesta, “Remember the Alamo!”, and most hilarious, General Antonio López de Santa Anna slinking off from the battle to put on a private’s uniform and hide in the grass.
We should all be mindful of this, since that defeat set the stage for the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave us most of the American West, no end of whining and moaning from modern-day Mexicans who regret their ancestors’ weakness, and most recently, a wishful-thinking ad campaign from Absolut.
Reading that link from the Handbook of Texas online is like reading a Texas almanac list of counties, towns, and cities.
April 21st, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Slightly off topic; I handled the closing last week of a couple that just moved into town from Dallas. I asked if they were native Texans and they told me they were from San Antonio but had lived in Dallas for over twenty years. I told them if they took the road in front of my office and rode about 35 mile west, they would come to the Travis Cemetery on the left. That is William B. Travis for those not in the know. I told him Travis was from that part of the State and that I had a number of relatives buried there. Of course he knew who I was speaking of immediately and replied simply, “Draw me a map.” I did and assume there are photos being sent back to Texas as I type.
April 21st, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Don’t forget the two cannons the Texan’s used. They were short on cannon balls so they used chains and horse shoes as ammunition. What a big shotgun. I’d hate to be on the recieving end of that.
April 21st, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Ah, yes, the Twin Sisters. As I recall, the possession of the Twin Sisters was an important part of compelling Houston forward after the Mexicans.
And never let it be forgotten that the whole damn thing started when the Mexicans wanted to take our lone cannon away. It would have boiled over sooner or later, but that was the ignition. As I recall.
Wes, you and I have talked about this before. I call my grandsons Travis (interchangeably) because I never had a son to name Travis. Col. Travis is a revered icon in my heart.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:03 pm
My son’s public school not only did not note the day for its students but used it to begin “Mexico Week,” a “study” that culminates in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. I do not believe there is a school district in the entire state that marks April 21, let alone March 27 (Goliad massacre) March 6 (fall of the Alamo) or March 2 (Texas Independence Day. If there is one, I would like to hear about it.
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:59 pm
If Texas and Teaxns didn’t exist, we’d have to invent ‘em.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Or Texans. Whatever.
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Mexico Week?!? Are you fucking kidding me? What have they ever done? Pinatas and sombreros and mole sauce, and just what else exactly have they done to advance humanity? An entire week of studying Mexico. Here’s your Mexico lesson — tequila, a new booze. That, and stay out of the border towns, lest you lose your head.
We should study these assholes closer, and nip their shit in the bud. We don’t need no Mexico lessons.
Every day, James Webb’s Born Fighting gets clearer and clearer to me.
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:17 pm
I should note here that I did have a Mexico Week as a kindergartner, but by God, we sure as shit knew who won, and why.