Today we celebrate the 170th anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto. Yet the silence we celebrate in continues to boggle my mind. We loudly celebrate Cinco de Mayo - the 5th of May - where a Mexican army defeated an imperialistic venture of Napoleon III on May 5th, 1862.
The United States was too preoccupied with its own Civil War to react to a French attempt to take over Mexico, and a smaller Mexican army defeated a much larger French army, ending Napoleon III's venture before it got out of hand. In many ways, we should be thankful that Mexico defeated the French. I mean, after all, could you imagine having a French state as a neighbor? It's bad enough to have Quebec so close to American shores!
But still - we celebrate with sales, parties, and lots of drinking the 5th of May. Why is it that April 21st passes in such silence? The 18 minute Battle of San Jacinto was, without much exaggeration, one of the most important battles in the history of the United States. By defeating the Mexican army and capturing Generalissimo Santa Anna, Sam Houston and his ragged volunteers created the Texas Republic, which lasted until annexation by the United States in 1846.
Shortly after annexation, the Mexican War took place (1846-1848) and ended with the United States in control of the vast majority of what is today the American West. New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, and parts of Colorado entered the Union and the United States was well on its way to becoming an emerging world power.
So tonight when you're out to dinner or out with your friends, drink a little toast to Sam Houston and the Texicans that allowed us here in Texas to live in the greatest state in the Union.
Cheers!!
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