From scouts, Houston learned that Yellow Stone was tied up at Groce’s Landing. He moved his troops into a copse of timbers nearby, and they camped there in the rain. A contingent of some ‘80 volunteers from the Red River lands’ arrived to swell the ranks. On April 2, 1836, Houston sent Captain Ross a message:

Subscribe Today

• Did you enjoy our article?
• Read more in Wild West magazine
• Subscribe online and save nearly 40%!!!
 

Sir: You and each member of your crew and the Officers of the Boat are hereby assured and guaranteed that they and Each of them shall be indemnified as well as the boat Owners for Wages, losses and damages in consideration of the impressment of your Boat into the public Services of Texas (the Yellow Stone) and its detention for the benefit of the Republic and furthermore for the rendition of Services of the hands and the boat until it can be discharged each person shall be entitled to one-third league of land and the officers a proportionally larger quantity. You are not required to bear arms.
Given under my hand on the day and date above written (April 2, 1836, Head Quarters West of Brasos [sic]).
The Boat is not to leave without my orders.

Sam Houston

Santa Anna arrived at burned-out San Felipe on April 7. After two days of stiff resistance from a small Texas company, the Mexican army left San Felipe, crossed the river upstream and headed for Harrisburg, the seat of Texas’ government.

Houston had rested his men and waited for supplies that did not come, either from President David Burnet or the Toby brothers in New Orleans. He moved his troops closer to the Brazos, into the canebreaks opposite Groce’s Landing.

Captain John E. Ross sent a message from Yellow Stone, on Monday evening, April 11.

To Gen. Sam Houston
Sir I think the Cotton we have on board necessary to protect the Boat & Engine–if we have to pass the Enemy’s Cannon–I can transport 500 men with cotton enough to protect the boat from any damage from the Enemies fire–If you wish the cotton landed please instruct me–I can cross all the baggage without moving the cotton.
I have four cords of wood on board & Everything ready to ‘go ahead.’

With respect
Jno E. Ross Comg Yl.Stone
Capt Ross
All things will do as you say they are until further orders.

At 10 o’clock on the morning of April 12, Houston’s men began filing aboard Yellow Stone. By 2 p.m. the next day, more than 700 soldiers, 200 horses and supplies had been ferried across the swollen Brazos in seven trips aboard the sidewheeler. Once on the eastern bank of the river, they readied for the march to the Gulf.

Houston released the riverboat with calls for Godspeed and a safe journey. With cotton piled two decks high, the steamer roared downstream, belching black smoke, her whistle blowing and bell clanging. John Fenn, a prisoner of the Texans, was aboard that day. ‘Yellow Stone was plowing the water for all she was worth, lashing the banks with the waves on both sides as she went,’ he later said.

Ross knew part of the Mexican army would be waiting for him at the bend of the river. Neither he nor his men were Texas army volunteers, but they had aided the Texan rebels. He blasted along the familiar course. Mexican soldiers fired at the sidewheeler, but cotton bales absorbed the musket balls. Mexican horse soldiers even tried to lasso Yellow Stone’s chimneys. At her high rate of speed, rounding the river’s curve, the steamer skidded through a complete circle. Ross straightened her and continued the dash for the coast. He arrived at Velasco, the boat unscathed and her crew safe.

Meanwhile, Houston marched his men east, then south, toward the San Jacinto River below Harrisburg. Turned back by the Texans at San Felipe, Santa Anna took the main body of his troops across the Brazos above Washington, below the ford where the Baha Road crossed, then went on to Harrisburg and razed the town. The townspeople fled before him, joining the Runaway Scrape. Only smoke and ashes remained of the Texas capitol. The fledgling government had evacuated to Galveston.

Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to