You will often hear phrases such as “Remember the Alamo”or “Remember Goliad,” but do you know what they really mean? During the fight for Texas Independence there were many battles. Although some of these battles may not seem to of made an impact on the war, the places their impact landed may of made the most radiant impact of them all. This impact dwells heavily in the heart of all Texan soldiers. These phrases aspired soldiers to fight for their brethren who have been maliciously slaughtered by the hand of the enemy.
It all started in Gonzales, as a group of Mexican soldiers came to take back a cannon they had lent to the Texans, for rotection against the Indians. As these soldiers rode up the Texans refused to give up the cannon, they taunted the soldiers with the phrase “Come and Take it! ” These Texan colonists took the first step towards Texas Independence as they attacked the Mexican soldiers on October 2, 1835. This encounter became known as the Battle of Gonzales. As General Martin Perfecto de Cos held his ground in San Antonio, Stephen F Austin ordered James Bowie and James Fannin Jr to lead 90 men to settle near mission concepcion.
Briscoe, Coleman, Bennet and Goheen were given orders to explore all missions on their way to concepcion. Colonel Ugartechea sends 275 men, and two canons to mission concepcion as he receives the news. As the fighting begins the Mexican cavalry takes the West and the infantry takes the East. The Texans have encountered no injuries for they have occupied a wooden bend along the San Antonio river which is protected by a large embankment. Bowie pushes Coleman’s company forward to meet the Mexican advance, here one man is fatally wounded.
The Texans respond to this with precise marksmanship which leaves them with one man wounded and the spanish are left with 14 dead 39 wounded. As the texan forces begin to push General Cos away, Stephen F Austin arrives o help force the troops back to San Antonio, and seal the victory at the Battle of Concepcion. As Cos enters San Antonio he reassumes his defensive positions all throughout the town. As they are fortifying the town, Stephen F. Austin set up camps above and below the town. The next morning Thomas J Rusk arrives with reinforcements, raising the Texan army to a total of 600.
Austin proposed that we attack but lacked the support he needed. As the days went by, small skirmishes keep occurring at a constant tempo, but it escalates. Erastus reports approaching mexican cavalry on November 26. Burleson’s troops cut off, and battle ith the cavalry eventually forcing Cos into the alamo. As cos concentrated his force into the alamo, four of his cavalry forces abandon him. Cos surrenders on December 9, Burleson accepts the surrender along with equipment and weapons, but must let cos and his forces go southward for he has not enough supplies to keep prisoners.
Most volunteer soldiers go home to visit their families, leaving the alamo totally in our hands. By the end of this standoff 150 Mexican soldiers have been killed along with 35 Texans. General Santa Anna marches an army of 5,000 soldiers to the alamo catching the Texans by surprise. Not having enough time o strategize they all gather in the alamo for it is the most fortified structure for miles. On arrival to Mission San Antonio de Valero Santa Anna demanded their surrender. William Travis replied by firing a cannon this sparked the first attack of the 13 day battle for victory, or death.
The next 11 days consisted of the Texan soldiers fending off swarms of raging Mexican soldiers. Until the foggy morning of March 6 at 5 A. M. , Santa Anna ordered a surprise attack on the weary alamo defenders. The Mexicans shot cannons at all 4 alamo walls and sent in fleets of foot soldiers swarming what was once a serene plaza. The butchering lasted for a long drawn out 90 minutes ending with nothing but total destruction. From the minute the cannon was fired, to the moment the last body had dropped, 189 texan men had been slain.
During the span of a 13 day period all 189 alamo defenders had wiped out one third of the Mexican army killing 1,544 of 5,000 soldiers. There were 26 alamo survivors all who were either female, slaves or non combatants. As General Sam Houston received word of what had occurred at the Alamo,he became inspired. So he takes his entire army on a month long retreat to regroup, replenish, and strengthen his army. As they retreat southward ath to keep any possible resources out of enemy hands. Now on March 19 1836 13 days after the fall of the alamo.
Commander James W. Fannin Jr and his troops clash with burn everything in their Mexican forces at Coleto Creek. As the battle seems to fall farther and farther into the hands of General Mexia’s troops, Fanin surrenders. He surrenders on terms that his men will be treated as prisoners of war, and would be escorted to the United States immediately. Mexia accepts his terms and conditions but must first deliver the troops to Santa Anna at Presidio La Bahia. The prisoners are kept at the presidio for 7 ays until March 27. General Santa Anna hears of Sam Houston’s vast army, enraged by the news he orders the execution of Fannon along with all of his troops.
The prisoners were taken outside the fortress walls to be mass murdered, that spot is where a Fannin memorial statue now stands towering the presidio. On the sleepy evening of April 21 the last major battle of the texas revolution occurred. General Sam Houston found his army camped near a bayou less than a mile from Santa Anna’s immense army. As all was quiet in the Mexican camp, the quiet was broken as cries of “Remember the Alamo,” “Remember Goliad” filled the air. The battle only lasted for it was a surprise attack on the sleeping Mexican soldiers.
In these few minutes 630 Mexicans were killed along with another 730 being captured as prisoners. Although there were 730 prisoners takes Santa Anna was not one of those prisoners nor had he been killed. During all the chaos Santa Anna slipped away but was found the next day in a grass field dressed as a common soldier. Once he had been identified he was taken to Velasco, Tx where he willingly signed the Treaty of Velasco. The terms of the treaty were that he would never fight against Texas again, and hat all Mexican forces would leave the new republic immediately.
On March 2, 1836 Texas became their own sovereign nation. They stayed independent for nearly a decade, before joining the United States, in 1845 as the 28 state. If our soldiers wouldn’t of made the ultimate sacrifice for the state of Texas then we would not be where we are with all the freedoms we have today. It may seem that many of our soldiers died for no apparent cause at a small skirmish, but the fact of the matter is all the events that may seem to of made a minor impact, actually played a vital role in the Fight for Texas Independence.
