Draws from the writings of more than 120 Texan and Mexican soldiers to describe the Battle of San Jacinto, which established Texas as an independent nation.

Includes maps of: Location of Texas Army Forces, March 5, 1836; Path of the Texas Army, March 13-20, 1836; Path of the Texas Army, March 13-31, 1836; [Houston and Santa Anna's Movements near Harrisburg]; Battle of San Jacinto, April 21, 1836.

Introduction: "Daring Intrepidity" --xiii -- 1. "Never Surrender" -- 1 -- Santa Anna and the Texas Campaign -- 6 -- Sam Houston's Staff Departs Washington -- 10 -- 2. "Anxious for a Fight" -- 18 -- A Gathering at Gonzales Begins -- 18 -- Captain Billingsley's "Mina Volunteers" -- 19 -- Captain Hill's Washington Company -- 22 -- Captain Sherman's Kentucky Riflemen -- 24 -- Captain Seguin's Tejano Volunteers -- 27 -- Baker, McNutt and Rabb's Companies -- 29 -- Captain Bennett's Company Heads Out -- 34 -- Alamo's Fall -- 36 -- 3. Houston Takes Command -- 39 -- Mexican Army Departs Bexar -- 42 -- Houston Arrives in Gonzales -- 43 -- 4. "Flying in Terror and Agony" -- 48 -- Captain Patton's Company Organized -- 52 -- Gonzales Abandoned -- 57 -- Captain Bird's Men Join Houston -- 61 -- Last Stand at La Bahia: March 14 -- 67 -- Houston Marches Army to the Colorado -- 68 -- Captain Splane Joins -- 69 -- Navidad to the Colorado -- 74 -- New Texas Government -- 78 -- Texas Rangers Called to Join the Army -- 80 -- From Crier's to Beason's: March 18-19 -- 83 -- 5. Sparring along the Colorado -- 85 -- Karnes Takes a Prisoner -- 87 -- McIntire, Martin, and Logan's Companies -- 90 -- Captain Chance's Washington Guards -- 95 -- New Units Unite with Sherman's Division -- 97 -- Major Ben Smith's Brush with Sesma's Soldiers -- 103 -- 6. Falling Back -- 111 -- Houston Calls for a Retreat -- 114 -- Nacogdoches Volunteers -- 118 -- Sherman Joined by Forbes Battalion -- 120 -- Palm Sunday Massacre -- 128 -- 7. "Intensely Hungry, Weary and Wet" -- 134 -- North up the Brazos -- 136 -- San Felipe Is Burned -- 140 -- Arrival of Captains Kimbro and Bryant -- 145 -- Camp Moves to Groce's Landing -- 147 -- Travels of the Twin Sisters -- 151 -- Santa Anna on the Offensive -- 154 -- Fannin Survivors Reach Baker's Detachment -- 157 -- Court-Martial of Privates Scales and Garner -- 158 -- 8. Camping in the Brazos Swamps -- 162 -- Prisoner Execution Spared -- 164 -- Rusk Arrives at Groce's -- 167 -- Major Smith Raises New Company -- 171 -- Santa Anna Captures a Texan -- 176 -- Baker Detachment versus the Mexican Army -- 180 -- Houston Creates Second Regiment -- 183 -- Santa Anna Pushes On -- 186 -- 9. "I Will Avenge the Death of My Brave Friends" -- 190 -- Arrival of Fannin's Survivors -- 194 -- Martin's Men Abandon Fort Bend -- 195 -- Twin Sisters Reach Bernardo Plantation -- 197 -- 10. "The Last Hope of Texas" -- 203 -- Movements of Santa Anna's Men -- 205 -- "You Must Fall Back" -- 209 -- 11. Road to San Jacinto -- 222 -- Houston Marches to Harrisburg -- 233 -- Old Whip and Miss Emily -- 235 -- Spies Capture Santa Anna's Mail -- 237 -- 12. "Determined to Conquer or Die" -- 242 -- "Remember the Alamo" -- 248 -- 13. First Engagement -- 254 -- Supply Boat Captured -- 261 -- Sherman's "Little Squad of Heroes" -- 270 -- Into "The Hornet's Nest" -- 277 -- Houston Restrains Infantry -- 280 -- 14. "Burn That Bridge" -- 286 -- Numbers, Guns and Flags -- 294 -- Blacks and Tejanos in Service at San Jacinto -- 299 -- War Council -- 301 -- "Cut It Down and Set It on Fire" -- 303 -- 15. "Dreadful Havoc" -- 309 -- "Parade Your Companies" -- 310 -- Sherman's Second Regiment Draws First Blood -- 318 -- Burleson's First Regiment Engages -- 322 -- Santa Anna's Forces Overrun -- 326 -- "I Shot Old Betsy Six Times" -- 329 -- Twin Sisters against the Golden Standard -- 333 -- A "Panic Stricken Herd": Flight of Santa Anna -- 337 -- Halt Controversy -- 338 -- 16. "It Was Nothing but a Slaughter" -- 344 -- "Colonel Forbes Done It!" -- 350 -- Pursuit to Vince's Bridge -- 353 -- Late Arrivals to the Fight -- 357 -- "Damn Your Manners" -- 360 -- "The Hand of Providence Was with Us" -- 364 -- 17. Catching "The Old Fox" -- 369 -- McNutt's Men Arrive -- 374 -- "A Big Haul": Santa Anna Captured -- 375 -- Interrogation -- 381 -- 18. Spoils of War -- 387 -- Booty Auction: April 26 -- 394 -- Burnet Is Notified -- 400 -- Forbes Trial -- 401 -- Forbes v. Labadie Lawsuit -- 413 -- Miss Emily and the "Yellow Rose" Controversy -- 415 -- Who Shot Sam Houston? -- 417 -- Flags of the San Jacinto Campaign -- 417 -- How Many Texans Fought? -- 418 -- Post-San Jacinto Careers -- 420 -- San Jacinto Monument and Museum -- 425 -- A. Texian Casualties of the San Jacinto Campaign -- 429 -- B. Mexican Officers Killed and Captured at the Battle of San Jacinto -- 433 -- C. Roster of Texans Present at the Battle of San Jacinto -- 435 -- D. Roster of Texans Stationed at Texas Army Camp near Harrisburg -- 453 -- E. Other Companies of the San Jacinto Campaign -- 459. Introduction: "Daring Intrepidity” -- 1. "Never Surrender” -- 2. "Anxious for a Fight” -- 3. Houston Takes Command -- 4. "Flying in Terror and Agony” -- 5. Sparring along the Colorado -- 6. Falling Back --7. "Intensely Hungry, Weary and Wet" --8. Camping in the Brazos Swamps --9. "I Will Avenge the Death of My Brave Friends” -- 10. "The Last Hope of Texas" --11. The Road to San Jacinto --12. "Determined to Conquer or Die" --13. The First Engagement --14. "Burn That Bridge" --15. "Dreadful Havoc" --16. "It Was Nothing but a Slaughter" -- 17. Catching "The Old Fox" -- 18. The Spoils of War.