Shoreacres in La Porte in Harris County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

The Legend of Emily (Morgan) West

The Yellow Rose of Texas

Photographed by James Hulse, August 20, 2025

1. The Legend of Emily (Morgan) West Marker

Inscription.

Legend has it that Emily Morgan, Mulatto servant of Col. James Morgan, actually "won" the Battle of San Jacinto for Texas by catching Gen. Santa Anna's eye when he sacked and burned Morgan's Plantation on April 19, 1836. According to the legend, Santa Anna took Emily with him at the time and at the moment of the Texans' attack on the afternoon of April 21, 1836, she kept the Mexican general so occupied in his tent that he was unable to rally and command his troops to prevent defeat. Emily is supposedly also immortalized as the subject of the 19th century ballad "The Yellow Rose of Texas."

The first mention of Emily in any writing was by a William Bollaert in 1842, who wrote that he heard from an officer who had been at San Jacinto, that the battle was lost because of "the influence of a Mulatto girl (Emily) belonging to Colonel Morgan, who was closeted in the tent with General Santana..."

Emily D. West, a free black woman, was known to be at the San Jacinto Battlefield, but there is no verified record that places her in the tent of General Santa Anna. Historians point to the fact that eyewitnesses who had no reason to be sympathetic to Santa Anna made no mention of the supposed dalliance in the tent incident.

It is known that Emily West arrived in Texas with free papers in December of 1835 and that she was at Col. Morgan's plantation (New Washington) on April 16 when Col. Juan Almonte and company of Mexican dragoons arrived. She accompanied these troops to the plains of San Jacinto on April 20. She escaped during the battle on the next day but lost her free papers. After the death of Lorenzo de Zavala, vice-president of the provisional Texas government, Mrs. Zavala and Emily left Texas and returned to New York. There is no evidence she ever came back to Texas.

Erected by Beta Sigma Phi.

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This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • War, Texas Independence • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1836.

Location. 29° 40.716′ N, 94° 59.559′ W. Marker is in La Porte, Texas, in Harris County. It is in Shoreacres. It can be reached from East Barbours Cut Boulevard 0.2 miles east of East Main Street, on the right when traveling south. The marker is located at the entrance to the Morgan’s Point Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1801 E Barbours Cut Blvd, La Porte TX 77571, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Houston Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Morgan's Point Cemetery (a few steps from

Photographed by James Hulse, August 20, 2025

2. The Legend of Emily (Morgan) West Marker

this marker); Wade and Mamie Irvin House (approx. 0.6 miles away); Bay Ridge / Morgan's Point (approx. 0.6 miles away); Governor Ross Sterling Mansion (approx. 0.7 miles away); Gribble-Hofheinz House (approx. 0.9 miles away); Col. James Morgan (approx. one mile away); New Washington (approx. one mile away); John A. Grimes Memorial Park (approx. one mile away).

Also see . . . The True Story of Emily D. West: The Yellow Rose of Texas. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)

Emily D. West, erroneously called Emily Morgan by those who presumed her a slave of James Morgan and the "Yellow Rose of Texas" by twentieth-century myth-makers, was born a free Black in New Haven, Connecticut. She signed a contract with agent James Morgan in New York City on October 25, 1835, to work a year as housekeeper at the New Washington Association's hotel, Morgan's Point, Texas. Morgan was to pay her $100 a year and provide her transportation to Galveston Bay on board the company's schooner, scheduled to leave with thirteen artisans and laborers in November. She arrived in Texas in December on board the same vessel as Emily de Zavala and her
Photographed by James Hulse, August 20, 2025

3. The view of the marker in front of the Morgan’s Point Cemetery
children. On April 16, 1836, while James Morgan was absent in Galveston in command of Fort Travis, Mexican cavalrymen under command of Col. Juan N. Almonte arrived at New Washington to seize President David G. Burnet, who was embarking on a schooner for Galveston Island. As the president and his family sailed away, the troops seized Emily and other Black servants at Morgan's warehouse, along with a number of White residents and workmen. Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna arrived at New Washington the following day, and after three days of resting and looting the warehouses, he ordered the buildings set afire and departed to challenge Sam Houston's army, which was encamped about ten miles away on Buffalo Bayou. Emily was forced to accompany the Mexican army. With regard to the Yellow Rose legend, she may have been in Santa Anna's tent when the Texans charged the Mexican camp on April 21, but it was not by choice. She could not have known Houston's plans, nor could she have intentionally delayed Santa Anna. Moreover, in their official reports after returning to Mexico, none of his disaffected officers mentioned the presence of a woman or
Photographed by James Hulse, August 20, 2025

4. The entrance to Morgan’s Point Cemetery
even that el presidente was in a state of undress. After the battle Emily found refuge with Isaac N. Moreland, an artillery officer, who later made his home in Houston and served as county judge. Strangers assumed Emily was James Morgan's slave because she was Black.

(Submitted on August 23, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

Photographed by Jim Evans, February 28, 2008

5. The Legend of Emily (Morgan) West Marker

Photographed by Jim Evans, February 28, 2008

6. The Legend of Emily (Morgan) West Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on August 23, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 6, 2020, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas. This page has been viewed 2,187 times since then and 113 times this year. Last updated on September 27, 2023, by Morgan Petermann of Hurst, Texas. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 23, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. 5, 6. submitted on February 6, 2020, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.