Sam Houston rode by here
April 21, 2008 (Monday)
Today is San Jacinto Day, a celebration of the final victory in 1836 that secured independence from Mexico for Texas.*
On this decisive day, at 4:00 p.m. General Sam Houston, 43 years of age, and his army of 800 attacked General Santa Anna’s army of 1400 and in twenty minutes had won the victory. Six Texans were killed and 13 were wounded, including Houston himself, but Mexico lost 630 killed in action and 208 wounded.
Houston and his army had traveled eastward from Gonzales, Texas, since March 13. The Alamo had fallen and word was received that the Mexican army was on its way to Gonzales. Houston and his men then made their way on a zig zag route that eventually took them to the battlefield where the two armies met.
Of interest to us here in the Heights is the route taken by Houston and his army when they came to White Oak Bayou. The traveled down the eastern side of the bayou on what is now East T.C. Jester Boulevard and adjoining land. Forest Goodrum, now with the Lord, was a faithful member of Timbergrove Baptist Church and had a great interest in Texas history. He pointed out to me the route taken by Sam Houston as we rode with a church group in a bus one day in 2005.
About 125 years after that fateful ride, some Baptists built Timbergrove Baptist Church on a tributary of White Oak Bayou. The buildings stand less than a mile from the ground on which Sam Houston and his army rode to meet their destiny. For the last 58 years or so, the church has had a faithful ministry in this historic area. Today, there are more than 600 Baptist churches in this association, making it the largest Baptist association in the world. Wonder what it would have looked like around here if Houston had lost the battle that day?
About 2000 years ago, our Commander in chief, the Lord Jesus Christ, won the decisive victory over sin and death at the battle of Calvary. Wonder what this world would look like today if that battle had not been fought and won.
———————————————————————————————————————————
* John Sadler, great great grandfather of my deceased wife, Wanda, fought at the Battle of San Jacinto. His wife’s brother, (Wanda’s great great granduncle) Jonathan Lindley, died at the Alamo. John was 24 and Jonathan was 22.