It would be extremely hard to tie this person to "a Yellow Rose bush", since the "Yellow Rose" of Texas was a person.
"The legend begins in 1830 with the immigration to Texas of one James Morgan, an entrepreneur from Philadelphia with extensive holdings. Morgan was eager to capitalize on the cheap land and business opportunities in the Mexican colony which would ultimately become Texas. He formed several partnerships with New York speculators for land deals in the fledgling colony. However, Texas did not permit slavery and Morgan had 16 he wanted to bring with him. So to circumvent the law, he converted his slaves into 99-year indentured servants.
In the years that followed, a scheme was conceived to flood Texas with non-Mexicans from the United States. To capitalize on that movement, Morgan returned to New York in 1835 to recruit more workers for his settlement. One such émigré was a twenty year old woman named Emily D. West - “an eastern import with extraordinary intelligence and sophistication.”
Emily West was mulatto and possibly from Bermuda, since Morgan brought many of his workers from this Atlantic island. According to some records, West volunteered to be indentured, most probably to escape the prejudice against her mixed race. And, as was the custom for an indentured worker at the time, she changed her last name to that of Morgan’s.
By the following year in 1836, the war for Texas’ independence from Mexico was fully engaged and led by General Sam Houston. James Morgan’s now successful settlement, New Washington, was strategically located near the mouth of the San Jacinto River. He freely gave his famous oranges, various grains and fattened cattle to Houston’s men. One particularly strategic parcel of land named Morgan’s Point (so called to this day) extended into San Jacinto Bay. From Morgan’s Point, flatboats were loaded with supplies for Houston.
Thus established as a “friend of Texas,” James Morgan was appointed a Colonel. And in March, 1836, he was assigned to the Port of Galveston (some 30 miles away) to guard Texas refugees and fugitive government officials. So that Houston’s supply line would continue, he left Emily West Morgan in charge of loading flatboats destined to feed the army.
By the afternoon of April 18, 1836, General Santa Anna had moved his men into position to attack the Texas rebels he knew to be nearby. On his approach was New Washington - now mostly deserted as its inhabitants fled before his marching army. One of those that remained behind, however, was Emily, and Santa Anna was immediately struck by her beauty.
The next morning, after his men helped themselves to the crops and cattle, Santa Anna set about securing one more “spoil of war” - Emily. He captured her and a young “yellow boy” named Turner loading yet another flatboat headed for Houston’s army. Santa Anna cajoled Turner to lead his Mexican scouts to the Houston encampment. But as they were departing, Emily convinced Turner to escape from Santa Anna’s men and rush to Houston’s camp to inform him of the Mexican general’s arrival.
General Santa Anna believed himself quite the ladies’ man. And although still married to a woman in Mexico, he remarried one of his teenaged captives from his Texas campaign. But he had been without his most recent bride for two weeks now. Emily looked like she would make a very suitable replacement.
Thus, he ordered the immediate setting up of his encampment on the plains of the San Jacinto despite protestations from his colonels who insisted the location violated all principles of wartime strategy. And they were right. Houston, upon hearing of Santa Anna’s location from Turner, moved his troops into the woods within a scant mile of the beguiled general’s headquarters.
On the morning of April 21, Houston climbed a tree to spy into the Mexican camp. There he saw Emily preparing a champagne breakfast for Santa Anna, and reportedly remarked, “I hope that slave girl makes him [Santa Anna] neglect his business and keeps him in bed all day.” [Garner]
By afternoon, the great final battle for the independence of Texas was engaged. The Mexican army was caught completely by surprise, and Santa Anna was literally caught “with his pants down.” (Reports at the time said he was caught running away from the battle with his studded silk shirt opened and concealed under a dead soldier’s blue smock - hurriedly put on during his attempted escape.)
Emily West Morgan survived the battle and made her way back to New Washington. Two days later, James Morgan, who had not heard of the battle, returned from Galveston and Emily told him of her ordeal and the outcome of the last great battle. The colonel was so impressed with Emily’s heroism, he repealed her indenture and gave her a passport back to New York - the final chapter of which we have no record.
We do know, however, Morgan made certain everyone knew of Emily’s heroism. He told everyone he encountered or anyone who would listen, and recorded the story in his journals. Morgan “kept a running commentary on Texas affairs with Samuel Swartwout, one of Houston’s friends in New York City.” [Wisehart] He also told his story to an English friend and ethnologist, William Bollaert, who recorded the story in every detail. [Turner]
There are some in recent history who have suggested Emily’s efforts were made because she was attracted to the opulence and good looks of the Mexican general. But the accounts from those who were there indicate she was a loyal “Texian” who did what she could for the independence of Texas. [Turner]
Today, the heroic acts of the young woman are still reverently commemorated by the members of the Knights of the Yellow Rose of Texas each April 21 at San Jacinto."
http://www.markw.com/yelrose.htm