A curious thing I’ve noticed about history is that unnoticed nuances can bring about a drastic pivoting in the history of a country or in a person’s life.

I don’t care who’s fighting, the location of the engagement, the strategy, or the strength of the forces, but to quote Walter Lord, ‘there’s a time when any general needs more than a plan and intuition — he needs a touch of luck.’

Over the years in my reading of Texas history regarding the Alamo, Goliad, and San Jacinto, I’ve recognized some of those nuances that directed the engagement into an unexpected direction. 

April 21 is San Jacinto Day, the day on which the battle was fought that made Texas a republic.

History seems to suggest that Houston did nothing but retreat until he stumbled on to Santa Anna on the banks of the San Jacinto River.

The truth is much different.

After the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Houston left New Washington for Gonzales to take charge of the troops and go to Travis’ aid. There, on March 12, he learned of the fall of the Alamo.

When settlers heard the word, they fled east.

Houston and his small army remained at the rear in an effort to stave off Santa Anna.

Houston pulled up at the Colorado, planning on making a stand and waiting for Fannin to join him as ordered.

Fannin did not follow the orders. He was captured. On Palm Sunday, he and his men were executed.  

On March 25, Houston received word of Fannin’s capture. The 400 men Houston counted on had vanished. The next day, he moved his army east once again, despite his mens’ griping and complaining. They wanted to fight, not retreat.

For two weeks they camped on the Brazos until a mysterious message came to Houston that Santa Anna was to his south, heading his way. Houston moved out.

At this point, the Santa Anna began making a series of mistakes that sealed his defeat. Hearing that President Burnet and his staff had moved to Harrisburg, he split his force, and with 700 men, moved south.

He pushed his men hard until 9 p.m., picked a camp without water, pulled out early next morning, and hurried on. Anxious to reach Harrisburg, he took only a few men and raced ahead, riding into the village at midnight, but Burnet had moved his cabinet to Galveston.