Site of Battle of San Jacinto, 1836
Houston, Harris County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Near here on the afternoon of April 21, 1836, the army of the Republic of Texas, commanded by General Sam Houston was drawn up to attack an invading Mexican army commanded by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
On the afternoon of April 21, 1836, near this spot, Gen. Sam Houston's small Texian army formed up to fall upon the much larger Mexican force of Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna. The surprise attack that followed lasted only about eighteen minutes but shattered Santa Anna's army and led to his capture the next day. The victory secured the independence of the Republic of Texas.
Why it matters
San Jacinto is one of the most decisive battles in North American history, winning Texas its independence and setting in motion the events that would carry the United States to the Pacific.
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Related people
- · Sam Houston
- · Antonio López de Santa Anna
Related events
- · Battle of San Jacinto
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Within A Few Minutes, Battle of San Jacinto Site
Houston, TX
This marker captures the stunning arithmetic of the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. By General Sam Houston's own report, the fighting left 630 of Santa Anna's soldiers dead, 208 wounded, and 730 captured, along with money, arms, and equipment—while the Texans lost just 9 killed and 30 wounded. Rarely has so brief an engagement proven so lopsided or so consequential.
Texas Army Attacked in Four Divisions
Houston, TX
On April 21, 1836, the small Texan army under Sam Houston formed for its decisive assault on Santa Anna's camp near the San Jacinto River. This marker records the order of battle: cavalry on the right under Mirabeau B. Lamar, infantry and the famed "Twin Sisters" cannon in support, Edward Burleson's regiment in the center, and Sidney Sherman's on the left. The surprise attack that followed lasted only minutes yet secured Texas independence.
Battle of San Jacinto
Houston, TX
On the afternoon of April 21, 1836, Sam Houston's roughly one thousand Texans stormed Santa Anna's larger Mexican army in a charge that lasted only eighteen minutes yet decided a continent's future. Crying "Remember the Alamo!" and "Remember Goliad!" as their band played a love song, the Texans routed the enemy, capturing Santa Anna himself the next day. The stunning victory secured Texas independence and, with annexation nine years later, set in motion the U.S. acquisition of vast western lands.
Home of Mrs. Margaret McCormick
Houston, TX
This site marks where the home of Margaret McCormick stood on April 21, 1836 — the day the decisive Battle of San Jacinto was fought nearby, winning Texas its independence from Mexico. Her husband Arthur had died here in 1825, and Margaret herself lost her life in 1854 when the home burned. The marker ties an ordinary settler family's homestead to one of the turning points of the Texas Revolution.