The First Military Action in Defense of Texas: GONZALES

In 1824, Mexico granted Stephen F. Austin permission to colonize the area around the Brazos River. This act had the effect of establishing Texas (together with Coahuila) as a Mexican state.  But because this land was so removed geographically and culturally from Mexico City, it was treated as a second-class Mexican state.  Due to these circumstances, Texas had no real say in its own government and no real power, a fact which eventually caused much friction between Texas and the rest of Mexico. When the Federal Government forbade further emigration into Texas from the United States in 1830, relations steadily worsened. The "Tejanos" became restless and dissatisfied with the Autocratic Mexican rule, and the Mexican government became aware of the growing discontent. Something had to give.

The first shot of the Texian Revolution was heard on October 2, 1835, in the small town of Gonzales.  A group of Gonzales men had gathered to defend a cannon they had received four years before to help fight off marauding "indians." When Mexican regulars under the command of Francisco de Castañeda rode to Gonzales to impound the cannon, they were met with opposition. The Gonzales troops had commandeered the cannon and had no intention of giving it back.  Under the command of Col. John Henry Moore and Col. J. W. E. Wallace, the men loaded the cannon with scrap iron and fired it at the Mexican attackers, initiating the Texian Revolution. The Mexican troops, aware of precarious relations between Texas and the Federales, were under strict orders to avoid open conflict, so they broke off the attack and retreated to Bexar County. The cannon remained in Gonzales.  This conflict inspired the design of the "Come and Take It" Flag, which depicts a black cannon on a white field with the words "Come and Take It" written across the bottom.[See Fig. at left.]  Right after this "encounter," Stephen F. Austin organized the First Army of Texas Volunteers.

The Most Infamous Siege in the History of Texas: THE ALAMO

The Roman Catholic "Misión" known as the Alamo, established in 1718 to Christianize the Native Americans of what was then "New Spain," was built in San Antonio de Valero.  Franciscan monks began construction of the building we call the Alamo in 1724.  But by the time Anglo American travelers began appearing in Bexar County in the early 1800's, the mission had lost its Religious purpose and had become a military outpost.  The name "Alamo," it is believed, first came into use around 1807 but actually referred to the Mexican town of a company of soldiers at de Valero (La Segunda Compañía Volante de San Carlos del Pueblo del Alamo), rather than the building itself.  Nicknames are peculiar, and by the late 1820's, the name "Alamo" had firmly become synonomous with the mission building itself.

The "battle" at the Alamo was really a siege.  For thirteen days in 1836, from February 23 to March 6, Mexican troops surrounded Col. William B. Travis and his garrison of about 145 men, as well as a small number of non-combatants.  As the "standoff" continued, the Texians began to run low on food and ammunition. The weather didn't help much either, dropping to 39° F one day and then rising to 55° on the next day.  During the middle of the siege, on March 2nd, Texas declared itself to be an Independent Republic at the delegates' Convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos.  But unfortunately, no reserves or supplies from anywhere arrived to the Alamo in time to save them.  Finally, on March 5 Colonel Travis gathered everyone in the yard and announced that reinforcements would not arrive in time.  Then Travis drew a line on the ground with his sword and invited all who were willing to stay and fight with him to cross the line.  All but one man - Moses Rose who escaped over a wall - stepped across.  At about one O'clock in the morning on the next day, between 1,400 and 1,600 Mexican soldiers moved into position, and at five O'clock that morning they stormed the walls of the Mission.  When the slaughter was finished, some ninety minutes later, all 180+ Texian defenders were dead, but Mexican casualties numbered nearly 600. A few non-combatants survived, among them, a woman named Susanna Dickinson, her baby, and a black slave of Travis'.

The Greatest Tragedy: GOLIAD

Not long after the defeat at the Alamo came another dark hour for Texas: the Massacre at Goliad.  Mexican troops had advanced into Texas and were taking every fortification as they went. They were also taking many prisoners.  Goliad had been a stronghold for Texas, but along with the Alamo, it too had fallen into Mexican hands.  At daybreak on March 27, 1836, more than 400 uninjured P.O.W.'S were rounded up by Colonel José Nicolas de la Portilla and taken to Goliad.  Upon an order given by General Antonio López de Santa Anna, Mexican soldiers shot the prisoners at close range, killing almost all 400-plus men at once.  Only 28 of these Texian prisoners survived the massacre, some of which escaped into the Texas wilderness and another 20 survived by virtue of their profession (e.g., medical doctors and nurses).  After the execution, the bodies were burned and the remains were left for the vultures and the coyotes until June 3, 1836, when General Thomas J. Rusk had the ashes and bones buried with full military honors. A grave marker was finally constructed in 1885.

Before the Massacre at Goliad, Mexican Generalísimo Antonio López de Santa Anna was not known as a cruel man; he was smart and cunning, but not viscious. However, the Massacre at Goliad as well as the "degüello" (lit. throat cutting) at the Alamo only served to strengthen the Texian's resolve in the cause against Mexico, which in turn helped Texas gain some support from the United States, Britian, and even France.

The Beginning of Texas Independence: SAN JACINTO

The Texians were not about to give up.  After the defeat at the Alamo, Gen. Samuel Houston and a substantially decimated Texian Army moved east to Buffalo Bayou, to the spot where the bayou converges with the San Jacinto River.  Here the Texian Army, which numbered about 750 men, pitched battle against Santa Anna, whose army was made up of more than 1,000 men.  To reach San Jacinto, Mexican troops had to cross Buffalo Bayou from the south over a fifty-foot-wide bridge called Vince's Bridge. On the morning of April 21, 1836, Gen. Martín Perfecto De Cós brought more than 500 reinforcements to Santa Anna, swelling the Mexican army even more. At noon, Gen. Houston met with the famous Texas spy Erastus "Deaf" Smith, and they decided to destroy Vince's Bridge, a move that would cut off the Mexican army.  They would have no additional reinforcements coming in and no viable escape routes going out.

The battle began at three in the afternoon when Deaf Smith rode triumphantly into the camp, shouting "Vince's Bridge is down!" The battle lasted only about 18 minutes.  Most of the Mexican soldiers were taking a siesta at the time, so the Texian troops pounced on the dozing army, crying: "Remember the Alamo!" and "Remember Goliad!" The swift battle vanquished the Mexicans, but the Texian Army suffered only nine casualties. The following day, the Texian forces captured the "Napoleon of the West," Gen, Santa Anna.  In exchange for his life, Santa Anna sent out an order for all Mexican troops to evacuate, to leave Texas, which put an end to the fighting.  In the historic Treaty of Velasco, Mexico acknowledged Texas as an Independent Republic.