The chilling news of Fannin’s defeat, reaching the Texas forces on March 25, impelled many to leave the ranks, to remove their families beyond the Sabine. Those remaining clamored for action, but Houston decided to continue his retreat. On the 26th, keeping his own counsel, he marched his army five miles. On the 27th the column reached the timbers of the Brazos River bottoms, and on the 28th arrived at San Felipe de Austin, on the west bank of the Brazos. On the 29th the army marched six miles up the river in a driving rain, and camped on Mill Creek. On the 30th after a fatiguing tramp of nine miles, the army reached a place across the river from “Bernardo,” on one of the plantations of the wealthy Jared E. Groce, and there camped and drilled for nearly a fortnight.[1] When the _ad interim_ Texas government at Washington-on-the-Brazos learned of the Mexicans’ approach, in mid-March, it fled to Harrisburg. President David G. Burnet sent the commander-in-chief, a caustic note, prodding him to stop his retreat and fight. Secretary of War Thomas J. Rusk arrived at the camp April 4 at Burnet’s direction, to urge Houston to a more aggressive course. Houston having shown no disposition to fight, Santa Anna decided to take possession of the coast and seaports, as a step in his plan to round up the revolutionists. Crossing the Brazos at Fort Bend (now called Richmond) on the 11th, the Mexican general proceeded on April 14 on the road to Harrisburg, taking with him about 700 men and one twelve-pounder cannon. Urrea was at Matagorda with 1200 men; Gaona was somewhere between Bastrop and San Felipe, with 725; Sesma, at Fort Bend, with about 1,000, and Vicente Filisola between San Felipe and Fort Bend, with nearly 1800 men. [Illustration: Route of Sam Houston’s army (line of crosses) from San Felipe to San Jacinto, with stops at Groce’s, Donoho’s, McCurley’s, Burnett’s, White Oak Bayou (Houston), and Harrisburg.] Santa Anna arrived at Harrisburg on the 15th. There he learned that the Burnet government had gone down Buffalo Bayou to New Washington (now Morgan’s Point), about eighteen miles southeast. Burning Harrisburg, Santa Anna sped after them. On the 19th when he arrived at New Washington he learned that the Texas government had fled to Galveston. Santa Anna then set out for Anahuac, via Lynchburg. THE ROAD TO SAN JACINTO Meanwhile, on April 11th, the Texans at Groce’s received two small cannon, known to history as the “Twin Sisters,” a gift from citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio. Thus fortified, General Houston, after a consultation with Rusk, decided to move on to the east side of the Brazos. The river being very high, the steamboat “Yellow Stone” and a yawl were used to ferry the army horses, cattle and baggage across. The movement began on the 12th and was completed at 1 p.m. on the 13th.