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Sea of Mud: The Retreat of the Mexican Army after San Jacinto, An Archeological Investigation
Two forgotten weeks in 1836 and one of the most consequential events of the entire Texas Revolution have been missing from the historical record—the tale of the Mexican army’s misfortunes in the aptly named “Sea of Mud,” where more than 2,500 Mexican soldiers and 1,500 female camp followers foundered in the muddy fields of what is now Wharton County, Texas.
In 1996 a pediatrician and “avocational archeologist” living in Wharton, Texas, decided to try to find evidence in Wharton County of the Mexican army of 1836. Following some preliminary research at the Wharton County Junior College Library, he focused his search on the area between the San Bernard and West Bernard rivers. Within two weeks after beginning the search for artifacts, a Mexican army site was discovered, and, with the help of the Houston Archeological Society, excavated. Then began the archival exploration of the history behind the archeology, the contacting of historians with expertise in that period, and even the learning of Spanish so that the original source documents could be studied. The result is an amazing tour de force for a doctor who was “adept at circumcisions, spinal taps, and treating asthma but . . . knew next to nothing about Texas history.”
One of those consulted in the course of this work was noted historian Professor James E. Crisp of North Carolina State University, who calls the author a “natural historian” and describes Dimmick’s findings as “a story which rivals the miracle of San Jacinto in importance . . . a remarkably complete account of what happened to the main force of the Mexican army between April 21 and the second week of May, 1836 . . . a few days [within which] an orderly Mexican withdrawal to a defensive position within Texas turned into an unmitigated disaster which sealed the fate of the Mexican campaign.”
The movements of the Mexican army during the two-week period from April 21 to May 9, 1836, are followed in meticulous detail, based on the full scope of published and unpublished sources, many of which appear here in English, and in their entirety, for the first time. The actions of Mexican generals Vicente Filisola and José de Urrea and the bitter rivalry between them are presented in their own words, from their letters and diaries. And this is only half the story. The author and his “digging buddies” have located many actual artifacts dropped or discarded in the mud by Mexican soldados more than 165 years ago. Thousands of hours excavating in the Sea of Mud ( El Mar de Lodo ) have produced hundreds of items (many pictured and described in the book) along with the army’s trail—munitions, arms, uniform fragments, and personal items—all serving to paint a more accurate picture than we have heretofore had of Santa Anna’s army and its response to his order to retreat.
All in all, this is a breathtaking accomplishment in historical and archeological investigation and a book that will henceforth be a standard reference for those studying the 1836 campaign in Texas.
In 1996 a pediatrician and “avocational archeologist” living in Wharton, Texas, decided to try to find evidence in Wharton County of the Mexican army of 1836. Following some preliminary research at the Wharton County Junior College Library, he focused his search on the area between the San Bernard and West Bernard rivers. Within two weeks after beginning the search for artifacts, a Mexican army site was discovered, and, with the help of the Houston Archeological Society, excavated. Then began the archival exploration of the history behind the archeology, the contacting of historians with expertise in that period, and even the learning of Spanish so that the original source documents could be studied. The result is an amazing tour de force for a doctor who was “adept at circumcisions, spinal taps, and treating asthma but . . . knew next to nothing about Texas history.”
One of those consulted in the course of this work was noted historian Professor James E. Crisp of North Carolina State University, who calls the author a “natural historian” and describes Dimmick’s findings as “a story which rivals the miracle of San Jacinto in importance . . . a remarkably complete account of what happened to the main force of the Mexican army between April 21 and the second week of May, 1836 . . . a few days [within which] an orderly Mexican withdrawal to a defensive position within Texas turned into an unmitigated disaster which sealed the fate of the Mexican campaign.”
The movements of the Mexican army during the two-week period from April 21 to May 9, 1836, are followed in meticulous detail, based on the full scope of published and unpublished sources, many of which appear here in English, and in their entirety, for the first time. The actions of Mexican generals Vicente Filisola and José de Urrea and the bitter rivalry between them are presented in their own words, from their letters and diaries. And this is only half the story. The author and his “digging buddies” have located many actual artifacts dropped or discarded in the mud by Mexican soldados more than 165 years ago. Thousands of hours excavating in the Sea of Mud ( El Mar de Lodo ) have produced hundreds of items (many pictured and described in the book) along with the army’s trail—munitions, arms, uniform fragments, and personal items—all serving to paint a more accurate picture than we have heretofore had of Santa Anna’s army and its response to his order to retreat.
All in all, this is a breathtaking accomplishment in historical and archeological investigation and a book that will henceforth be a standard reference for those studying the 1836 campaign in Texas.
- GenresHistory
386 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 26, 2020
This book starts out very strong. The first 100 pages or so discuss the differences between the two main Mexican generals after San Jacinto:
Filisola--- the General of the Army. He had been with the main unit when Santa Anna took the elite units on a forced March to capture the Texas government. General Cos then took 500 of the healthiest troops to reinforce Santa Anna. This left Filisola with the dregdes of the army. He had the sick and injured, the old and infeeble, and the camp followers (wives, family, servants, and prostitutes). He thought he had no other choice than to pull back to fight another day.
Urrea---Filisolas subordient. Urreas troops had been involved in successful battles. While Filisolas troops were untested, Urreas troops had been involved in every Mexican victory. They wanted to March to San Jacinto and avenge Anna's loss.
The first 100 pages focus on their dynamic.
The rest of the book is for the hard core Texas Historian. It focuses on the actual archeology---what was found where. How a letter on a button identies a specific military unit passed through a specific point.
Filisola--- the General of the Army. He had been with the main unit when Santa Anna took the elite units on a forced March to capture the Texas government. General Cos then took 500 of the healthiest troops to reinforce Santa Anna. This left Filisola with the dregdes of the army. He had the sick and injured, the old and infeeble, and the camp followers (wives, family, servants, and prostitutes). He thought he had no other choice than to pull back to fight another day.
Urrea---Filisolas subordient. Urreas troops had been involved in successful battles. While Filisolas troops were untested, Urreas troops had been involved in every Mexican victory. They wanted to March to San Jacinto and avenge Anna's loss.
The first 100 pages focus on their dynamic.
The rest of the book is for the hard core Texas Historian. It focuses on the actual archeology---what was found where. How a letter on a button identies a specific military unit passed through a specific point.
December 17, 2016
An in-depth look at the withdrawal of the Mexican army after their vanguard divisions were defeated at San Jacinto. At times it devolves into a he said, she said argument, but only because the primary sources available are just that: Filisola and Urrea arguing back and forth over how and why things really happened and who was to blame. The author does a good job of remaining unbiased in presenting both sides of the argument and trying to get to the truth of the matter. This is an event that doesn't get taught in schools (not even in Texas, where we're required to take Texas History class in middle school!) and I was pleased to finally discover what happened between "The Texians won at San Jacinto" and "Texas won its independence". If Texas history or even just military history interests you, you will enjoy this look at how an army can be defeated in the field not just by an opposing force, but also by the forces of nature.
August 28, 2013
An archaeological examination of the retreat of the Mexican army after San Jacinto that seems, to me anyway, to get bogged down (pardon the pun) in the war of words between Generals Urrea and Filisola as to who was to blame for the retreat. I was expecting a little more archaeology, truth be told; but I'm still glad I read it.
October 27, 2011
Gregg Dimmick gives us a glimpse of the Mexican army defeat at San Jacinto and the costly withdrawal through the "el mar de lodo" (the sea of mud) between the San Bernard River and the West Fork of the San Bernard.
April 10, 2016
I really enjoyed Gregg's evaluation of the Mexican army's retreat from San Jacinto and, especially, of Filisola's, Urrea's, and Santa Anna's explanation of how things happened, didn't happen, and should have happened. A very readable and gripping retelling of events.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews