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The Ox Problem (Runaway Scrape Box #11) LbNA #33933

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Aug 8, 2007
Location:
City:Cypress
County:Harris
State:Texas
Boxes:1
Planted by:Tall Texan
Found by: Jillda
Last found:Apr 9, 2016
Status:FFFFFFFFFFaFFFFFFFFa
Last edited:Aug 8, 2007
Alive and well on 7/07/08

Things looked grim by March 11, 1836 for Sam Houston and several hundred volunteers gathered at Gonzales. General Santa Ana, the dictator of Mexico, was sweeping across Texas with thousands of soldiers in several columns destroying all resistance in his path. Hundreds had died fighting at the Alamo and hundreds more had been executed at Goliad. Facing a defeat and certain death at the hands of a superior Mexican Army, General Houston chose to retreat east, deeper into the heart of the American Colony in Mexican Texas. Like General Washington at Brooklyn Heights 50 years before, Houston realized that he needed to use geography to buy time to find a better battlefield. Most of the 30,000 colonists who came to the area were fleeing also, leaving behind years of work to build farms and towns, carrying what they could on wagons. This time in Texas History is known as the “Runaway Scrape”. The letterboxes in this series stretch from Gonzales to San Jacinto Battlefield. The stamps tell the story.

This letterbox commemorates the two oxen who were borrowed to pull the “Twin Sisters”, cannon to be used in the coming battle. The owner of the oxen, Mrs. Pamela Mann thought the army was marching to the safety of Louisiana. When she discovered that they were marching to Harrisburg, she rode up to the army and with quite colorful language demanded her property back. She used a Bowie knife to free her animals and rode off. The quartermaster rode after her to get the oxen only to return with his shirt in tatters. This created a real problem as the cannon were heavy and the road was muddy. Soldiers, including Sam Houston took turns pushing the cannon forward. This letterbox marks the campsite where the army camped on April 16, 1836.

Directions:
The box is located in Telge Park. From Hwy 290, go north on Telge Rd. In about 3/4 mile you will cross Cypress Creek. The park will be on your right, so turn right on Pleasant Grove, then a quick right into parking area.

To the Box:
Stop and read the historical marker by the parking lot and playground. From the marker look for the Nature Trail markers behind the playground and bathrooms. You will see a long wooden bridge entering the woods and marking the trail. Cross the bridge and look for a wooden trail marker about 20 feet ahead pointing left. From this marker turn left and follow the trail 50 paces to another marker where the trail splits. From this marker, turn right and walk 20 paces towards the creek on a smaller trail. Stop and look to your left. There is a fallen log along the trail. The box is behind the log where the log is mossy green. Please re-hide and cover with twigs and leaves. Bring insect repellant.