The Battle as Told by Archeology:

by Roger G. Moore, Ph.D., R.P.A., and Douglas Mangum he battlefield at San Jacinto the Mexican camp was long assumed to be an quickly overturned T archeological slate wiped the assumption that clean. It was assumed that what no trace remained of souvenir hunters had not carried away the battle. We were had been covered by Ship Channel more than relieved dredge spoil. Previous archeological and frankly ecstatic work at the site had been restricted to to discover that some the ground disturbance “footprints” chalk marks and of specific projects such as utility smudges do indeed lines and other improvements, and, remain on the slate perhaps critically, none of these of the San Jacinto prior investigations appear to have Battlefield. Our task utilizedA metalStory detectors. Whatever to Beis now Continued… to read these the reason, no first-hand evidence of marks intelligently to the battle had been obtained by these see if they can tell us small survey excavations. In matters anything new about archeological, however, ultimate this critical conflict. 2003 aerial photograph of San Jacinto Battlefield. All photos, unless otherwise noted, courtesy Moore Archeological Consulting, Inc. (MAC) authority rests with what comes Work so far has been out of the ground, and rumors of limited to three general men) at the confluence of Buffalo finds outside the site suggested that areas. A small amount of work has been Bayou and the San Jacinto River. conventional wisdom might be flawed. done in the area of the Texas camp, • The Mexican probes the Texas position in the tree line First Systematic Archeological significant sampling has been done in and is repulsed by fire. Research Investigation at the aforementioned area of the Mexican • An artillery duel between the single San Jacinto Battleground camp, and a swath along the shoreline Mexican and the two State Historical Site of Peggy Lake has been surveyed. Texas cannon lasts much of the The Texas Parks and Wildlife afternoon with no real results. Synopsis of the Battle • An attempt by the Texas cavalry Department, the San Jacinto Historical and its Significance to attack the retreating Mexican Advisory Board, and the Friends of This synopsis of the battle is based artillery piece is repulsed by San Jacinto Battleground ensured on letters from various participants the Mexican cavalry. that systematic research archeology • Both sides retreat to encampments. as well as the traditional account. The Mexican units build a breastwork was included among the tasks to Many of the events in this timeline be carried out by a park planning out of packs, saddles and brush. may have left physical imprints • The Mexican army is reinforced in consulting team. Moore Archeological that can still be discerned if we the evening by General Cos with Consulting, Inc. (MAC) was selected are able to look for them. approximately five hundred men. to conduct these investigations in the April 21, 1836 vicinity of the Mexican Army camp. April 20, 1836 • Texas forces (ca. 700 men) meet • Neither side engages the other Recovery of significant quantities of with Mexican forces (ca. 800 throughout the morning. indisputable battle-related artifacts from • Around 3 p.m. the Texas forces form in line in a low spot in the About the Authors: battlefield and advance toward Roger G. Moore, Ph.D., R.P.A., founded Moore Archeological Consulting, the Mexican defenses. Inc., of Houston, Texas, in 1982. His dissertation focused upon • The Mexican forces recognize Southeast Texas hunters and gatherers over the last 2000 years. the advance late and attempt to form up to meet it. Douglas Mangum, a graduate of the University of Texas in Austin, has worked on • Texas cannon and sharpshooter fire archeological sites in Scotland, England, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas, strike the Mexican forces before a before joining Moore Archeological Consulting. He acts as GIS manager for line of battle can be established. the firm and has developed many of the maps for the San Jacinto project.

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6010845_UofH_Text.indd 61 10/13/10 6:15:09 AM • Texas infantry swarms over the force (bullets and cannonballs) remain with a MAC staff member and an Mexican breastwork and drives where they fall unless disturbed by Archeological Steward. At all times their opponents towards a boggy cultivation or construction. And, MAC staff members were present stream behind their position. • Mexican forces break and as the result of an archeologically when excavations and artifact flee. Many are killed trying distinctive and virtually instantaneous retrieval took place. MAC staffers to cross the boggy creek. event, no confusing second or third or stewards recovered and bagged • Texans essentially capture or kill layers of occupation are added to the all artifacts and kept field notes. entire Mexican force while losing archeological record of a battlefield fewer than thirty killed and wounded. When a team found a “hit,” efforts unless the ground is soon fought over were made to determine the size April 22, 1836 again. The distribution of artifacts and potential depth of the artifact. • Gen. Santa Anna captured across the hallowed landscape thus fleeing on foot. The size of the hole excavated was becomes a lens to peer through the “fog dependent on this effort. Archeologists From the perspective of the of war” despite the passage of 170 years. and stewards attempted to minimize number of participants (roughly Data Recovery Methods the size and depth of the excavation 2,000 total) and the time it took (less The stereotypical image of an to what was absolutely necessary than twenty minutes for the main archeologist digging large, square to recover the artifact. Excavations conflict), the battle of San Jacinto holes by hand in hopes of finding were filled back in immediately after was little more than a skirmish. artifacts does not apply here for the recordation with the total station. However, its outcome was far- reasons outlined above. Instead, the reaching as readers will appreciate. A Sokkia Set 6F total station was investigations at San Jacinto have, and used to gather the location data for The Battle as Artifact will continue to rely heavily on metal each artifact. Permanent benchmarks San Jacinto may have been a detectors—in fact, the use of metal close to the work area were created particularly brief battle, but no battle detectors and volunteer operators to and used to set up the blocks within lasts more than an instant in the find the artifacts was essential to the the Project Area. This allowed for a timeframe of archeology. We are success of this investigation. Efforts high level of accuracy and precision accustomed typically to excavating sites to recover artifacts using traditional in recording the location of the that were utilized for tens to thousands archeological sampling methodology artifacts. This effort was critical to of years. Battlefield archeology is most would be prohibitively expensive and exciting and yields the most insight time consuming with no when the dynamic and ephemeral guarantee of equal results. character of conflict and its intent are Additionally, it is reasonable central precepts of analysis. Battles in to expect that a large history are semi-organized projections percentage of the possible of force between groups of men, and artifacts associated with the that force has been projected at the battle will be made of metal. level of hand-to-hand conflict through The volunteer operators the movement of armed men, on foot bring a level of expertise in or on horseback. Attack from afar is the use of their machines accomplished by the flight through the that could not be matched air of physical projectiles, from the first by professional archeologists, cast of a spear to the relative perfection who typically have little of the nineteenth century gun. experience using metal Movement and intent are key detectors. The subtleties concepts for conflict archeology of the machines and their because battles are not “constructed”— effective use are as much once begun, they simply happen, an art form as a science. resulting in scatters of arms, projectiles, By teaming the volunteer personal items, and ultimately human metal detector operators with remains across the landscape. With professional and avocational the significant exceptions of collection archeologists, MAC of booty and the burial or scavenging achieved the combination of human and animal remains, of maximum artifact nobody tidies up after a battle. The retrieval with assurance miscellaneous debris of combat and of full documentation. Archeologists, Stewards, and volunteers working in Mexican especially the aerial projections of Each operator was teamed camp area. Photo: Peter E. Price 62 Houston History Volume 4, number 2 spring 2007

6010845_UofH_Text.indd 62 10/13/10 6:15:10 AM the investigation because it allowed of artifact types. us to look for both large and small Further divisions were patterns in the distribution of the made where possible artifacts. Large patterns could include including uniform spread of shot from artillery rounds parts (buttons, and distribution of fired balls. insignia etc.), gun Small patterns could include items parts (ram rods, lock- dropped by a single individual or plate screws), and items scattered around a campfire. by size of musket Blocks balls. These results For the sake of time and control it were combined with was necessary to limit the excavations the initial location to a sample of the available areas. data and examined With this in mind, “blocks” were in detail for more established within each general area to subtle patterns. Such be examined. The initial blocks were patterns included placed to maximize coverage of each examination of area while not surveying the whole. the distribution 1930 Tobin aerial of San Jacinto Battlefield, prior to construction Additional blocks were added later of different sizes of of monument. in efforts to follow real or perceived musket balls, based on which suggests that they were fired patterns of artifacts found in other the understanding that the Mexican from one or both of the Twin Sisters. blocks. On the main battleground, Army was predominantly armed There have long been questions about blocks were typically 900 or 3,600 with English Brown Bess .75- the size of the Twins and whether square meters in size, but exceptions while the Texans they were firing formal shot or some occurred as necessary. During the were armed with a wider array of sort of expedient projectiles (chopped Peggy Lake work, blocks were made and musket and types. up horseshoes being a popular up of as many 60-by-60 meter sub- After artifacts had been fully suggestion). The radii of the canister blocks as could be fit into the area cataloged, they were sent to bases confirms with virtual certainty cleared for the weekend’s work. conservation laboratories at Texas that they were fired from six-pound cannon (referring to the weight of a On the main battleground work, A&M University where the items were treated to prevent further cannon ball that would fit the barrel). a series of two-meter-wide lanes The dimples found on the bases and were set within each block until the decay. The material was next transferred to the Texas Parks and the iron bases themselves suggest that whole area was covered. Teams were at least some formally manufactured assigned lanes and examined them Wildlife Department for permanent safekeeping and eventual exhibit. canister shot was available to the completely. The same basic pattern Texas side on the day of the battle. was followed during the Peggy Lake Results Mexican Camp work, but with teams being assigned Twin Sisters sub-blocks rather than lanes. One of the most interesting finds Our work in the Mexican camp was situated within (though it did Once a field day was completed, from this work was the recovery of two artillery canister bases. Canister shot not completely cover) the traditional work in the lab began. The data from locations of the breastwork and the the total station was immediately would have been the most likely and most useful type of shot used by the camp. Despite this placement, elements downloaded into a GIS mapping of the finds were more suggestive of system (ArcView) and examined for artillery on the field that day. Canister is essentially a shell for a retreat zone rather than the main potential rough patterning of the area of conflict. For example, more artifacts. At this point, the recovered cannon, except that the shell (canister casing) is expelled out the barrel along than ninety percent of the musket artifacts were distinguished on the balls found in this area were dropped plots only by their field classifications with the shot. The bases we found are literally the bottoms of the cans that rather than fired. Additionally, little as “battle-related,” “historic metal,” in the way of camp goods was found. or “other”. Patterns that were had held the shot, and these bases had clearly been fired because each The most frequently found battle- immediately obvious might lead to related artifacts, aside from musket setting of new investigation blocks. bore a symmetrical pattern of dimples that reflected the positions of the balls, were uniform parts, musket The lab then began to clean, identify approximately 1.2- to 1.3-inch shot related artifacts, and a small number and catalog artifacts. Corrections balls in the canister. Both were found of personal items. Though it is likely were made to the initial divisions in the area of Mexican retreat goods, that useable camp-related items would Houston History Volume 4, number 2 spring 2007 63

6010845_UofH_Text.indd 63 10/13/10 6:15:10 AM , possibly Brown Bess Musket. Canister shot base, fired. Two musket balls and one buckshot. have been scavenged by the Texas with replica canister two Mexican coins (one a Spanish army, it is also probable that many can refine our understanding of the Colonial half real, the other a Mexican small or unwanted items would have range and effect of these weapons. Republic eight real, both silver), two been missed or left behind. Yet little Texas Camp buttons (one with the Mexican Eagle of the sort has been found so far. The Work so far in the area of the Texas symbol), more than a dozen buckles of scarcity of such finds suggests that the camp has been limited to a single day various types, a spur and a number of location of the camp and breastworks of detecting in a fifty-square-meter insignia. These last included two horn may be somewhat different than block near the park headquarters. decorations, a lion’s head in profile traditionally believed or the paucity Though more than one hundred and the two striking brass cross-belt of surviving camp-related artifacts artifacts were found, none could be plates with BG° inscribed in flowing may be due to the brief duration of related to the battle. Examination script on them. The BG° plates were the camp itself. Or the scarcity of of aerial photographs suggests that determined to be from the Battalion camp artifacts may reflect a bias of the some previous construction may have Guerrero, one of the “permanent” collection technique employed—in impacted this area and eradicated battalions with Santa Anna at San other words, most camp artifacts any possible battle related items. Jacinto. Among the musket-related simply may be non-metallic. A more items found were five ramrods, two exhaustive recovery method such as Peggy Lake lock plate screws, a broken gun tool manual excavation must be employed Work in the Peggy Lake area was such as would have been used on across the area before we dismiss conducted in the summer of 2005. the screws, a broken frisson, two the traditional campsite location. This work was confined to a relatively gunflints, and an entire bayonet. It narrow band between an access road is likely that most of these were from Further investigations in the broader and the modern shore of the lake. This potential breastworks and campground the Brown Bess musket that was the work was complicated by the fact that mainstay of the Mexican infantry. area are necessary to determine at least three homesteads were located decisively what is reflected in the here after the battle. Numerous artifacts Interdisciplinary Approaches artifact patterning. But we can already were recovered during the fieldwork, This project has been the effort of celebrate the fact that this patterning but most were determined to relate to an interdisciplinary team including definitely survives and holds meaning. these later occupations. In all, only historians, archeologists, and other We are finding clusters of musket balls twenty-seven battle-related items were scientists. Some of the principle that probably represent the abandoned recovered; most of these were unfired outside contributions came from boxes of individual Mexican musket balls. All evidence suggests that the following individuals. soldiers. Matching bullet mold scars this area was part of the precipitous Douglas D. Scott, Ph.D. (formerly may allow us to link individual soldiers retreat of the Mexican soldiers after with the U.S. Parks Service and known into large units, or follow their path in the Texans broke their lines. for his work at the Little Big Horn and flight from their foe. High-information Artifacts Palo Alto battlefields) conducted the artifacts like the Battalion Guerrerro examination of all lead shot recovered chest-plates simplify the location of We have already mentioned that the most numerous items from the during the investigation of the Mexican troop units on the ground. The position camp. This study showed that less than of the canister shot bases tells us not battlefield were those intended to be flung about at high speed and with bad 10 percent of these had actually been only about the size and ammunition fired. He was also able to determine of the Twin Sisters, but also hints at intent, such as the musket balls and canister bases. Personal items included that some balls had come from the their firing positions at a critical points same bullet mold and made many other in the battle. Live fire experiments two parts of a broken fork or spoon, 64 Houston History Volume 4, number 2 spring 2007

6010845_UofH_Text.indd 64 10/13/10 6:15:11 AM Possible Shalo decoration. Spur with intact rowel.

valuable qualitative and quantitative He also resolved innumerable GIS to determine the range of possible observations regarding the bullets. problems that have been encountered firing positions of the cannon. Michael E. Ketterer, Ph.D. over the period of the project. Battlefield archeology applied to (Chemistry Dept., University of Future Objectives San Jacinto has already provided both Northern Arizona) carried out a study The work conducted at San Jacinto insights and artifacts to expand the of the isotopic signature of twenty only scratches the surface. Our work experience of visitors to this hallowed lead samples removed from musket raised as many questions as it answered. ground. Continued multidisciplinary balls and ingots found during the For example, the ambiguity of results research promises to fill minds as Mexican camp investigation. These so far in the Mexican camp area well as display cabinets with a clearer isotopic signatures are unique to underlines the need for significantly image of this important conflict.  particular lead deposits and therefore more work. This work will involve identify the mining source of the raw expansion of the detector survey into material. He determined that five of more blocks, as well as using alternative the samples were from the Mississippi remote sensing devices such as ground River Valley and thus were most penetrating radar and more sensitive likely Texan in origin. Fourteen of the electromagnetics to locate artifacts and remaining samples were disclosed as features. We can expect eventually to of Mexican origin, while the mining identify definitively the location of the source of one item was indeterminate. camp and the main area of conflict, Mark Everett, Ph.D. (Geophysics including the Mexican breastwork. Dept., Texas A&M University) and We will also look in earnest for the graduate student Carl Pierce conducted Texas camp and evidence of the an experimental electromagnetic survey cannon duel from the day before of limited areas of the park. This study the main battle. Additional work is suggested that there may be items also planned for the location of the more deeply buried than can be found new visitor’s center for the park. with hand held metal detectors. Two We are currently preparing a significant artifacts (a musket ramrod proposal for an experimental live and a broken musket tool) were found firing of a six-pounder cannon, using during the electromagnetic survey. replica canister rounds, in order to Peter E. Price, GISP (North Harris determine the fall of individual shot College) provided both direct and and fragments of the canister. This technical support to the Geographical experiment will allow us to better Information System (GIS) mapping understand the potential firing efforts. He geo-referenced many locations of the Twin Sisters on the historic maps and aerial photographs day of the battle. Should shot and of the battlefield, enabling us to additional canister fragments be accurately plot the locations of historic found during future excavations, features on the modern landscape. comparing their patterning to the experimental results may allow us Battalion Guerrero cross belt plate. Houston History Volume 4, number 2 spring 2007 65

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