Texas Army Attacked in Four Divisions
Houston, Harris County, Texas
Marker Inscription
- The Cavalry on the right, commanded by Mirabeau B. Lamar; next, the Infantry under Lieutenant Colonel Henry Millard and the "Twin Sisters" cannon under Colonel George W. Hockley; the 1st Regiment in the center under Colonel Edward Burleson; the 2nd Regiment, the left wing, under Colonel Sidney Sherman.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
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.
Why it matters
The San Jacinto campaign won independence for Texas and set in motion the events that would draw the United States into the Mexican-American War and its westward expansion to the Pacific.
The story behind this marker
AI contextThe era
In the spring of 1836, Texas was fighting for its life. Anglo-American settlers and Tejanos in the Mexican province had broken with the central government under General Antonio López de Santa Anna. That government had moved to concentrate power and tighten control over the far northern frontier, and the Texians declared independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos in early March.
The weeks that followed were grim. The Alamo fell in March, and not long after, Texian prisoners were executed at Goliad. Sam Houston's small army retreated eastward across Texas, and thousands of settlers fled ahead of the advancing Mexican forces in what became known as the Runaway Scrape. Many Texians were frustrated by the long withdrawal and wanted to stand and fight.
By mid-April, Santa Anna had pushed ahead with part of his army into the marshy country near the junction of Buffalo Bayou and the San Jacinto River. Houston's army turned to meet him there. On the afternoon of April 21, 1836, it formed up for the attack, and this marker records how.
People & events
Here the Texian army arranged itself for battle. On the far right was the cavalry under Mirabeau B. Lamar, a newcomer to Texas who had distinguished himself in the skirmishing the day before. Next came the infantry under Lieutenant Colonel Henry Millard and, beside them, the famous "Twin Sisters," a pair of cannon sent to the Texas cause by supporters in Ohio, under Colonel George W. Hockley. In the center stood the 1st Regiment under Colonel Edward Burleson, a seasoned frontier fighter. On the left, the 2nd Regiment was led by Colonel Sidney Sherman.
The Texians advanced across open ground, partly screened by a rise, toward a Mexican camp that was not ready for an attack. The fighting that followed was short and one-sided. The main battle lasted only a matter of minutes, though the pursuit and killing went on longer. Texians shouted "Remember the Alamo!" and "Remember Goliad!" as they came on, and the Mexican army collapsed.
Santa Anna escaped the field but was captured soon afterward. As a prisoner he agreed to terms that ended the campaign and withdrew Mexican forces from Texas. Several of the officers named here went on to prominent roles in the new republic, most notably Lamar, who later became its president.
Its place in the American story
San Jacinto is one of the most consequential short battles in American history. In a single afternoon it turned a failing rebellion into an independent nation, the Republic of Texas, which existed for almost a decade before joining the United States in 1845.
Texas annexation helped bring on the war between the United States and Mexico. At its end, Mexico gave up a vast territory stretching to the Pacific. The map of the American West, and the bitter national arguments over whether slavery would expand into those lands, trace back in part to what happened on this ground.
The battle's meaning is also contested. Mexicans remember it very differently from Texans, and historians continue to debate the causes of the Texas Revolution, including the role that slavery and the defense of slaveholding played in the settlers' grievances. Standing here, you can honor the courage involved and still see the long and complicated consequences that followed.
If you visit
This marker stands on the San Jacinto battlefield, now a state historic site east of downtown Houston. The land is flat and open, with coastal grass, marsh and bayou. Standing here, you can see why an army could approach under cover of the terrain and why a surprised camp had so little time to respond.
Use the marker to orient yourself. Picture the line stretching across the field in front of you: cavalry on the right, the Twin Sisters and infantry beside them, Burleson's regiment in the center and Sherman's on the left. Other markers across the grounds show key positions, and walking between them helps the order of battle make sense.
The tall San Jacinto Monument dominates the site, and it is well worth including in your visit. The battlefield makes a natural stop on any Texas Revolution road trip that links Washington-on-the-Brazos, Goliad and the Alamo in San Antonio, which together tell the story from declaration to victory.
Written by AI to add context, grounded in the marker’s inscription and the historical record. The inscription above is the original, unaltered text.
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Related people
- · Mirabeau B. Lamar
- · Henry Millard
- · George W. Hockley
- · Edward Burleson
- · Sidney Sherman
Related events
- · Battle of San Jacinto
Themes & tags
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Battle of San Jacinto
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