Santa Anna capture site.

SANTA ANNA CAPTURE SITE, NEAR HOUSTON TEXAS

Santa Anna, the Mexican general was captured by troops from the Texas Army after the battle of San Jacinto. He was reported to be dressed as a private when captured. The capture site was on (what is now) the Houston Ship Channel. Back in April, 1836 it was the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and Vince’s Bayou. Santa Anna didn’t know that Def Smith had burned the bridge at Vince’s Bayou and that would prevent him from escaping back to his main army.The bridge monument (photo left) is about 3/4 mile away from the capture site monument.The Texans went to war with Mexico because Santa Anna voided the Mexican constitution of 1824 that allowed the Texas settlers to have some independence. The Texans routed Santa Anna and part of his army at the San Jacinto Battleground (near Houston TX ) in a short brutal battle.

Although it was a relatively small battle in terms of combatants, the battle resulted in Texas becoming
its’ own country. Texas was an independent country for several years.

The battle takes its place as one of the most significant battles in history because of the land and political changes that resulted. The battle site is marked by the San Jacinto Battleground monument, one of the largest monuments in the USA. Every Texan should carry a photo evidencing them standing in front of the San Jacinto Monument at all times. I can’t find my photo, and so I am headed back down there soon to get another. I will post it up here soon.Santa Anna was allowed to go back to Mexico but he continued to cause trouble. The United States of America sent troops to Mexico capturing Mexico City and the Mexican Federal government.

The actual Santa Anna capture site was marked in March of 1916 with the monument marker pictured below. The photo with people to the right is an actual photo of the new marker shortly after it was placed. Linda Conard sent the photo and reports this:

“The man at the head of the bull is my great grandfather, Joseph Morgan Cruse and the woman on the side of the bull with hand on it is my great grandmother Zella Gregg Cruse.  I have no idea who the other people are. The boy is too young to be my grandfather, Aubrey, Sr. and my Dad, Aubrey, Jr. wasn’t even born yet. The man behind the bull could be a farm worker.

The farm was owned by J.S. Cullinan and Joe and Zella managed it. Strawberries were grown there. Joe and Zella also owned a store in town.

The marker was set in March of 1916 and this photo was taken in May 1916. I believe the house remained there for many years after Crown was built.

Joe and Zella are buried at Crown Hill Cemetery nearby.

Thank you to Linda Conard for sending the photo. It is used here with her permission. Crown is an oil refinery that is in the background of the photo, right.

The Houston Ship Channel was not in place at the time of this photo. Buffalo Bayou would have been a small stream (bayou) and the monument is facing it.

Houston Ship Channel & Santa Anna Capture site

Another view of the monument at the old Santa Anna Capture site on the Houston Ship Channel.

The Santa Anna site reminds me of a place in New Orleans – at the Harvey Canal to be precise – on the River Road West Bank where there is a lookout over the Mississippi River. It is a great view of the Mississippi River and the city of New Orleans in the background. I better get a photo of that site before it is erased from the landscape.