Military historians often fall into the trap of looking at battle from the bird’s-eye view of the commanders. After all, they are the ones making the decisions and often leaving the most detailed accounts. However, this perspective ignores the experience of the rank-and-file soldiers on the ground.

In "San Jacinto: The Experience of Battle," renown Texan historian Stephen Hardin uses countless first-hand accounts of the Battle of San Jacinto to examine the Texian soldier’s experience of battle.