Customer Reviews

Eighteen Minutes: The Battle of San Jacinto and the Texas Independence Campaign

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On a warm, partly cloudy afternoon on Thursday, April 21st in 1836 a smaller, poorly trained, ragtag army attacked a larger, better equipped force. In 18 minutes, a nation was born and over a million acres of land changed ownership. Ranked as one of the decisive battles of the western world,the author has done an excellent job tracing the history of the San Jacinto Campaign of the Texas Revolution. Using maps and first hand accounts (many of which have seldom seen the light of day) Stephen Moore tracks both the Texian and Mexican forces. Included are several useful muster rolls and lists show when and where the various volunteer units were formed. (The writer of this review had two ancestors at San Jacinto.) An added bonus are some outstanding paintings by Texas artist Charles Shaw.If you are studying the Texas Revolution in general or San Jacinto in particular, BUY THIS BOOK.

The brave Texans who fought and died in the Battle of San Jacinto are only remembered in the footnotes of Modern U.S. History books and have never received credit for their magnanimous victory on the fields of San Jacinto. Rallying around the battle cry of the infamous phrases "Remember the Alamo" and "Remember Goliad," the Texan Army gained their independence by routing the Mexican Army of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna Perez de Lebron (Otherwise known as Santa Anna to mortals). Stephen L. Moore's "Eighteen Minutes" uses the battle as a background to tell the story of the Texan Independence Campaign and the men who fought in it. In fact, Moore goes into too much detail by telling readers the names, ranks, and background of just about everyone who fought in the San Jacinto campaign, which is several thousand Texans and Mexicans combined. Exaggerations aside, "Eighteen Minutes" is a great book for those history buffs around the country, and I picked it up wanting to learn more about a war that is barely covered or remembered. I do not recommend it for anyone wanting a page-turner, but it is great history and a great history novel. Finally, the Texan freedom-fighters are given the credit they deserve. From one history buff to another, I applaud your effort Mr. Moore.

This book would not be the first to read on the subject of the 1835-1836 independence movement. 'Texian Iliad' is a good introduction. 'Eighteen Minutes' contains more detail than some readers would want in the names of persons, army organization, and so forth. The details provide what is needed by those wanting to investigate further, but little help is provided those readers lacking a understanding of the conditions of the time and place.

A great overview of the Texas Revolution, troops movements and motivations. The often told story of the climatic battle of San Jacinto [make that "San Haceento" not "San Yacinto"] is riveting. The small band of distraught and angry Texas survivors refuses to retreat further. Houston is forced to make the best of a bad situation and is forced to fight.

Santa Ana was never worried. He'd whipped the Texans at Alamo. He'd butchered them at Goliad--and--the remaining Texans were running like scalded cats. Only worried that the Texas rebels might escape his vengeful hand, he splits his force into a three-prong dragnet. The morning the Texas forces show up, finds Santa Ana and his small army of regulares backed against the Buffalo Bayou.

The General is so unconcerned, some recollections have it, that he was entertaining himself with a mulatto girl he'd picked up at one of the local plantations. This is the famous "Yellow Rose" of Texas song and legend. She gave her all for Texas and Santa Ana was caught with his pants down.

The enraged Texans break the Mexican line screaming, "Remember Goliad! Remember the Alamo!" They remembered in blood. Pleading Mexican soldiers are backed into the bayou where they are shot, clubbed and knifed. Hatred between Texas and Mexico--hatred warmed at Alamo and heated at Goliad--came to a fatal boil at San Jacinto.

The great Generalissimo-Presidente de Mexico, Antonio Lopez de Santa, when offered the choice between hanging from an oak tree and signing away Texas, chose the latter or, as Col. Enrique de la Pena said, "Travis was a land-thief and criminal but he gave his life for his country. Santa Ana, when given the opportunity of dying like a Mexican hero, decided to save his own cowardly neck."

Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbid God"--on the Conquest of Mexico

Written by a sixth generation Texan and a descendant of fighters who themselves battled for Texas independence, Eighteen Minutes: The Battle Of San Jacinto And The Texas Independence Campaign is an extensive retelling of the critical battle that established Texas as the Lone Star Republic, independent from Mexico. Drawing directly from and telling its story through the words of over 120 Texan and Mexican soldiers, Eighteen Minutes follows the actions of General Sam Houston and his Texas volunteers from one week after the fall of the Alamo to his victory at San Jacinto. Eighteen Minutes is an exhaustively researched, superbly written military history, laying out the brief yet utterly decisive battle in minute detail.

I am reading this book right now for the fourth time. The book covers the period between the fall of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto.

The book is very detailed. Yet it is not laborious to read. In fact, it is riveting. The book not only covers the politics and strategies involved, but is also laced with first-hand accounts by participants, from Sam Houston to the common soldier.

Caution: Once you start reading it, it will be VERY difficult to put down. By far, this is my favorite book on the Texas War of Independence, and one of my favorite history books overall. Buy it and read it; you will not be disappointed.

A little more information about the size and content of the book, which turned out to be a very nicely packaged book with an enormous amount of historical content.