With the advance of the Mexican Army, General Sam Houston took command of the 400 ill-equipped Texas Army on March 11, 1836, at Gonzales. General Houston learned that the Alamo had fallen from Mrs. Susanna Dickson, who was one of the few survivors. General Houston ordered a strategic retreat in a bid to reorganize and train his army while looking for supplies and men to counter a large Mexican Army contingent.
Citizens scrambled toward the Trinity River and across that to the United States. This began what is known as The Runaway Scrape. Leaving behind valuables and what had become home, civilians took flight while the Texas Army stayed behind, but soon followed as General Houston plotted his moves against General Santa Anna and the Mexican Army.
Moving from his encampment at Gonzales, General Houston broke camp on March 13 at midnight and traveled ten miles and stopped for breakfast at a plantation on Peach Creek near Gonzales. The ten-mile trip took the army all night to make. He then camped in Moulton on March 14, near the Lavaca River, and on March 15 at the Navidad River.
