During the writing of THE YELLOW ROSE – The Runaway Scrape, my studies of Texas history at Texas A&M University taught me that Sam Houston was not a coward. At least, shame on me if I dare write that he was, right?
One hundred and seventy-eight years ago, General Sam Houston fled from a large army commanded by General Antonio de Padua Maria Severino Lopez de Santa Anna y Perez. The government of Texas, the Texian soldiers, and the people of Texas were shouting that he was a coward the entire time he fled in the direction of the Sabine River. A lot of thought and research goes into writing creative historical nonfiction. I had to ask myself, “Was the victory at the Battle of San Jacinto a result of military genius or was General Houston’s victory an accident?
One piece after another in the puzzle in answering this question continued to pop up in my writing of the women and children trying to reach the Sabine ahead of Santa Anna. When I started writing this third novel in the Faith Chronicles, I must be honest, I didn’t know how to characterize Sam Houston whatsoever. But after a comprehensive study of his escape and the adversities he faced, I began to really understand what Sam Houston experienced those several weeks during the runaway scrape.
General Sam Houston lacked the support from most of the Texas people. Many did not want to fight. Many deserted. Many did not follow orders (they were, after all, volunteers). Sam Houston only had seven hundred men, and just a few days before the Battle of San Jacinto, one of his not so ardent supporters left Houston’s army and took four hundred men with him!
I firmly believe that it was fate and not military genius, with later planning on Houston’s part, that led to the success of the Battle of San Jacinto. I need to paint a picture for you here. How many are familiar with the Treaty Oak in Austin, Texas? How many are familiar with the numerous tanker trucks full of spring water that parked under the tree and intravenously fed the water to the poisoned oak? Did you ever stand under the massive oak and stare at its majestic and magnificent arms reaching out? I did!
A tree just like this stood outside Tomball, Texas in a small community called New Kentucky. Sam Houston and his army pulled up to the tree and two massive arms of the tree were held up and pointing in two different directions. One of the arms pointed to the east leading by the Trinity and to the Sabine River where US forces would be waiting for him to help, if he were to get that far. The other long drawn out arm of the oak tree pointed in the direction of Harrisburgh. Where does fate come into the equation? Sam Houston, with his officers stood under the tree, backed up a few steps, and looked at the tree. “Men, this old oak tree has been standing here for two hundred years. It continues to stand here proud!” One of the arms is longer and larger than the other and pointing in the direction of Harrisburg. “Men, we go thataway!” One of the volunteers turned and faced his fellow Texian. “Do you believe that? The General just looked at that tree, asked himself “whichaway’ and decided to go to Harrisburgh, just because one of those limbs is larger than the other.
This tree, which not much is written, has been referred to as the Whichaway Tree in history writings. It still stands today outside of Tomball, Texas and is every bit as majestic as it was one hundred and seventy-eight years ago.
I honestly believe that Sam Houston deserves the credit for the Battle of San Jacinto as being one of the top ten most decisive battles in the world’s history. Some have it in the eight position.
Today, I went to the beach front with my kids. I found a sea shell and
gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She
put the shell to her ear and screamed. There
was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell someone!
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Strolling along the beach is something most of us have done during our lifetime. I found your comment funny as anyone reading your remarks will agree. We have all put our ears to a sea shale at some time in our lives and listened to the ocean waves. Glad to be your bouncing board and enjoyed your comments!
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I was able to find good information from your blog
articles.
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Thanks for following Sisters of Mercy. I am pleased you found the post interesting. More posts regarding Sam Houston are forthcoming after Sam Bass and His Horse Marines gets to the publisher in ten days 🙂
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Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted
to say that I’ve really enjoyed surfing around your blog posts.
In any case I will be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts about click here. Regards
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What’s up to every body, it’s my first visit of this website; this web
site carries amazing and genuinely excellent data designed for visitors.
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Hi there are using WordPress for your site platform?
I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and create
my own. Do you need any coding knowledge to make your own blog?
Any hel would be really appreciated!
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Hi Corey.
Wordpress is the best blog site to use in my opinion. You don’t really
need coding experience as WordPress builds all the HTML code for you.
My suggestion is to go to a free YouTube tutorials and they really helped
me when I first got started. Use the free templates in WordPress.
Hope I helped some.
Again, thanks for dropping by.
—SEAN
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I want to to thank you for this very good read!!
I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it. I have got you book-marked to look at new stuff you post…
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Hi Shad.
I am glad you enjoyed your reading. I have been working on my newest novel,
The Flaming Blue Sword by Sidney St. James and have not posted new material
for a while. The newest novel is out on pre-release at Amazon.com and Kindle
Unlimited. I am now ready to begin posting more regularly. Again, thanks for
writing.
—SEAN
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This page really has all the information I wanted about this subject and
didn’t kknow who to ask.
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Hi Ellie.
Thanks for dropping by my blog and reading my article on Sam Houston
found in my novel, Sisters of Mercy. I appreciate your comments.
—SEAN
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Ahaa, its good conversation regarding this article at this place at this blog, I have
read all that, so at this timne me also commenting at this
place.
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Thanks Raymon. I am pleased you found my information about Sam Houston
in my novel, The Yellow Rose, interesting.
—SEAN
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Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew of any widgets I could add to
my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates.
I’ve been looking ffor a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you
would have some experience with something like this. Please let me know if
you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look
forward to your new updates.
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Hi Marsha.
I appreciate your dropping by my blog site. Newer updates are on their way
as I get ready to release The Flaming Blue Sword by Sidney St. James.
Thanks.
—SEAN
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This is really interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger.
I have joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your excellent post.
Also, I’ve shared your web site in my social networks!
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Hi Jocelyn.
Thank you for dropping by my site and reading about the Runaway Scrape.
I was very lucky when I bought the oldest home in Eagle Lake, Texas and one
of the family members gave me an old yellowed dog-eared edited manuscript of
Dilue Rose Harris. It really helped in telling her true story about running away
from the onslaught of the Mexican soldiers and Santa Anna.
I look forward for your future visits. Go check out my newest novel, The Flaming
Blue Sword. My pen name is Sidney St. James. It is a paranormal romance available
on pre-release for December 12, 2015 at Amazon.com and Kindle Unlimited.
See you soon…SEAN
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Hello! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wonderng if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form?
I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having difficulty finding one?
Thanks a lot!
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Sorry Leanne, but not sure how I can help you on this.
Thanks for dropping by Sean E. Jacobs.
—sean
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Write more, thats all I have tto say. Literally, itt seems as though youu relied on the video to make your point.
You obviously know what youre talking about, why throw away your
intelligence on just posting videos to your site when you could
be giving uus something informative to read?
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Hello Jordan.
I’m sorry you found more videos than you did my posts. I have over fifty or so posts and two videos.
Your search engine might have directed you to the videos and not the actual blog site. Most of my
posts have already been archived and there is a small sections for viewing older posts. I must admit
the small letters for directing you there gets lost in all the lines of text and colors. Thank you for your
post.
—SEAN
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Wow! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It’s
on a entirely different subject but it has pretty much the same layout and design.
Great choice of colors!
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Thank you Shenna.
I appreciate your comments. My newest novel, The Flaming Blue Sword is on pre-release from Amazon.com scheduled for December 12, 2015.
Look forward to your next visit and comments. Thanks.
—SEAN
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Hi ould you mind stating which blog platform you’re working with?
I’m planning to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a
tough time making a decision between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your design and style seems diffeent
then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely
unique. P.S Apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
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Hello Lashawn.
I use WordPress. There are a number of “free” templates and, of course, many great ones you can buy.
I have used other blogs when I started, but found WordPress the most user friendly. There are also
lots of youtube videos explaining how to use the many parts of the program. Thanks for dropping by my site.
—SEAN
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What’s up to every , since I am genuinely eager of reading this blog’s post to be updated on a regular basis.
It carries good material.
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Hello Winston.
Thanks for reading my blog. I am glad you enjoyed my material. More to come….
—SEAN
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I constantly spent my half an hour to read this weblog’s
posts everyday along with a cup of coffee.
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Thank you Marcella. I must admit I have been a bit behind posting due to my newest novel The Flaming Blue Sword by Sidney St. James. Thank you for taking me along over that first cup of coffee in the mornings.
—Sean (Sidney St. James)
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