You're listening to an episode of a Wondery Plus exclusive series.

To continue listening, join Wondery Plus and enjoy Ad Free Listening to over 40,000 episodes,

early access to your favorite podcasts and more.

Find Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple

podcasts.

Wondery. South Eastern Texas. Southeastern Texas, April 1836. On the flat green wetlands

1300 Mexican troops are preparing for a final showdown.

For three months, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana and his troops have been fighting the armed insurgents who want Texas to break away from Mexico.

Santa Ana is the former president of Mexico and self-styled Napoleon of the West.

He even wears a tray corn hat, just like the legendary French emperor he idolizes. But he's also a proud

patriotic man and he's determined to drive out these American invaders and now he's got them cornered. He raises his binoculars and

scans the trees where General Sam Houston and his men are hunkered down.

As he watches for movement, he chews on a wad of chicle.

It's a habit he picked up during a visit to the southern Mexican jungles,

where the trees that produce this tasteless latex grow.

Now, he carries chicle wherever he goes. He lowers his

binoculars and turns to his deputy. They're trapped. They must either face us

or try to escape across the river behind them.

Ha! We'll cut them down if they try to flee. They stand no chance. We have twice their number.

Santa Ana smiles.

Yes, yes. Soon we will deliver a glorious victory and save Texas from these foreign pirates and slavers.

But first I must rest.

...