Texas Independence Day

Today is Texas Independence Day. On this day in 1836, Texas seceded from Mexico and became the Republic of Texas. It's a funny story how it happened. General Santa Anna was commander of the Mexican forces fighting to keep Texas part of Mexico. He had an army that was numerically superior and technologically more advanced than the Texas army led by General Sam Houston.

    The rebels didn't appear to have chance of winning. General Sam Houston refused to engage General Santa Anna in combat. He went on the run all over Texas. He was called a coward and all sorts of bad names. While on the run, General Houston's scouts watched Santa Anna from a distance and got to know his habits and movements well.

      General Santa Anna adhered to the Mexican custom of a siesta during the day. General Santa Anna lived in a huge tent stocked with gourmet food, alcohol, and several female companions. The whole army had a siesta. They had no fear of General Sam Houston; so no guards were awake. In the village of San Jacinto not far from what is now the city of Houston, General Sam Houston and two of his officers boldly walked up to General Santa Anna's tent. They pulled back the tent flap and entered the tent. General Houston drew his single-shot pistol, pointed it at General Santa Anna. He put him under arrest. He won the war without firing a shot.

        General Sam Houston went on to be a great statesman. When John F. Kennedy wrote Profiles in Courage, General Sam Houston was included in the book. General Santa Anna did get his revenge in 1847 after US forces invaded Mexico and defeated the Mexican Army in 1845. He came to Wall Street in New York City. He floated an IPO for a fraudulent company. He collected millions of dollars. He vanished into Mexico and was never heard from again.