TEXAS INDEPENDENCE WON 167 YEARS AGO
(Please be aware this post was written in 2003 and published at that time in the Houston Chronicle (Houston, Texas) newspaper. Some of the news in this post, therefore, may not be current. Current and future posts on this blog may revisit and update news on this and other posts on this blog. If you have questions and/or suggestions, please send Mic a note using the comment page -Don’t forget to use the orange “subscribe” button to receive new posts-Thanks, Mic)
This week marks the 167th anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto one of the decisive battles of the world. The battle won Independence for Texas from the Republic of Mexico and the ruthlessness of its dictator, Generalissimo Antonio de Santa Anna. With Texas came all the states that currently form the Southwestern United States.
The Spring of 1836 had been a time of disappointment, defeats and hope for the citizens of Texas. They were on a run for their lives in what history calls the Running Scrape. They were headed as refugees for the Sabine River and the safety of the United States in Louisiana. Behind them was the massive army of Santa Anna, burning, looting and killing.
With Santa Anna’s Army coming for them, delegates at the Convention at Washington on the Brazos signed the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2 and continued forming a provisional government before leaving town. This bright hope for Texans was followed quickly by news of the fall of the Alamo in San Antonio on March 6 and the massacre of Colonel James W. Fannin and 353 unarmed prisoners of war at Goliad on Palm Sunday, March 27.
In an eighteen minute battle that began at 3:30 in the afternoon Thursday April 21, 1836 General Sam Houston and his army surrounded, attacked and defeated Santa Anna’s army at San Jacinto as they enjoyed their afternoon siesta.
Readers who would like to view the names and biographies of those Texians who fought at San Jacinto may do so by visiting the San Jacinto Monument website at http://www.sanjacinto-museum.org/veterans.html
Ceremonies commemorating the Battle of San Jacinto will be held at the San Jacinto Battlefield Saturday April 26 beginning at 10 a.m. Visitors to the park may visit Texian, Mexican and Runaway Scrape reenactment campsites and view a reenactment of the Battle at 3:30 in the afternoon.
BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO SYMPOSIUM
In commemoration of the Battle of San Jacinto several area historical organizations are co-sponsoring a symposium, San Jacinto: A Chapter in U.S.- Mexico Relations. The symposium will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday April 5 at the Houston Club, 811 Rusk in Downtown Houston.
Moderated by James Crisp the symposium will include informative lectures on different facets of the significance of the Battle delivered by Jesus Velasco-Marquez, Richard Bruce Winders, Madge Thornall Roberts, Randolph “Mike” Campbell plus former Texas Governor Mark White who will deliver the luncheon speech. For more information call 281-496-1488.
SURFING THE INTERNET
Mic Barnette will lead a Surfing the Internet for Genealogy class at Houston Community College’s 1681 Cartwright campus in Missouri City. This one session class is a live three hour virtual tour of some of the most helpful and notable genealogical websites on the Internet. The class will be held Thursday April 24 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
For more information and to register, contact HCC at 281-835-5539. Please note, pre-registration is required.
LGHS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS
The Louisiana Genealogical and Historical Society was formed in 1953 and is celebrating their 50th anniversary as a society and the 200th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase with a two day seminar. The seminar will be on Friday and Saturday April 25 and 26 at the Holiday Inn South 9940 Airline Hwy in Baton Rouge.
Lectures on colonial and pre-colonial Louisiana genealogical and historical research will be presented on Friday by Richard Condrey, Robert de Bernardinis of Houston, Gregory Osborn, James Eberwine, Lee Woodward and Claire Mire Bettag.
Elizabeth Shown Mills, a professional genealogist and former editor of the National Genealogical Society Journal, will be the featured speaker on Saturday. For more information visit the LGHS website at
