Texas History #4 Peace in the Valley after the Battle




The Battle of San Jacinto   by Henry Arthur McArdle

 

     After the battle, squads were sent out to gather any Mexican survivors.  Santa Anna was picked up by a patrol about noon the next day, April 22, 1836.  He was hiding in the brush, dressed in linen pants and a blue jacket, much as a common soldier.  He did, however, have on red wool slippers and a silk shirt.  When questioned on the way back to headquarters, he claimed to be a cavalry man.  As they rode into Houston’s camp, the Mexican officers all stood and the troops called out, “El Presidente.”  Houston had captured the Napoleon of the West.  They met under a large oak tree where the wounded Houston was resting.

     There are conflicting stories as to why Santa Anna was spared by Sam Houston.  The rebel army was determined to do away with him, for simple revenge, if nothing else.  It was rumored that Santa Anna flashed a Masonic distress signal to Houston and it was recognized and honored.  Others believe that opium was the reason.  Houston was in severe pain with his shattered ankle and his doctor administered opium for relief.  Santa Anna, scared and very nervous, asked for and received some opium from the doctor.

     Houston, in a drugged state of mellow forgiveness, wanted freedom for Texas.  His prisoner, becoming more mellow by the moment, wanted to continue living.  They continued negotiations for several days, under the oak tree and under the influence.  Houston was necessarily very careful.

     Sam Houston knew that General Filosola and 2500 Mexican soldiers were only a couple of days march away.  He also knew that the very competent General Urrea was near, with more troops.  Either force could wipe out Houston and his ragged little army.  Sam was under no illusions.  He had won the battle at San Jacinto by pure old-fashioned luck.  One more battle, any battle, and the Republic of Texas was doomed.

     Houston realized that it was very important to keep Santa Anna alive.  If Sam allowed him to be killed, the Mexican army would make short work of the revolution and the dream would be over.  Houston, in a stroke of genius, or perhaps again just pure luck, asked the Mexican Dictator to order Filasola to withdraw all Mexican forces from Texas.  Sam Houston knew General Filasola would not surrender his army, but thought he might obey an order to withdraw.  Santa Anna, anxious to please, sent the order. 

      Filasola, unimaginative and rigorously military, did as he was ordered.  He also ordered Urrea and the others to withdraw and, after a lot of grousing and second guessing, they complied.  General Urrea had no great love for Santa Anna and wanted to simply attack the Texians and finish the revolution.  General Filasola eventually prevailed, but he and Urrea remained bitter enemies for years afterward.  The Mexican armies started withdrawing, marching toward Matamoros.

     The Mexican Government quoted International Law, and immediately disclaimed any agreement signed by Santa Anna while in captivity or under duress.  The Mexican Caudillo and Sam Houston blithely ignored this and drafted, then signed, the Treaties of Velasco.  Texas claimed these treaties to be lawful and valid, while Mexico considered them worthless scraps of paper.  Claims and counter claims which grew out of these documents, along with the annexation of Texas by the United States, eventually resulted in the U.S./Mexican War of 1846-1848.

     If Santa Anna had simply stayed in Mexico City, and sent Filasola, or better yet, General Urrea to Texas to put down the rebellion, Texas would have never gained its independence.  Santa Anna’s ego robbed Mexico of Texas.  During subsequent tenures as president of Mexico, Santa Anna would preside over the loss of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, etc.   All in all, he cost Mexico two thirds of its original territory.  Of course, he did have some help.  There are still valid questions as to whether Mexico is capable of self-government.

     Even though Mexico did not recognize Texas Independence, political unrest in Mexico City kept the Mexicans from launching a counter-attack against the Republic of Texas.   If the United States annexed Texas, Mexico warned, war would result.  Meanwhile, Mexico ignored the bankrupt little Texas republic as it dealt with its internal problems.

     Emily D. West, as she was known in Connecticut, stayed at Morgan’s point long enough to fulfill her contract, then, in 1837, filed for a passport to return to New York City. She stated on the forms that she had lost her “free papers” during the battle of San Jacinto, and had been at the battle until the Texians won and released her.  These facts were attested to by Major Isaac Moreland of Galveston, who fought under Houston at San Jacinto. 

     The Mexican officer who kidnapped Emily on April 16^th, before the battle, may have assumed her name was Emily Morgan, or she may have used that name while in Morgan’s Point.  The whole Emily West/Morgan story was unknown before 1956.  That year the journal of William Bollaert, an Englishman, was published and discovered by historians.  He was told the story of Emily Morgan in 1842, just six years after the battle, by a fellow passenger while on a steamship cruise.  The passenger said he heard the story directly from Sam Houston.

     With this revelation, historians scoured the records and found two references to Emily.  One was the one-year indentured servant contract between she and James Morgan and the other was her application for passport mentioned above.  There may be journal entries by some of the participants that mention her, but I am not aware of that.  So far as I know, the journal of William Bollaert, the indentured service contract and the passport application are the only evidence for the whole Emily Morgan story.

     Emily West/Morgan went back to New York City in 1837 and disappeared for over a hundred years.  When she was re-discovered in 1956, amateur historians quickly took up the search and made her an integral part of Texas history.  The fact that she was of the light color known back then as High-Yellow lent credence to the story that she was the original Yellow Rose of Texas.  And, truthfully, who knows.  The song was first sung during that time frame and could have easily been a celebration of her great beauty.  Oh, one thing--about the intriguing little mole on Emily’s stomach, just to the left of her navel.  I made that up.

"General Santa Anna!  Ah, indeed! Take a seat, General; I am glad to see you; take a seat."  Painting by William Henry Huddle