Eleven Days on the Colorado: The Standoff Between the Texian and Mexican Armies and the Pivotal Battle Unfought
finds high drama between the Battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto. As General Sam Houston arrived in Gonzales on March 11, 1836, to take command of the gathered Texian forces there, he soon learned that the Alamo had fallen. Realizing that his small command was not equipped to meet the full force of the Mexican army, he ordered a rapid withdrawal to the Colorado River. Shortly afterward, the Mexican army, commanded by General Joaquín Ramírez y Sesma, encamped opposite the Texian camps. New volunteers poured in, and several skirmishes ensued. A pivotal battle seemed inevitable. Just as the two armies seemed prepared to engage, General Houston unexpectedly ordered a withdrawal to the Brazos River resulting in panic among the civilian population and outrage among his troops and officers. From the time of the Texian Aamy withdrawal from Gonzales to the unexpected order to retreat from the Colorado, Sam Houston made some curious decisions, which deserve scrutiny. A day-by-day examination of events helps to ascertain Houston’s mindset and offers some justifications for his decisions. Additionally, this book reviews the lives of some lesser known, yet influential individuals who contributed to the Texian’s fight for freedom.