While it is not certain what became of the cannon, Santa Anna ordered all brass and bronze artillery seized after the battle to be melted down. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. The power struggle effectively shut down the government. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/runaway-scrape. While taking refuge at Mission Concepción on October 28, they repelled an attack by 275 Mexicans under Domingo Ugartechea. Unaware that Secretary of War Rusk was already en route to Groce's Landing with orders from President Burnet to halt the army's retreat and engage the enemy, he relayed the Goliad news by letter to Rusk.[115]. If you execute your enemies, it saves you the trouble of having to forgive them. [69], The retreat took place so quickly that many of the Texian scouts did not fully comprehend it until after the town was evacuated. When she learned the army was headed towards Harrisburgh and a confrontation with the Mexican army, she reclaimed her oxen. [33] When Austin was selected to join Branch T. Archer and William H. Wharton on a diplomatic mission to seek international recognition and support, Edward Burleson was named as commander. Deaf Smith, Henry Wax Karnesand R. E. Handy had found Mrs. Dickinson and Karnes and other Texan family survivors of Santa Anna's campaign. John Henry Brown, Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas (Austin: Daniell, 1880; reprod., Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1978). [54] His men combined with Lieutenant William Smith's and volunteered to accompany Neill's recruits. Those attempting to cross the San Jacinto River were bottlenecked for three days, and the vicinity around the crossing transformed into a refugee camp. Recently formed groups came from Austin and Washington counties and from the Colorado River area. AT THIS TIME, April, 1836, Santa Anna's army was still in pursuit of Houston's army and Houston being fearful of what might befall the families of the settler, had ordered … [150][151], On orders of Santa Anna after the burning of Harrisburgh, Almonte went in pursuit of the ad interim government at New Washington. [25] When Lieutenant Francisco de Castañeda arrived accompanied by 100 soldiers and made a second attempt at repossessing the cannon, Texians dared the Mexicans to "come and take it". eaders who takes total control. [143], The Texian army camped west of present-day Tomball on April 15, at Sam McCarley's homestead. [155], In a troop movement that took all night on a makeshift raft, the Texian army crossed Buffalo Bayou at Lynchburg April 19 with 930 soldiers, leaving behind 255 others as guards or for reasons of illness. [71], Volunteers from San Felipe de Austin who had been organized under Captain John Bird on March 5 to reinforce the men at the Alamo[72] had been en route to San Antonio de Béxar on March 13 when approximately 10 miles (16 km) east of Gonzales they encountered fleeing citizens and a courier from Sam Houston. Although the Mexican Army had more troops Texans were victorious. The fractious provisional government had impeached Smith on January 11. During early skirmishes, some Texian soldiers surrendered, believing that they would become prisoners of war — but Santa Anna demanded their executions. Permanent Volunteers ran a democratic structure allowing internal elections, and was for the duration of the war. [24] James C. Neill, a veteran who had served at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend under Andrew Jackson, was put in charge of the artillery after it was later dug up and wheel mounted. The enemy are laughing you to scorn. [12] Edward Burleson replaced Austin as commander of the volunteer army on December 1. Our 125th Annual Meeting will be held online this year, and it will include informative sessions featuring the research of Texas history scholars, a presentation of awards and fellowships, a silent auction, and special events. Runaway Challenge. [39] About 160 miles (260 km) north of Matamoros at San Patricio, Urrea's troops ambushed Johnson and members of the expedition on February 27 at the Battle of San Patricio. [24] John Henry Moore led 150 Texian militia on October 2 in successfully repelling the Mexican troops. The people began to leave that area as early as January 14, 1836, when the Mexicans were reported gathering on the Rio Grande. Cos and his men were sent back to Mexico but later united with Santa Anna's forces. The flight was marked by lack of preparation and by panic caused by fear both of the Mexican Army and of the Indians. [109] Major Edwin Morehouse arrived with a New York battalion of recruits who were immediately assigned to assist Wyly Martin at Fort Bend. Attorney General David Thomas was named as acting Secretary of War when Rusk joined the army. Pleasant W. Rose, concerning the critical period from June 1835 leading up to the Texas War of Independence, the flight after fall of the Alamo and Goliad and the return after the victory at San Jacinto. Told of the Alamo's fall, Bird's men offered assistance to the fleeing citizens and joined Houston's army at Bartholomew D. McClure's plantation on the evening of March 14. [140] The army had previously been assisted in moving the Twin Sisters with oxen borrowed from refugee Pamela Mann when she believed the army was fleeing towards Nacogdoches. [105] When Baker claimed Houston had given him an order to do so, Houston denied it. In 19th century Mexico, Federalism was the empowerment of local governments, while Centralism sought to eliminate local political power and give it all to the national government. Choose from 19 different sets of The Runaway Scrape flashcards on Quizlet. Houston's retreat marked the beginning of the Runaway Scrape on a really large scale. Fannin sent 120 reinforcements under William Ward, but the March 14 Battle of Refugio cost 15 Texian lives. [107] As Houston led his army north towards the landing, the unrelenting rainy weather swelled the Brazos and threatened flooding. At the. Hundreds of soldiers left the army to help their families. [FN 1] That constitution had established Coahuila y Tejas[FN 2] as a new Mexican state and had provided for each state in Mexico to create its own local-level constitution. The first communities to be affected were those in the south central portions of Texas around San Patricio, Refugio, and San Antonio. The period roughly between the fall of the Alamo, and the Victory at San Jacinto is known as "The Runaway Scrape." The salvation of the country depends on your doing so. [95] Some of the troops viewed the decision as cowardice with Sesma sitting just on the other side of the Colorado, and several hundred men deserted.[96]. In Texas history and in historical works on Sam Houston, this is referred to as "the fork in the road" where Houston stopped retreating and instead actively pursued Santa Anna. [137][138] At Galveston, Leander Smith had the responsibility of transporting the cannon from Harrisburgh to Bernardo Plantation. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. [82] The ferry and trading post, as well as the family home of Jesse Burnam, were all burned at Houston's orders on March 17 to prevent Santa Anna's army from making the same crossing. Whether or not they were paid, or had supplies or uniforms, varied. answer choices . Wailing filled the air when Dickinson and the others reached the town with their first-hand accounts.[38]. At that point Houston viewed Béxar as a military liability and did not want Santa Anna's advancing army gaining control of any remaining soldiers or artillery. / Font size: The final fate of the Twin Sisters cannons is unknown. A "Come and Take It" flag was later fashioned by the women of Gonzales. THE RUNAWAY SCRAPE. When Sam Houston arrived in Gonzales on March 11 and was informed of the fall of the Alamo, he decided upon retreat to the Colorado River and ordered all inhabitants to accompany him. Burnet ordered government assistance all across Texas for fleeing families. Couriers were sent to other towns in Texas to warn that the Mexican army was advancing. [56] Andrew Barcena and Anselmo Bergara from Seguin's other detachment inside the Alamo showed up in Gonzales on March 11, telling of their escape and delivering news of the March 6 slaughter. [85] Additional Texian volunteer companies began arriving at both crossings, including three companies of Texas Rangers, the Liberty County Volunteers and the Nacogdoches Volunteers. [87] To prevent Sesma's troops from using William DeWees' log cabin, Sherman ordered it burned. [135], Before the Texian army left Bernardo Plantation, they welcomed the arrival of two cannon cast in Cincinnati, Ohio, funded entirely by the people of that city as a donation to the Texas Revolution. [FN 3][FN 4] The salvation of the country depends upon the first battle had with the enemy. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. The Provisional Army of Texas consisted of three different categories of enlistees. By dawn, the entire town was in ashes or flames. When the chips were down, our forefathers hauled ass for the Sabine River. It was Sam Houston's responsibility, as the appointed commander-in-chief of the Provisional Army of Texas (before such an army actually existed), to recruit and train a military force to defend the population against troops led by Santa Anna. All copyrighted materials included within the Handbook of Texas Online are in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Faced with past desertions, discipline flaws, and individual indecisiveness of volunteers in training, Houston knew they were not yet ready to engage the Mexican army. Report an issue . Texian survivors of the Battle of Coleto Creek believed their surrender agreement with Urrea would, at worst, mean their deportation. / The Consultation only made Houston commander-in-chief of the paid provisional army he was to recruit and train. [67], Houston called for a council of war. Texas Independence Day: March 2, 1836 Texas Declaration of Independence: Declared Texas a free country from Mexico Reasons for joining the Texas Army: Promise of free land The destiny for the Alamo defenders: Death What caused the Runaway Scrape Many things caused the Runaway Scrape. [43] Neill pleaded with Houston for replenishment of troops, supplies and weaponry. Santa Anna, however, adhered to the 1835 Tornel Decree that stated the insurrection was an act of piracy fomented by the United States and ordered their executions. The news of the Battle of the Alamo and the Goliad massacre instilled fear in the population and resulted in the mass exodus of the civilian population of Gonzales, where the opening battle of the Texian revolution had begun and where, only days before the fall of the Alamo, they had sent a militia to reinforce the defenders at the mission. William Travis's pleas for reinforcements from the Alamo did not go unheeded. Under direct orders of Mexican General Santa Anna, these 400 men were massacred near Goliad on March 27. [FN 10], The steamboat Yellowstone[112] under the command of Captain John Eautaw Ross was impressed into service for the Provisional Army of Texas on April 2 and initially ferried patients across the Brazos River when Dr. James Aeneas Phelps established a field hospital at Bernardo Plantation. The Runaway Scrape events took place mainly between September 1835 and April 1836 and were the evacuations by Texas residents fleeing the Mexican Army of Operations during the Texas Revolution, from the Battle of the Alamo through the decisive Battle of San Jacinto. Jackson, Wheat (2005), pp. [75] The government then fled to Groce's Landing where they stayed for several days before moving on to Harrisburgh on March 21, where they established temporary headquarters in the home of widow Jane Birdsall Harris. Splane. The Runaway Scrape. When Seguin learned en route that Fannin would be unable to reach the Alamo in time,[53] he immediately began mustering an all-Tejano company of scouts. Carolyn Callaway Covington, "The term Runaway Scrape was the name Texans applied to the flight from their homes when Antonio López de Santa Anna began his attempted conquest of Texas in February 1836. [81] Fleeing civilians accompanied Houston's army turning north at the Navidad River as they crossed to the east side of the Colorado River at Burnam's Crossing. The country expects you to fight. The conflict arose after Antonio López de Santa Anna abrogated the 1824 Constitution of Mexicoand establis… After a little over a month of training the troops, Houston reached a crossroads where he ordered some of them to escort the fleeing refugees farther east while he took the main army southeast to engage the Mexican army.