I heard on a Texas history podcast that the reason General Sam went due east instead of northeast to Nacogdoches where reinforcements were is because United States President Andrew Jackson had 10,000 U.S. troups stationed in southwest Louisiana just across the Sabine River ready to take on Santa Ana if the need arose.

I have been a student of Texas history for decades and never read or heard of this. The podcaster is Ken Wise, a U.S. Judge. That in itself doesn't make it true but lends some credibility to the story.