Passport to Texas

Battle of San Jacinto reenactors.

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The Battle of San Jacinto was only 18 minutes long, but it ended the nearly seven month long Texas Revolution.

Because of Sam Houston’s victory here at San Jacinto, Texas would be its own nation – an independent republic – for almost 10 years.

Park interpreter, Boyd Harris, says we commemorate the battle of the Texians against Mexican General Santa Anna’s Army with a ceremony and reenactment at the San Jacinto Battlegrounds and State Historic Site in La Porte.

The best thing about the reenactment is you actually get to see our reenactors out there dressed as they would have been in 1836—both Texian Army reenactors and Mexican reenactors. You get a better sense of—in our opinion—the primitive nature of their weapons. Short range. The Mexican Army weaponry was only effect up to about 50, 100 yards. Which, in modern day battles is inconceivable to us. You get the idea that idea that this battle was more on a personal level. You could actually see the man across the field. I think that’s the best kind of thing to spark the imagination. To spark the curiosity in the visitor. To learn more about who these men were, how they lived and how they fought, and also how they died.

The commemorative ceremony is April 21—the 180 year anniversary of the battle; the reenactment and festival is on April 23.

Find details in the calendar section of the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show for today… Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti