“April the twenty-first.
That day, bridges were much on Houston’s mind. Around noon he participated in a council of war. During that conclave, he urged the construction of a “floating bridge” across Buffalo Bayou to enable the army’s retreat. The suggestion utterly flabbergasted his field officers. They were here, Santa Anna was here, and even though the Texians no long enjoyed the advantage of numbers, these odds were the best they were likely to have. The officers present insisted that Houston “must fight, that a further delay would not be countenanced by either soldiers or officers.” At last, the dejected commander snapped: “Fight then and be damned!”
Not exactly words to inspire confidence.
What accounted for Houston’s diffidence? He was likely still clinging to his American Strategy, realizing that a battle on the banks of Buffalo Bayou — even if a victory–would not accomplish his long-standing political objective, that is, consigning Texas to Andrew Jackson. That would require an American victory east of the Neches River. The advance of the Mexican army beyond that stream would trigger U.S. Army intervention, assure Mexican defeat, confirm Texas independence, and guarantee early annexation. Sam Houston was a keen student of the American people and character. To get behind Texas statehood, they’d need to have skin in the game. Once General Gains’s soldiers were burning black powder on red East Texas soil, Americans would feel it their patriotic duty to support the troops and their mission. But all of Houston’s expansionist fantasies required a withdrawal into the Piney Woods. With his political hopes dashed, Houston bowed to the inevitable and equipped himself for the battle that he had done so much to forestall. Samuel P. Carson had advised him to “fall back, and hold on, and let nothing goad or provoke you to battle … unless you are compelled to fight.” Now that day had come; his army had, without question, “compelled” him into taking a road he never wished to travel.”
Texian Exodus: The Runaway Scrape and Its Enduring Legacy
By Stephen L. Hardin
Recently, Dr. Hardin participated in an the Texas Revolution * Rendezvous hosted by TSHA at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio. The program included a reading from Texian Exodus by several reenactors in costume, giving voice to stories of the Runaway Scrape. Forrest and Maria Byas kindly provided photos of the event!