March 6, 1836

In the early morning hours of March 6, 1836 one hundred eighty-nine men faced the elite 6000 man Mexican army commanded by Santa Anna. Santa Anna's mission...stop the rebellion in the Mexican province of Tejas.

At the end of the day 189 brave men lay dead. Among the 189 was a simple farmer, a man of the soil, Gordon C. Jennings.

Gordon had left his wife Catherine and their four children on the banks of the Colorado to fight for what he believed in-freedom.

Catherine didn't know for several weeks if Gordon had lived or died; but when she heard a large contingent of Mexican soldiers were burning Texan settlements and coming their way she knew she must take her four children to safety.

Catherine knew their neighbors must be warned of the danger. With the Mexican troops wearing out horses to overtake anything in their way, Catherine set 10 year old Katie on their best horse, bareback. She told her to hurry and ride out with the last family she reached. "No matter what," Catherine finally ordered, "don't come back here."

Catherine joined the settlers that were fleeing toward Louisiana. Heavy rains were flooding the rivers and made travel difficult. 'Young John Holland Jenkins, whose mother was widowed from the Alamo battle was among those helping evacuate the families. He later recalled, "It was pitiful and distressing to behold the extremity of the families, as sometimes a team would bog down, and women with their babies in their arms, surrounded by little children, had to wade almost waist deep in places."

The heavy rains caused the Trinity to swell to five miles wide. One small ferry worked to get the families across the river. Catherine and her family had to wait a week before their turn came. As she waited she thought of her husband and her daughter.

On April 21, 1836 Houston's army defeated Santa Anna at San Jacinto. The battle cry of the Texans was "Remember Goliad! Remember the Alamo!

Catherine and her children returned to the homestead on the upper Colorado. It is said that Catherine dressed like a man to make the Indians think the family was not alone. She remained on the Jennings' homestead even after the children were grown.
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The four children: Joseph never married. He died at the age of 23. Abigail married and raise 5 children. Katie (Catherine Alicia) was married twice. Her first husband was killed by Indians on the Trinity River in Collin County. She and her second husband had eight children Samuel became a Texas Ranger for a short time. He became a rancher. His grave is a short distance from where he lived at Adamsville in Lampasas County.

This is the partial story of one family. There are many families with similar stories. Brave men have fought and died for freedom since time began. May we as Texans and Americans remember the sacrifices that have been made. God Bless Texas. God Bless America and may our lives reflect His love and sacrifice for us.