On April 20, a detachment of Texas cavalry reconnoitering the route to Lynch's Ferry captured a flatboat full of provisions, staged for use by Santa Anna's men near the ferry landing. The Texas Army arrived near this spot about 11:00 AM on April 20. They had marched through mud all night from Harrisburg, which the Mexicans had burned.

The last part of their route approximated coming north to enter the site on the present Highway 134. The morning of April 20 was cold and gray. Stone Marker 5 indicates were Sidney Sherman's 2nd Volunteer Regiment camped. Sherman was born in Massachusetts and was a 31-year-old Lieutenant Colonel in 1836. Sherman's men were at the northern end of a campground that extended south for about 500 yards along the wooded banks of the Buffalo Bayou.

Here the Texans had water, cover and concealment among the trees, captured Mexican provisions, and, soon after their arrival, cattle foraged from the widow Peggy McCormick's ranch on which the camp was located. Recognizing the Texans might have to retreat if attacked in force, Houston had barges and rafts his men found along the shore moored near the camp so they could be used for escape across Buffalo Bayou, which was then about 250 yards wide. There were very few tents in the Texans' camp, possibly only one for General Houston. After the events of April 20, the Texans slept on the muddy ground in blanket rolls around 20 or 30 campfires.