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Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformwhatsoeverwithoutpriorwrittenpermissionfromthepublisherexceptinthecaseofbriefquotationsembodiedincritical

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ThisbookisdedicatedtoAdamRankinJohnson,GeorgeE.ChristianJr.,SusanChristianGoulding,JoChristianBabich(“AuntieSis”),MordenaBabichandto

thefuturegenerationsofChristianfamilywriters.

CONTENTS

PrefaceAcknowledgements

1.WhatWouldYouDo?2.Filibustering3.GrowingPains4.MeetElPresidenteSantaAnna5.Rabble-Rousing6.MakingTrouble7.TheManwiththeBigKnife8.WarinFull9.ComeandTakeIt!10.Who’stheBoss?11.WhichEndIsUp?12.HeroesoftheAlamo13.NowYou’veMadeUsMad14.TheRunawayScrape15.RemembertheAlamo16.IstheWarOverYet?17.HoustonVersusAustin

NotesBibliographyAbouttheAuthors

PREFACEHow is historywritten?What if youwere asked towrite a factual account ofwhat happened at your house last Sunday? Would you write from the sameperspectiveasyourmotherorbrotherorneighbor?Didtheyseethingsthesamewayasyoudid?Mighttheywriteaboutfactsthatwouldmakethemlookbetter?

Who’s the decider on which account gets picked as “official” history? Ateacher, historian, school board…the federal government? If all accounts arefactual,doesitmatterwhichversionyoustudy?

Whenyoureadhistory,youhavetouseyourbrainandthinkaboutwhytheauthordecided to include some stuff andnot someother stuff.Andof course,youshouldmakesurethehistoryyou’rereadingisfromacrediblesource.

Thisbook iswell researched, that’s forsure,but itonlycoversaportionofwhat happenedwith theTexasRevolution.There are infinite other stories andperspectivesthatcanbetoldaboutthissubject,butwe’releavingituptoyoutofindoutaboutthoseandwriteyourownbook.Ifyoudon’thaveabookinyou,maybeatleastyouhavearesearchprojectorpaperforschoolthatwillpromptyoutofindoutmoreaboutsomethinginthisbookthatinterestsyou.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThankyou,earlyTexasheroes:thechildrenwhowentwithout,thewomenwhoworked long hours, the men of all colors who fought for liberty andindependenceandthepeoplewhoweredisplacedintheprocess.

AlsotoChrisGruszkaofSeeGruInkandAnimation,thankyouforthespot-onillustrationsandgenerosityoftimeandtalent.

Chapter1

WHATWOULDYOUDO?

Once upon a time, back in the 1820s, land in Texaswas really, really cheap.Even though theSpanishgovernmentowned the land, thegovernmentgaveanAmerican, Stephen F. Austin, permission to move to Texas and bring threehundred American families to settle on Texas soil. What a deal! But whileAustinwasridinghishorsetoTexas,MexicowonawaragainstSpainandtookTexas like a big, fat prize. For the next sixteen years, Austin and his fellowsettlersnursedrelationshipswithMexico,Texas’newowner.Theyworkedtheland, fought with the Native Americans (and sometimes each other) andgenerallytriedtomakeagooutofadifficultsituation.

What began with those original “Old Three Hundred” families ended in1835–36witha“Texian”(American+Texan=Texian)revoltagainstMexicanrule.That’swhatthisbookisabout—therevoltorrevolution.

BetweenthetimeAustinandhisOldThreeHundredsettledinTexasandthetimetherevolutionstarted,thesettlershadmadegreatprogressgainedthroughhardwork,sufferingandsacrifice.Therevolutionbroughtitalltoascreechinghalt, as people who had come to Texas to be farmers, merchants, craftsmen,lawyersandlandspeculatorslefttheirlandandoccupationstograbagun—orastick, rock, knife or whatever they could find—to fight against the powerfulMexicanarmy.

If you lived in Texas in 1835, what would life be like for you? Well, itdepends on if you were a man, woman, child or slave. If you were a man,chances were pretty good that even if you survived the battles withMexicantroops,yourfarmorhomein townwouldbeburnedbyMexicantroops(orbyretreating,asinrunningaway,Texasforces),yourlivestockstolenorplunderedandyourcropstrampledordestroyed.Womenandchildrenleftbehindwhenthe

men went off to fight the Mexicans might also fall prey to raids by NativeAmericans or be forced to flee by marauding soldiers from both sides.Whatwereyoudoingifyouwereaslave?Thecommondenominatorforeveryonewashardtimes.LifeinTexasduring1835–36wasnocakewalk.

Thatissomethingtothinkabout,isn’tit?Imagineyoumadethelongwagonride toTexas, spentyearsbuilding somethingupand thenawar cameandallyourworkdisappearedbeforeyoureyes.Whatdoyoucareabout“constitutionalrights” or “Mexican tyranny”when you see everything you haveworked andriskedyourlifeforabout tovanish?Don’tforget—thecolonistkidsworkedashard as their parents did. And Texas was now their only home. It might beprestigioustobeoneoftheOldThreeHundred,butwhatifyourhouseisgoneand your dad or brother is killed in thewar?Wouldn’t you rather have themback?Howmuchwould you care about “freedom” or “liberty” anyway? Is itworththepriceyouhavetopay?

Manythoughtitwas,whichisthenextpartofthestory.

Chapter7

THEMANWITHTHEBIGKNIFE

Today,$20.00will not evenbuyanXboxgame,butwhen JimBowie left hisfamily’stimberbusinesstostrikeoutonhisown,allhehadwasthe$21.93thearmypaidhimforservingtwomonthsandtwenty-threedays.BowiejoineduptofighttheBritish,butitturnsoutthatOldHickory—that’dbeAndrewJacksontoyou—hadalreadywhippedthembythetimeJimandhisbrothershowedupfor the fight.89 Disappointment in war, however, didn’t slow down ambitiousJim.Hesawopportunitywhereotherssaw…well,thelaw.HedecidedtosquatonsomeunoccupiedlandinwesternLouisianaandmakealotofmoneyoffthestranger’sproperty.Incaseyoudon’tknow,theword“squat”doesnotrefertothekindof exercisecalled“squats”or theactofgoing to thebathroom in thewoods. Itmeans that Bowie decided to live on another person’s landwithoutaskingpermissionorbuyingtheland.Itwouldbelikesomeonedecidingtoliveinyourbackyardwithoutasking.Jimevenhadthegalltocutdownandsellthetrees on this person’s land!90 (Psst…that is called theft, and it is generallyfrowneduponincivilizedsociety,butBowieandmanyotherswhodidthesamethingdidn’tseemtocareaboutthat.)

FACTS,FICTIONORFUN?

1. JimBowie did not invent theBowie knife. Itwas his brother,Rezin,who crafted the knife. Rezin then loaned it to Jim to help him protecthimselffromadebtcollector.2. In 1830, Stephen F. Austin appointed Jim Bowie to command a

company of citizen rangers, a group of thirtymenwho helped keep thepeace and protect colonists from attacks by Native Americans. ThefamousTexasRangerswerenotofficiallyorganizeduntil1835.3. The Yellow Rose of Texas story is a myth. Santa Anna was notdistracted from thebattleatSanJacintobecauseawomanwas seducinghiminhistent.Interestingstory,butitdidnothappen.4.AttheAlamo,asMexicanforceswereapproaching,WilliamB.Travisdidnotdrawa line in thesandand tell thosewilling todie forTexas tocrossthelineandstandwithhim.5.AsasoldierintheU.S.ArmyduringtheMexican-AmericanWar,E.M.Daggett of FortWorth confiscated SantaAnna’s silverwash bowl aftertheBattleofBuenaVistainMexico.Isitamythorfactthatmanyyearslater,DaggettusedthebowltowashSamHouston’soldwarwoundfromtheBattleofSanJacinto?That’saresearchprojectforsomeone.6.SamHoustonwasbornMarch2,1793—onthissamedate forty-threeyearslater,Texasdeclaredindependence.7.SamHouston’sfirstfather-in-lawwasnamedJohnAllen.Thefounderof Houston, Texas, and Sam Houston’s friend, was also named JohnAllen.91

Mr.Tough-GuyJimwasquitethefighter,saidhisbrotherJohn,whobraggedthat Jim roped and captured wild deer, caught and rode unbroken horses androped and rode alligators.92 But like the squatting, Bowie’s idea of right andwrongmighthavebeenabitdifferentthanyours.Intheearly1800s,theoceanwatersnearTexasharboredpirates,justlikethemoviePiratesoftheCaribbean.The pirate captain JeanLafitte sailed on boats filledwith slaves. Jim illegallyboughttheslavesfromLafitteatalowpriceandthenturnedtheslavesintotheauthoritiesandclaimed$65,000ofrewardmoney.Therewardmoneywasmorethan themoney he paid for the slaves.93 Twowrongsmight not havemade aright,buttheycertainlymadeaprofit.

After running this scheme for some time,our friend Jimcalculated that thesheriffwould soon figureoutwhathewasdoing, andhewouldbe in a lot oftrouble. Instead of admitting that he had done something illegal, Jim forgeddocumentsthatsaidhehad65,000acres—that’sonehundredsquaremiles—oflandinLouisiana.Inotherwords,Jimfakedsomeone’ssignature,whichisnotonlylyingbutisalsoforgery—yetanothercrime.94

Toaddtohiscrookedbehaviorofsquattingonland,cheatingthegovernmentand faking signatures, Jim did another bad thing before he left Louisiana forTexas.HegotintoafightusingwhatwouldlaterbenamedtheBowieknife(aknifesharpenedonbothsides).Bowiethrusttheknifeintohisopponent’schestand“twistedittocuthisheartstrings.”Heartbreakingstory—getit?BowiefledLouisianatoavoidmurder,fraudanddebtcharges.95

ThefrauddidnotstopwhenBowiegottoTexas,ashetoldeverybodyhewasrich and wanted to start a cotton mill.96 True to character, he started a landspeculation scheme, traveling to the capital of Coahuila y Texas, Saltillo, to“buy”some landgrants.Whenhe foundout thatnomore landwas forsale toAmericans,heaskedseveralMexicanfriendstoapplyforlandgrantsinTexas.Bowieplannedtobuythelandbackfromhisfriends—astaggeringonemillionacres in all—withmoney his brother Rezinwas sending fromLouisiana. ThebadnewsisthatRezinneversentthemoney.Nocash,noland.ThegoodnewsisthatBowiemetandlatermarriedUrsulaVeramendi,thedaughterofawealthyMexican businessman and government official in San Antonio.97 Though hedidn’tamassahugeTexas landempire,hedidsethimselfupasan influentialmanwithpowerfulfamilyconnectionsintheMexicangovernment.NotbadforaswindlerfromLouisiana.

Maybe love turned Jim into a kitten, but if it did, he didn’t show it. In the

earlydaysofTexas,beingagoodfightercameinhandy,andBowiewasoneofthebest.Onestoryfindsourmuscledfriend,alongwithRezinandasmallgroupof settlers, fighting off about 124 Tawakoni, Waco and Caddo warriors nearpresent-daySanSaba.98PurestrategyandplentyofdumbluckwonthefightforBowie and his friends. Imagine how popular youwould be if you and a fewfriends beat the pants off one hundred of yourworst enemies! This story gotaroundandshowedBowietobebraveandskillful inbattle.StephenF.Austinand other Texians were impressed and thought Bowie a man who could actdecisivelyinacrisis.99Hisroleintherevolutionwascast.

NowthatyouknowwhatkindofcharacterJimBowiewas,wecanreturntohis“TexasGetRichQuickScheme.”OnhiswaybackfromMonclova,wherehehaddoneyetanotherfraudulentlanddeal(thistimeincahootswithAustin’spalSamuel Williams), Cós’s soldiers arrested him and the Monclovan officialstraveling with him. After a couple of incidents of disobedience, theMexicangovernmentdecidedithadbetterreinforcetheTexasgarrisonsandwasmovingnorth when it ran into Bowie and his merry band. A captive for two weeks,Bowieescaped—ofcourse!Likeacarrierpigeon,Bowiebroughtthebadnewsto the Texas colonists thatCóswas approachingwith his army.100Get ready,reader,thisiswherethestoryheatsup!

Chapter9

COMEANDTAKEIT!

Thefirst“battle”ofthewaroccurredatGonzalesinOctober1835.Thereasonfor the fight was a rickety little cannon the colonists had used as a defenseagainstraidsfromtheNativeAmericans.Thecannonwasnotsomesupernice,bronzebeautythatcouldblowtheenemyaway,butevenso,thecolonistswerenot giving anything to theMexicans, especially something that could be usedagainstthem.122ThumbingtheirnosesattheMexicancommander’srequestthatthey hand the squirt gun over to him, the alcalde and town council answered,“No can do.” Maybe they did not use those same words, but the Mexicancommander, Lieutenant Francisco de Castañeda, soon found out the colonistsmeantbusiness.WhenafewofCastañeda’ssoldiersshoweduptotakebackthecannon,thetownleadersarrestedthem.123

Unimpressed by the Texian rebuff, Castañeda’s boss, General Ugartechea,sentaboutonehundredMexicansoldierstoretrievethecannonandbailhismenoutoftheclink.124Surprise!Thecolonistshadgatheredamuchlargerforceofvolunteers, and on the morning of October 2, they told the Mexicans in nouncertaintermsthattheywouldbekeepingthecannon.ButtheMexicansdidnotjustwalk away. Just to stir things up a bitmore, the Texians took a piece ofwhiteclothanddrewapictureofthecannonandwrote,“Comeandtakeit.”125Can’t you imagine the colonists laughing their headsoffwhen theymade thatflag?To underscore theirmessage, they fired the disputed cannon and startedmovingtowardtheMexicans.Thingsaregettingserious.Withnoorderstostartawarandstaringinthefaceofamuchlargerforce,CastañedawiselydecidedtohightailitbacktoSanAntonio.126

This win, with only a few hurt, stoked the colonists’ confidence and builttheircourageandhope.Onerebel,NoahSmithwick,declaredthevictoryastheTexians’“Lexington.”127 (YouknowaboutLexington,right?Itwasoneof thefirst battles of the American Revolution.) Only eight days later, a secondskirmish occurred at the town ofLaBahía, orGoliad, and this scuffle furtherfired up the colonists.During theGoliad battle, a band of about one hundredTexians, including about thirty Tejanos, under the command ofMississippianGeorgeCollinsworth, assaulted a smallMexicangarrison guarding an armory.TheMexicans quickly surrendered, and the Texians found twomostly brokenrifles.128 Bummer. The excellent thing about Goliad, though, was its locationrightontheSanAntonioRiverbetweenGeneralCós,whowasencampedinSanAntonio,and theTexascoast.Understand?Cósnowhad toget reinforcementsoverlandfromSaltillo,hundredsofmilestothesouthacrossthewaterlessbrushcountry.129 Bring it! The Texas Revolution was on. Just one question: whatexactly were the Texians fighting for? Were the Texians like children whowantedtheirparents tomoveoutof thehouse,orwasit liketheywantedtheirparentstorenegotiatetherules?

COMEANDTAKEIT!

AfteritsstarringroleinstartingtheTexasRevolution,the“comeandtakeit”cannonwasbeingdraggedtothenextbattlewhenthewoodenwheelscaughtonfireandthesoldiershadtousetheirpreciousdrinkingwaterto

extinguish it.With a broken wagon, the cannon had to be buried on acreekbanknear theOldSanAntonioRoad.Thecannonstayedthereformorethanonehundredyears!

In1936,therewasahugefloodinCentralTexas,andtheoldgunwasfoundinahole.Formorethanthirtyyears,thecannonwasstoredintheGonzales post office because nobody knew its story. The cannon wasboughtandsoldseveraltimesbyguncollectors.WhenPatrickWagner,aphysician from Shiner, Texas, bought it, he worked with militaryhistoriansand laboratories touncover the storyof thecannon.ScientifictestsattheUniversityofTexasconcludedthatWagnerindeedownedtheoriginal “come and take it” cannon. The cannon now sits in a smallmuseuminGonzalez,Texas.Ifyoutravelthere,youcantouchthecannonandhaveyourphotographtakennexttoit.130

The skirmishes at Gonzales and Goliad meant war, and that meant theTexianshadtogettheiracttogetherfast.Thefightingactuallydelayeddelegatesfrom reaching Austin’s meeting in San Felipe, and it was not until earlyNovember that the group finally got together.131 As we have learned, in theabsenceofanorganizedprovisionalortemporarygovernment,theTexianshadalreadyraisedtheirownvolunteercompaniesandelectedofficers.Forexample,Austin was chosen for San Felipe, Sam Houston for Nacogdoches and JohnMooreforGonzales.132

TAKEATEXASTRIP:VISITLABAHÍA

GetbusyplanningatriptoGoliadforavisitatthePresidioLaBahía.Itisawesome.Thefortcontainstheofficer’squarters,whichisnowamuseumfilledwith interesting artifacts. There is also a beautiful chapel and theoriginalbarracks,wherethesoldiersslept.Getthis—youcanevenspendthenightinthebarracks!Imagineplayinghide-and-seekinthequadranglewhere the soldiers once walked or peering through the lookout holes,imaginingwhatitwouldbeliketohavebeenatthepresidioduringarealbattle.

The colonists wanted Austin to take the job of commander-in-chief of theragtag army. Imagine leading an army, even a small one, without any realexperience in commanding troops. It was not like Austin had graduated fromWestPointandknewhowtodevelopbattleplans,althoughhehadledmilitiasinfightswiththeKarankawasandotherNativeAmericans.Buthehadneverbeenintherealarmy,likeSamHoustonorJimBowie.Nevertheless,heacceptedtheoffer,whichnowmadehimGeneralAustin.133

Austin’s first order of business was to try to convince the Tejanos, theMexicancitizensofTexas,tojointherevolution.ManyTexiansdidn’twanttheTejanostohelpinthefight.134Seemslikeanarmyshortofmenwouldwantallthehelptheycouldget,huh?Some—thoughcertainlynotall—TexiansthoughttheTejanos’ culture and heritagewas too linked to that of theMexicans, andtheywantedtolumpallpeopleofthesamecolortogether.Itdidn’tmatterthattheTejanosand“Americans”werebothfightingforthesameindependence.135AsoneAmerican,NoahSmithwick,argued,“Itisnotinthenatureofthingsforthesuperiorracetolongremainunderthedominationoftheinferior…[And]itwasMexico’s inability to hold the territory against [NativeAmericans] that itwas thrownopen to theAnglo-American. Itwashewhobeat back the savageand converted the wilderness into civilized homes. Why then should he notcontrolitsdestiny?”136Hello!Racistmuch?Putdownthebookandthinkaboutthisstatementforamoment.HowwouldyouhavethoughtifyouwereaTexascolonist?CanyouthinkofotherexamplesinAmericanhistoryinwhichpeoplewereexcludedbecauseofthecoloroftheirskin?

WhileAustinsharedsomeoftheseviews,healsowantedasmanyTejanosashe could get to fight for Texas. Juan Seguín, son of Austin’s friend ErasmoSeguín,broughtagroupofTejanofightersfrombelowSanAntoniotojointherevolt.137TheTejanostendedtosupporttheideathatTexaswasaMexicanstateand,assuch,hadrightsunderthe1824constitution.Butingeneral,theydidnotthink of Texas as an independent nation or as part of theUnited States.138 Ifyou’dbeenaTejanointhissituation,whichsidewouldyouhavebeenon?

LorenzodeZavalawasanotherfederalistsupporteroftheTexasrebellion.Hewas a powerful man who had served as a senator in the Mexican Congress,governoroftheStateofMexicoandMexicantreasurysecretary,butwhenSantaAnnatookpower,heleftMexicoandheadedtoTexas.YetevenZavala,atthispoint, did not endorse full independence for Texas. He only wished thegovernmentwouldreturntothe1824federalsystem.139

AnotherofthegazillionproblemsAustinandotherTexasleadersfacedwasencouragingAmericanvolunteerstocometoTexasandtakeupthefight.“Hey,leaveyourcomfortablehouseinAlabamaanddragdowntoTexassothatmaybeyouwillbekilledinabrutalfight.Andifyousurviveandsettlehere,youwillberuledbyMexico.Soundgood?”Withoutadeclarationof independenceandthepromiseoflivinginafreeTexas,manyAmericanshadahardtimechoosingtorisklifeandlimbjusttobepartofaMexicanstate,evenafederalone.SamHouston,however,wasthemanwithaplan.

Let’srememberthatknowingthepresidentoftheUnitedStatescancomeinhandy.HoustonaskedhisoldpalPresidentAndrewJacksontosendmoretroopstotheTexas-Louisianaborder.Getthis:HoustontoldJacksonthatfivethousandCreek Indians were preparing to invade Texas and wipe out the Americansettlements.Thiswasatotallie,butwilyoldSamknewthatJacksonneededtohaveagoodreasontosendtheU.S.militaryclosertothesceneoftheactioninTexas.140HoustonalsowantedGeneralSantaAnnatoknowthathehadfriendsinhighplaces.Clever!

In the meantime, Austin and the Texas “army” were advancing on SanAntonio, determined to capture Cós. Bowie showed up, riding fromNacogdochesandbringingwithhimsomeofhisbuddies fromLouisiana.Thefightwason.AustinsummonedBowie;JamesFannin,aguyfromGeorgiawhodropped out of theU.S.MilitaryAcademy andmoved to Texas; andAndrewBriscoe, a Mississippian who fell in with Travis at Anahuac (and whosedescendant, Dolph Briscoe, would become a Texas governor more than onehundred years later), and gave them the task of scouting San Antonio andfiguringouthowitcouldbestbetaken.141

Bowie hadmany contacts in SanAntonio because he hadmarried into thepowerfulVeramendi familyseveralyearsbefore.Thesadpart is thathiswife,twochildrenandfather-in-lawdied inacholeraepidemic.142Still,Bowieusedhisnetwork toconvincesomeTejanos tocomeover to theTexas side.143 It isinteresting to note that Bowie and his kind were fighting the war for Texasrights,andnotnecessarilybecausetheywereagainstMexicanculture.Thiswayof thinking is different thanNoah Smithwick’s, whichwasmentioned earlier.SomeTejanosappreciatedthislineofthoughtandjoinedtheTexians.144

BowieandFanninrecommendedthatAustinencircleSanAntonioandtrytostarveout theMexicangarrison.145Austin, reluctant to splithisarmy into twoparts,allowedBowietotakeareconnoiteringpartyintothetown.Bowieseized

theopportunitytosetupapositionontheSanAntonioRivernearthetown.146

Uh-oh.WhenCósdiscoveredtherebels,heattackedthemonOctober28.147Heopened fire with his cannon, showering Bowie’s men with pecans from theoverhanging trees, which they calmly munched during the battle.148 TheMexicanarmychargedtheTexiansthreetimes,buteachtime,itwasstoppedbythesharpshootingsettlers.149Whenitwasover,fewerthanonehundredmenhaddefeatedfourhundredMexicansoldierswitha lossofonlyoneman.150But ifthe Texians thought this war was going to be easy, they had another thingcoming.

Chapter10

WHO’STHEBOSS?

While Austin and Bowie were away fighting in San Antonio, about sixtydelegates had gathered in San Felipe to debate Texas’ future status.151 SamHoustonemphaticallytoldhisvolunteertroopsthatTexasmustbreakupwithitscontrolling parent, Mexico. He thought that if Texas declared independence,President Jackson and the U.S. government would recognize Texas as a newstateandsendmilitaryaid.152Soundslikeagoodplan,huh?

Notsofast.BythetimeHoustongottoSanFelipe,hechangedhistune,insteadarguing

thatTexas should declare itself aMexican state under a restored 1824 federalconstitution.153 Houston, with Austin’s backing, lined upwith the old settlerswho had built the colonywith their sweat, toil and blood. Theywanted theirrights,but theydidnotwanta totalbreakwith thenation thathadgiven themopportunitiesforlandandprosperity.Youhavetoadmiretheirloyalty.Theanti-independencefactionalsofearedthatifTexasdeclaredindependenceandbrokeaway,Tejanosupportfor therebellionwoulddisappear.154Andthentherewastheissueofslavery.

Atthistime,manyTexians,includingAustinhimself,ownedslaves,andtheyknew that the Mexican constitution prohibited slavery. Texians were onlyallowedtokeepslavesbecauseofaspecialdispensationunderthetermsofthecolonial laws. A return to the 1824 status quo would not guarantee thecontinuation of slavery in Texas. Without the slaves, cotton would not beprofitableforthecolonists.Andthecolonistshadnointentionofwalkingawayfromapileofmoneydespitewhatevergovernmenttheymightendupwith.155

On the other hand, anti-independence advocates argued, the abolition

movement (gettingridofslavery)wasgainingstrength in theUnitedStates. IfTexasbecameanAmericanstate, slaverymightbeendangeredanyway.Thesepeople probably did notmake a tidy profit from slave-tended crops, but theycertainly benefited from the general prosperity of the colony. After all thearguingfrombothsides,theissueofindependencewasfinallyputtoavote.Theanti-independenceforceswon33–14.156

Did you see that coming? The delegates decided that Texaswould not yetdeclare its independence from Mexico, but the group did form a provisionalgovernmentwithanewgovernor,KentuckianHenrySmith.Interestingly,SmithwasapoliticalenemyofAustin’s.Hewasalsooneofthose“new”Texianswhodidn’t likeMexicansorTejanos.Thisdidnotbodewell for the successof thefledglinggovernment.157DidAustinalwaysworkthehardestandalwaysgettheshaft?

TheconventionalsovotedtoappointSamHoustonascommander-in-chiefoftheTexasarmy,replacingAustin.Austinwelcomedtheappointment.Hishealthwasdeclining,andhereallydidnothaveanymilitaryexperience.Houston,ontheotherhand,hadcommandedtroopsintheCreekwarsunderAndrewJacksonandcouldbringfreshconfidencetotherestlessTexasarmy.158TheconventiongaveAustinthetaskoftravelingtotheUnitedStatestoraisemoneyandsupportfortheTexasRevolution,adifficultyetrelativelysafejobforAustin.159

Houston’s problemo numéro uno: there was not much of a Texas army tolead.Themenwerevolunteers—theyshoweduptofightwhenevertheywantedto and thenwentback to their farmsand families.Theydidnot like a regularcommand structure, either. IngoodAmericandemocratic fashion, they electedtheirowncommanders, and if theybecamedissatisfiedwith them, they turnedthem out and elected others. They also did not like to follow orders.160Everybodyhadhisownideaabouthowtofighttheenemy,andjustbecauseSamHoustonorsomeotherbiggeneralhadanopiniondidnotmeanthearmywouldgoalong.Asonevolunteer soldier,RobertColemanofColumbia,wrote, “Weare all captains and have our views.”161WhenColeman’s company could notagreeonasinglecommander,itelectedacommittee!162

AnotherproblemwasComancheraids.Withthemenoffatwar,thefamilieswereleftalonetofendoffthemaraudingbands.163Whocouldblameavolunteerforleavingthefightwhenhisfamilywasatrisk?Inadditiontoworryingabouttheirhomesandhearths,thevolunteerswenthungrymuchofthetime.ThenewTexasgovernmentdidnothaveanysupplies,tents,clothingorhorses.Themenhadtoscavengeforfoodatthesametimetheyfoughtbattles.164Nowondertheywenthomewhenevertheyfeltlikeit!

How could Sam Houston have any hope of winning a war with so fewresources?HowcouldheinstillmilitarydisciplineintoarowdybunchofTexasfrontiersmen?HeaskedtheTexasgovernmenttoorganizearealarmy.Whatalaugh!Thegovernmentmighthaveelectedofficials,butithadzerointhewayofresources. It is likeaskingyourparents for school supplies for the firstdayofschool, and they tell you tomake dowith what you’ve got (which would benothing), yet they still expect straight As! When Houston asked the newgovernment to organize, he wanted officers appointed, recruiting stationsestablished, supplies frommerchants and farmers requisitioned and, oh, like amillionotherthings.165NotonlydidHoustonwantthesethings,heneededthemfast!RumorsspreadthatSantaAnnawasapproachingwithtenthousandsoldiersto crush the rebellion.166 “We must have an army or abandon all hope ofdefending the country!”167 Houston pleaded. But no regular army was everformed,atleastnotonethathadwhatitneededtofightaprofessionalarmylikeMexico’s.IfTexaswasgoingtowinthiswar,itwasgoingtohavetodoitwith

thosestiff-neckedvolunteermilitias.ThestrategyfortakingSanAntoniowasnotworkingforHouston.Hesawno

strategicvalueingettinghistinyarmykilled,andhewantedBowieandFannintogettheheckoutofSanAntonio.Houston’splanwastogetthetroopsoutofSanAntonioandreorganize.Hedidnotthinktheycouldtakethetownwithoutcannons, and the Texas army did not have any.168 But Fannin thought thatretreating from San Antonio would dishearten the volunteers. Some eventhought thatHoustonwas trying to sabotage the revolution.One settlerwrotethatHouston “was a vain, ambitious, envious, disappointed, discontentedmanwhodesiresthedefeatofourarmy,thathemaybeappointedtothecommandofthenext.”169Oddreasoning.

Uh-oh,thewheelsstartedflyingoff—thevolunteerselectedtheirownleader.HisnamewasEdwardBurleson.170Thevolunteer fightersdidnotgive awhitthat theconventionhadelectedSamHouston.Theyhadno loyalty toHoustonand promptly ignoredHouston’s request towithdraw fromSanAntonio.Whowasincharge,youask?Thatwaspreciselytheproblem.TheconventionhadputHouston in charge, but the volunteers decided they were leading this war. Ifthereisoneruleinthemilitary,itistofolloworders.Howwouldthisendforthesettlers?

BurlesonorderedBowietoattackanapproachingcolumnofMexicantroopsoutsideofSanAntonio.171BurlesonandtheTexiansthoughttheMexicanswerecarryingahordeofsilvertoCós’stroopsinthetown.Theexcitedmencapturedthesupplieswhile theMexicantroopsgotaway.ThejokewasontheTexians,because the treasure trove turnedout tobebagsofgrass theMexican soldiershadcuttofeedtheirhorsesinSanAntonio.Oh,thehumiliation!Thebattlecametobeknownas the “GrassFight.”172Manyvolunteers, unhappy that theyhadnothing toshowfor their fightingexceptgrass,decided togohome.173ShouldtheyhavelistenedtoHouston’sstrategy?Maybeso.SomeoftheotherTexianswhodidnot gohome resolved to raidMatamoros, hoping to find silver there.Why? Because stealing silver was now the main mission?What the heck! Itseems every soldier now had a different goal. Burlesonwanted to attack SanAntonio,buthissoldiersrefused.174 Itwasadarkdayfor thedwindlingTexas“army.”

But then something of a miracle happened. Two groups of new AmericanvolunteersrecruitedinNewOrleans,namedtheNewOrleansGreys,arrivedinSan Antonio.175 Having come hundreds of miles across Texas to fight theMexicanarmy,theGreysdidnotthinkmuchofHouston’splantoretreatfromSanAntonio.NeitherdidBenMilam,aKentuckianwhofirstfoughtforMexicanindependence in 1824 and was thrown in jail when General Iburtide becameemperor.Hewas freedbut imprisonedagainwhenSantaAnnanamedhimselfdictator.176

Milamhadnopatiencefordictators.Heescapedfromprisonintimetotakepart in the skirmish atGoliad, and he toldBurleson that hewould attack SanAntonio by himself if he had to.As one of the soldiers told the story,Milamdrewa line in the groundwith the stockof his rifle,wavedhis hat and cried,“Boys!WhowillgowithBenMilamintoBexar?”Themencheered.“Well, ifyouaregoingwithme,getonthisside.”177ThreehundredmenjoinedMilamonhis side of the line.178 This story often getswrongly attributed toWilliamB.TravisattheAlamo.

Burlesonscheduled theattack for thepredawnhoursofDecember5,whichbegan with the Texas artillery shelling theMexican garrison in the Alamo, amissionaboutfourhundredyardsfromthetown.179JesúsCuellar,ayoungSanAntoniannicknamed“Comanche”becauseasayoungboyhewasaComanchecaptive,ledtherebelsintothetown.180TheyreachedthetownsquarebeforetheMexicansknewtheywerethere,butwhentheMexicansfoundout,theyopenedfire with cannons and grapeshot. The rebels dove into houses and alleys forcover.181

The street fighting went on for hours. AMexican woman offered to carry

waterfromtheriverfor thethirstysoldiersbutwasshotdownbytheMexicantroops after shehad filled thebuckets.182Noonewasgoing tobe safe in thiswar.Bynightfall,theTexianshadcapturedmuchofthetown,buttheMexicansstillpossessedthesquareandtheAlamo.OnlyoneTexianhadbeenkilledinthefirstdayof thebattle,butTexassharpshootershadpickedoffseveralMexicansoldiers.183

Wasthisawin?Notbyalongshot.

Chapter11

WHICHENDISUP?

The battle in San Antonio raged on for several days. Despite heavybombardmentfromMexicancannons,theTexianscontinuedtoadvancethroughthetown.Itisamazingwhatwillpowercando.OnDecember7,asinglebulletfiredbyaMexicansnipernamedFelixdelaGarzastruckBenMilamintheheadandkilledhim.TheTexiansreturnedfireandkilleddelaGarza.184Thatnight,inacoldrain,GeneralCós tried tosurprise theTexianswithasuddencavalrycharge,but theTexiansbeat itoff.WhenCóssent twohundredmen to findarelief column rumored to be nearing San Antonio, the men deserted.185 TheMexicansoldiersrunningawayfromtheircommanderillustratesthedifferencebetweenacold,hungryconscriptarmyfightingfarfromtheirhomesandacold,hungry volunteer army fighting for their homes. The Texians had their ownproblemsbecausetheyweresocommittedtowinningthattheyallwantedtobethe leader.Nevertheless, the power of passion cannot be overlooked as a toolmorepowerfulthanartillery.

ReinforcementsdidreachCósthenextday,buttheyhadnofood.Nonecouldbe found in the town either.Can you imagine a townwithno food?CóswasforcedtosurrenderSanAntoniotothestubbornrebels.AsoneMexicansoldierput it, “We were surrounded with crude bumpkins, proud and overbearing.WhoeverknowsthecharacterofNorthAmericansmayappreciatethepositioninwhich we found ourselves.”186 Rude! Cós’s men were allowed to leave SanAntoniounder a promisenot to takeup arms against the1824 constitution.187TheTexianshadwonanenormousvictory,buttheywerestillvulnerable.

AndSantaAnnawasnowonthemarch.SantaAnnaorderedthattheTexasrebelsbetreatedas“piratesandoutlaws…

The foreigners who are making war against theMexican nation, violating alllaws,arenotdeservingofanyconsideration,andforthatreasonnoquarterwillbegiventhem.”188Hesoundsmad,youthink?

SantaAnnagatheredhis army together inSanLuisPotosídown inMexicoand began the eight-hundred-mile trek through the Chihuahuan desert to SanAntonio de Béxar.189 That is one seriously long walk! In fact, marching fivethousandsoldiersandanimmensenumberofhorsesandcattlethroughthedesertis a logistical nightmare. Santa Anna wanted to overawe (good word, use itsometime)theTexianswithabigmodernarmy,buthedidnothavethemoneyandsuppliesforit.190Forsomereason,thenecessaryprovisionsforthesoldiersdidnotmake thepacking list.Tomakemattersworse,acrowdofwomenandchildrenfollowedthearmyallthewaytoTexas.Whatweretheydoingthere?IntheMexicanarmy,womencookedthefoodandtookcareofthesoldierswhenthey were sick or hurt. The soldiers liked these little comforts, but the armydidn’tmoveveryfastandtheextramouthsatewhatlittlefoodtherewas.191

Indeed, some thought that the commissary general of the Mexican army,SantaAnna’sbrother-in-law,mighthavesoldsomeofthesuppliesintendedforthearmyforhisownprofit.192Whoa,thatisreallylow!Notonlydidthetroopslacksufficientfood,theydidnothaveenoughtentstoshelterthemenfromthemid-wintercoldandrainormedicalsupplies to treat their illnesses.193Despitethehardships,SantaAnnawasconvincedthathehadtomovequicklytosquashthe rebellion in Texas before his opponents in Mexico had time to organizeagainst him. He compared himself to Napoleon, the military genius who hadbattledoverwhelmingoddstodefeatthegreatestarmiesthatEuropecouldthrowagainst him.194 Hold on, Santa Anna! It seems in his awe for Napoleon heapparently forgot the French emperor’s disastrous retreat from Moscow andcalamitousdefeatatWaterloo(nottomentionthatNapoleonfoughtagainsthugearmies,whileSantaAnnaonlyhadtodealwithameaslyfewhundredcolonistswithhuntingrifles,knivesandsticks).Readyourhistory,SeñorSantaAnna.Itisalwaysfilledwithhelpfulhintsonhowtoavoidgettinginoveryourhead.

But even ifSantaAnnawasnoNapoleonand theMexican armynoGrandArmée, theTexasarmyhad its troubles, too.GeneralHoustonnotonlyhad todeal with an army that wouldn’t obey his orders, but he also answered to aprovisional stategovernment thatwasas interested inmoneyandpoliticsas itwas in winning the war. Governor Henry Smith was a particular thorn inHouston’s side.Hemoved the stategovernment toWashington-on-the-Brazos,notbecauseitwasthebestlocationfromwhichtodirectoperationsinthewar,but because the land speculators and promoterswanted it there.195 Thismovesoundslikesomethingthatmighthappenintoday’spoliticalscene—somebodyputshisorherowninterestabovethegeneralwelfare.

Thebiggest problem, though,was lackof readymoney.Houston couldnotgetanyfundsoutof theprovisionalgovernment forsuppliesor recruitingnewsoldiers.“Thebravemenwhohavebeenwounded in thebattlesofTexas,andthe sick from exposure in her cause, without blankets or supplies, are leftneglected in her hospitals,”Houstonwrote Smith in January 1836, “while theneedful stores and supplies are diverted from them, without authority and byself-created officers,who do not acknowledge the only government known toTexasandtheworld.”196

Houstonknewthatsomepeoplewhoclaimedtobepatriotswerereallyintherebellion forpersonalgain, not towin independence forTexas.Unfortunately,someofthemhadclosetiestotheprovisionalgovernmentaswell.197Corruption

wasaproblemforbothsidesintheTexasrevolution.HowcouldSamHoustonkeepfocusedandnotthrowuphishandsandwalkaway?

Houston had another problem. The Texians’ success at San Antonio hadgiventherebellionaboost,butitproducedlittleinthewayoftangiblebenefitsforthearmy.Oneexampleillustratesamuchbiggerstory.AScottishimmigranttoTexasnamedJamesGranthadgottenhimselfelectedtotheCoahuilayTexasstate legislature andwas one of the beneficiaries of the huge 1835 land fraudscheme under which Sam Williams, Jim Bowie and others had becomemillionaires—well,millionairesat leastonpaper.198Grant feared thatHoustonand Austin were leading Texas down the path to independence, and, if theysucceeded,hewouldlosehislandandhisfortune.199WashereadytojeopardizeTexas’futurefordirtymoney?

Grantandotherswantedtorestorethe1824constitution,notmakeTexasanindependentcountryorpartoftheUnitedStates.Inordertofurtherhispersonalwealthbyprotectinghisland,GrantdidnotcooperatewithHouston’sstrategy:hedevelopedoneofhisown.Surely,Houstonappreciatedthehelp.Not!GrantproposedanattackonMatamorosasawayofdrawingSantaAnnaawayfromTexas and encouraging a Mexican revolt against the dictator. If that’s notenoughgreedforyou,GrantalsowantedtoplundertheMexicancustomshousethere and promised the Texians rich pickings in Mexico.200 Yeah, drag thelimited troops completely out of the state and fight an entirely different war.Unbelievably,someTexiansfellforit.

Grant’sgreedinlandspeculationwaswellknown.Itseemsthesettlerswouldhave supported the person they elected to run themilitary over someonewithwell-knownpersonal interests, doesn’t it?Nope.Houston tried to stopGrant’splan todrag troopsdown toMexico, and forgoodmeasure, he also asked theprovisionalgovernmenttocancelthelandgrants.Houstongotadouble“no”ashisanswer.Thegovernmentrefusedtocancelthelandgrants.Instead,itorderedGrant’s expedition to proceed.201 Seriously, how is it that Houston had thepatience and foresight to stick with such a tangled group of people, all withcompetinginterests?NobodycansayAustinorHoustonwerequitters—orthattheywereonlyinitforthegloryandthemoney.

Inhispositionascommander-in-chief,HoustontriedtoappointBowietoleadthecrazymissiondowntoMatamoros.Thegovernmentoverruledhim.202Cansomeonegivethisguyabreakandlethimdohisjob?GovernorSmith,whohadnointerestinthelanddeal,sidedwithHoustonforonce.Hetriedtodissolvethe

government. That is comforting, right? The members of government insteadtriedtoimpeachSmith.203Talkaboutgettingrolled!

Grant forgedaheadand recruitedvolunteers for theMatamoros raid, takingmanyofthedefendersofSanAntoniowithhim.Withafewhundredmen,Grantmoved south. Still trying to stop this breakaway from the overall militarystrategy, Houston rode to Refugio, about 150miles north ofMatamoros, andmadealastefforttotalkGrant’sfollowersoutofthisplan.204Manyoftherebelsdecided to go ahead anyway because they were ready for action. Yeah, thisgroupwanted a piece of the action, alright: a share of the big fat spoils fromMatamoros’lucrativecustomshouse.205

OnthewintrynightofFebruary27,1836,fortyofGrant’smenwereholdingthetownofSanPatricio.AMexicanforceunderGeneralJoséUrreawaswarnedof the Texians’ presence in the town, launched a surprise attack andoverwhelmed the rebels, killing sixteen and capturing the rest.206 Grant, whowas raiding farther southwhenUrrea attacked, did not know the San Patriciogarrisonhadbeenwipedout.Whenhereturned,hewalkedrightintoatrap.

Grant and fortymenwerekilled.Only six rebels survived the ambush.Buttheydidnotsurviveforlong.SantaAnnaorderedUrreatoexecutethem,alongwith the twenty-four Texians taken at San Patricio.207 The Matamorosexpeditionthusended,asHoustonhadfeared,inafiasco.YoumightthinkthatmaybenowpeoplewouldlistentoSam’sadvice.Youmightthinkthat,butyouwouldbewrong!

Chapter13

NOWYOU’VEMADEUSMAD

Justas thedefendersof theAlamohadwanted, theconventionatWashington-on-the-BrazosdeclaredTexasindependenceonMarch2.

We, therefore, the delegateswith plenary powers of the people ofTexas, in solemn convention assembled, appealing to a candidworld for the necessities of our condition, do hereby resolve anddeclare that our political connectionwith theMexican nation hasforever ended, and that the people of Texas do now constitute aFREE,SOVEREIGN,andINDEPENDENTREPUBLIC.269

ModeledaftertheAmericandeclarationofindependencefromGreatBritain,theTexiansjustifiedtheirrevoltbycitingSantaAnna’styranny,hisoverthrowofconstitutionalgovernmentinMexicoandhisabuseoftherightsandlibertiesof the colonists.270 There is nothing like having a real enemy to unite adisgruntledgroup.Mexico,you’dbetterwatchoutnow!

ThesignersincludedTexianslikeSamHouston,AndrewBriscoeandSamuelMaverick,aswellasTejanoslikeLorenzodeZavalaandJoséAntonioNavarro,a former congressman from San Antonio.271 The convention elected DavidBurnet as interim president of the new republic, Lorenzo de Zavala as vice-president and Thomas Rusk as secretary of war.272 Why didn’t Stephen F.Austingetapositioninthenewrepublic?

StephenF.Austinwasoff to theUnitedStates,which iswhyhewasnotatWashington-on-the-Brazosforthehistoricevent.Remembertheearliercongressgavehimthetaskofraisingmoneyforthewar?InDecember1835,heandtwo

colleagues,WilliamWhartonandBranchArcher,weresenttotheUnitedStatesnotonlytogetmoneybutalsotocontractloansandobtainsupplies,arms,navalvesselsandprovisionsforthewareffort.273

On their way to Washington, D.C., the ambassadors spoke to potentialsupporters in New Orleans, Natchez, Louisville, Lexington and Cincinnati.274BythetimetheyreachedWashingtonattheendofMarch,thenewsoftheTexasdeclaration of independence reached them. Austin went on to Baltimore,PhiladelphiaandNewYork.275Itisincrediblydifficulttoimaginehowhedidallthisworkandtravelwithoutatelephone,textmessagingore-mail.Howharditmust have been to track himdown, just to let himknow the details about theAlamoandTexas’newindependence.

In a letter to a U.S. senator from Missouri, which was published innewspapersacrossthecountry,Austinwrote:

AwarofexterminationisraginginTexas,awarofbarbarismandof despotic principles, waged by the mongrel Spanish-Indian andNegrorace,againstcivilizationandtheAnglo-Americanrace…theAnglo-Americanfoundation,thisnucleusofrepublicanism,istobebroken up and its place supplied by a population of Indians,Mexicans,and renegadoes,allmixed together, andall thenaturalenemies ofwhitemenand civilization…Let an armyof theUnitedStatesmarchintoTexas,andsaytothepirateSantaAnna,“Stop:”agreatandphilanthropicandfreepeoplewillnotstandtamelybyand see justice, constitutional right, and humanity, wantonlyviolated at her door—nor can a paternal government tolerate astate of things on itsmost vulnerable and important frontier, thatwill,andmustbringthebloodytideofsavagewarandthehorrorsofnegroinsurrectionwithinitslimits.276

Waitaminute,whathadthe“negroes”done?AndtheNativeAmericanswerenowarelativelysmallnumbercomparedtothecolonists.ManyoftheTejanoshad fought and died with the Texians. Why did Austin make such a racistappeal? Why did he lump all these minority populations together with theMexicans to describe an enemy? Many of Austin’s best friends had beenMexican leaderssuchasTerán,deZavala,NavarroandSeguín.277Thinkbackthroughallofhistory.Isitatried-and-truepoliticalsupport-buildingstrategytotargetanethnicgroup,suggesttheyareathreat,andgenerateanexcited,scared

andmaybehatefulbaseof followers?HadAustin turned into apoliticianwhowasusingwhatever triggers necessary to raise the ire of contributors?OrwasAustin’s real motive to protect slavery in Texas and thus the fortunes of theplanters?

TogetaclearpictureofwhyslaveswereimportanttoTexas,readthebookFor the Love of Texas: Tell Me About the Colonists!. That book gives anoverviewofwhyAustinfelttheneedtodefendowningslaves.BackinMissouri,his father had owned slaves to work his mining business, and Austin foughtsuccessfullyfortherightofAmericansettlerstobringtheirslavestoTexaseventhough slaverywas illegal underMexican law. Still, he had doubts about thewisdom of slavery, believing that slavery contradictedAmerican principles ofindividualliberty.Austinalsofearedthatslaveswouldeventuallyoutnumberthewhite population and rise up in revolt. But Austin did not think Texas—andAmerica, for that matter—could develop economically without slavery. ForTexastobecomeagreatcottonproducer,slaveswouldhavetomakeithappen.The fact is that Austin, like many Americans, believed that slavery was anecessaryevil.Healsobelieved thatAngloswere racially superiorand shouldnotmixwithAfricanslavesorNativeAmericans.Dopeoplestillthinklikethis,orhasthisbeliefdisappearedoverthelast175years?

Just like today,politiciansoften saywhatever ispopular, and talking like aracistservedanimmediatepoliticalpurposeforAustin.Inthe1830s,JacksonianDemocratsranthecountry,andtheytendedtofavortherightsofslavestatesandtheextensionof slavery tonew territories.Austinneeded their support tohelpwintherevolution,sohesaidwhatappealedtothem.278

TheWhigpartywastheotherside.TheycriticizedAustinandaccusedhimofperpetrating an enormous land swindle under the guise of a war forindependence.279Intheend,Austin’ssix-monthtouroftheUnitedStatesdidnotnet much in the way of tangible support for the Texas cause. Nobody waswilling to loan the fledgling government much money, especially when themilitarysituationlookedsogrim.AustinresolvedtoreturntoTexasandrejointhefight.280Whatelsewashegoingtodo?

When he arrived back in New Orleans on June 10, he found out that theTexianshadwontheBattleofSanJacinto,andSantaAnnawasSamHouston’sprisoner.281Wait!Thatpartdoesnotcomeyet.Holdon,we’llgetthere.

After the fall of the Alamo, Santa Anna’s next step was to plow over thegarrisonatGoliad—rememberthe“Comeandtakeit”banner?DidSantaAnnawantrevenge,orwasitjustpartofhisstrategy?Whoknows?ButJamesFannin,

followinghis failed attempt to reinforceTravis, decided hemust hold the fortwith his 420men. “I will never give up the ship, while there is a pea in theditch,” he wrote. “If I am whipped, it will be well done.”282 Admirablestatement,Mr.Fannin.

Fannin,likeTravisattheAlamo,wasupsetthatsofewTexasmenansweredhiscallforsupport.HehadmorenewAmericanimmigrantsinhisbandthanoldTexascolonists.283SurelyFanninwasnothappytobeputtinghislifeonthelinetoprotecttheinterestoftheoldsettlerswhentheywerenotsomuchasavailablefora fight.ThingsgotworsewhenFanninsentsomemen toRefugio to try toevacuate refugees (who had sought refuge, or “refugio,” there) in front of theMexicanadvance.TheMexicanscapturedthisforceandimprisonedthemeninRefugio.284TakeFannin’s420menandsubtracttheoneswhogotcaptured,andthe sumequals “not enough.”Thenumbers dwindled.285 Itwas theAlamoalloveragain.

On March 11, Houston, in his usual habit of issuing orders that hissubordinates ignored, orderedFannin to retreat fromGoliad. Fannin, as usual,didnotfollowthisorderandinsteadwaitedvainlyonthereturnoftheRefugiomen.286WhenFannin finallydiddepart,hiscolumnwas loadedwithsupplies,which seemed like a good thing until the heavy wagons bogged down andslowedthesoldiers’progresstoacrawl.YetanotherwagonissueforFannin—remember theAlamo?Someone get thisman aworkingwagon.TheMexicancavalrycaughtupwithFanninnearColetoCreek,whichwasreallynotgood.287

TheTexiansmountedafiercedefense.ButGeneralJoséUrrea’smainforcewasnot farbehind,and itsoonsurrounded thestrugglingTexians.Afterawetnight spentarguingaboutwhether toattempt tobreakout towardVictoria, thesurrounded Texians asked General Urrea for a parley. General Urrea laterclaimedthatheexplainedtoFanninthatSantaAnnahadorderednoquarterfortherebels.288DoesthismeanthatSantaAnnawasnotpreparedtogiveFanninatwenty-five-cent piece, or does it mean that Santa Anna wanted to show theTexians nomercy or indulgence, as in he did not want to spare any lives byacceptingasurrender?Gowiththesecondchoice.Thequartercoinhadnotyetbeeninvented.SomeaccountsfromtheTexiansidestatethatUrreapromisedthemensafepassagetoNewOrleansiftheyvowednottotakeuparmsagainsttheMexicangovernment in thefuture.Fiftywoundedmendidget takentoGoliadandtreatedfortheirinjuries.289

When Fannin wrote out the surrender terms himself, he indicated that the

MexicanshadagreedtothesurrenderoftheTexians’armsandtheirtreatmentasprisonersofwar.Urrea appendeda statement that all he coulddowasgrant a“surrenderatdiscretion”withoutanyothercondition.290

Thisisapins-and-needlesmoment.Ifyouaresoftheartedorsqueamish,skiptothenextchapter.

EventhoughUrreadidpleadfortheprisoners,SantaAnnawasinnomoodtohear about indulging heroic Texas fighters.He orderedUrrea to carry out hisordersandexecutetheprisoners.“TheprisonersofGoliadwerecondemnedbylaw, by a universal law, that of personal defense, enjoyed by all nations andindividuals,”SantaAnna toldUrrea. “Howcould I divert the swordof justicefromtheirheadswithoutmakingitfallonmyown?”291

Fannin’smenweremarchedbacktoGoliadinthecustodyofColonelNicolásdelaPortilla,whomUrreaorderedtocarryoutSantaAnna’sorders.292Onthemorning of March 27, a Sunday, the men were marched out of their prisonbetween two long files ofMexican soldiers in parade uniforms.About amilefromthefort,thefourhundredTexianswerelinedupalongthebankoftheSanAntonioRiver.Shotsrangout,asMexicansoldiersplacedthemuzzlesoftheirriflesagainsttheprisoners’chestsandpulledthetrigger.293

Oneman,HermanEhrenburg,survivedtheblast.Heescapedtotheothersideof the river. From there he tookword of themassacre ahead of theMexicanadvance.294ManyoftheTexianskilledattheAlamoandinGoliadleftfamiliesbehindwithnoonetoprotectthemfrommaraudingNativeAmericansandSantaAnna’s retribution.When the news of theAlamo’s fall arrived inGonzales, atown that had sent the last thirty-two men who made it to Travis before thebattle,onemanwrote,“TherewasnotasoulleftamongthecitizensofGonzaleswho had not lost a father, husband, brother or son in that terriblemassacre. Ishall never forget the scene, which followed the confirmation of the dreadfulnews. The mad agony of the widows and the shrieks of the childless andfatherlessbeggarsalldescription.”295

Chapter16

ISTHEWAROVERYET?

MostoftheMexicanofficershadthatsameitchtofightastheTexianshad,andtheywantedanotherpummelon theplains.TheyurgedGeneralUrreaand theother commanders to let them loose to advance on San Jacinto and destroyHouston’sarmy.358But thecommanders, inamomentof clarity,gave theno-can-do order. There were a number of reasons that the Mexicans decided tofollow their captured leader’s directive, butmainly, they obeyed because theydid not want to die—usually a good reason. TheMexican commanders werewell aware of the fact that their supplieswere about to run out, pluswith theparticularly nasty win at San Jacinto, the Mexicans knew the Texians werepumpedandmightstompthemagain.359

Alrightythen.“GettheMexicansoutofTexas”wascrossedofftheTexians’to-do list. Next agenda item, please. Houston went to New Orleans to gettreatment for his infected ankle wound.360 President Burnet, back from hisrowboat escape, took on the task of negotiating a treaty with the Mexicandictator,whommostTexians,especiallythosewhosefathers,brothersandsonshad died in the fight,would rather have seen shot.361Uh, people, you cannotexecute a commander of an enemy army when he is acting in an officialcapacity. It is international law. Texas, with its desires to become a nation,couldn’t do things like chop off its enemy’s head. President Burnet saw thebenefits of complying with the law and instead worked a deal with SantaAnna.362Muchbetteridea.

SantaAnnasignedthetreatyonMay14,1836,andhepromisedneveragainto takeuparmsagainstTexasand to sendallhis soldiersback toMexico.Healso promised Burnet that he would return to Mexico to gain recognition of

Texas independence and conclude a treaty of commerce between the twonations.363WhobelievesapromisefromSantaAnna?

The Rio Grande River was designated as the border betweenMexico andTexas. The problem was that the Mexican government never recognized thetreatybecausetheyclaimedthatSantaAnnaagreedtoitunderpressure.Texas’responsetoMexicothinkingithadthechoiceofagreeingornotwassomethingalongthelinesof“Putuporshutup.”SinceMexico’sarmywasbeatenandthecountry did not have a leader, it had no choice but to shut up.MexicowouldhavetorecoverbeforeitcouldeventhinkaboutitsrunawayTexas.

Whoopee!Thewarwasover,andsowereTexas’problems.Well,notquite.Thewarwasonlytemporarilyover,andawholehostofnewproblemswerejustbeginning. The one thousand or so veterans who had won the Battle of SanJacintoweresoonstreamingbacktotheirruinedfarmsandhomesteads,tryingtopickupthepiecesoftheirlives.Theyweremostlysettlercolonists,notthenewAmericanrecruits,whohadeitherbeenkilledattheAlamoandGoliadorwerenow streaming into Texas to join the cause. When the call for Americanvolunteershadgoneout in JanuaryandFebruaryof1836, it took time for thementocome,andnowthatSanJacintohadbeenwon,theycamefasterthaneverbefore.Oh,nowthisiscurious…whywouldAmericansstartflockingtoTexasto fight, especially now that the heavy lifting had already been done? Uh,because therewassomething in it for thesenewsoldiers: land.Landhadbeenpromisedinreturnformilitaryservice,asmuchas320acresforthreemonthsontheline.

NOTES

CHAPTER2

1.H.W.Brands,LoneStarNation:HowaRaggedArmyofVolunteersWontheBattleforTexasIndependence—andChangedAmerica(NewYork:Doubleday,2004),196–97.

2.JamesL.Haley,SamHouston(Norman:UniversityofOklahomaPress,2002),89.

3.Brands,LoneStarNation,203.4.Ibid.5.Haley,SamHouston,93.6.Brands,LoneStarNation,204.7.Ibid.,19.8.Haley,SamHouston,9.9.Ibid.10.Ibid.,10.11.Ibid.,11–15.12.Ibid.,15.13.Ibid.14.Brands,LoneStarNation,130.15.Haley,SamHouston,26.16.Ibid.,31–33.17.Ibid.,36.18.Ibid.,40–41.19.Brands,LoneStarNation,134.20.Haley,SamHouston,46.21.Ibid.,51.22.Brands,LoneStarNation,136–37.23.Haley,SamHouston,70.24.Ibid.,72.25.Ibid.,82.26.Ibid.,82–86.

27.Brands,LoneStarNation,204.28.Haley,SamHouston,96.

CHAPTER3

29.Haley,SamHouston,96.30.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,204.31.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,249.32.Ibid.,262.33.Ibid.,264.34.Ibid.,268.35.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,220.36.Ibid.37.Ibid.,221.38.Ibid.39.Ibid.,223.40.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,273.41.Ibid.,277.42.Brands,LoneStarNation,223.43.Ibid,224.44.WilliamC.Davis,LoneStarRising:TheRevolutionaryBirthoftheTexasRepublic(NewYork:FreePress,2004),111.

45.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,283.

CHAPTER4

46.Brands,LoneStarNation,226.47.Ibid.48.Ibid.,227.49.Ibid.50.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,300.51.Davis,LoneStarRising,121.52.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,228.53.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,289.

54.QuotedinCantrell,StephenF.Austin,289–90.55.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,233.56.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,290–91.57.Ibid.,301.58.Brands,LoneStarNation,243.59.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,357.60.Ibid.,292–93.

CHAPTER5

61.Brands,LoneStarNation,234–35.62.Ibid.,187–90.63.Ibid.,187.64.Ibid.,189.65.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,190.66.Ibid.,189.67.MarquisJames,TheRaven:ABiographyofSamHouston(NewYork:Blue

RibbonBooks,1929),210.68.Davis,LoneStarRising,121.

CHAPTER6

69.Brands,LoneStarNation,237.70.Ibid.71.Ibid.,241.72.Davis,LoneStarRising,127.73.Ibid.,131.74.Brands,LoneStarNation,161.75.Davis,LoneStarRising,80.76.Brands,LoneStarNation,162.77.Ibid.78.Brands,LoneStarNation,165.79.Ibid.,166,80.Davis,LoneStarRising,82.

81.WilliamBarretTravis,TheDiaryofWilliamBarretTravis:August30,1833–June26,1834,editedbyRobertE.Davis(Waco,TX:TexianPress,1966),15.

82.Brands,LoneStarNation,238.83.Travis,TheDiaryofWilliamBarretTravis,151.84.Davis,LoneStarRising,126.85.T.R.Fehrenbach,LoneStar:AHistoryofTexasandtheTexans(NewYork:

AmericanLegacyPress,1983),186.86.Qtd.inBrands,LoneStarNation,242.87.Brands,LoneStarNation,240.88.Davis,LoneStarRising,131.

CHAPTER7

89.WilliamC.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo:TheLivesandFortunesofDavidCrockett,JamesBowie,andWilliamBarretTravis(NewYork:HarperCollins,1998),47.

90.Ibid.,48.91.Sourcesforthesefunfactsareasfollows:1.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,207;2.WilliamWilliamson,“Bowie,James,”HandbookofTexasOnline,TexasStateHistoricalAssociation,http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fbo45(accessedApril22,2013);andBenH.Procter,“TexasRangers,”HandbookofTexasOnline,TexasStateHistoricalAssociation,http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/met04(accessedApril22,2013);3.JeffreyD.DunnandJamesLutzweiler,“YellowRoseofTexas,”HandbookofTexasOnline,TexasStateHistoricalAssociation,http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/xey01(accessedApril22,2013).;4.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,731,n.99;5.JuliaK.Garrett,FortWorth:AFrontierTriumph(FortWorth,TX:TCUPress,1999),151.6.Haley,SamHouston,122;7.AmeliaW.Williams,“Allen,JohnKirby,”HandbookofTexasOnline,TexasStateHistoricalAssociation,http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fal21(accessedApril22,2013).

92.Brands,LoneStarNation,169.93.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,57–61.

94.Ibid.,99.95.Brands,LoneStarNation,172–73.96.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,252–54.97.Ibid.,256–57.98.Ibid.,300–4.99.Ibid.,307.100.Ibid.,243–44.

CHAPTER8

101.Davis,LoneStarRising,134.102.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,426.103.StephenFullerAustinandMosesAustin,TheAustinPapers,editedby

EugeneC.Barker,3vols.(Washington:GovernmentPrintingOffice,1924–1928)(vols.1–2);(Austin:UniversityofTexasPress,1927)(vol.3).,3:48.

104.Ibid.,3:6.105.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,305.106.Brands,LoneStarNation,247.107.Ibid.,246–47.108.QuotedinCantrell,StephenF.Austin,307.109.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,309.110.Davis,LoneStarRising,133.111.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,311.112.Davis,LoneStarRising,130.113.Ibid.,133.114.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,315.115.Austin,AustinPapers,3:129–30.116.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,191.117.Austin,AustinPapers,3:130.118.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,317.119.Ibid.120.Brands,LoneStarNation,259–60.121.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,201.

CHAPTER9

122.Davis,LoneStarRising,137.123.Brands,LoneStarNation,260.124.Davis,LoneStarRising,139.125.Brands,LoneStarNation,263.126.Davis,LoneStarRising,142.127.Brands,LoneStarNation,263.128.Ibid.,268.129.Davis,LoneStarRising,148.130.WallaceL.McKeehan,“FateoftheGonzalesCannon,”

http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/gonzalescannon.htm(accessedApril18,2013).

131.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,323.132.Brands,LoneStarNation,265.133.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,191.134.Ibid.,200.135.Brands,LoneStarNation,265–66.136.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,266.137.StephenL.Hardin,TexianIliad:AMilitaryHistoryoftheTexasRevolution,1835–1836(Austin:UniversityofTexasPress,1994),28.

138.Brands,LoneStarNation,266.139.Ibid.,266–67.140.Ibid.,271.141.Hardin,TexianIliad,28–29.142.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,362–63.143.Brands,LoneStarNation,274.144.Davis,LoneStarRising,216.145.Ibid.,178.146.Hardin,TexianIliad,30.147.Davis,LoneStarRising,158.148.Hardin,TexianIliad,31.149.Ibid.,32–33.150.Ibid.,34.

CHAPTER10

151.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,323.152.Haley,SamHouston,115.153.Ibid.,117.154.Hardin,TexianIliad,57.155.Brands,LoneStarNation,279.156.Davis,LoneStarRising,166.157.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,324–25.158.Haley,SamHouston,116.159.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,326.160.Haley,SamHouston,119.161.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,282.162.Brands,LoneStarNation,282.163.Ibid.,283.164.Davis,LoneStarRising,177.165.Haley,SamHouston,118.166.Brands,LoneStarNation,285.167.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,285.168.James,TheRaven,216.169.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,287–88.170.Davis,LoneStarRising,178.171.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,483.172.Ibid.,384.173.Brands,LoneStarNation,290.174.Davis,LoneStarRising,181.175.Ibid.,182.176.Brands,LoneStarNation,296.177.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,297.178.Davis,LoneStarRising,182.179.Ibid.180.Brands,LoneStarNation,298.181.Davis,LoneStarRising,183.182.Brands,LoneStarNation,301.

183.Ibid.,302.

CHAPTER11

184.Hardin,TexianIliad,85.185.Ibid.,87.186.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,306.187.Hardin,TexianIliad,90–91.188.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,309.189.Hardin,TexianIliad,102.190.Ibid.,103.191.Ibid.192.Brands,LoneStarNation,310.193.Hardin,TexianIliad,104.194.Brands,LoneStarNation,308.195.Ibid.,313.196.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,314.197.Hardin,TexianIliad,120.198.Brands,LoneStarNation,315.199.Ibid.200.James,TheRaven,218–19.201.Brands,LoneStarNation,316.202.Ibid.,318.203.Hardin,TexianIliad,109.204.Davis,LoneStarRising,194.205.Hardin,TexianIliad,111.206.Brands,LoneStarNation,363.207.Ibid.,364.

CHAPTER12

208.Hardin,TexianIliad,110.209.Ibid.,117.210.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,339.

211.Hardin,TexianIliad,117.212.Brands,LoneStarNation,340.213.QuotedinHardin,TexianIliad,117.214.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,341.215.Brands,LoneStarNation,341.216.Hardin,TexianIliad,120.217.Brands,LoneStarNation,342.218.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,522–23.219.Hardin,TexianIliad,121.220.Brands,LoneStarNation,347.221.Hardin,TexianIliad,121.222.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,536.223.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,348.224.Hardin,TexianIliad,129.225.Brands,LoneStarNation,351.226.Ibid.,206.227.Ibid.,208–10.228.Ibid.,210.229.Ibid.230.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,211.231.Brands,LoneStarNation,212.232.Ibid.,331.233.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,331.234.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,210.235.Brands,LoneStarNation,351.236.QuotedinDavis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,541.237.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,541.238.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,354.239.Brands,LoneStarNation,356.240.Davis,LoneStarRising,227.241.James,TheRaven,223.242.Brands,LoneStarNation,357.243.Ibid.,358.244.Ibid.,359.

245.Hardin,TexianIliad,133.246.Brands,LoneStarNation,360.247.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,362.248.Hardin,TexianIliad,136.249.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,559.250.Hardin,TexianIliad,139.251.Ibid.252.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,213.253.Hardin,TexianIliad,146.254.Brands,LoneStarNation,371.255.Hardin,TexianIliad,147.256.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,561.257.Hardin,TexianIliad,147.258.Ibid.,148.259.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,561.260.Hardin,TexianIliad,146.261.Brands,LoneStarNation,374–77.262.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,566.263.Hardin,TexianIliad,155.264.Davis,ThreeRoadstotheAlamo,574–86.265.Brands,LoneStarNation,378.266.Ibid.,379–80.267.WilliamFairfaxGray,“AccountofTravis’sSlave,Joe,AsRecordedby

WilliamFairfaxGray,”http://www.thealamo.org/battle/letter-Joe.php(accessedApril19,2013).

268.Brands,LoneStarNation,379.

CHAPTER13

269.TexasDeclarationofIndependence.270.Davis,LoneStarRising,231–32.271.Brands,LoneStarNation,382.272.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,223.273.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,326–27.

274.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,235.275.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,343.276.QuotedinCantrell,StephenF.Austin,344.277.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,344.278.Ibid.,344–45.279.Ibid.,345.280.Ibid.,345–46.281.Ibid.,347.282.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,387.283.Brands,LoneStarNation,387.284.Hardin,TexianIliad,165.285.Brands,LoneStarNation,389.286.Davis,LoneStarRising,236.287.Hardin,TexianIliad,167–68.288.Brands,LoneStarNation,393–94.289.Ibid.,394–95.290.Ibid.,395–96.291.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,398.292.Brands,LoneStarNation,398.293.Ibid.,403–6.294.Hardin,TexianIliad,174.295.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,410.

CHAPTER14

296.Brands,LoneStarNation,411.297.Haley,SamHouston,125.298.Ibid.,129.299.Brands,LoneStarNation,413.300.Ibid.,415.301.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,228.302.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,416.303.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,227.304.Brands,LoneStarNation,417.

305.Hardin,TexianIliad,179.306.Brands,LoneStarNation,224.307.Hardin,TexianIliad,183.308.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,228.309.Brands,LoneStarNation,430.310.Ibid.311.Ibid.,423.312.Ibid.313.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,237–38.314.Brands,LoneStarNation,424;Fehrenbach,LoneStar,237.315.Brands,LoneStarNation,427–28.316.Hardin,TexianIliad,188.317.Brands,LoneStarNation,431.318.Davis,LoneStarRising,254–55.

CHAPTER15

319.Hardin,TexianIliad,186.320.QuotedinHardin,TexianIliad,189.321.Haley,SamHouston,130.322.Brands,LoneStarNation,435.323.Ibid.,436.324.Ibid.,119.325.Haley,SamHouston,139.326.Hardin,TexianIliad,191.327.QuotedinHardin,TexianIliad,192.328.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,229.329.Hardin,TexianIliad,208.330.Brands,LoneStarNation,445.331.Hardin,TexianIliad,203.332.Ibid.,204.333.Brands,LoneStarNation,446.334.Hardin,TexianIliad,203–5.335.Brands,LoneStarNation,449.

336.Hardin,TexianIliad,209.337.Ibid.,207.338.Brands,LoneStarNation,449.339.QuotedinJames,TheRaven,250.340.Brands,LoneStarNation,450.341.Hardin,TexianIliad,150.342.QuotedinHardin,TexianIliad,151.343.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,240.344.Hardin,TexianIliad,213.345.Brands,LoneStarNation,452.346.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,452–53.347.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,453–54.348.Hardin,TexianIliad,214.349.Ibid.,215.350.Davis,LoneStarRising,271.351.Ibid.,272.352.Haley,SamHouston,153.353.Ibid.354.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,240.355.Brands,LoneStarNation,461.356.Ibid.,462.357.Ibid.,463.

CHAPTER16

358.Brands,LoneStarNation,464.359.Ibid.,465.360.Haley,SamHouston,160.361.Davis,LoneStarRising,285.362.Ibid.,282.363.Ibid.

CHAPTER17

364.Brands,LoneStarNation,467.365.Ibid.,468.366.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,349.367.Ibid.368.Ibid.369.Brands,LoneStarNation,471.370.Davis,LoneStarRising,292.371.Ibid.,292–93.372.Ibid.,295.373.Cantrell,StephenF.Austin,350.374.Ibid.,351.375.Ibid.,352.376.Ibid.,355.377.Fehrenbach,LoneStar,246.378.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,473.379.Haley,SamHouston,165.380.QuotedinBrands,LoneStarNation,473.

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