Battle of San Jacinto ( ) , fought on April 21 , 1836 , in present-day Harris County , Texas , was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution . Led by General Sam Houston , the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna 's Mexican army in a fight that lasted just 18 minutes . A detailed , first-hand account of the battle was written by General Houston from Headquarters of the Texian Army , San Jacinto , on April 25 , 1836 . Numerous secondary analyses and interpretations have followed , several of which are cited and discussed throughout this entry . General Santa Anna , the President of Mexico , and General Martín Perfecto de Cos both escaped during the battle . Santa Anna was captured the next day on April 22 and Cos on April 24 , 1836 . After being held about three weeks as a prisoner of war , Santa Anna signed the peace treaty that dictated that the Mexican army leave the region , paving the way for the Republic of Texas to become an independent country . These treaties did not necessarily recognize Texas as a sovereign nation , but stipulated that Santa Anna was to lobby for such recognition in Mexico City . In other words , Texas was de facto independent . Sam Houston became a national celebrity , and the Texans ' rallying cries from events of the war , " Remember the Alamo ! " and " Remember Goliad ! " became etched into Texan history and legend
Remember Goliad !
Goliad massacre
Battle of San Jacinto