The Eagle And The Raven

James A. Michener “The Eagle And The Raven: Sam Houston & Santa Anna” State House Press Austin, 1990,  210 pp.

The Eagle and the Raven was originally the fourth chapter of Michener's novel "Texas".  It was deleted from that work but then published separately as “The Eagle And The Raven”.  Unlike Michener’s other work, this is straight history, not a novel.  It delves into the characters of Sam Houston (the raven) and Santa Anna (the eagle).  Their only battle (and their only meeting), the 1836 Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution, is one of the events narrated in depth.

(Michener has a similar segment of a novel removed from his novel “Alaska” which I will read and report on later)

My Notes:

Pg. 40:  In 1812 Houston was 19 and a reckless wanderer, living among the Indian tribes.  He was about six-feet-four, a crack shot and a good horseman.  If anyone in those years had predicted that Houston, a squaw man trading among Indians in Arkansas would become in succession a congressman in Washington, a governor of Tennessee, the president of a new nation (Texas) and then a US Senator with a chance of becoming US president, he would have been jeered.

Pg. 146:  The Mexican foot soldier generally did not have a uniform because funds for equipment were often stolen by the generals.  Many did not even have shoes.  The group looked like a rabble and this impression was reinforced by a tradition whereby a soldier’s entire family accompanied him on maneuvers in the field and, not infrequently, into battle itself.  A fashion-plate general like Santa Anna rarely galloped back to see how his rear was doing.  The entourage was necessary because the army failed to provide regular food for the men.  Had the women not foraged the countryside, their men would have starved.  It was such an army that marched to the Alamo in 1836.

Pg. 153:  The Alamo, a name probably derived from a nearby grove of cottonwood trees, had originally been founded in 1718 as a Mission.  It was then used as a barracks building for Mexican soldiers after the mission was abandoned in 1797.  Now these walls protected Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Travis.  They had 184 other defenders including some dozen native Mexicans who had chosen to fight alongside the Americans.  Since Santa Anna had five thousand soldiers a Mexican victory seemed inevitable.  For thirteen relentless days the Mexicans besieged the defenders and Santa Anna conducted the battle under a blood-red flag to the marching tune Deguello, meaning: ‘Surrender now or you will be executed when we win.” 

The Mexicans lost 600 soldiers, the Texans lost 186, many killed after surrendering.

A detachment of Santa Anna's army won a second victory at Goliad, some miles south east of San Antonio, taking more than four hundred prisoners.  Santa Anna ordered the general in charge to execute every man.  The general reminded Santa Anna by messenger that he had persuaded the Texans to surrender by guaranteeing their person safety.  Santa Anna insisted they all be executed.  The Mexicans marched nearly four hundred prisoners in three different groups along country roads, suddenly turning on them and murdering three hundred and forty-two.  Those who escaped by fleeing across fields spread news of the massacre. 

Pg. 159:  Houston kept retreating from Santa Anna’s forced luring him far north of his supply depots.  Finally they were facing one another along the banks of the little San Jacinto River, nine hundred Texans facing about twelve hundred and fifty battle-hardened but exhausted Mexicans.  Prospects for Houston were not bright, but in the late afternoon of 21 Aril 1836, when the sun was low and shining in Mexican eyes, he was provided a lucky break.  Santa Anna, convinced that the Texans would not dare to attack at that late hour when they were so badly outnumbered, had retired to his tent for a siesta.  Guards were not posted nor picket lines manned nor buglers on watch.  The Texans stuck directly into the Mexican lines.  In those first moments of battle, the outcome was decided.  Mexicans who knew they were about to die screamed: ‘Me no Alamo’ Me no Goliad”.  The battle lasted only eighteen minutes, when it ended more than six hundred Mexicans lay dead and another six hundred were taken captive.  Only three Texans lost their lives, but in the days that followed seven others would die from wounds.  Santa Anna was captured.