Francita Alavez was known as the "Angel of Goliad," for saving the lives of Texas prisoners of war in the "Goliad Massacre" and at Victoria, Texas, by interceding on their behalf and persuading the help of Mexican officials.

Background

Francita's date and town of birth are not known. Even her real name has been referred to differently at times, such as Panchita, Francisca, Pancheta, or Francita, and her surname as Alevesco, Alvárez, or Alavez. She did travel Texas in 1836, as a companion of Capt. Telesforo Alavez, who had sailed to Texas from Matamoros, Mexico to Copano Bay, Texas.

An Angel

At Copano, she combined her compassion for humanity with her strong willed personality to influence import Mexican officials to treat the Texian prisoners humanely. When 80 soldiers of Major William Parsons Miller and the Nashville Battalion were captured by Urrea's soldiers, she influenced the Mexican soldiers to untie the men's hands and to give them something to eat.

In La Bahia (Goliad), due to the intervention of this Angel of Goliad and the courageous effort of Colonel Francisco Garay, 20 more men were held and spared as doctors, interpreters, or workers . Francita entered the presidio the night before the massacre, bringing several men out with her and hiding them until after the Goliad Massacre

Goliad massacre

The Goliad Massacre was an execution of Republic of Texas soldiers and their commander, James Fannin, by Mexico, reluctantly carried out by General Jose de Urrea.-Background:...

. She also made sure the 80 men from Miller's Natchez group were not executed.

In Victoria, where her husband was left in charge, she saw to it that the 26 Texian boat builders and workers there would be released and not executed.

Aftermath

After the defeat of Santa Anna, Francita returned with Captain Alavez to Matamoros. At the prison in Matamoros, she continued to support the Texians imprisoned there. When her husband left for Mexico City, she went with him. But the situation turned sour and they broke up. She then returned to Matamoros. Although broke and down on her luck, she was befriended by Texians who knew of her humanitarian acts. It is believed, she traveled back to Texas with them, where she was employed to work on a ranch.