People always "Remember the Alamo," the battle that Texians lost in San Antonio, but they tend to forget that the war was won not far from downtown Houston on a battlefield where the Republic of Texas was born. The Battle of San Jacinto is one of the most important battles of American history. In 18 short minutes, on April 21, 1836, General Sam Houston led his Texian soldiers to a decisive victory over the Mexican Army, officially securing Texas independence from Mexico and leading to the addition of 1 million square miles to the United States.
On Saturday, April 24, thousands will witness the re-creation of this significant battle during the San Jacinto Day Festival and Battle Reenactment at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site. Battlefield visitors will hear booming cannons, cracking musket fire, thundering hooves and piercing yells. At 3 p.m., "soldiers" will stage the largest reenactment in the state in the same place where history was made 168 years ago. Many of the participating living historians and reenactors recently "starred" in the Disney movie, The Alamo, as well as in two recent History Channel programs focusing on the Texas Revolution. The San Jacinto Museum of History Association and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department host the admission-free event.
Beginning at 10 a.m., visitors can wander freely throughout the Mexican and Texian camps to learn what members of both armies were doing prior to the battle and what their life was like on a daily basis. Volunteer reenactors from the San Antonio Living History Association, Texas Army, Wharton County Time Walkers, Cross Roads Living History and the Alamo Legends & Missions Association (A.L.M.A.) will be on hand to explain why both sides came to San Jacinto. Women and children will depict the hardships experienced by those Texians who, with their husbands and fathers at war, were forced to gather the few belongings they could to flee the advancing forces of General Santa Anna in what became known as the Runaway Scrape. Starting cooking fires with flint, loading muskets and making candles and soap are among the pioneer tasks that will be demonstrated.
For the first time, the San Jacinto Day Festival will feature hands-on history activities for children. Assisted by volunteers from the Armand Bayou Nature Center, children can learn to make cornhusk dolls and pioneer vests or play games popular in the 1830s. Visitors can hunt for artifacts at an open dig site hosted by the Houston Archeological Society. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department experts will offer guided tours of the restored marshlands and answer questions about the wildlife inhabiting the park.
"Digging Texas History," a special exhibit in the San Jacinto Museum of History, showcases archeological treasures of the Texas Revolution, and the multitude of artifacts found in the Museum provides additional insight into early Texas history. Authority Tom Green will be available to explain the use of and meaning behind 15 of the flags from the Texas Revolutionary period. Other special guests will include author Frank Thompson, who has published five books and dozens of articles on the Alamo, as well as four videos. His most recent book, which is based on the screenplay of the new Touchstone movie The Alamo, is titled The Alam A Novel. Local expert Dr. Gregg J. Dimmick will discuss the archeological discoveries and trace the routes and campsites of the Mexican Army during the Texas Revolution. Presentations will be made hourly on the half hour in the auditorium.
Keeping toes tapping will be music provided by K.R. Wood and the Fathers of Texas Band, as well as other period entertainment. Instead of 1836 fare such as possum or cornmeal mush, the Texas-style food and beverages offered for sale beginning at 11:30 a.m. will be more pleasing to today’s palates. The festival continues until 6 p.m.
Hourly screenings of Texas Forever!!, a 42 projector rapid-fire multi-image presentation, vividly outline the events leading up to and during the battle. Visitors who want to take in a bird's-eye view of the entire grounds where the original battle took place can visit the observation deck of the soaring San Jacinto Monument.
Admission to the San Jacinto Day Festival and Battle Reenactment and the 1,000-acre park is free. Nominal fees are charged for elevator rides to the top of the San Jacinto Monument and screenings of Texas Forever!! The Battleship Texas, anchored nearby, served in both World War I and World War II and will be open for touring as well.
Sponsors for the San Jacinto Day Festival include: Battleship TEXAS Foundation; Chevron Texaco; ConocoPhillips; East Harris County Manufacturers Association (ECHMA); First TEXAS Volunteers; Harris County Historical Commission; Houston Chronicle; Houston Public Library; Kirby Corporation; Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas, AF & AM; Port of Houston Authority; San Jacinto Battleground Association; San Jacinto Chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas; San Jacinto Chapter, #1, Sons of the Republic of Texas; San Jacinto Day Foundation; San Jacinto Descendants; San Jacinto Historical Advisory Board; San Jacinto Museum of History Association; San Jacinto Volunteers; Sons of the Republic of Texas; Southwestern Bell Corporation; Summerlee Foundation; Taste of Texas; Tejano Association for Historic Preservation; Texas Army; Texas Chapter of Oddfellows; Texas Council for the Humanities; Texas Navy Association; Texas Parks & Wildlife Department; Texas State Historical Association; and Tom Clay State Farm Insurance.
For information on the battleship and park, telephone 281/479-2431. For information about the San Jacinto Museum of History and The San Jacinto Day Festival and Battle Reenactment, telephone 281/479-2421, or log onto the website, www.sanjacinto-museum.org. The San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site is located 22 miles east of Houston.
