Texas Rising by Stephen L. Moore

Author:Stephen L. Moore
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780062394323
Published: 2015-04-27T16:00:00+00:00

SANTA ANNA DID NOT press an offensive. The Texians were not completely idle during those next hours, however.

Deaf Smith conferred with Sam Houston on a plan to use a pair of axes to chop down or set afire Vince’s Bridge. Any reinforcements for Santa Anna traveling down the main wagon road between Harrisburg and Lynchburg would thus be greatly slowed in reaching the battlefield while circumnavigating the rain-flooded Vince’s Bayou. Smith and six other cavalrymen raced the eight-mile distance on horseback while Karnes, Captain William Smith, and their comrades created a brief diversion. Deaf Smith’s party found the wood of the bridge would not burn sufficiently so they chopped and broke it apart.9

“Deef” Smith could not resist having fun with his young recruits during the return trip. About three-quarters of a mile from the Texas camp, he halted them in a deep, dry hollow. He said that he would ride ahead to check for Mexican troops. Moments later, Smith came racing back, shouting that the prairie ahead was filled with newly arrived Mexican cavalrymen.

“My orders are to return to camp,” announced Smith. “I will do it or die!”

He told his men to prepare their guns and follow him Indian file through the dry hollow to where it joined Buffalo Bayou. Smith took off, with his men close in tow. Once he broke into the open prairie, he whipped his horse on and raced ahead, howling with laughter. Perry Alsbury and the other anxious cavalrymen realized their nerves had been put to the test by old Deef: not a single Mexican horseman was in sight on the prairie.10

Santa Anna returned from his reconnaissance of Sam Houston’s forces around 2 P.M. Corporal Juan Reyes of the permanent Matamoros Battalion noted that His Excellency allowed the cavalry’s horses to be unsaddled and watered while the infantrymen proceeded to eat their meals. Toribio Reyes, a private of the Grenadier Company of the Matamoros Battalion, stated that Santa Anna “ordered a pound of flour per garrison to make tortillas and take mess.” Santa Anna then retired to his fancy campaign tent.11

By 3 P.M., Colonel Ed Burleson galloped up to where George Erath was surveying the distant Mexican camp. “George,” called Burleson. “Run down and tell your captain and the captains on the right to come up here instantly and meet me.” Erath gathered the captains and some of the lieutenants of Burleson’s First Regiment for a conference with their leader. Burleson told them the Mexican Army appeared to be reinforcing itself with no intention of commencing battle. Another vote was taken: should the Texians attack immediately or wait until just before daybreak?12

Captains Moseley Baker and Bob Calder preferred a 4 A.M. assault, but most desired to commence the action right away. Lieutenant Colonel Bennett similarly called together Sidney Sherman’s Second Regiment. Their company commanders also voted in favor of an immediate attack. Bennett soon reported that the men were ready to fight, so Houston passed the word at 3:30 P.M., “Parade your companies.”13

“The announcement of the decision to fight acted like electricity,” wrote Erath.

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