April 21, 1836.
United States, Texas, San Jacinto.
Historically, at San Jacinto, the Texan army led by American colonist Sam Houston defeated Santa Anna's Mexican army despite being vastly outnumbered, routing them in just eighteen minutes.
In the battle, Sam Houston's 800 men launched a surprise attack on 3,000 Mexican troops, killing more than 700 of them while losing only eleven of their own. It was North America's Battle of Xiaoyao Ford, except Zhang the Eight Hundred and Sun the Hundred Thousand had been replaced by Sam Houston and Santa Anna.
Perhaps by a twist of historical fate, after the Battle of the Alamo, Santa Anna completely swept away the remaining Texan forces around San Antonio, then decided to head north.
That day happened to be April 21, 1836.
Santa Anna had received reinforcements from Mexico, bringing his total force to 12,000 men. However, he had to leave 4,000 troops behind to garrison San Antonio and guard against having his retreat cut off.
The Americans had bought off a Comanche tribe, so Santa Anna dispatched 2,000 men to teach them a lesson they would never forget.
Meanwhile, according to intelligence, a force of Americans was besieging Marion Fortress.
Any officer could see that this was obviously an American feint, meant to draw the enemy away.
Both Gablenz and Stadion thought they should abandon Marion Fortress and head straight north to besiege Austin.
That way, whether the Americans were mounting a real attack or a feint, they would have no choice but to return to Austin's aid.
If Austin fell, the Americans' retreat would be completely cut off, and Dallas would be the only fortress left in the north.
That would put the initiative in the war firmly in Mexico's hands. Whether to besiege the city and attack the relief force