SAM HOUSTON IN TEXAS
"Until now he had lived under the tremendous shadow of Andrew Jackson: regarded with affection and pride by the old General, but still a subaltern. His achievements were bounded by the strength and fame of that mighty genius. Today, however, he stood alone, and in this lay his secret feeling of elation. Whatever he did now was Sam Houston's doing." [Wellman]
The Lone Star And Stripes [On Exhibit At The San Jacinto Museum]Deaf Smith was one of his [Houston's] scouts as were Hendrick Arnold and Henry Karnes who were keeping tabs on the Mexican Army. Houston and his ragtag fighters were evading Santa Anna's army, much to the dismay of Houston's men. At San Jacinto, the two Generals and their armies would meet.
As the battle at San Jacinto was brewing, "...Zavala listened." 'That's the "Deguello*"--the "beheading song,"' he said. 'It means no quarter--Santa Anna played it at the Alamo." [Wellman]
As Sam Houston was formulating his plan of battle at San Jacinto, he pondered. "Where the weakest link is, smite." And he considered that in war the Mexican's weakest link might be the national habit, almost a vice, the siesta. If he could catch them in the siesta hour...".
Though most of his staff voted to wait for Santa Anna's attack, Houston seized upon the weakest link. He roused the men and countered "Deguello" with "Come to the Bower."
By April 23rd General Cos had joined Santa Anna's army and two more Mexican generals were not far behind. Santa Anna was in no hurry; the Americans were boxed in, reinforcements were on the way, and it was time for a siesta. When General Houston and the Texans attacked, a partially dressed Santa Anna fled from his tent and the battlefield.
Painting at the San Jacinto Museum "With an undisciplined, half-starved, half-mutinous army, Sam Houston not only had defeated but virtually annihilated a disciplined, well-armed, well-arrayed force of twice his numbers." [Wellman]
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