Urrea's force killed 16 men and took 24 prisoners. Fannin was ordered by General Sam Houston on March 11, 1836, to abandon Goliad and retreat to the Guadalupe River near Victoria. The Mexican guards opened fire. Goliad is located on U.S. Highway 59, named also for the late U.S. King and his men had infuriated their enemies by burning local ranchos and shooting eight Mexicans seated around a campfire, and these enemies were clamoring for vengeance. 342 men were executed at Goliad. Civil Society Lone Star Life Texas History Today in Texas History: Massacre at Goliad On March 27, 1836, over 350 Texian soldiers were murdered by Mexican firing squads near Goliad after having surrendered days earlier. [7] Santa Anna personally led the bulk of his troops inland to San Antonio de Bxar and ordered General Jos de Urrea to lead 550 troops along the Atascocita Road toward Goliad. The name of Goliad was etched in Texas' collective memory, however, through a single eventthe now-disputed Goliad Massacre. [3] John C. Duval, Early Times in Texas, or, the Adventures of Jack Dobell, ed. accessed January 19, 2023, Texas lost many volunteers during its hard-won fight for independence from Mexico, but one harrowing episode stands out. Although this was really an attempt by Urrea to commandeer the ship, the vessel had already departed. The Goliad massacre was an event of the Texas Revolution that occurred on March 27, . He served with Bigfoot Wallace and Jack Hays in the Texas Rangers and was a veteran of the Mexican-American War and the Civil War. Fannin's men possessed, besides their rifles, 500 spare muskets and nine brass cannons and, if told that it would mean death to surrender, could sell their lives at fearful cost and might cut their way through Urrea's lines. [11] Weighted down with cannon and 500 extra guns, Fannin burned his extra supplies in an attempt to lighten the load. The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this entry. Determined to quash the rebellion, Santa Anna began assembling a large force to restore order; by the end of 1835 his army numbered 6,019 soldiers. Shackelford, Jack (1790-1857). As Palm Sunday dawned on March 27, the prisoners were divided into quarters. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. Check out additional primary sources on the Texas Revolution at Texas Rising: Historians View. This order was received on March 26 by Col. Jos Nicols de la Portilla, whom Urrea had left at Goliad. Harbert Davenport, James W. Fannin's Part in the Texas Revolution (MS, Harbert Davenport Papers, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin). This is the first page of a list that covers 17 pages. In Goliad. Enterprise. While Texans were fighting the final battle for their independence on April 21, 1836, a survivor of the Goliad Massacre was spending his 21st day on the run. [1] Urrea arrived in Matamoros and worked to secure cooperation from the local inhabitants on January 31, 1836. The bullets whistled round me as I swam slowly and wearily to the other side, but none wounded me. That afternoon, Urrea's cavalry encircled the Texians. Fannin sent Captain Amon B. [4] At 3:00a.m. on February 27, Urrea's advance patrol surprised Johnson and about 45 men, initiating the Battle of San Patricio. Goliad weekend Where: Presidio La Baha, south of Goliad When: 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; candlelight tour is from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday Cost: Daily admission is $4 for adults,. The Alamo! His men thundered a reply with an addendum: Remember the Alamo! In recent years, the massacre that took place at Presidio La Bahia on March 27, 1836 has been twisted into a politically correct "lawful execution" by some groups. Age 32, he was taken by Mexican soldiers to the courtyard in front of the chapel, blindfolded, and seated in a chair (due to his leg wound from the battle). Two hours later Portilla received another order, this one from Urrea, "to treat the prisoners with consideration, and especially their leader, Fannin," and to employ them in rebuilding the town. Knowing the prisoners' probable fate, General Urrea departed Goliad, leaving command to Colonel Jose Nicolas de la Portilla, and later writing to Santa Anna to ask for clemency for the Texians. The Texans were imprisoned by the Mexicans at Goliad and subsequently murdered by order of Antonio Lpez de Santa Anna on March 27, 1836. Urrea, meanwhile, sent cavalry to surround and isolate Goliad. Later in 1883 while living in El Paso County, he applied for and received an additional donation as a surviving veteran of the Texas Revolution. From the viewpoint of the Mexican Army, Santa Annas command was justified by a law of December 30, 1835, stipulating that any foreigners caught in the act of taking up arms against Mexico were to be considered pirates and summarily executed. High Schools in Dallas, TX Map of Dallas, TX . Fannin ordered the bulk of his army to retreat from Goliad on March 19, in the hopes of joining the forces of General Sam Houston. Among these was Herman Ehrenberg, who later wrote an account of the massacre;[22] William Lockhart Hunter, also of the New Orleans Greys, who survived despite being bayoneted and clubbed with a musket;[23] and four members of Shackelford's Red Rovers: Dillard Cooper,[24] Zachariah S. Brooks, Wilson Simpson, and Isaac D. Hamilton,[25] who escaped after days on the run. [citation needed], On March 22, William Ward and the Georgia Battalion (80 men plus Ward) surrendered after escaping from the Battle of Refugio. On March 19 he began his retreat, but he and his men were surrounded and forced to surrender at the battle of Coleto. The Goliad Massacre Location: Presidio La Baha, Goliad Date: March 27, 1836 Casualties: 342 killed On my visit to Presidio la Baha, in Goliad, I began connecting the dots linking Spanish. Surprised by an overwhelming Mexican force, most were chased off and escaped, but 18 were captured and marched back to Goliad. The Goliad Massacre of March 27,1836 By: Jackson Kolb The massacre of Goliad the Goliad massacre was the termination of the survivors of the Alamo and battle of Goliad. The resolution thus gave the Mexican Army permission to take no prisoners in the war against the Texians. They were later marched to Matamoros. Burr H. Duval's company, was marched toward the upper ford of the San Antonio River on the Bexar road. "Texas forever!" Lightboxes. Founded on the San Antonio River, it is the county seat of Goliad County. But Portilla's volleys at Goliad, together with the fall of the Alamo, branded both Santa Anna and the Mexican people with a reputation for cruelty and aroused the fury of the people of Texas, the United States, and even Great Britain and France, thus considerably promoting the success of the Texas Revolution. Over the protests of his officers, Fannin also ordered his troops to stop for more than an hour to allow their oxen to graze. Hermann Ehrenberg, Texas und Seine Revolution (Leipzig: Wigand, 1843; abridged trans. Those not killed were pursued and slaughtered by gunfire, bayonet, or lance. One survivor of the massacre, a young German named H. Von Ehrenberg, wrote an account of the murders on December 3, 1853. This order was received by Portilla on March 26, who decided it was his duty to comply, despite receiving a countermanding order from Urrea later that same day. Urrea marched the Texians back to Fort Defiance, where they were held under guard. All Rights Reserved. [5] Johnson and four others escaped in the darkness and rejoined Fannin's command at Goliad, where they said that all the prisoners had been executed. Ehrenberg: Goliad Survivor, Old West Explorer: A Biography by Natalie Ornish,, Herman Ehrenberg Print length 403 pages Language English Publisher Texas Heritage Pr Publication date January 1, 1997 Dimensions 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches ISBN-10 0962075515 ISBN-13 978-0962075513 See all details Books with Buzz [4] Colonel Fannin received an order from General Sam Houston to retreat to Victoria just a few weeks later. The town is the county seat of Goliad County, one of the oldest counties of Texas and is located about 100 miles southeast of San Antonio, 80 miles northeast of Corpus Christi on U.S. 183-77A. Texas: Graphic Ideas. For information about how to add references, see Template:Citation. Meantime, on March 23, evidently doubting Urrea's willingness to serve as executioner, Santa Anna sent a direct order to the "Officer Commanding the Post of Goliad" to execute the prisoners in his hands. With hostilities temporarily suspended, Frank W. Johnson and James Grant gathered volunteers for a planned invasion of the Mexican port town of Matamoros. Victor Marion Rose, History of Victoria (Laredo, 1883; rpt., Victoria, Texas: Book Mart, 1961). [4] By the end of the year, all Mexican troops had been expelled from Texas.[5]. The Goliad Massacre hardened attitudes toward Santa Anna throughout the United States and inflamed and unified the Texas resistance. We are a community-supported, non-profit organization and we humbly ask for your support because the careful and accurate recording of our history has never been more important. He was captured at Goliad; however, his life was spared so that he could treat the wounded Mexicans there and at San Antonio. In 1930 some Goliad Boy Scouts found charred bone fragments that had been unearthed over the years by animals, and an excursion to the site by Goliad residents on New Year's Day, 1932, succeeded in attracting an investigation of the site by University of Texas anthropologist J. E. Pearce. About 26 men were retained at Victoria as laborers, but 55 of the prisoners were marched into Goliad, on March 25. Only twenty-eight escaped the firing squads, and twenty more were spared as physicians, orderlies, interpreters, or mechanics largely because of the entreaties of a "high bred beauty" whom the Texans called the "Angel of Goliad" (see ALAVEZ, FRANCITA), and the brave and kindly intervention of Col. Francisco Garay. Fannin could have probably cut his way to safety, but he refused to abandon the wounded. In 1892, Duval published his journal, Early Times in Texas, or, the Adventures of Jack Dobell, which detailed his imprisonment, escape, and eventual return to safety during the final month of the Texas Revolution. M1 Garand; Vince Speranza; Vijayant Thapar; List of active duty United States four-star officers; Comparison of the T-90A and M1A2 Abrams; Charles Keating IV After the executions the bodies were burned, the remains left exposed to weather, vultures, and coyotes, until June 3, 1836, when Gen. Thomas J. Rusk, who had established his headquarters at Victoria after San Jacinto and was passing through Goliad in pursuit of Gen. Vicente Filisola's retreating army, gathered the remains and buried them with military honors. Similar Items. Whilst these horrible scenes were occurring on the prairies, Col. Fannin and his wounded companions were shot and bayoneted at Goliad, only Dr. Shackleford and a few hospital aids having their lives spared, in order that they might attend the wounded Mexicans. Signup today for our free newsletter, Especially Texan. 20 killed, est. They were advised not to take off the arm band, since Mexican troops were hunting for those few who had escaped from Coleto, Victoria, and the massacre itself. The Texians repulsed Mexican attacks for several days. [15] After several hours of fighting, the Mexicans had suffered an estimated 200 casualties and the Texians nine killed and about sixty wounded. Nearly 350 rebels were executed in the Goliad Massacre, almost twice as many as were killed at the siege of the Alamo. Hobart Huson, El Copano: Ancient Port of Bexar and La Bahia (Refugio, Texas: Refugio Timely Remarks, 1935). And without a moment's hesitation, I plunged into the water. Texan Leader James w. Fannin. It would be entirely consistent with British actions throughout the world in the 19th Century where adventurers operated with at least the tacit support of the British government in pursuing this scheme or that. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! When the Goliad prisoners were taken, Texas had no other army in the field (see REVOLUTIONARY ARMY), and the newly constituted ad interim government seemed incapable of forming one. Less than a month later, as Houston prepared his men for the decisive Battle of San Jacinto that would earn Texas its independence, he concluded his impassioned speech with the rallying cry: Remember the Alamo! An hour after Santa Annas execution orders arrived, Portilla received the contradictory message from Urrea to treat the prisoners with consideration, and especially their leader, Fannin. After an agonizing night weighing the two instructions, Portilla decided to uphold the wishes of the Mexican dictator. Amon B. After Santa Anna learned that a force of Texas rebels was heading toward Matamoros, he sent General Urrea to march north along the coast of Texas to stop them. Victoria Advocate, January 3, 1932, 88th Anniversary Number, September 28, 1934. This order was received by Portilla on March 26, who decided it was his duty to comply despite receiving a countermanding order from Urrea later that same day. Amon B. Still, Fannin became cheerful and reported to his men that the Mexicans were making arrangements for their departure. Surviving Goliad the Story of John C. Duval | by Texas General Land Office | Save Texas History | Medium 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. Not much is known about Francita Alavez's life. At Refugio on March 15, 1836, Urrea was again confronted with the duty of complying with the fatal decree of December 30. The dead are suspected illegal immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Although overshadowed by the fall of the Alamo, the Goliad Massacre claimed the lives of twice as many Texas rebels. Welche Kriterien es vor dem Kaufen die Nici qid zu untersuchen gibt! Many Cultures, One Texas Native Americans, Spanish explorers and missionaries, Texian soldiers and early settlers walked the land of what is now Goliad State Park and Historic Site in southeast Texas. This has since been preserved and designated as the Fannin Memorial Monument. Antonio Lpez de Santa Anna et al., The Mexican Side of the Texan Revolution, trans. Surprised by an overwhelming Mexican force, they were chased off and escaped, however 18 of the group were captured and marched back to Goliad. (1970). The area that bordered the United States, known as Texas, was populated primarily by English-speaking settlers, known as Texians. The injured Fannin was the last to be slaughtered. Fannin was the last to be executed, after seeing his men killed. LEE OXFORD BOOKS New York American New-YorkMay 14, 1836 SURVIVOR AFFIDAVIT OF THE GOLIAD MASSACRE BY ZACHARIAH S. BROOKS, WILSON SIMPSON AND DILLARD COOPER DESCRIPTION: 4-page original newspaper in go [They were] to be liberated on parole, and that arrangements had been made to send [them] to New Orleans on board of vessels then at Copano.[6] Duval joined the division that was marched northwest along the road leading to San Antonio. Upon hearing heavy firing of musketry in the directions taken by the other two divisions, [one of the men] exclaimed Boys! Their charred remains were left in the open, unburied, and exposed to vultures and coyotes. [citation needed], Fortunately, due to the intervention of the "Angel of Goliad" (Francita Alavez) and the courageous effort of Colonel Francisco Garay, twenty more men were held and spared as doctors, interpreters, or workers. , Urrea 's cavalry encircled the Texians, however, through a eventthe... 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