December 15th, 1829 · The Shattered Congress
By player
As the rights of brave Texans and Tejanos were trampled upon by the Generals' Republic, a cry rose near and far and was echoed by the cries of brave volunteers. Flocking over the border to help their freedom-loving comrades, men poured in by the hundreds, chief among them the darling of Virginia, the Eaglet Bonaparte.
Napoleon II, as many supporters have crowned him once again, graduated top of his class from West Point, arriving there at sixteen. Now, just shy of 19, he marches with his brothers in arms for fame and glory in the battlefield.
But the elan of the Texans was soon crushed by defeat after defeat. A huge caravan of civilians, not able to board ships to New Orleans, began an arduous march instead, shadowed by the Texan army and hunted by Santa Anna.
Seeing that there could be no escape without victory in the field, the remaining commanders elected the young Bonaparte to the rank of Brigadier General and gave him command of the army.
The resulting Battle of Jacinto was the greatest defeat the Mexican Army ever suffered. Arriving with just 1000 troops, Santa Anna believed his foes undisciplined, demotivated and lacking in arms. He was not wrong to think so, but he did not expect the espirit de corps of the remaining soldiers nor the effect on morale from being led by a Bonaparte.
The Mexican Army was shattered and forced into a long retreat. The caravan continued their trek. Napoleon II achieved one of his aims: glory.
Santa Anna would later be evasive of this battle, claiming it was a draw -- but Texans know how his turned back looks.
