Battle of Velasco
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Velasco, fought June 25–26, 1832, was the first true military conflict between Mexico
and settlers in Texas
. It began when Texan
insurgent
s attacked Fort Velasco, located in what was then Velasco
and what is now the present day city of Freeport
. The Mexican commander during the conflict, Domingo de Ugartechea, tried to stop the Texians, under John Austin
, from transporting a cannon up the Brazos River
to attack the city of Anahuac
. The Texian militia
eventually prevailed over the Mexicans when Ugartechea surrendered after a two day battle, once he realized he would not be receiving reinforcements, and his soldiers had run out of ammunition.
from Spain
, it legalized immigration from the United States
. Empresario
s were granted contracts to settle immigrants from the United States and Europe
in Mexican Texas. As the number of Americans living in Texas increased, Mexican authorities began to fear the United States would want to annex Texas. On April 6, 1830 the Mexican government passed a series of laws restricting immigration from the United States into Texas. The laws also canceled all unfilled empresario contracts and established customs houses in Texas to enforce the collection of customs duties. Mexican military officer Juan Davis Bradburn
, formerly an American citizen, was appointed commander of a new customs and garrison post on Galveston Bay
. In October 1830 Bradburn established a post atop a 30 feet (9.1 m) bluff at the entrance to the Trinity River
. The post became known as Anahuac.
In 1832, Mexican authorities established a small garrison at Velasco, a small community on the eastern bank of the Brazos River. The new post would have jurisdiction over all commerce entering the river from the Gulf of Mexico
. A log stockade was built on flat ground approximately 150 yards (137.2 m) from the Brazos River, and an equal distance from the Gulf of Mexico. The stockade had an inner and an outer wall, with the 6 feet (1.8 m) between them filled with sand, earth, and shells. An embankment along the inner wall allowed musketeers to shoot without exposing more than their heads. In the center of the stockade, another embankment provided a mounting place for a nine-pound cannon. The cannon was on a swivel and could guard the entire mouth of the river, but was unable to point downwards to aim into the immediate vicinity. Approximately 100 troops were garrisoned at the fort, under the command of Colonel
Domingo de Ugartechea.
, stopped to consult with Ugartechea, who recommended that Austin request that the men be remanded into civilian custody while they awaited a ruling from Bradburn's superior. When presented with this request, several Mexican officers explained to Austin that the laws prevented them from turning the men over to civilian authorities. Placated, Austin returned home; on his arrival he learned that Bradburn's men had arrested several Texians on suspicion of stealing horses. Austin was outraged and returned to Anahuac to join other Texian volunteers. By early June, over 150 Texian
s had gathered under the command of Frank W. Johnson
. On June 10, the insurgents occupied Anahuac and after a brief engagement
with Mexican troops, the Texians withdrew to Turtle Bayou. Taking advantage of the civil war currently engulfing the Mexican interior, the Texians drafted the Turtle Bayou Resolutions
. In this document, they declared themselves federalists who supported rebellious Mexican general Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
and decried "the present dynasty" which gave them military order instead of civil authority. The resolutions encouraged other colonists to join them in laying siege to Anahuac.
After the resolutions were adopted on June 13, the group determined that Austin, Henry S. Brown, and William J. Russell would go to Brazoria to recruit reinforcements and retrieve several cannon that belonged to private citizens. No further attacks would take place in Anahuac until the cannon and reinforcements arrived.
On June 20, residents of Brazoria gathered in a town meeting to decide whether to support further armed resistance. The residents appointed a five-member committee to determine future actions. After some debate, the committee, which included Edwin Waller
and Russell, unanimously voted for war. The larger group accepted their recommendations and declared opposition to the current administration. Austin was appointed to command the quickly organized militia, which comprised between 100 and 150 men. Austin quickly proposed that the group be given permission to attack the closest Mexican military installation, Fort Velasco, if necessary. This was the second time Austin had tried to get support to attack Velasco; his first attempt, on May 11, had been defeated by a single vote. This time, the new militia agreed to the plan.
Deciding that it would be easiest to transport the cannon by boat down the Brazos River to the Gulf of Mexico, the men loaded the cannon onto the schooner Brazoria. Austin sent four men to Velasco to inform Ugartechea of their intent to transport cannon down the Brazos River. Ugartechea indicated that he would not allow the ship to pass; he knew that the cannon were most likely intended to create additional havoc in Anahuac.
of the Brazoria agreed to accompany the militia to ensure the ship arrived at its destination. Russell agreed that the seaman would not have to participate in the battle.
On the night of June 25, the Texians approached the fort. The schooner was anchored at a spot 150 yards (137.2 m) from the fort. Ground forces were split into two groups, commanded by Brown and Austin. Brown's men would circle the fort and approach from the Gulf of Mexico side, using driftwood as cover. Austin's men would approach from the north, where there was no natural cover. To protect themselves, this group fashioned makeshift shields out of cypress. The shields were 3 inches (7.6 cm) thick and were supported by moveable legs.
Shortly before midnight, the Texians attacked. During the incessant firing that followed, Mexican troops shot out the Brazorias mooring lines. The ship ran aground on the bank. Texians soon ran low on ammunition for the cannon, but as the ship was fairly close to the fort, riflemen continued to fire. Mexican troops charged the schooner but were driven back. Austin's men discovered that their portable palisade
s were ineffective against Mexican marksmen; after the battle one shield alone had 130 holes. To protect themselves, Austin's men took time to dig trenches in the sand.
Thirty minutes after sunrise, a downpour
began, and the Texians retreated. Austin sent James Bailey back to Brazoria to gather reinforcements. Mexican troops were almost out of ammunition, and Ugartechea surrendered.
and Russell, Mexican soldiers were given permission to march out "with their arms, ammunition, and baggage" to a ship which would take them to Matamoros. The Mexican cannon and swivel gun would remain at Fort Velasco in the custody of the Texians. Wounded Mexican soldiers would remain in Texas and be cared for with "good treatment and hospitality". Soldiers would take only the provisions they needed for the journey, with the rest remaining with the Texians.
Five Mexican troops were killed and sixteen were wounded. The Texians lost seven killed and fourteen wounded. One of the Texian casualties was the seaman from the Brazoria. When the battle began, Russell had sent the seaman below decks so that he would be safe. The man was killed when a Mexican cannon shot crashed through the side of the ship. The sustained bombardment had damaged the Brazoria, making it ineffective for transportation of the cannon. The Texians regrouped and prepared to march overland to Anahuac. As they readied for departure, they learned that Bradburn had resigned his position and the prisoners had been released. Austin and his men chose to remain in Brazoria.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and settlers in Texas
Mexican Texas
Mexican Texas is the name given by Texas history scholars to the period between 1821 and 1836, when Texas was an integral part of Mexico. The period began with Mexico's victory over Spain in its war of independence in 1821. For the first several years of its existence, Mexican Texas operated very...
. It began when Texan
Texan
Texan normally refers to someone who originated from, or who lives in, the state of Texas in the United States of America.Texan may also refer to:-Aircraft:* T-6 Texan, WWII era training plane...
insurgent
Insurgent
Insurgent, insurgents or insurgency can refer to:* The act of insurgency-Specific insurgencies:* Iraqi insurgency, uprising in Iraq* Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, uprising in India* Insurgency in North-East India...
s attacked Fort Velasco, located in what was then Velasco
Velasco, Texas
Velasco was a town in Texas, United States, that was later annexed by the city of Freeport. Founded in 1831, Velasco is situated on the east side of the Brazos River in southeast Texas. It is sixteen miles south of Angleton, Texas, and four miles from the Gulf of Mexico.The town's early history is...
and what is now the present day city of Freeport
Freeport, Texas
Freeport is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area and is situated in Southeast Texas. As of the 2000 U.S...
. The Mexican commander during the conflict, Domingo de Ugartechea, tried to stop the Texians, under John Austin
John Austin (soldier)
John Austin was a Texian settler, one of Stephen Austin's Old Three Hundred, and the Texian commander at the Battle of Velasco during the Anahuac Disturbances before Texas Revolution....
, from transporting a cannon up the Brazos River
Brazos River
The Brazos River, called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by early Spanish explorers , is the longest river in Texas and the 11th longest river in the United States at from its source at the head of Blackwater Draw, Curry County, New Mexico to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico with a drainage...
to attack the city of Anahuac
Anahuac, Texas
Anahuac is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population of the city was 2,210 at the 2000 census. Anahuac is the seat of Chambers County and is situated in East Texas.- History :...
. The Texian militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
eventually prevailed over the Mexicans when Ugartechea surrendered after a two day battle, once he realized he would not be receiving reinforcements, and his soldiers had run out of ammunition.
Background
After Mexico won independenceMexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...
from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, it legalized immigration from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Empresario
Empresario
An empresario was a person who, in the early years of the settlement of Texas, had been granted the right to settle on Mexican land in exchange for recruiting and taking responsibility for new settlers. The word is Spanish for entrepreneur.- Background :...
s were granted contracts to settle immigrants from the United States and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in Mexican Texas. As the number of Americans living in Texas increased, Mexican authorities began to fear the United States would want to annex Texas. On April 6, 1830 the Mexican government passed a series of laws restricting immigration from the United States into Texas. The laws also canceled all unfilled empresario contracts and established customs houses in Texas to enforce the collection of customs duties. Mexican military officer Juan Davis Bradburn
Juan Davis Bradburn
Juan Davis Bradburn , born John Davis Bradburn, was a brigadier general in the Mexican Army. His actions as commandant of the garrison at Anahuac in Mexican Texas in 1831 and 1832 led to the events known as the Anahuac Disturbances....
, formerly an American citizen, was appointed commander of a new customs and garrison post on Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay is a large estuary located along the upper coast of Texas in the United States. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by sub-tropic marshes and prairies on the mainland. The water in the Bay is a complex mixture of sea water and fresh water which supports a wide...
. In October 1830 Bradburn established a post atop a 30 feet (9.1 m) bluff at the entrance to the Trinity River
Trinity River (Texas)
The Trinity River is a long river that flows entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It rises in extreme north Texas, a few miles south of the Red River. The headwaters are separated by the high bluffs on the south side of the Red River....
. The post became known as Anahuac.
In 1832, Mexican authorities established a small garrison at Velasco, a small community on the eastern bank of the Brazos River. The new post would have jurisdiction over all commerce entering the river from the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. A log stockade was built on flat ground approximately 150 yards (137.2 m) from the Brazos River, and an equal distance from the Gulf of Mexico. The stockade had an inner and an outer wall, with the 6 feet (1.8 m) between them filled with sand, earth, and shells. An embankment along the inner wall allowed musketeers to shoot without exposing more than their heads. In the center of the stockade, another embankment provided a mounting place for a nine-pound cannon. The cannon was on a swivel and could guard the entire mouth of the river, but was unable to point downwards to aim into the immediate vicinity. Approximately 100 troops were garrisoned at the fort, under the command of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Domingo de Ugartechea.
Prelude
Bradburn was deeply unpopular with the Texian settlers. Tensions escalated in May 1832, when Bradburn arrested a local man, William Barret Travis, on charges of attempted insurrection to separate the territory from Mexico. Conviction on this charge would lead to Travis's execution. When Travis's business partner, Patrick Jack, made threats against Bradburn, he was also arrested. Jack's brother organized a contingent of men to march from Brazoria to Anahuac. As the march began, John Austin, a member of the Brazoria AyuntamientoAyuntamiento
Ayuntamiento In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian .*Galician .*Basque . is the general term for the council of a municipality, or sometimes the municipality itself, in Spain and Latin America. Historically Ayuntamiento was often preceded by the word excelentísimo , when referring to...
, stopped to consult with Ugartechea, who recommended that Austin request that the men be remanded into civilian custody while they awaited a ruling from Bradburn's superior. When presented with this request, several Mexican officers explained to Austin that the laws prevented them from turning the men over to civilian authorities. Placated, Austin returned home; on his arrival he learned that Bradburn's men had arrested several Texians on suspicion of stealing horses. Austin was outraged and returned to Anahuac to join other Texian volunteers. By early June, over 150 Texian
Texian
Texian is an archaic, mostly defunct 19th century demonym which defined a settler of current-day Texas, one of the southern states of the United States of America which borders the country of Mexico...
s had gathered under the command of Frank W. Johnson
Frank W. Johnson
Francis White "Frank" Johnson was a co-commander of the Texian Army from December 1835 through February 1836, during the Texas Revolution. Johnson arrived in Texas in 1826 and worked as a surveyor for several empresarios, including Stephen F. Austin. One of his first activities was to plot the...
. On June 10, the insurgents occupied Anahuac and after a brief engagement
Anahuac Disturbances
The Anahuac Disturbances were uprisings of settlers in and around Anahuac, Texas in 1832 and 1835 which helped to precipitate the Texas Revolution. This eventually led to the territory's secession from Mexico and the founding of the Republic of Texas...
with Mexican troops, the Texians withdrew to Turtle Bayou. Taking advantage of the civil war currently engulfing the Mexican interior, the Texians drafted the Turtle Bayou Resolutions
Turtle Bayou Resolutions
The Turtle Bayou Resolutions were signed by settlers during the Anahuac Disturbances, which played a role in the secession of Texas from Mexico and the creation of the Republic of Texas....
. In this document, they declared themselves federalists who supported rebellious Mexican general Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
and decried "the present dynasty" which gave them military order instead of civil authority. The resolutions encouraged other colonists to join them in laying siege to Anahuac.
After the resolutions were adopted on June 13, the group determined that Austin, Henry S. Brown, and William J. Russell would go to Brazoria to recruit reinforcements and retrieve several cannon that belonged to private citizens. No further attacks would take place in Anahuac until the cannon and reinforcements arrived.
On June 20, residents of Brazoria gathered in a town meeting to decide whether to support further armed resistance. The residents appointed a five-member committee to determine future actions. After some debate, the committee, which included Edwin Waller
Edwin Waller
Judge Edwin Waller was an entrepreneur, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, the first mayor of Austin, Texas, and the designer of its downtown grid plan....
and Russell, unanimously voted for war. The larger group accepted their recommendations and declared opposition to the current administration. Austin was appointed to command the quickly organized militia, which comprised between 100 and 150 men. Austin quickly proposed that the group be given permission to attack the closest Mexican military installation, Fort Velasco, if necessary. This was the second time Austin had tried to get support to attack Velasco; his first attempt, on May 11, had been defeated by a single vote. This time, the new militia agreed to the plan.
Deciding that it would be easiest to transport the cannon by boat down the Brazos River to the Gulf of Mexico, the men loaded the cannon onto the schooner Brazoria. Austin sent four men to Velasco to inform Ugartechea of their intent to transport cannon down the Brazos River. Ugartechea indicated that he would not allow the ship to pass; he knew that the cannon were most likely intended to create additional havoc in Anahuac.
Battle
At 10 a.m. on June 22, Austin and his men left Brazoria for the 25 mi. trip to the fort. Approximately 40 men boarded the Brazoria for the journey downstream, while the remaining men travelled overland. Russell was given command of the men aboard ship. Because only three of the volunteers had any familiarity with sailing, one of the matesSeafarer's professions and ranks
Seafarers hold a variety of professions and ranks, and each of these roles carries unique responsibilities which are integral to the successful operation of a seafaring vessel...
of the Brazoria agreed to accompany the militia to ensure the ship arrived at its destination. Russell agreed that the seaman would not have to participate in the battle.
On the night of June 25, the Texians approached the fort. The schooner was anchored at a spot 150 yards (137.2 m) from the fort. Ground forces were split into two groups, commanded by Brown and Austin. Brown's men would circle the fort and approach from the Gulf of Mexico side, using driftwood as cover. Austin's men would approach from the north, where there was no natural cover. To protect themselves, this group fashioned makeshift shields out of cypress. The shields were 3 inches (7.6 cm) thick and were supported by moveable legs.
Shortly before midnight, the Texians attacked. During the incessant firing that followed, Mexican troops shot out the Brazorias mooring lines. The ship ran aground on the bank. Texians soon ran low on ammunition for the cannon, but as the ship was fairly close to the fort, riflemen continued to fire. Mexican troops charged the schooner but were driven back. Austin's men discovered that their portable palisade
Palisade
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.- Typical construction :Typical construction consisted of small or mid sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with no spacing in between. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were...
s were ineffective against Mexican marksmen; after the battle one shield alone had 130 holes. To protect themselves, Austin's men took time to dig trenches in the sand.
Thirty minutes after sunrise, a downpour
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
began, and the Texians retreated. Austin sent James Bailey back to Brazoria to gather reinforcements. Mexican troops were almost out of ammunition, and Ugartechea surrendered.
Aftermath
Texians refused the first surrender proposal, which would allow the Mexican soldiers to leave Texas with all of their arms. After further negotiations between two of Ugartechea's representatives, Lieutenant More and Ensign Rincon, and two of Austin's representatives, William H. WhartonWilliam H. Wharton
William Harris Wharton was an early colonist, political leader and orator in Texas.Wharton was born in Virginia and was raised by an uncle following the deaths of his parents. He graduated from the University of Nashville and was admitted to the Tennessee bar in 1826...
and Russell, Mexican soldiers were given permission to march out "with their arms, ammunition, and baggage" to a ship which would take them to Matamoros. The Mexican cannon and swivel gun would remain at Fort Velasco in the custody of the Texians. Wounded Mexican soldiers would remain in Texas and be cared for with "good treatment and hospitality". Soldiers would take only the provisions they needed for the journey, with the rest remaining with the Texians.
Five Mexican troops were killed and sixteen were wounded. The Texians lost seven killed and fourteen wounded. One of the Texian casualties was the seaman from the Brazoria. When the battle began, Russell had sent the seaman below decks so that he would be safe. The man was killed when a Mexican cannon shot crashed through the side of the ship. The sustained bombardment had damaged the Brazoria, making it ineffective for transportation of the cannon. The Texians regrouped and prepared to march overland to Anahuac. As they readied for departure, they learned that Bradburn had resigned his position and the prisoners had been released. Austin and his men chose to remain in Brazoria.