The Texan Revolution is Crushed

[Faeelin]

Okay, in 1836, things were looking pretty bleak for the Texan Republic. General Houston's force was on the run, withdrawing towrads the US border; and they were pursued by a force under Santa Anna, that proved fairly successful through the war, up until the battle of San Jacinto. He ordered his troops to stand down, confident that the inferior Texan force wouldn't attack them.

Suppose that Santa Anna's troops hadn't stood down, but instead prepared to finish off the Texans?

Mexican Texas probably isn't in the cards, but what about an earlier Mexican war?

Both armies were engaging in scorched earth tactics; the Texans to deny the Mexicans provisions, and the mexicans to punish the Texans. This led towards a flight of Texans back into American soil.

Meanwhile, Mexico thought that the border between Louisiana and Mexico was much further east than the Americans. So what probably happens is that the American army, which Jackson had placed in Texas, fights the Mexicans when they cross into what the Americans view as American territory.

Pointing to the spot of american soil where the Mexicans shed american blood, President Jackson could then ask Congress for a declaration of war against the Republic of Mexico....

Thoughts?

[Blaine Hess]

As I undertsand it, Houston avoided conflict untilthe right time. Id bet hed just keep moving until the right opportunity arose. Now what would be real intersting would be the impact of Houston moving forces into formal US territory and the Mexicans following in a 19th century hot pursuit.

[Max Sinister]

And AFAIK Santa Ana was anything but a good general. Professor Peter even describes him as an example for incompetent generals.

[Dave Howery]

Santa Anna was indeed incompetent, but he could easily have gotten a break and destroyed Houston by catching him unawares somewhere indefensible... actually, SA did have some excellent generals under his command, but rarely listened to them. His plans for post war TX were well known... the Americans wouldn't be massacred far and wide, but no more immigration would be allowed... Mexicans from the south would be encouraged to move there instead... the Texans would be subject to regular taxation and port fees (in a weird parallel to the ARW, the Americans in TX were loosely governed by a distant city and paid very low taxes compared to other Mexicans; being forced to pay more was a big part of why they revolted, along with having no real representation in the capital). Larger numbers of troops would be quartered in TX to enforce the laws.
Chances are, the US would be drawn into a war with Mexico earlier, due to outrages (real or not) inflicted on the expatriot Americans in TX...

[Faeelin]

As I undertsand it, Houston avoided conflict untilthe right time.

Actually, Houston's soldiers demanded that they attack; Houston himself thought that since they were so outnumbered, they'd be crushed.

[bill_bruno]

Suppose Houston refuses and the army just starts walking away or--is commanded under a lesser leaders and launches a disorganized attack, that gets beat.

Alternately, Santa Ana has the good sense to must mask the Alamo, leaving a force their to hold the garrison until the big guns come up, and he marches on before Houston can properly organize an army. I've actually be meaning to try that out on a game called The Texas Revolution.

[Iñaki]

With the great rethoric of Andrew Jackson and the blood of americans in Lousiana claming against Santa Anna and surely the great interests of some american sectors to obtain profit of a possible war against Mexico (and in this the South is very interested) we have surely a declaration of war.

I suppose Mexico will lost the war (I suppose more combats and blood than in 1846-48). I think the important question is how this early war and independence or early annexation of Texas by United States could affect the politic of the United States about the equilibrium between South and North? Is possible more influence of the south and more power caused by the fact of an early mexican war? And this will cause at the end a very different civil war or different compromises? Could this early war in the future will be the prelude of another mexican war? ,

I am thinking is probable that this first mexican war will be based in the freedom of Texas (although a Texas more enlarged than the initial Texas of OTL) but after if mexicans want revenge and or the americans note the weakness of the Mexican Army a new Mexican War in 1840´s or 185o´s is very possible and at the difference of OTL could be not only the territories gained in OTL war of 1846-48, could be also a formal protectorate over the north states of Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora, Baja California...), so this could be interesting in the expansionism of the United States, once proved the pleasures of these two victories and possibily with a better politic situation of the South in this ATL, could be a rebellion in Cuba in 1850´s against Spain could be profited by the South (If I remember well some cases like Ostende manifest in this ATL could be with more influence of the South could be used to foment a war in Cuba with more success than in OTL), could be the figure of Narciso Lopez (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narciso_Lopez) obtain more help from USA in this ATL caused by all the new situation initiated by this early war, he disembarks and instead of dying, obtains success in initiating a guerrilla war and after the USA demands an ultimatum that Spain refuses, so we have a spanish-american war in 1850´s, all this chain of events would change the equilibrium of power North-South in the United States.

[BrianP]

It seems like I remember reading once that Santa Anna had a wild hair up his butt and actually considered invading Louisiana once the Texans were defeated. Has anyone else heard that?

[Dave Howery]

Alternately, Santa Ana has the good sense to must mask the Alamo, leaving a force their to hold the garrison until the big guns come up, and he marches on before Houston can properly organize an army. I've actually be meaning to try that out on a game called The Texas Revolution.
glorious last stand though it was, the Alamo really didn't affect the war all that much. It cost Santa Anna only about 400-600 soldiers and a couple of weeks... the one effective thing it really did was give Houston a rallying cry...