April 21, 2013 (Sunday)
“Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may” – Sam Houston
Today is San Jacinto Day, the 177th anniversary of the battle that won independence from Mexico for Texas.
“San Jacinto” is a Spanish phrase that means, “Saint Hyacinth,” the name of several people in history and a city in Quebec. The consensus of writers seems to be that the 12th century Dominican missionary who spread Christianity through northern Europe is the person for whom landmarks in Texas are named. I could not find an absolutely definite answer to my question about the origin of the name. “San Jacinto,” however, is the name for many things, including a college and a street in Houston. It was the name of my high school there. When I was a kid, our family went to the San Jacinto River near the bridge on Highway 59 and had lots of fun playing on the sandbars in the river that resembled a beach. We also enjoyed trips to the San Jacinto Battleground, named for the river, and the Monument, named for the battleground. (The monument, by the way, is 555 feet high at the top of the star, equaling the Washington Monument’s height).
That battleground in what is now LaPorte, Texas was the scene of an 18-minute battle in which Mexican General Santa Anna was defeated and Texas independence, that had been declared, was finally won. It followed a terrible defeat at the Alamo and a horrible massacre at Goliad.
Wanda’s Great Grand Uncle was Jonathan Lindley, one of the “Immortal 32” from Gonzales, all of whom died at the Alamo. His brother-in-law was John Sadler, Wanda’s Great Great Grandfather, who fought at San Jacinto. Those of you who remember Wanda, my wife, will recall that she was fiercely independent, and put no stock in ancestry or pedigree. “It’s what you are that counts” was one of her personal guidelines. John was born in Tennessee and Jonathan in Illinois. We tend to forget that the first Texans were immigrants from other states.
Sam Houston was wounded at San Jacinto and as he sat under a tree, Santa Anna was brought to him for surrender. I played Sam Houston in a play as a Junior High School student. One of my Hispanic friends played the part of Santa Anna. I don’t think either of us at the time realized the importance of the event we were re-creating.
“Texas, our Texas, all hail the mighty state.”
(Click on line above to see entire state song)
Click here for details of the battle
Texans declared independence but then they had to win it. And win they did, at San Jacinto. Texas was declared an independent republic, and in 1837 a new town named Houston was selected as a temporary capital. Population was around 70,000, including 40,000 Tejanos, Indians and slaves. Today the population of Texas exceeds 26,000,000 people who have roots in other states and in other nations. It is a cosmopolitan state, with millions of people who need Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Strategies of many kinds have been developed by Christians to reach out to the millions of unsaved people who now claim Texas as their home. If you leave your home today, your activities will no doubt put you in contact with one or more of these people. Pray for them, be a good influence upon them, and allow the Lord to lead you in whatever you say to them. They need Jesus.