Runaway Scrape - The Runaway and Scrapes

The Runaway and Scrapes

Sam Houston arrived in Gonzales on March 11, 1836, where Colonel James C. Neill, Colonel Edward Burleson, Captain Juan Seguín and their companies were now located. Two days later, they learned of the March 6 fall of the Alamo through the reports of Susanna Dickinson, after she had been released by the Mexican Army in San Antonio. Deaf Smith, Henry Wax Karnes and R. E. Handy had found Mrs. Dickinson and Karnes and other Texan family survivors of Santa Anna's campaign. With their reports in hand, the group hurried back to tell Houston of the news.

Upon hearing of the news and with subsequent reports of fleeing Texan families entering the camp, Houston decided to retreat, advising all settlers to follow. Henry Karnes was asked to burn Gonzales to prevent the Mexicans from gathering anything useful for their campaign. Although most Texian families had begun making preparation for leaving, substantial numbers decided to remain. As troops would march away from Gonzales, the remaining remnants lost their protectors. Salvador Flores along with a group of volunteers formed the rear guard that would protect the fleeing families. The Flores company proceeded westward to secure the lower ranches of San Antonio. Flores maintained this position offering protection from Mexican and Indian attack. On March 14, the caravan had reached the Lavaca River, there they would camp at Williamson Daniels.

On March 17, the Texians would cross the Colorado River where favorable defensive positions awaited them. Here they could secure three of the Colorado crossings; Burnam's, Dewee's (a.k.a., Mosely's) and Beason's, while waiting, although in vain, for the arrival of Colonel James Fannin's army. Preceding the Texian Army at these crossings was the civilian evacuation toward the American border and safety of Louisiana. On March 20, Sesma leading 800 men, had reached the Colorado. The Texians, although eager to battle, were advised by Houston to wait, which caused much grumbling and dissatisfaction among the troops.

Further up the Colorado at Mina (Bastrop), the civilian exodus traveling ahead of Antonio Gaona's Mexican Division, made use of the Puesta del Colorado crossing prompting the Ranger unit there to divide its forces. Half of the Tumlinson Ranger's corps protected the non combatants, accompanying them toward Nacogdoches along the San Antonio Road, with the remainder serving as rear guard between the Texan army below and the three pursuing Mexican vanguards. After the evacuation, Mina would be destroyed by the pursuing Mexican army and scavenged by Indians. After a week of organizing and training at Benjamin Beason's Crossing, the Texian Army under Sam Houston received the disheartening news of Fannin's fate. Houston would lose some 300 men, as they rushed to gather and escort their families. The flight eastward would continue toward San Felipe, on March 26.

On March 29, just the next day after arriving, Houston burned and abandoned San Felipe de Austin. This retreat of Houston and the Texian Army left more settlements unprotected. General Santa Anna had condoned the confiscation of food and the burning of towns along his route through Texas. Thus, his treatment toward rebelling Anglos, the "No Quarter" orders and proven history of massacre proved sufficient to cause thousands of settlers to flee his wrath. The refugee trains soon became a flood, as more settlers heard of the fall of the Alamo and the retreat of Houston. The flight was marked by lack of preparation and by panic caused by fear of both the Mexican Army and of Indians who, unknowingly were temporarily allied, might crush the fledgling Texan nation. While the fear of Indian alliance with Santa Anna was real, it did not materialize. By April 1 most settlements around the Brazos River were evacuated.

On April 2, Santa Anna reached Gonzales, following the military road he proceeded to take the Atascosito Crossing of the Colorado on April 5, and on April 7, he had reached San Felipe de Austin. While in San Felipe, Santa Anna did not know that Houston and his army were camped in a pasture across the Brazos River from Groce's Plantation, only fifteen miles above the main Mexican forces. For almost two weeks, the Texians would remain undetected, allowing time for their numbers to increase and training to progress. At the Brazos, the eager fighters were put to work. Captain Moseley Baker's company with Juan Seguin's company, would hinder the advance of Santa Anna for several days by blocking the Mexican army from crossing the Brazos river, thereby preventing them from rapidly overtaking the Texians. Wyly Martin was given the same task, but with a limited guard was flanked out of his position when the Mexicans crossed near Old Fort.

The spring of 1836 was wet, and many roads were washed away. The rain, cold, and lack of food and shelter made the settlers susceptible to many diseases such as cholera, whooping cough and dysentery. They were buried where they died. They also faced Mexican partisans and renegade looters who wanted what little the settlers may have fled with. Many were picked off by bands of Mexican scouts and partisans as well as hostile Indians. With the rivers flooded, the refugees were forced to make crude rafts to cross the swollen waterways, sinking them afterwards to delay their pursuers.

Houston stayed ahead of the Mexican army by crossing the Brazos beginning on the April 12 and marching east from Groce's Plantation on April 14. Santa Anna had learned of the Texian's President, David G. Burnet and other officials presence in Harrisburg and split his army by sending a detachment to capture them. The Texians also had also learned of the Mexican's plan and hurried to parallel the Mexican march. Harrisburg would be torched by the Mexican Army. On April 16, Houston's army ended the retreat by turning southeast to march toward the imminent confrontation at San Jacinto.

After pushing the defiant population before him in three primary pincer movements, Santa Anna presumed he had finally cornered the settlers and their protecting Texian soldiers and American volunteers under Sam Houston at San Jacinto.

The Runaway Scrape consisted of three major columns. The largest of these columns was protected by Houston's army. When Houston turned his army around he began collecting the refugee train behind his army. On April 21, in the subsequent battle of San Jacinto, this large group of settlers awaited their fate to the sounds of the battle before learning of Texas victory and their own safety. The remainder of the refugee columns continued for about six weeks until news spread of Houston's victory in the Battle of San Jacinto.

The Runaway Scrape had caused many families to incur substantial property losses, and upon their return home found their property had been ravaged and their livestock missing. Thus many ended up nearly destitute. Estimates of civilian casualties range from dozens to perhaps hundreds dead. Combined with military losses, the entire nation of Texas lost anywhere from a minimum of ten percent to upwards of twenty percent of its population.