The Sea of Mud (1836 Texas History)

[Native Texan]

On this day 183 years ago, the main part of the retreating Mexican army struggled through an "endless sea of mud" on the Lissie prairie.

General Santa Anna, wanting to move fast to catch Sam Houston, had taken about 900 of his best soldiers to San Jacinto leaving several thousand to follow. When the following forces under General Filisola and Urrea got word of the defeat at San Jacinto, they planned to move West across the Colorado River and await orders from the Mexican government. In their view, the capture or death of Santa Anna did not mean an end to the conflict.

Almost 4000 Mexican soldiers and camp followers left Madam Powell's Tavern (near present day Kendleton) on the morning of April 26th. As soon as they crossed the San Bernard River the rains came. Heavy pouring rain that hardly let up for almost two days. Trapped between the Middle and West Bernard Rivers in "El Mar de Lodo" (a sea of mud), the withdrawing Mexican forces left behind wagons, artillery, and many other items in the knee to waist deep mud.

Slogging their way North, they finally reached the Atascocita crossing (present day Columbus) on May 9th...exhausted, sick, and with most of their weapons lost or ruined.

The Battle of San Jacinto was a decisive victory for the Texans, but Mother Nature had put the final nails in the coffin of the Mexican forces.

Artifacts from the Sea of Mud are currently on display at San Felipe de Austin State Historic Museum.

http://www.sealynews.com/stories/sea-of-mud,81247

Most of the research and artifact recovery of this significant event of the Texas Revolution is due to the efforts of Greg Dimmick, a pediatrician from Wharton....

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZjWWcM1_K8"]Mexican Army in Texas: The Sea of Mud - YouTube[/ame]

[Johnny Dangerr]

Thanks...............

[Niko]

Great read, Thanks for the write up.

[armadillophil]

My friend bought some land that was a campsite for Santa Anna in East Bernard. Previous owner was digging tank and found a cannonball. That bought out some bigwigs to take some samples. I’m going out to metal detect it soon.

[JerryC]

Thanks for sharing that bit of Texas history. I drive through that area pretty regularly and did not know any of this. Cool bit of history.

[Johnny Dangerr]

We do get a bit of rain from time to time...............

[Native Texan]

I was on a goose lease bordered by the Middle Bernard River for many years, and never knew what had taken place in the mud where I was setting out my decoys. Many of the artifacts on display were found on the property. You just never know what may be buried beneath your feet. I wish I still had that lease!!

The Sea of Mud-2006

The little red x's in the distance is the location of my duck blind where musket pieces were found...about 100 yards from where a 6.25" bronze Howitzer ball was dug up.

[smokeless]

Watch the video. He talks about the tank digging and finding cannonballs. He goes on to say , they searched the area for miles.

[Gunnyart]

fascinating lecture. Thanks for sharing.

[WRasco]

Thanks for sharing

[be12hunt]

That’s incredible, thanks for sharing.

[TexasAggie04]

Great read, thanks for sharing! I live in the area and Dr. Dimmick was my pediatrician as a child. My wife sells decorated cookies and is actually baking and decorating a couple dozen for his wife right now.

[Tbar]

Enjoyed that.......thanks for posting.

[RifleBowPistol]

I love reading about Texas history. I have not read about that story in Texas history books, but I have heard stories that have come from Mexicans, that claim that multiple Texas accounts of the war between Texas and Mexico are not accurate. The stories I were told, were passed down through the generations, probably from Mexicans solders who fought in the war. It was a long time ago, I heard stories that did not go along with what I was taught in school. I don't remember the details of those stories, but this is interesting. Hard to claim those stories told by those Mexican generals are not true, after they found all of those artifacts exactly where the Mexicans claimed to have been.

Sounds like mother nature or god wanted us to have this land.

[Wood Man]

Very interesting stuff. Thanks for that info.