DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm going to do it justice. Now, most crossroads don't amount to much. A couple of dirt paths meeting in the middle of nowhere, maybe a tree for shade, maybe not.
But on April 16, 1836, one crossroads in the sparsely populated community of New Kentucky changed everything — and the man standing at the gate made it happen. Let me back up a little. Abraham Roberts — also known as Abram — was born in Georgia in 1773.
He came to Texas as a widower in 1827, and by about 1829 he had settled himself right here, on Spring Creek. His home sat at a prominent crossroads, about three miles east of his neighbor Samuel McCarley. In a community as thinly spread as New Kentucky, that made Roberts something of a landmark all by himself.
The troubles of the Republic of Texas had already come to his doorstep once before. On March 21, 1836, the interim government of the Republic of Texas stayed overnight at Roberts' home, passing through on their way to Harrisburg to establish the Republic's new capital. So this was no stranger to history, this piece of land.
Then came April 16th. Sam Houston's Texas army left McCarley's home that morning and arrived at Roberts' crossroads about midday. Now, these soldiers were not in a calm state of mind.
They knew the Mexican army was advancing on Harrisburg, and they were deeply, anxiously concerned that Houston was going to keep retreating east — all the way to the Trinity River. The route was uncertain. The men were on edge.
And when they reached that crossroads, the Texas army paused. Think about that for a moment. An entire army, stopped at a fork in the road.
Abraham Roberts was standing on his gate. The soldiers asked him — this Georgia-born widower who had been farming Spring Creek since about 1829 — to show them the way to Harrisburg. And Roberts pointed southeast.
A great shout arose from the army. Houston took the Harrisburg Road. Five days later, on April 21, his army defeated the Mexicans at the Battle of San Jacinto.
The decision to take the Harrisburg Road became famous as a turning point in the campaign for Texas independence. Abraham Roberts lived until 1850. History doesn't always remember the man on the gate.
But that marker does — and now you do too.
What the marker says
Texas Army Route - April 16, 1836. Abraham (Abram) Roberts (1773-1850), a native of Georgia, came to Texas as a widower n 1827 and settled at this site on Spring Creek about 1829. His home was located at a prominent crossroads in the sparsely populated community of New Kentucky about three miles east of his neighbor Samuel McCarley. On March 21, 1836, the interim government of the Republic of Texas stayed at Roberts' home overnight while enroute to Harrisburg to establish the Republic's new capital. On April 16, 1836, the Texas army under Sam Houston left McCarley's home and arrived here about midday. Houston's soldiers, aware that the Mexican army was advancing on Harrisburg, were concerned that Houston would continue to retreat east to the Trinity River. Still uncertain about Houston's chosen route, the Texas army paused upon reaching the crossroads. Soldiers in the army asked Roberts, who was standing on his gate, to show the way to Harrisburg. A great shout arose as Roberts pointed southeast. Houston took the Harrisburg Road and on April 21 his army defeated the Mexicans at the Battle of San Jacinto. The decision to take the Harrisburg Road became famous as a turning point in the campaign for Texas independence. (1993) Sam Houston Bicentennial 1793-1993 Incise on base: Project of Jeffrey D. Dunn and Edward W. Turley, Jr.