The surrender of Santa Anna to Sam Houston on San Jacinto battlefield, April 22, 1836.
Some of the Mexican cavalry tried to escape over Vince’s bridge, only to find that the bridge was gone. In desperation, some of the flying horsemen spurred their mounts down the steep bank; some dismounted and plunged into the swollen stream. The Texans came up and poured a deadly fire into the welter of Mexicans struggling with the flood. Escape was virtually impossible.
General Houston rode slowly from the field of victory, his ankle shattered by a rifle ball. At the foot of the oak where he had slept the previous night he fainted and slid from his horse into the arms of Major Hockley, his chief of staff.
As the crowning stroke of a glorious day, General Rusk presented to him as a prisoner the Mexican general Almonte, who had surrendered formally with about 400 men.
The casualties, according to Houston’s official report, numbered 630 Mexicans killed, 208 wounded, and 730 taken prisoner. As against this heavy score, only nine Texans were killed or mortally wounded, and thirty wounded less seriously. Most of their injuries came from the first scattered Mexican volley when the attackers stormed their barricade. The Texans captured a large supply of muskets, pistols, sabers, mules, horses, provisions, clothing, tents and paraphernalia, and $12,000 in silver.
THE CAPTURE OF SANTA ANNA
Santa Anna had disappeared during the battle, and next day General Houston ordered a thorough search of the surrounding territory for him. In the afternoon Sergeant J. A. Sylvester[6] spotted a Mexican slipping through the woods toward Vince’s Bayou. Sylvester and his comrades caught the fugitive trying to hide in the high grass. He wore a common soldier’s apparel—round jacket, blue cotton pantaloons, skin cap and soldier’s shoes.
They took the captive to camp, and on the way Mexican prisoners recognized him and cried, “El Presidente!” Thus his identity was betrayed; it was indeed the dictator from below the Rio Grande. He was brought to General Houston, who lay under the headquarters oak, nursing his wounded foot.