I agree that there is controversy. The whole of the revolution was a disorganized fiasco that seemed to work out in favor of Texas in spite of all the factions that wanted to do different things.
This road thing is a bluff on the part of those that wish to portray Houston as a coward.
If you look at the road where the tree stood you will understand. Now my position is faught with lack of any intelligence from Houston--I will admit. In the same moment I will stand by Houston's past and say that He was acting in a usual Houston manner---quietness and close to the vest.
My argument from History:
The Texans WERE in disarray. There was no established government. The Mexicans were not chasing Houston---they were chasing the government that was trying to escape to Louisiana. Santa Anna had divided his forces, giving orders to Cos to go along the coast in order to keep the government from escaping by sea.
This is, BTW, a crucial development in the Mexican defeat.
There were spies in Houston's camp from a number of different Texan factions and they were the disorganizing effect in the whole of Houston's attempt.
One of these was a spy for the then President of the US--his name escapes me now--but Houston had him arrested for taking men, desperately needed, and attempting to chase Santa Anna into Harrisburg (now Houston).
Where was this tree ?
I think Houston needed to be in The Mexican rear. His attempt was was to get out of the way and let the Mexicans by-pass his army in order to do this---keep on chasing the Government.
Santa Anna became ingrossed with the government, fixated is a good word and disregarded Houston as being important--feeling the army was nothing to contend with.
Houston camped in what is now Spring, Texas for a week---this where the tree was.
I don't think that there is anything, other than rumor, and I have researched it for a number of papers written by me, for classes I took on Texas History at Sam Houston State when I was a student there (no-it was not a year after the battle--as some suggest
) .
Houston arrived in Harrisburg/Houston AFTER the Mexicans burned the town. The government was in what is now LaPorte then called Morgans point. They obtained a schooner there and sailed across the bay to Anahuac with thoughts of Louisiana.
The lay of the land is of supreme importance in this thought--and Houston was familiar with the lay of the land. You boys might find an atlas handy from this point on.
If you look at Houston and where LaPorte is you will find that it is a dead end gulch, if you want to look at it from a western term.
On the north was a bayou--Now the Houston ship channel---then just a swamp. To the South, from where Cos was trying to converge with Santa Anna, is a series of E to W Bayous which made traversing North to South slow. I must remind you that there were no bridges across most of these.
Santa Anna was bottled up without hope of help. Swamp on the North, Bay on the East, SE and Bayous on the South.
Houston defied all odds of having his command disrupted by factions that just wanted ill-advised attack on the Mexicans until the odds were in their favor.
Now, in my defense, I have not relied on reports from others. These are my studies and my opinions.
Sam (I AM) Houston defied all odds by playing his cards and keepin his plans close to his chest. This is historically, Houston's demeanor and personality.
Still---I wonder at God's hands at San Jacinto. It was more than remarkable---it was providence. Therefore my signature line---"TEXAS, by GOD"
Blessings
