San Jacinto re-enactment shows life - and war - in 1836 On April 21, 1836, the Texans defeated the Mexican Army and won their independence.

Reenactors dressed in Mexican army uniforms fire a cannon before the start of the San Jacinto battleground reenactment commemorating the 176th anniversary of the battle of San Jacinto at the San Jacinto battleground, Saturday, April 21, 2012, in Houston. less Reenactors dressed in Mexican army uniforms fire a cannon before the start of the San Jacinto battleground reenactment commemorating the 176th anniversary of the battle of San Jacinto at the San Jacinto ... more Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 77 Caption Close San Jacinto re-enactment shows life - and war - in 1836 1 / 77 Back to Gallery

History enthusiasts can on Saturday get an upclose view of a re-enactment of the battle that gave Texas its independence 178 years ago Monday.

The San Jacinto Battle Festival and Re-enactment will take place on the grounds of the monument in LaPorte during a daylong festival that aims to make visitors feel like they're in 1836.

True to the era

Re-enactors will arrive Thursday evening and camp through Sunday, attempting to stay as true to the era as possible.

"One lady invited me to come out Friday night for barbecue, which they'll be doing over the campfire," said Josh Olivarez, gift shop buyer and manager.

Visitors get a glimpse of how people lived during that era on Saturday.

"Something they will do is have their camps open to the public so people can talk to them about how it was during that time period, what they ate, what they wore, how they felt during that time of the revolution," he said.

The Texas Revolution began on Oct. 2, 1835, and lasted until the Battle of San Jacinto. The fight at San Jacinto lasted for 18 minutes on April 21, 1836, and ended with Gen. Sam Houston defeating Mexico's president, Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna, and winning Texas' independence from Mexico.

"For the Texans, their victory at San Jacinto led to Texas' annexation into the United States," Robert B. Hixon, chairman of the board for the San Jacinto Museum said in a prepared statement.

Battle changed history

"In the end, the United States would gain not only Texas but also New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, California, Utah and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming. Most Texans, and dare I say most Houstonians, don't realize that the Battle of San Jacinto is recognized as one of the top 10 battles of the world to change history."

The re-enactment, sponsored by the San Jacinto Museum of History and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is the largest in the state. It takes hundreds of participants to work together to put on the show, which includes a cannon duel, organizers said.