[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 63 (Tuesday, May 10, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E851]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 10, 2011

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as I walked onto the battlefield in 
the hot Texas sun, I journeyed through a sea of buckskin uniforms, 
Bowie knives and long muskets. I felt like I had died and gone to 
Heaven.
  The men who portrayed Sam's Boys had a certain swagger, a certain 
something that made them real members of the Texas Army. I even got my 
picture taken with Captain Juan Seguin, who led the Tejanos, Mexicans 
loyal for independence. So as not to confuse these Tejanos with Santa 
Anna's army, General Sam had Seguin put a playing card in the head band 
of each Tejano so they could easily be recognized.
  Seguin and his men were roaming around the battlefield. Cannons, 
battle cries and the sound of hooves surrounded me. I was like a little 
boy again.
  Thousands of people came from far and wide to celebrate 175 years of 
Texas independence at the San Jacinto Day Festival and Battle 
Reenactment. Children and senior citizens alike all gathered to travel 
back in time and see the reenactment of one of the most decisive 
battles in all history--and certainly the most decisive battle in Texas 
history.
  Folks lined the battlefield with lawn chairs, umbrellas and water 
bottles to watch the reenactment of events that led to the Texas 
victory over the larger Mexican Army on April 21, 1836. I was reminded 
of how good it feels to be an American--particularly a Texan-American. 
As the wind blew, history unfolded right in front of our eyes. I felt 
like I stepped back in time to 1836.
  It was 175 years ago that Texas became an independent nation. Like 
many folks, sometimes I wish that we still were. General Sam and his 
boys took on Santa Anna and an army of about 1,600 along the marshy 
banks of the San Jacinto River in the battle that resulted in one of 
the largest land transfers in world history and gave way to a new 
independent nation--the Republic of Texas.
  After Mexican dictator Santa Anna stormed the walls of the Alamo, and 
ordered the massacre at Goliad, he felt the Texans had all but been 
defeated, and he set his sights on finishing the war with the Texans 
heading southeast in the ``Runaway Scrape.''
  During this time, panic spread across Texas and doubt loomed that 
General Sam Houston could stop the Mexican Army. But, General Sam was 
not the quitting type and he would not give up his fight for freedom so 
easily.
  The battle for Texas took place on the marshes of the San Jacinto 
River. On the afternoon of April 21, General Sam's battle plan called 
for a charge the next day at dawn, but after discussions with his 
troops he decided not to wait any longer.
  Scout Deaf Smith was ordered to burn the only bridge and trapped both 
armies between the river and the marshes. In broad daylight, General 
Sam and the boys, 700 Texas freedom fighters, marched double-time in a 
single line to independence--taking on a professional army more than 
twice their size.
  The Texans charged yelling, ``Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!'' 
They carried a flag of partially nude Miss Liberty, and the fife played 
a bawdy house song called ``Come to the Bower.'' Santa Anna's army, 
caught napping, was routed.
  Tradition says Santa Anna was having a rendezvous in his tent with a 
lady that turned out to be a spy for Texas, Emily Morgan, who is 
sometimes referred to as the ``Yellow Rose of Texas.'' Most of the 
enemy was killed or wounded; the rest were captured or disappeared. The 
victory was stunning. The rest, as they say, is Texas history.
  General Santa Anna's life was spared to the dismay of many that had 
lost loved ones at the Alamo and Goliad. But General Sam, noting that 
Texas was now a free and independent nation, held Santa Anna as a 
prisoner of war until negotiations between the two countries could be 
made.
  While Texas had declared her independence from Mexico a month earlier 
on March 2, it was at this moment that she actually became a Republic 
all unto herself and remained so for nine glorious years.
  Texas claimed land as far north as the Canadian border and as far 
west as Colorado. These historic battlegrounds remain an important part 
of Texas history, and in 1936, the state of Texas honored the Texas War 
of Independence and General Sam's victory by erecting a monument 
modeled after the Washington Monument, but naturally bigger.
  I am proud to be a Texan-American. And that weekend, as I saw 
thousands of people celebrating the 175th anniversary of Texas 
Independence, I was reminded of how proudly we Texans hail. Because of 
men like Sam Houston, Texas is the great state that it is today. We 
must always remember that Texas was once a nation. Texas forever!
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________