in charge of the officer prisoners sent to General Austin at
Gonzales. Austin put Milam in charge of a scouting party to
determine conditions at and best means of attack on San Antonio.
When the main army arrived at San Antonio, Milam, James Bowie, and
William B. Travis were sent on a scouting mission to the Rio
Grande. Returning to San Antonio, Milam found the army about to
fall back without making an attack on the city. He convinced some
300 volunteers to “follow old Ben Milam.” They began their attack
on December 5. Milam’s command occupied the Veramendi house. One
December 7, while crossing the courtyard, Milam was shot by a
sniper.
Miller, Thomas R. One of eighteen men who delayed the Mexican troops
sent to seize the cannon at Gonzales, Miller also represented
Gonzales at the Consultation. He was a member of the Gonzales
Volunteers who arrived at the Alamo on March 1. He was killed in
the massacre on March 6.
Miller, Washington Parsons Miller enlisted in the Texas Army in
September 1835 and was appointed a major in the Regular Army on
December 20. Miller and a body of volunteers from the United
States were captured on March 2, 1836, when they landed at Copano
Bay. They were marched to Goliad, but they were not among those
massacred on March 27, since none of them had yet taken up arms
against Mexico. He and his men were imprisoned at Matamoros.
Morton’s Ferry Near the present site of Fort Bend or Richmond, the
ferry was an important crossing on the Colorado River.
N
Navarro, Jose Antonio A delegate from Bexar to the Convention of 1836,
Navarro was one of three native-born signers of the Texas
Declaration of Independence. He also served on the select
committee to draft the Constitution of 1836.
Neill, James Clinton Neill joined the Texas army in September 1835. He
was appointed a lieutenant colonel by the General Council on
December 7. He commmanded an artillery company at the siege of
Bexar. On December 21, Sam Houston ordered Neill to take charge of
San Antonio and the Bexar district. He remained there until
granted a furlough on February 14, when he left the Alamo because
of illness in his family. Neill participated in the skirmish at
San Jacinto on April 20 and was wounded in that engagement.
O
Old Mill The Old Mill was situated on the San Antonio River, about
one-half mile north of San Antonio’s main plaza. It was
headquarters for Stephen F. Austin’s army after the battle of
Concepcion.
Organic Law The Plan and Powers of the Provisional Government, a
document hastily drawn up by the Consultation. Although the
Organic Law set up a provisional government, there was no coherent
separation of executive and legislative powers. The powers of the
commander-in-chief extended over only the (as yet nonexistent)
regular army. Volunteer soldiers already in the field refused to
serve under the Organic Law’s provisions.
P
Padilla, Juan Antonio Padilla joined the Texas Army on October 22,
1835. He later served on the General Council.
_Pelicano_ Mexican vessel captured by the Texas navy ship _Liberty_
outside Sisal, Yucatan, on March 3, 1836.
Permanent Council The Permanent Council served as the governing body
of Texas from October 11, 1835, to early November, when the
Consultation achieved a quorum. It was made up of the Committee of
Safety of San Felipe and representatives from the other Texas
communities.
_Pocket_ An American brig bound from New Orleans to Matamoros, the
_Pocket_ was captured by the _Invincible_. Taken to Galveston, the
ship’s cargo was appropriated by the Texas authorities. A Texas
court later condemned the _Pocket_ as a lawful prize on the
grounds that it was sailing under false papers and was carrying
supplies and messages for Santa Anna. To calm U. S. indignation
over the brig’s capture, William Bryan, and Toby and Brothers
Company paid $35,000 for the ship and $8,000 in damages.
Portilla, Jose Nicolas de la Lieutenant colonel under Urrea, Portilla
was put in charge of James W. Fannin and his men after the defeat
at Coleto. On March 26, Portilla received orders from Santa Anna
to execute all prisoners; he received orders from Urrea to treat
the men as prisoners of war and to set them to rebuilding Goliad.
Deciding that Santa Anna’s orders took precedence, Portilla, on
March 27, took the prisoners out of Goliad in three columns and
had them shot.
Potter, Robert Potter joined the Nacogdoches volunteers commanded by
Thomas J. Rusk. Until November 21, 1835, he worked with Dr. Grant
to arm and equip the siege of Bexar. On November 30, he was
commissioned in the Texas Navy. Potter represented Nacogdoches in
the Convention of 1836, and he was appointed interim secretary of
the Navy. Burnet appointed him commander of the port of Galveston
on April 20, 1836.
Provisional Government Set up by the Consultation, the Provisional
Government served from November 15, 1835, to March 1, 1836. The
body consisted of the governor, lieutenant governor, and General
Council. From the beginning, the governor and the Council were at
odds over their respective powers. By January 10, the governor had
dismissed the Council, and the Council had impeached the governor,
replacing him with the lieutenant governor. From January 17 on,
the Council was unable to convene a quorum, and Texas remained
without a functioning government until the Convention of 1836 met
on March 1.
R
Ramirez y Sesma, Joaquin Sesma commanded the brigade sent in advance
of the main army under Santa Anna’s command. He joined forces with
General Cos at Laredo, then merged with Santa Anna’s forces at the
Rio Grande as it marched to Bexar. After the fall of the Alamo,
Sesma was ordered to San Felipe, then to proceed to Anahuac by way
of Harrisburg. On April 13, Sesma’s army crossed the Brazos at
Thompson’s Ferry. He was camped on the east bank of the Brazos,
near the Old Fort settlement on April 21.
Refugio, Battle of William Ward was sent to relieve Amon B. King and
his men, surrounded by Urrea’s troops. Ward arrived at Refugio on
March 13, but he and King immediately began arguing over the
command. King and a body of men left the Mission, spent two days
wandering in the vicinity before being captured and executed by
the Mexican army. At Refugio mission, meanwhile, Ward was attacked
on March 14. He and his men escaped from the mission that night,
but they were captured at Victoria, marched to Goliad, and
executed on March 27.
Robbins’ Ferry In operation since 1821, the ferry was located at
Thomas Ford crossing of the Old San Antonio and La Bahia Roads
over the Trinity River. It was named for Nathaniel Robbins.
Regular Army Units, other than militia, authorized by any of the
provisional governments, particularly those commanded by
commissioned officers were considered part of the regular army.
Volunteer units, on the other hand, elected their officers from
their own ranks. Throughout much of the war, volunteer forces
would refuse to serve under commissioned officers.
Robinson, James W. Robinson was a delegate from Nacogdoches to the
Consultation in 1835. That body appointed him lieutenant governor
of the General Council. As such, he took Governor Henry Smith’s
place when the Council impeached Smith in January 1836. After the
General Council resigned their office, Robinson left for the army,
serving from March 12. He fought at San Jacinto as a private in
William H. Smith’s cavalry company.
Ruiz, Jose Francisco A native Texan, he was one of four
representatives from Bexar to the Convention of 1836 where he
signed the Declaration of Independence. As alcalde of San Antonio,
he identified the bodies of William B. Travis, James Bowie, and
David Crockett after the fall of the Alamo. He stopped the Mexican
soldiers who were throwing the bodies into the San Antonio River,
and gathered wood and ordered the bodies to be burned.
Runaway Scrape Texans fled from their homes before the advancing
Mexican army. The pace of the refugee traffic increased as news of
the fall of the Alamo, Houston’s retreat, and the massacre at
Goliad circulated. Washington-on-the-Brazos, Richmond, and
settlements on both sides of the Brazos were abandoned.
Settlements between the Colorado and the Brazos followed, and then
Nacogdoches and San Augustine. The panic was increased by reports
of Mexican-inspired Indian uprisings. The panic ended only after
the news of the battle of San Jacinto became widespread.
Rusk, Thomas Jefferson Rusk organized a company of volunteers in the
fall of 1835 at Nacogdoches and joined the army at San Antonio. He
left before the siege of Bexar, appointed a contractor for the
army. He was Inspector General of the army from December 14, 1835,
until February 26, 1836. A delegate to the Convention of 1836, he
was elected Secretary of War on March 17. He left to join the army
on April 1 and remained with the regular forces under Houston’s
command, participating in the Battle of San Jacinto.
S
San Antonio Captured by the Texan army after active fighting from
December 5 to 10, the town was retaken by Santa Anna on February
23. It remained in Mexican hands until after the battle of San
Jacinto.
San Felipe The Consultation met in San Felipe, November 1835, making
San Felipe one of the first capitals of the Republic (until the
Convention of 1836 met at Washington-on-the-Brazos). It was burned
on March 29, 1836, when retreating Texan soldiers were unable to
prevent the Mexican army’s crossing the Brazos.
Jacinto, Battle of On April 17 Sam Houston led his army south to
Harrisburg, finally abandoning his retreat eastward. On April 19,
learning that Santa Anna and his army had crossed Vince’s Bridge
to the west bank of the San Jacinto River, Houston and his men
crossed Buffalo Bayou. On April 20, the Texans encamped. That
afternoon, Sidney Sherman with a small detachment of cavalry
fought a brief skirmish with the Mexican infantry in an attempt to
capture the Mexican cannon. Santa Anna was joined in his camp,
three-quarters of a mile from the Texan army, by a 540-man unit
commanded by Martin Perfecto de Cos on the evening of April 20. On
Thursday morning, Houston ordered Erastus (Deaf) Smith to destroy
Vince’s Bridge secretly so that no further reinforcement could
cross nor could either army retreat. The Texans formed their
battle line about 3:30 in the afternoon. Surging over the
battlefield shouting “Remember the Alamo!” and “Remember Goliad!”,
the Texans caught the Mexican army unawares. The battle ended with
a decisive victory eighteen minutes after it began. Sam Houston
was seriously wounded in the battle. General Santa Anna was
captured the next day.
San Patricio, Battle of Francis W. Johnson and James Grant used San
Patricio as their headquarters during the Goliad Campaign of 1836.
There Johnson and his men were attacked by Urrea’s army on
February 27, 1836. Only Johnson and three or four men survived.
Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez de President Santa Anna was appointed
Commander-in-Chief of the Mexican Army of Operations in November
1835 by President pro-tem Miguel Barragan. In December he joined
Vicente Filisola at San Luis Potosi and began to organize the army
for the Texas Campaign. On January 2, 1836, he began his march for
Texas, crossing the Rio Grande on February 16. On February 23, his
army joined the force commanded by Ramirez y Sesma, and by the
afternoon, Santa Anna occupied San Antonio and had begun besieging
the Texan army in the Alamo. At dawn on March 6, he began the
assault of the fortress, which was subdued by 8 a.m. On March 31,
he left San Antonio for San Felipe de Austin. A surprise attack on
April 7 failed to reduce the town. On April 9 he left San Felipe
and began a forced march for the river crossing at Marion, hoping
to surprise the Texan army. His army did cross the river at
Marion, but failed to capture any Texans. From there, his army was
transported to Thompson’s Crossing on a captured flat boat. Santa
Anna reached Harrisburg on the night of April 15, only to find it
deserted. On the following day, after burning Harrisburg, his army
marched on to Lynchburg. Waiting for reinforcements commanded by
Cos, aware of the nearness of the Texan army, Santa Anna decided
to make camp on the west bank of the San Jacinto River. There, on
April 20, the army fought a skirmish with Sidney Sherman’s cavalry
detachment, but full battle was not engaged until the following
day. Captured by Texan soldiers on April 22, Santa Anna ordered
General Filisola to begin a retreat across the Rio Grande. On May
14, he signed the treaties of Velasco and prepared to be returned
to Mexico. But on June 1, Texans under the leadership of Thomas J.
Green interfered, threatening to capture or to kill the Mexican
leader. Finally, at the end of November, President Houston sent
him under guard to Washington, D.C., to meet with President Andrew
Jackson.
Seguin, Juan Nepumoceno Seguin and his recruits joined Austin near San
Antonio in October 1835. He participated in the capture of
Concepcion Mission, the siege of Bexar, and was on duty in the
Alamo in 1836. He escaped death only because he had been sent out
of the Alamo as a messenger. Seguin was in charge of the rear
guard of the army in its retreat east from Gonzales, and he helped
Moseley Baker in his attempt to prevent Santa Anna’s crossing the
river at San Felipe. Seguin rejoined Houston’s army and fought in
the battle of San Jacinto. He was ordered, along with Henry
Karnes, to follow the Mexican Army during its retreat in order to
protect the property of Texans.
Sherman, Sidney In 1835, Sherman raised money to equip a company of
Kentucky volunteers. The force arrived in Texas in time to vote in
the election for delegates to the Convention of 1836, then
proceeded to San Felipe. Sherman was lieutenant colonel in the
regiment raised by Houston at Gonzales in March. On April 20, he
led a sortie to try to capture the Mexican cannon at San Jacinto.
On the following day, he commanded the left wing of the Texan
attack. After the battle of San Jacinto, Sherman served as
president of the board of officers which distributed the Mexican
spoils among the Texas soldiers.
Smith, Benjamin Fort Smith commanded a company at the battle of
Gonzales, relieved J. M. Collinsworth at Goliad, and later joined
Austin in the siege of Bexar. He was a delegate to the
Consultation, but he did not attend. However, he put eleven
leagues of land at the government’s disposal on November 8, 1835.
Smith left for Mississippi to recruit volunteers in late November.
Returning to Texas in March, he reentered the army as a private.
He was quartermaster and acting adjutant to General Houston during
the retreat from Gonzales. At the battle San Jacinto, he served in
Henry Karnes’s cavalry company.
Smith, Erastus (Deaf) Neutral at the beginning of the war, Deaf Smith
joined the Texans when Mexican officials refused him permission to
visit his family in San Antonio. He joined Austin’s volunteer army
and became prominent as a scout. He participated in or gave
information valuable to Texan forces at the battle of Concepcion
and the Grass Fight. He led F. W. Johnson’s troops into San
Antonio on December 5, 1835. After Cos’ surrender, Smith moved his
family to Columbia then joined Houston at Gonzales. He was sent to
reconnoiter the Alamo and returned with Mrs. Almeron Dickinson.
Deaf Smith commanded a company in the reorganized army and was
ordered to destroy Vince’s Bridge secretly before he took part in
the battle of San Jacinto.
Smith, Henry From the beginning of the Revolution, Smith was a
supporter of independence from Mexico. He was a delegate to the
Consultation, participated in drafting the organic law, and was
chosen provisional governor. His opposition to the peace party
members of the General Council, as well as his suspicion of all
offers of help from Mexican supporters brought Governor Smith into
conflict with the rest of the government. On January 10 he
dismissed the General Council, claiming it had no further
function. The Council impeached Smith, replacing him with
Lieutenant Governor James W. Robinson.
Stewart, Charles Bellinger Stewart was elected secretary of the
Permanent Council on October 1, 1835. He later served as secretary
to the executive and enrollment clerk by the General Council on
November 18. He represented Austin at the Convention of 1836.
T
Tampico Expedition Commanded by Jose Antonio Mexia, 150 volunteers
sailed from New Orleans November 6, 1835. Hoping to take the fort
and the town of Tampico by surprise, they arrived at Tampico on
November 14. Secrecy was impossible, however. The garrison’s
commandant had aroused official suspicions, and he was arrested on
November 13. And, when the ship attempted to approach the landing
at night, it ran aground on the bar, and the men were forced to
wade ashore. On November 15, they took up the march to Tampico,
arriving there about midnight. Troops commanded by Gregorio Gomez
attacked and wounded several of the expedition members. Mexia
retreated to the bar and took refuge in the garrison, remaining
there for twelve days. On November 26, what remained of the force
embarked on the _Halcyon_. They arrived at the mouth of the Brazos
on December 3. Three of the 31 prisoners left behind in Tampico
died of their wounds; the rest were tried by court martial and
shot on December 14, in spite of vigorous efforts by Texas and the
United States to ransom the men.
Thompson’s Ferry River crossing on the Brazos, three miles above
Richmond. Houston’s army crossed at this point on April 14, 1836.
Tolsa, Eugenio Tolsa commanded the second brigade of Santa Anna’s
forces. He was ordered to reinforce General Sesma at the Colorado,
and, on March 31, to operate against the
Bolivar-Harrisburg-Lynchburg area as far as the San Jacinto River.
Tornel, Jose Maria Mexican Minister of War and Marine.
Travis, William Barret Travis organized a company of volunteers in
June 1835 which expelled the Mexican garrison at Anahuac. He
commanded a scouting company as part of the Volunteer Army before
San Antonio. He was appointed a major of artillery in December,
but later took a commission as lieutenant colonel of cavalry. Sent
out to recruit volunteers, he was ordered to proceed to San
Antonio with such troops as he could muster. He arrived there on
February 2, 1836. Command fell to him when James Neill left, but
by mid-February he was sharing command with James Bowie. After
February 24, because of Bowie’s illness, Travis held sole command.
Refusing to surrender the garrison to Santa Anna, Travis died in
the assault on March 6.
U
Ugartechea, Domingo de Military commandant of Coahuila and Texas, he
was put in charge of the forces at San Antonio in 1835. He ordered
Lt. Francisco Castaneda to attempt to reclaim the cannon at
Gonzales, thus setting off the organized resistance of the Texan
colonists. He arrived in San Antonio with reinforcements for
General Cos on December 9, just in time to take part in the
surrender of the city. He retreated with Cos’s army to Laredo.
Urrea, Jose On January 2, 1836, Santa Anna ordered Urrea to march to
Matamoros to prevent the expected invasion by Texans. On February
18, Urrea left Matamoros and forced marched to San Patricio. There
he surprised F. W. Johnson and his men at San Patricio on February
27, killing all but a handful. He attacked and defeated James
Grant at Agua Dulce on March 2, then began the advance to Goliad
on March 12. He attacked the mission at Refugio on March 14,
occupying it on the following day. He laid siege to Goliad from
March 16 to 20, finally defeating James Fannin at Coleto Creek on
March 20. Urrea continued his march, capturing Texans at Victoria
and on the Guadalupe River on March 21. On March 22 he captured
the 100-man unit led by William Ward. Units under his command
captured W. P. Miller and his men when they landed at Copano Bay.
Urrea captured Matagordo on April 13, Columbia on the 21, and
Brazoria on the 22. He was preparing to invade Velasco when
ordered to retreat. Urrea strongly opposed executing the Goliad
prisoners. The March 27 Massacre was carried out by Nicolas de la
Portilla in obedience to Santa Anna’s orders.
V
Velasco, Treaties of Two treaties, one public, the other secret, were
signed by Santa Anna and interim president David G. Burnet on May
14, 1836. In the public treaty, Santa Anna agreed to cease all
hostilities against Texas, then and in the future. Mexican troops
would be withdrawn south of the Rio Grande, confiscated property
would be restored to the Texan owners, and prisoners would be
exchanged. Texas agreed to return Santa Anna to Mexico as soon as
possible, and Texas army units would approach no nearer than five
leagues to the retreating Mexican army. In the secret treaty,
Santa Anna agreed to secure Mexican recognition of Texas
independence and a permanent end to the war. The Mexican cabinet
would receive a Texas mission to conclude a treaty of commerce and
limits, Texas boundaries to extend no further south than the Rio
Grande. Although the Mexican retreat was begun almost immediately,
the Texas Army refused to allow Santa Anna’s return to Mexico. On
May 20, the Mexican government declared all Santa Anna’s acts as a
captive to be null and void.
Victoria Urrea’s army, marching east after the battle of Coleto Creek,
captured Victoria on March 21, a few hours after it had been
burned by the Texans.
Viesca, Agustin Former governor of Coahuila and Texas, Viesca arrived
at Goliad on November 11, 1835. His ill treatment by Phillip
Dimmitt led Viesca to protest to Texan leaders, particularly to
Stephen F. Austin. The affair at Goliad threatened to upset all
Mexican support for the revolution.
Vince’s Bridge Crossing Vince’s Bayou, the bridge was the only viable
crossing at that point on the San Jacinto River. Erastus (Deaf)
Smith secretly destroyed the bridge on the morning of April 21, at
Houston’s orders, and all retreat for either Texan or Mexican army
was cut off.
W
Ward, Thomas William Ward joined the New Orleans Greys in 1835 and was
at the siege of Bexar. On the day Milam was killed, Ward’s right
leg was shot off by cannon fire. He returned to New Orleans and
recruited a company of volunteers.
Ward, William Ward helped recruit and defray the travel expenses of
the Georgia Battalion of volunteers. On December 20, 1835, he
reported to Henry Smith and was elected major of the battalion
when it was mustered into Texas service. Ward was elected
lieutenant colonel after James W. Fannin reorganized the battalion
at Goliad. He was sent to relieve Amon B. King at Refugio on March
13. Encountering the Mexican army commanded by Urrea, Ward joined
King in the mission. After battling Urrea on March 14, Ward and
his men escaped on March 15. They were overtaken on March 22, as
they retreated toward Dimmitt’s Landing. Returned to Goliad, Ward
and his men were executed on March 27.
Washington-on-the-Brazos The General Council of the Provisional
Government and the Convention of 1836 met at
Washington-on-the-Brazos. By March 20, the town was evacuated as
the interim government retreated to Harrisburg.
Westover, Ira Westover led a group of men to join the force assaulting
Goliad in October 1835. He remained at Goliad and was its first
adjutant. He commanded the successful expedition against
Lipantitlan in November. Although praised by Austin and the
General Council for this action, Westover was relieved of duty by
Philip Dimmitt. He became a member of the General Council’s
committee on naval affairs. On December 6, Westover was made
captain of artillery, resigning on December 17. Recommissioned by
the Convention of 1836, he recruited a company from Refugio and
San Patricio. It was the only regular army unit under James W.
Fannin’s command. Westover and his men were killed in the Goliad
Massacre, March 27.