page_title: Texas Revolution
section_title: Texian retreat: The Runaway Scrape
hierarchical_section_title: Texas Revolution / Retreat: March–May 1836 / Texian retreat: The Runaway Scrape
context_page_description: The Texas Revolution was a rebellion of colonists from the United States and Tejanos in putting up armed resistance to the centralist government of Mexico. While the uprising was part of a larger one that included other provinces opposed to the regime of President Antonio López de Santa Anna, the Mexican government believed the United States had instigated the Texas insurrection with the goal of annexation. The Mexican Congress passed the Tornel Decree, declaring that any foreigners fighting against Mexican troops "will be deemed pirates and dealt with as such, being citizens of no nation presently at war with the Republic and fighting under no recognized flag". Only the province of Texas succeeded in breaking with Mexico, establishing the Republic of Texas, and eventually being annexed by the United States.
  The revolution began in October 1835, after a decade of political and cultural clashes between the Mexican government and the increasingly large population of American settlers in Texas. The Mexican government had become increasingly centralized and the rights of its citizens had become increasingly curtailed, particularly regarding immigration from the United States.
context_section_description: On March 11, Santa Anna sent one column of troops to join Urrea, with instructions to move to Brazoria once Fannin's men had been neutralized.  A second set of 700 troops under General Antonio Gaona would advance along the Camino Real to Mina, and then on to Nacogdoches.  General  Joaquín Ramírez y Sesma would take an additional 700 men to San Felipe.  The Mexican columns were thus moving northeast on roughly parallel paths, separated by 40–50 miles (64–80 km).
  The same day that Mexican troops departed Béxar, Houston arrived in Gonzales and informed the 374 volunteers (some without weapons) gathered there that Texas was now an independent republic.  Just after 11 p.m. on March 13, Susanna Dickinson and Joe brought news that the Alamo garrison had been defeated and the Mexican army was marching towards Texian settlements.  A hastily convened council of war voted to evacuate the area and retreat.  The evacuation commenced at midnight and happened so quickly that many Texian scouts were unaware the army had moved on.  Everything that could not be carried was burned, and the army's only two cannon were thrown into the Guadalupe River.  When Ramírez y Sesma reached Gonzales the morning of March 14, he found the buildings still smoldering.
  Most citizens fled on foot, many carrying their small children.  A cavalry company led by Seguín and Salvador Flores were assigned as rear guard to evacuate the more isolated ranches and protect the civilians from attacks by Mexican troops or Indians. The further the army retreated, the more civilians joined the flight. For both armies and the civilians, the pace was slow; torrential rains had flooded the rivers and turned the roads into mud pits.
  As news of the Alamo's fall spread, volunteer ranks swelled, reaching about 1,400 men on March 19.   Houston learned of Fannin's defeat on March 20 and realized his army was the last hope for an independent Texas.  Concerned that his ill-trained and ill-disciplined force would only be good for one battle and aware that his men could easily be outflanked by Urrea's forces, Houston continued to avoid engagement, to the immense displeasure of his troops.  By March 28, the Texian army had retreated 120 miles (190 km) across the Navidad and Colorado Rivers.  Many troops deserted; those who remained grumbled that their commander was a coward.
  On March 31, Houston paused his men at Groce's Landing, roughly 15 miles (24 km) north of San Felipe.  Two companies that refused to retreat further than San Felipe were assigned to guard the crossings on the Brazos River.  For the next two weeks, the Texians rested, recovered from illness, and, for the first time, began practicing military drills.  While there, two cannons, known as the Twin Sisters, arrived from Cincinnati, Ohio.  Interim Secretary of War Thomas Rusk joined the camp, with orders from Burnet to replace Houston if he refused to fight. Houston quickly persuaded Rusk that his plans were sound. Secretary of State Samuel P. Carson advised Houston to continue retreating all the way to the Sabine River, where more volunteers would likely flock from the United States and allow the army to counterattack.  Unhappy with everyone involved, Burnet wrote to Houston: "The enemy are laughing you to scorn. You must fight them. You must retreat no further. The country expects you to fight. The salvation of the country depends on your doing so."  Complaints within the camp became so strong that Houston posted notices that anyone attempting to usurp his position would be court-martialed and shot.
  Santa Anna and a smaller force had remained in Béxar.  After receiving word that the acting president, Miguel Barragán, had died, Santa Anna seriously considered returning to Mexico City to solidify his position.  Fear that Urrea's victories would position him as a political rival convinced Santa Anna to remain in Texas to personally oversee the final phase of the campaign.  He left on March 29 to join Ramírez y Sesma, leaving only a small force to hold Béxar.  At dawn on April 7, their combined force marched into San Felipe 
caption: Sam Houston
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