Goliad massacre
Encyclopedia
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
.
, who had sent General José Urrea marching into Texas from Matamoros, making his way north by following the coast of Texas. On March 19, he had quickly advanced and surrounded the 300 men in the Texian Army
on the open prairie, near La Bahia (Goliad). A two day Battle of Coleto
ensued with the Texians holding their own on the first day. However, the Mexicans would receive overwhelming reinforcements and heavy artillery. Due to their critical predicament, Texan Colonel James Fannin
and his staff had voted to surrender the Texian forces on the 20th. Led to believe that they would be released into the United States, they returned to their former fort in Goliad, now being their prison.
Albert Clinton Horton
and company had been acting as the advance and rear guards for Fannins company. Surprised by an overwhelming Mexican force, they were chased off and escaped, however 18 of the group were captured and marched back to Goliad.
On February 27, 1836, Urrea's advance patrol surprised Frank W. Johnson
and about 34 men initiating the Battle of San Patricio
, killing about 10 and taking 18 prisoners. Johnson and five Texians were captured but managed to escape and rejoin James Fannin's command at Goliad.
March 2, at the Battle of Agua Dulce
, James Grant
was killed, as were 11 other men under his command. Six Texians were taken prisoners and were marched to prison in Matamoros. Six Texians escaped, five were recaptued and marched to Goliad
Amon B. King and a group of men had been executed on March 16 in Refugio
, but about 15-18 prisoners were marched to Goliad, to serve as blacksmiths or mechanics.
75 soldiers of William Parsons Miller and the Nashville Battalion had been captured on the 20th and marched in on the 23rd. Being detained separately from the other prisoners, since they had surrendered without weaponry.
On March 22, William Ward and the Georgia Battalion (80 men plus Ward), surrendered after escaping from the Battle of Refugio
. About 26 men were retained at Victoria as laborers, but 55 prisoners were marched into Goliad, on March 25th.
). The Texans thought they would likely be set free in a few weeks. General Urrea departed Goliad, leaving command to Colonel Jose Nicolas de la Portilla. Urrea wrote to Santa Anna to ask for clemency for the Texans. Urrea wrote in his diary that he "...wished to elude these orders as far as possible without compromising my personal responsibility." On March 26, 1836, 19:00, Santa Anna ordered Portilla to execute the prisoners.
The next day, Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, Colonel Portilla had the 303 Texians marched out of Fort Defiance into three columns on the Bexar Road, San Patricio Road, and the Victoria Road, between two rows of Mexican soldiers; they were shot point-blank, and any survivors were clubbed and knifed to death.
Forty Texians were wounded and unable to walk. Thirty nine were killed inside the fort, under the direction of Captain Carolino Huerta of the Tres Villas battalion, with Colonel Garay saving one. Colonel Fannin was the last to be executed, after seeing his men executed. Age 32, he was taken by Mexican soldiers to the courtyard in front of the chapel, blindfolded, and seated in a chair (due to his leg wound from the battle). He made three requests: he asked for his personal possessions to be sent to his family, to be shot in his heart and not his face, and to be given a Christian burial. The soldiers took his belongings, shot his face,
and burned Fannin's body along with the other Texans who died that day.
The entire Texian force was killed except for twenty-eight men who feigned death and escaped. Among these was Herman Ehrenberg
, who later wrote an account of the massacre.
Fortunately, due to the intervention of the "Angel of Goliad", (Francita Alavez
), and the courageous effort of Colonel Francisco Garay, twenty more men were held and spared as doctors, interpreters, or workers .
Also spared were the 75 soldiers of William Parsons Miller and the Nashville Battalion, who had been captured and had surrendered without weapons. The men were later marched to Matamoros
.
Spared men were given white arm bands, while wearing them, they could walk about freely. They were advised not to take off the arm band or they might be shot, since the Mexican troops were hunting for those that had escaped from Coleto, Victoria and the massacre
itself.
The massive number of Texian
casualties throughout the Goliad Campaign and the "take-no-prisoners" attitude of the Mexican army led to Goliad being called a "Massacre
" by Texas-American forces and fueled the frenzy of the Runaway Scrape
.
James Fannin
James Walker Fannin, Jr. was a 19th-century U.S. military figure on the Texas Army and leader during the Texas Revolution of 1835–36...
, by Mexico, reluctantly carried out by General Jose de Urrea
José de Urrea
José de Urrea was a noted general for Mexico. He fought under General Antonio López de Santa Anna during the Texas Revolution. Urrea's forces were never defeated in battle during the Texas Revolution...
.
Background
The Mexican Army was led by Antonio Lopez de Santa AnnaAntonio 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...
, who had sent General José Urrea marching into Texas from Matamoros, making his way north by following the coast of Texas. On March 19, he had quickly advanced and surrounded the 300 men in the Texian Army
Texian Army
The Texian Army was a military organization consisting of volunteer and regular soldiers who fought against the Mexican army during the Texas Revolution. Approximately 3,700 men joined the army between October 2, 1835 during the Battle of Gonzales through the end of the war on April 21, 1836, at...
on the open prairie, near La Bahia (Goliad). A two day Battle of Coleto
Battle of Coleto
The Battle of Coleto, also known as the Battle of Coleto Creek, the Battle of the Prairie, and the Batalla del encinal del Perdido, was fought on March 19 and 20, 1836, during the Goliad campaign of the Texas Revolution...
ensued with the Texians holding their own on the first day. However, the Mexicans would receive overwhelming reinforcements and heavy artillery. Due to their critical predicament, Texan Colonel James Fannin
James Fannin
James Walker Fannin, Jr. was a 19th-century U.S. military figure on the Texas Army and leader during the Texas Revolution of 1835–36...
and his staff had voted to surrender the Texian forces on the 20th. Led to believe that they would be released into the United States, they returned to their former fort in Goliad, now being their prison.
Albert Clinton Horton
Albert Clinton Horton
Albert Clinton Horton was a Texan politician, and the first Lieutenant Governor of Texas.-Early life:...
and company had been acting as the advance and rear guards for Fannins company. Surprised by an overwhelming Mexican force, they were chased off and escaped, however 18 of the group were captured and marched back to Goliad.
On February 27, 1836, Urrea's advance patrol surprised 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...
and about 34 men initiating the Battle of San Patricio
Battle of San Patricio
The Battle of San Patricio was a 19th century battle fought on February 27, 1836, between the Republic of Mexico and the rebelling Mexican state of Texas.-Background:...
, killing about 10 and taking 18 prisoners. Johnson and five Texians were captured but managed to escape and rejoin James Fannin's command at Goliad.
March 2, at the Battle of Agua Dulce
Battle of Agua Dulce
The Battle of Agua Dulce Creek occurred approximately south of San Patricio on March 2, 1836 between the Republic of Mexico and the rebellious Mexican state of Texas as part of the Texas Revolution. In February 1836, Mexican General Jose Urrea led a contingent of troops along the Texas coast,...
, James Grant
James Grant (Texas)
James Grant was a 19th century Texas politician, physician and military participant in the Texas Revolution.-Early life:James Grant was born on July 28, 1793, in Killearnan Parish, Ross-shire, Scotland. In 1823, he traveled to northern Mexico, ending up in Texas. He became interested in real...
was killed, as were 11 other men under his command. Six Texians were taken prisoners and were marched to prison in Matamoros. Six Texians escaped, five were recaptued and marched to Goliad
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:...
Amon B. King and a group of men had been executed on March 16 in Refugio
Battle of Refugio
The Battle of Refugio was fought from March 12–March 15, 1836, near Refugio, Texas. Mexican General José Urrea and 1,500 Centralista soldiers fought against Amon Butler King and his 28 American volunteers and Lieutenant Colonel William Ward and his approximately 120 Americans...
, but about 15-18 prisoners were marched to Goliad, to serve as blacksmiths or mechanics.
75 soldiers of William Parsons Miller and the Nashville Battalion had been captured on the 20th and marched in on the 23rd. Being detained separately from the other prisoners, since they had surrendered without weaponry.
On March 22, William Ward and the Georgia Battalion (80 men plus Ward), surrendered after escaping from the Battle of Refugio
Battle of Refugio
The Battle of Refugio was fought from March 12–March 15, 1836, near Refugio, Texas. Mexican General José Urrea and 1,500 Centralista soldiers fought against Amon Butler King and his 28 American volunteers and Lieutenant Colonel William Ward and his approximately 120 Americans...
. About 26 men were retained at Victoria as laborers, but 55 prisoners were marched into Goliad, on March 25th.
Massacre
The Mexicans took the Texans back to Goliad, where they were held as prisoners at Fort Defiance (Presidio La BahiaPresidio La Bahía
The Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía, known more commonly as Presidio La Bahia, or simply La Bahia is a fort constructed by the Spanish Army that became the nucleus of the city of Goliad, Texas, United States. Originally founded in 1721 on the ruins of the failed French Fort Saint...
). The Texans thought they would likely be set free in a few weeks. General Urrea departed Goliad, leaving command to Colonel Jose Nicolas de la Portilla. Urrea wrote to Santa Anna to ask for clemency for the Texans. Urrea wrote in his diary that he "...wished to elude these orders as far as possible without compromising my personal responsibility." On March 26, 1836, 19:00, Santa Anna ordered Portilla to execute the prisoners.
The next day, Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, Colonel Portilla had the 303 Texians marched out of Fort Defiance into three columns on the Bexar Road, San Patricio Road, and the Victoria Road, between two rows of Mexican soldiers; they were shot point-blank, and any survivors were clubbed and knifed to death.
Forty Texians were wounded and unable to walk. Thirty nine were killed inside the fort, under the direction of Captain Carolino Huerta of the Tres Villas battalion, with Colonel Garay saving one. Colonel Fannin was the last to be executed, after seeing his men executed. Age 32, he was taken by Mexican soldiers to the courtyard in front of the chapel, blindfolded, and seated in a chair (due to his leg wound from the battle). He made three requests: he asked for his personal possessions to be sent to his family, to be shot in his heart and not his face, and to be given a Christian burial. The soldiers took his belongings, shot his face,
and burned Fannin's body along with the other Texans who died that day.
The entire Texian force was killed except for twenty-eight men who feigned death and escaped. Among these was Herman Ehrenberg
Herman Ehrenberg
Herman Ehrenberg is the namesake of Ehrenberg, Arizona. A native of Germany, Ehrenberg joined the military volunteer unit the New Orleans Greys and fought against Mexico in the Texas Revolution. He was one of few survivors of the Goliad Massacre...
, who later wrote an account of the massacre.
Fortunately, due to the intervention of the "Angel of Goliad", (Francita Alavez
Francita Alavez
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:...
), and the courageous effort of Colonel Francisco Garay, twenty more men were held and spared as doctors, interpreters, or workers .
Also spared were the 75 soldiers of William Parsons Miller and the Nashville Battalion, who had been captured and had surrendered without weapons. The men were later marched to Matamoros
Matamoros
The name Matamoros, meaning Moor-killer or Moor-slayer in Spanish , may refer to:-People:*Mariano Matamoros, a liberal priest and insurgent active during the Mexican War of Independence*Santiago Matamoros The name Matamoros, meaning Moor-killer or Moor-slayer in Spanish (see Saint James the...
.
Spared men were given white arm bands, while wearing them, they could walk about freely. They were advised not to take off the arm band or they might be shot, since the Mexican troops were hunting for those that had escaped from Coleto, Victoria and the massacre
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
itself.
Aftermath
After the executions the Texian's bodies were piled and burned. Their charred remains were left in the open, unburied and exposed to vultures, and coyotes. About a month later, word reached La Bahia(Goliad) that General Santa Anna had been defeated and surrendered. The Mexican soldiers at La Bahia returned to the funeral pyres and gathered up any visible remains of the Texians and then re-burned any evidence of the bodies.The massive number of 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...
casualties throughout the Goliad Campaign and the "take-no-prisoners" attitude of the Mexican army led to Goliad being called a "Massacre
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
" by Texas-American forces and fueled the frenzy of the Runaway Scrape
Runaway Scrape
The Runaway Scrape was the name given to the flight and subsequent hostilities that occurred, as Texan, Tejano, and American settlers and militia encountered the pursuing Mexican army in early 1836....
.