Presidio La Bahía
Encyclopedia
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 Louis, the presidio was moved to a location on the Guadalupe River
in 1726. In 1747, the presidio and its mission were moved to their current location on the San Antonio River
. By 1770, the presidio had been rebuilt in stone and had become "the only Spanish fortress for the entire Gulf Coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande to the Mississippi River". A civilian settlement, modern-day Goliad, sprang up around the presidio in the late 18th century, and the area was one of the three most important in Spanish Texas
.
The presidio was captured by insurgents twice during the Mexican War of Independence
, by the Republican Army of the North in 1813 and by the Long Expedition
in 1821. Each time the insurgents were later defeated by Spanish troops. By the end of 1821 Texas became part of the newly formed United Mexican States. La Bahia was one of the two major garrisons in Mexican Texas
and lay halfway between San Antonio de Béxar (the political center of Texas) and Copano
, the major port in Texas. In October 1835, days after the beginning of the Texas Revolution
, a group of Texian
insurgents marched on La Bahia. After a 30-minute battle, the Mexican garrison surrendered and the Texians gained control of the presidio, which they soon renamed Fort Defiance.
During the siege of the Alamo
, Texian commander William B. Travis
several times asked La Bahia commander James Fannin
to bring reinforcements. Although Fannin and his men attempted a relief mission, they abandoned the attempt the following day. After the fall of the Alamo
, General Sam Houston
ordered Fannin to abandon La Bahia. He did so on March 19, but took a leisurely path and the La Bahia garrison was captured and imprisoned in the presidio. On March 27 the Texian captives were marched from the presidio and executed, in an event known as the Goliad Massacre
.
Today, La Bahia is the best-preserved Spanish presidio
in the United States.
, until the late 17th century the province was largely ignored. In an attempt to take advantage of Spain's disinterest, in 1685 France authorized Robert de La Salle to organize a colony in the area between New Spain
and Florida
. Although La Salle intended to locate his colony along the Mississippi River
, poor maps and improper navigation decisions led the colonists to instead land near Matagorda Bay
in Spanish Texas
. Believing the French colony was a threat to Spanish mines and shipping routes, Spanish King Carlos II's Council of War recommended that "Spain needed swift action 'to remove this thorn which has been thrust into the heart of America. The greater the delay the greater the difficulty of attainment.'" After several years of searching, a Spanish expedition finally located the site of Fort Saint Louis in early 1689. Several months earlier, Karankawa
Indians had destroyed the fort, killing most of the colonists. The Spanish expedition burned the remains of the French fort and buried the French cannons.
The leader of the expedition, Alonso De León
, recommended that Spanish authorities establish presidio
s along the Rio Grande
, the Frio River
, and the Guadalupe River
. Due to a shortage of funds, the Spanish government chose not to establish any presidios. From 1691 until 1693 several Spanish missions struggled in East Texas
, but they finally failed, leaving Texas again ignored by Spain.
In the subsequent decades France established a presence in Louisiana
, causing the Spanish to fear that France could become a threat to other Spanish areas. In 1716, Spain re-established missions in East Texas, this time accompanied by a presidio. After difficulties with France during the War of the Quadruple Alliance
in 1719–1720, Spain became determined to increase their military presence in Texas. In 1721, the Marquis de San Miguel de Aguayo, governor of Texas and Coahuila
, founded Presidio La Bahia on the site of the former French fort. Nearby they established a mission, Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga
(also known as La Bahia), for the Coco, Karankawa, and Cujane Indians. Ninety men were left at the garrison.
The priests at the nearby mission were unable to find an effective means to convince the Karankawa to submit to mission life or Catholic teachings. In April 1725 they requested that the mission be moved to a more favorable location. The following year, both mission and presidio were relocated 26 miles (41.8 km) inland, along the Guadalupe River
in what is now Victoria County. For the next 23 years the mission and presidio remained in this location.
to inspect the northern frontier of the North American colonies. Escandón assigned La Bahia's captain, Joaquín Prudencio de Orobio y Basterra, to evaluate South Texas
. On reading Orobio's report, Escandón recommended that La Bahia be moved from its Guadalupe River location to the banks of the San Antonio River
, so that it would be more capable of assisting settlements along the Rio Grande
. Both the presidio and the mission likely moved in October 1749. Escandón proposed that 25 Mexican families be relocated near the presidio to form a civilian settlement but was unable to find enough willing settlers.
In February 1750, the new presidio was under the command of Captain Manuel Ramírez de la Piszena. Piszena had personally paid for a stone house to be built for himself, and the 50 soldiers in the garrison lived either in a large barracks or in one of 40 temporary wood homes that had been built for those with families. A chapel had also been built for the presidio. The presidio was fortified with six 8-lb cannon. Soldiers alternated guard duty at the presidio and the mission; others were assigned to guard the presidio horses or to protect supply trains coming from the Rio Grande or San Antonio de Béxar from attacks by Lipan Apache raiding parties.
With the conclusion of the Seven Years War in 1767, France ceded Louisiana, and French claims to Texas, to Spain. With France no longer a threat to Spain's North American interests, the Spanish monarchy commissioned the Marquis de Rubi to inspect all of the presidios on the northern frontier of New Spain and make recommendations for the future. Rubi recommended that several presidios be closed, but that La Bahia be kept and rebuilt in stone. La Bahia was soon ""the only Spanish fortress for the entire Gulf Coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande to the Mississippi River". The presidio now sat at the heart of several major trade and military routes. It quickly became one of the three most important areas in Texas, alongside Béxar and Nacogdoches. A civil settlement, now known as Goliad soon developed near the presidio. By 1804 the settlement had one of only two schools in Texas.
began in 1810 at the instigation of Miguel Hidalgo
. At the end of November, Texas governor Manuel María de Salcedo
received notice that Hidalgo and his confederates Ignacio Allende
and Juan Aldama
were expected to invade Texas, and that Salcedo was expected to capture them. On January 2, 1812, Salcedo summoned troops throughout Texas to Bexar, leaving La Bahia with a minimal force. Mexican revolutionary Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara
had been in the United States organizing support for the revolution. In early August 1812 his recruits, calling themselves the Republican Army of the North, invaded Texas. In November, Salcedo led Spanish Army forces to the Guadalupe River to ambush the Republican Army of the North. One of the soldiers was captured, however, and revealed details of the ambush. The invading army turned south to avoid the trap and quickly captured Presidio La Bahia. Salcedo promptly began a siege of the fort. The siege lasted four months, with occasional skirmishes.
Unable to win a decisive victory, Salcedo lifted the siege on February 19, 1813 and turned towards San Antonio de Bexar. The rebels remained in control of the presidio until July or August 1813, when José Joaquín de Arredondo
led royalist troops in retaking all of Texas. A member of the Republican Army of the North, Henry Perry, led forces back to Texas in 1817 and attempted to recapture La Bahia. The presidio was reinforced by soldiers from San Antonio, and Perry and his men were defeated on June 18 near Coleto Creek.
La Bahia was again the target of invaders in 1821. After the United States and Spain signed the Adams-Onís Treaty
, giving all rights to Texas to Spain, many Americans were angry. On October 4, the 52 members of the Long Expedition
captured La Bahia. Four days later, Colonel Ignacio Pérez arrived with troops from Bexar; Long surrendered. By the end of 1821, Mexico had achieved independence from Spain, and Texas became part of the newly created country.
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By 1835, La Bahia was one of two major garrisons within Mexican Texas
, alongside the Alamo at Bexar. Bexar was the political center of Texas, and La Bahia lay halfway between it and the major Texas port of Copano
. Within days of the opening of the Texas Revolution
in October 1835, members of the Texian militia in Matagorda decided to march on La Bahia to kidnap Mexican General Martín Perfecto de Cos
. Other Texas settlers flocked to the march, bringing the number of Texian
volunteers to approximately 125 men. Although the Texians learned that Cos had already departed La Bahia to travel to Bexar, they continued their march.
Several of the Tejanos who lived near Goliad joined the Texian force, reporting that Colonel Juan López Sandoval commanded only 50 men, far fewer than the number necessary to defend the entire perimeter of the presidio.
In the pre-dawn hours of October 10, the Texians attacked the presidio. The Texians quickly hacked through a door on the north wall of the fortress and ran to the interior courtyard. Hearing the commotion, the Mexican soldiers had lined the walls to defend the fort. The Mexican soldiers opened fire, hitting Samuel McCulloch, a freed slave, in the shoulder. Texians returned fire for approximately 30 min. During a pause in the fighting, a Texian spokesperson yelled out that the Texians would "massacre everyone of you, unless you come out immediately and surrender." The Mexican garrison immediately surrendered.
Over the next several days, more Texian settlers joined the group at La Bahia. Stephen F. Austin
, the commander-in-chief of the newly formed Texian Army
, ordered that 100 men remain at La Bahia, under the command of Philip Dimmitt
, while the rest should join the Texian Army in marching on Cos's troops in Bexar. Texian troops confiscated the provisions they found at the fort. Although they found 300 muskets, most of them were broken and unable to be repaired. The food, clothing, blankets, and other provisions were valued at $10,000. For the next three months, the provisions were parcelled out among companies in the Texian Army. The Texians also gained control of several cannon.
At some point, Colonel James Fannin
became the commander of the troops at La Bahia. He renamed the presidio Fort Defiance. In February 1836, President Antonio López de Santa Anna
led a large force of Mexican Army
troops into Texas to quell the revolution. Santa Anna and part of his force entered Bexar on February 23 and initiated a siege of the Alamo
. Alamo commander William B. Travis
immediately sent a courier to Fannin, asking him to provide reinforcements to the Alamo. At first unable to make up his mind, Fannin finally decided to ride to the relief of the Alamo. Historian Robert Scott suggests that the trip was initiated after Fannin's objections were overridden by his officers. On the morning of February 26, he set out with 320 men, 4 cannon, and several supply wagons for the 90 miles (144.8 km) march from Goliad to the Alamo. The Goliad garrison had no horses to move the wagons and artillery and were forced to rely on oxen. Barely 200 yards (182.9 m) into their journey, one of the wagons broke down, and the expedition stopped for repairs. The group then took six hours to cross the waist-deep water of the San Antonio River. By the time they reached the other side it was dark, and the men camped along the river. The cold front reached Goliad that evening, and the poorly-dressed soldiers were "quickly chilled and miserable" in the driving rain. On awakening, Fannin realized that all of the Texian oxen had wandered off, and that his men had neglected to pack food for the journey. It took most of the day for the men to round up the oxen; after two days of travel, Fannin's men had not even ventured 1 miles (1.6 km) from their fort. In a letter to Acting Governor James Robinson, Fannin said that his officers approached him to ask that the rescue trip be cancelled, as they had received word that General Urrea's army was marching towards Goliad. The officers and men in the expedition claimed that Fannin decided on his own to abort the mission. Several of the men agreed with the decision, with Dr. Barnard writing in his journal, "With but three or four hundred men, mostly on foot, with but a limited supply of provisions, to march a distance of nearly one-hundred miles through uninhabited country for the purpose of relieving a fortress beleaguered by five-thousand men was madness!"
, General Sam Houston
ordered Fannin and his men to abandon La Bahia and fall back to Victoria. They began the retreat on March 19, carrying with them nine pieces of artillery but little food or water. Fannin showed no signs of haste, and on the banks of Coleto Creek Mexican General José de Urrea
and his men attacked. Although the Texians initially repulsed the attacks, they soon ran out of water and Fannin surrendered.
The Texians were escorted back to La Bahia, arriving by March 22. Although Urrea requested that Santa Anna treat the prisoners with clemency, on March 27 the men were marched from the fort and executed by Mexican soldiers, in an event known as the Goliad Massacre
.
Spanish ecclesiastical building on the North American continent".
Spanish Army
The Spanish Army is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies - dating back to the 15th century.-Introduction:...
that became the nucleus of the city of Goliad, Texas
Goliad, Texas
Goliad is a city in Goliad County, Texas, United States. It had a population of 1975 at the 2000 census. Founded on the San Antonio River, it is the county seat of Goliad County. It is part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. Goliad is located on U.S. Highway 59, named also for...
, United States. Originally founded in 1721 on the ruins of the failed French Fort Saint Louis, the presidio was moved to a location on the Guadalupe River
Guadalupe River (Texas)
The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is a popular destination for rafters and canoers. Larger cities along the river include New Braunfels, Kerrville, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria...
in 1726. In 1747, the presidio and its mission were moved to their current location on the San Antonio River
San Antonio River
The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in north central San Antonio, approximately four miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the Guadalupe River about ten miles from...
. By 1770, the presidio had been rebuilt in stone and had become "the only Spanish fortress for the entire Gulf Coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande to the Mississippi River". A civilian settlement, modern-day Goliad, sprang up around the presidio in the late 18th century, and the area was one of the three most important in Spanish Texas
Spanish Texas
Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of New Spain from 1690 until 1821. Although Spain claimed ownership of the territory, which comprised part of modern-day Texas, including the land north of the Medina and Nueces Rivers, the Spanish did not attempt to colonize the area until after...
.
The presidio was captured by insurgents twice during the Mexican War of Independence
Mexican 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...
, by the Republican Army of the North in 1813 and by the Long Expedition
Long expedition
The Long Expedition was an 1819 attempt to take control of Spanish Texas. It was led by James Long and successfully established a small independent government, known as the Republic of Texas . The expedition crumbled later in the year, as Spanish troops drove the invaders out...
in 1821. Each time the insurgents were later defeated by Spanish troops. By the end of 1821 Texas became part of the newly formed United Mexican States. La Bahia was one of the two major garrisons in Mexican 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...
and lay halfway between San Antonio de Béxar (the political center of Texas) and Copano
Copano, Texas
Copano, Texas or El Copano is a ghost town on the northwestern shore of Copano Bay in Refugio County. It is located north of present day Bayside, on Copano Point. The port, which holds the distinction as the first in South Texas, was founded in the early 18th century by the Spanish, and named for...
, the major port in Texas. In October 1835, days after the beginning of the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
, a group 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...
insurgents marched on La Bahia. After a 30-minute battle, the Mexican garrison surrendered and the Texians gained control of the presidio, which they soon renamed Fort Defiance.
During the siege of the Alamo
Siege of the Alamo
The siege of the Alamo describes the first twelve days of the Battle of the Alamo. On February 23, Mexican troops under General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna entered San Antonio de Bexar, Texas and surrounded the Alamo Mission...
, Texian commander William B. Travis
William B. Travis
William Barret Travis was a 19th-century American lawyer and soldier. At the age of 26, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army...
several times asked La Bahia commander 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...
to bring reinforcements. Although Fannin and his men attempted a relief mission, they abandoned the attempt the following day. After the fall of the Alamo
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio de Béxar . All but two of the Texian defenders were killed...
, General Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
ordered Fannin to abandon La Bahia. He did so on March 19, but took a leisurely path and the La Bahia garrison was captured and imprisoned in the presidio. On March 27 the Texian captives were marched from the presidio and executed, in an event known as 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:...
.
Today, La Bahia is the best-preserved Spanish presidio
Presidio
A presidio is a fortified base established by the Spanish in North America between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The fortresses were built to protect against pirates, hostile native Americans and enemy colonists. Other presidios were held by Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth...
in the United States.
Origins
Although Spain claimed control over the area now known as TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, until the late 17th century the province was largely ignored. In an attempt to take advantage of Spain's disinterest, in 1685 France authorized Robert de La Salle to organize a colony in the area between New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Although La Salle intended to locate his colony along the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, poor maps and improper navigation decisions led the colonists to instead land near Matagorda Bay
Matagorda Bay
Matagorda Bay is a large estuary bay on the Texas coast, lying in Calhoun and Matagorda counties and located approximately northeast of Corpus Christi, southeast of San Antonio, southwest of Houston, and southeast of Austin. It is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Matagorda Peninsula and...
in Spanish Texas
Spanish Texas
Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of New Spain from 1690 until 1821. Although Spain claimed ownership of the territory, which comprised part of modern-day Texas, including the land north of the Medina and Nueces Rivers, the Spanish did not attempt to colonize the area until after...
. Believing the French colony was a threat to Spanish mines and shipping routes, Spanish King Carlos II's Council of War recommended that "Spain needed swift action 'to remove this thorn which has been thrust into the heart of America. The greater the delay the greater the difficulty of attainment.'" After several years of searching, a Spanish expedition finally located the site of Fort Saint Louis in early 1689. Several months earlier, Karankawa
Karankawa
Karankawa were a group of Native American peoples, now extinct as a tribal group, who played a pivotal part in early Texas history....
Indians had destroyed the fort, killing most of the colonists. The Spanish expedition burned the remains of the French fort and buried the French cannons.
The leader of the expedition, Alonso De León
Alonso De León
Alonso de León wasexplorer and governor, who led several expeditions into the area that is now northeastern Mexico and southern Texas.-Early life:...
, recommended that Spanish authorities establish presidio
Presidio
A presidio is a fortified base established by the Spanish in North America between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The fortresses were built to protect against pirates, hostile native Americans and enemy colonists. Other presidios were held by Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth...
s along the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
, the Frio River
Frio River
The Frio River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. The word frio is Spanish for cold, a clear reference to the spring-fed coolness of the river.-Geography:The Frio River has three primary feeds; the East, West, and Dry Frio rivers...
, and the Guadalupe River
Guadalupe River (Texas)
The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is a popular destination for rafters and canoers. Larger cities along the river include New Braunfels, Kerrville, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria...
. Due to a shortage of funds, the Spanish government chose not to establish any presidios. From 1691 until 1693 several Spanish missions struggled in East Texas
East Texas
East Texas is a distinct geographic and ecological area in the U.S. state of Texas.According to the Handbook of Texas, the East Texas area "may be separated from the rest of Texas roughly by a line extending from the Red River in north central Lamar County southwestward to east central Limestone...
, but they finally failed, leaving Texas again ignored by Spain.
In the subsequent decades France established a presence in Louisiana
Louisiana (New France)
Louisiana or French Louisiana was an administrative district of New France. Under French control from 1682–1763 and 1800–03, the area was named in honor of Louis XIV, by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle...
, causing the Spanish to fear that France could become a threat to other Spanish areas. In 1716, Spain re-established missions in East Texas, this time accompanied by a presidio. After difficulties with France during the War of the Quadruple Alliance
War of the Quadruple Alliance
The War of the Quadruple Alliance was a result of the ambitions of King Philip V of Spain, his wife, Elisabeth Farnese, and his chief minister Giulio Alberoni to retake territories in Italy and to claim the French throne. It saw the defeat of Spain by an alliance of Britain, France, Austria , and...
in 1719–1720, Spain became determined to increase their military presence in Texas. In 1721, the Marquis de San Miguel de Aguayo, governor of Texas and Coahuila
Coahuila y Tejas
Coahuila y Tejas was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution.It had two capitals: first Saltillo, and then Monclova...
, founded Presidio La Bahia on the site of the former French fort. Nearby they established a mission, Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga
Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga
Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñigaalso known as Aranama Mission orMission La Bahiawas a Roman Catholic mission established by Spain in Victoria County, Texas in northern New Spain in 1722 to convert local Native Karankawa Indians to Christianity...
(also known as La Bahia), for the Coco, Karankawa, and Cujane Indians. Ninety men were left at the garrison.
The priests at the nearby mission were unable to find an effective means to convince the Karankawa to submit to mission life or Catholic teachings. In April 1725 they requested that the mission be moved to a more favorable location. The following year, both mission and presidio were relocated 26 miles (41.8 km) inland, along the Guadalupe River
Guadalupe River (Texas)
The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is a popular destination for rafters and canoers. Larger cities along the river include New Braunfels, Kerrville, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria...
in what is now Victoria County. For the next 23 years the mission and presidio remained in this location.
Establishment on the San Antonio River
In 1747, the Spanish government sent José de EscandónJosé de Escandón
José de Escandón y Helguera, 1st Count of Sierra Gorda was a Spanish Indian-fighter in New Spain and the founder and first governor of the colony of Nuevo Santander, which extended from the Pánuco River in the modern-day Mexican state of Veracruz to the Guadalupe River in...
to inspect the northern frontier of the North American colonies. Escandón assigned La Bahia's captain, Joaquín Prudencio de Orobio y Basterra, to evaluate South Texas
South Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
. On reading Orobio's report, Escandón recommended that La Bahia be moved from its Guadalupe River location to the banks of the San Antonio River
San Antonio River
The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in north central San Antonio, approximately four miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the Guadalupe River about ten miles from...
, so that it would be more capable of assisting settlements along the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
. Both the presidio and the mission likely moved in October 1749. Escandón proposed that 25 Mexican families be relocated near the presidio to form a civilian settlement but was unable to find enough willing settlers.
In February 1750, the new presidio was under the command of Captain Manuel Ramírez de la Piszena. Piszena had personally paid for a stone house to be built for himself, and the 50 soldiers in the garrison lived either in a large barracks or in one of 40 temporary wood homes that had been built for those with families. A chapel had also been built for the presidio. The presidio was fortified with six 8-lb cannon. Soldiers alternated guard duty at the presidio and the mission; others were assigned to guard the presidio horses or to protect supply trains coming from the Rio Grande or San Antonio de Béxar from attacks by Lipan Apache raiding parties.
With the conclusion of the Seven Years War in 1767, France ceded Louisiana, and French claims to Texas, to Spain. With France no longer a threat to Spain's North American interests, the Spanish monarchy commissioned the Marquis de Rubi to inspect all of the presidios on the northern frontier of New Spain and make recommendations for the future. Rubi recommended that several presidios be closed, but that La Bahia be kept and rebuilt in stone. La Bahia was soon ""the only Spanish fortress for the entire Gulf Coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande to the Mississippi River". The presidio now sat at the heart of several major trade and military routes. It quickly became one of the three most important areas in Texas, alongside Béxar and Nacogdoches. A civil settlement, now known as Goliad soon developed near the presidio. By 1804 the settlement had one of only two schools in Texas.
Mexican Independence
The Mexican War of 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...
began in 1810 at the instigation of Miguel Hidalgo
Miguel Hidalgo
Miguel Gregorio Antonio Ignacio Hidalgo y Costilla y Gallaga Mandarte Villaseñor , more commonly known as Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla or simply Miguel Hidalgo, was a Mexican priest and a leader of the Mexican War of Independence.In 1810 Hidalgo led a group of peasants in a revolt against the dominant...
. At the end of November, Texas governor Manuel María de Salcedo
Manuel María de Salcedo
Manuel María de Salcedo y Quiroga , Manuel María de Salcedo y Quiroga , Manuel María de Salcedo y Quiroga , (Malaga, Spain, (1776 - executed, 3 April 1813), was a governor of Spanish Texas from 1808 until his execution in 1813. Salcedo gained leadership experience helping his father Juan Manuel de...
received notice that Hidalgo and his confederates Ignacio Allende
Ignacio Allende
Ignacio José de Allende y Unzaga , born Ignacio Allende y Unzaga, was a captain of the Spanish Army in Mexico who came to sympathize with the Mexican independence movement. He attended the secret meetings organized by Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, where the possibility of an independent New Spain was...
and Juan Aldama
Juan Aldama
Juan Aldama was a Mexican revolutionary rebel soldier during the Mexican War of Independence in 1810. He was also the brother of Ignacio Aldama....
were expected to invade Texas, and that Salcedo was expected to capture them. On January 2, 1812, Salcedo summoned troops throughout Texas to Bexar, leaving La Bahia with a minimal force. Mexican revolutionary Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara
Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara
Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara was the first constitutional governor of the state of Tamaulipas, and a native of Revilla, today Ciudad Guerrero, Mexico.-Biography:...
had been in the United States organizing support for the revolution. In early August 1812 his recruits, calling themselves the Republican Army of the North, invaded Texas. In November, Salcedo led Spanish Army forces to the Guadalupe River to ambush the Republican Army of the North. One of the soldiers was captured, however, and revealed details of the ambush. The invading army turned south to avoid the trap and quickly captured Presidio La Bahia. Salcedo promptly began a siege of the fort. The siege lasted four months, with occasional skirmishes.
Unable to win a decisive victory, Salcedo lifted the siege on February 19, 1813 and turned towards San Antonio de Bexar. The rebels remained in control of the presidio until July or August 1813, when José Joaquín de Arredondo
Jose Joaquín de Arredondo
Joaquín de Arredondo y Mioño was a 19th-century Spanish–Mexican soldier who served as Chief Civil and Military Commandant of Texas during the first Texas revolution.-Early life:...
led royalist troops in retaking all of Texas. A member of the Republican Army of the North, Henry Perry, led forces back to Texas in 1817 and attempted to recapture La Bahia. The presidio was reinforced by soldiers from San Antonio, and Perry and his men were defeated on June 18 near Coleto Creek.
La Bahia was again the target of invaders in 1821. After the United States and Spain signed the Adams-Onís Treaty
Adams-Onís Treaty
The Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, also known as the Transcontinental Treaty or the Purchase of Florida, was a treaty between the United States and Spain in 1819 that gave Florida to the U.S. and set out a boundary between the U.S. and New Spain . It settled a standing border dispute between the two...
, giving all rights to Texas to Spain, many Americans were angry. On October 4, the 52 members of the Long Expedition
Long expedition
The Long Expedition was an 1819 attempt to take control of Spanish Texas. It was led by James Long and successfully established a small independent government, known as the Republic of Texas . The expedition crumbled later in the year, as Spanish troops drove the invaders out...
captured La Bahia. Four days later, Colonel Ignacio Pérez arrived with troops from Bexar; Long surrendered. By the end of 1821, Mexico had achieved independence from Spain, and Texas became part of the newly created country.
Battle of Goliad
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...
, alongside the Alamo at Bexar. Bexar was the political center of Texas, and La Bahia lay halfway between it and the major Texas port of Copano
Copano, Texas
Copano, Texas or El Copano is a ghost town on the northwestern shore of Copano Bay in Refugio County. It is located north of present day Bayside, on Copano Point. The port, which holds the distinction as the first in South Texas, was founded in the early 18th century by the Spanish, and named for...
. Within days of the opening of the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
in October 1835, members of the Texian militia in Matagorda decided to march on La Bahia to kidnap Mexican General Martín Perfecto de Cos
Martín Perfecto de Cos
Martín Perfecto de Cos was a 19th-century Mexican general. He was married to Lucinda López de Santa Anna, sister of Antonio López de Santa Anna.-Background:Cós was born in Vera Cruz in the year 1800, the son of an attorney...
. Other Texas settlers flocked to the march, bringing the 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...
volunteers to approximately 125 men. Although the Texians learned that Cos had already departed La Bahia to travel to Bexar, they continued their march.
Several of the Tejanos who lived near Goliad joined the Texian force, reporting that Colonel Juan López Sandoval commanded only 50 men, far fewer than the number necessary to defend the entire perimeter of the presidio.
In the pre-dawn hours of October 10, the Texians attacked the presidio. The Texians quickly hacked through a door on the north wall of the fortress and ran to the interior courtyard. Hearing the commotion, the Mexican soldiers had lined the walls to defend the fort. The Mexican soldiers opened fire, hitting Samuel McCulloch, a freed slave, in the shoulder. Texians returned fire for approximately 30 min. During a pause in the fighting, a Texian spokesperson yelled out that the Texians would "massacre everyone of you, unless you come out immediately and surrender." The Mexican garrison immediately surrendered.
Over the next several days, more Texian settlers joined the group at La Bahia. Stephen F. Austin
Stephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin was born in Virginia and raised in southeastern Missouri. He was known as the Father of Texas, led the second, but first legal and ultimately successful colonization of the region by bringing 300 families from the United States. The capital of Texas, Austin in Travis County,...
, the commander-in-chief of the newly formed 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...
, ordered that 100 men remain at La Bahia, under the command of Philip Dimmitt
Philip Dimmitt
Philip Dimmitt was an officer in the Texian Army during the Texas Revolution. Born in Kentucky, Dimmitt moved to Texas in 1823 and soon operated a series of trading posts. After learning that Mexican General Martín Perfecto de Cos was en route to Texas to quell the unrest, Dimmitt proposed that...
, while the rest should join the Texian Army in marching on Cos's troops in Bexar. Texian troops confiscated the provisions they found at the fort. Although they found 300 muskets, most of them were broken and unable to be repaired. The food, clothing, blankets, and other provisions were valued at $10,000. For the next three months, the provisions were parcelled out among companies in the Texian Army. The Texians also gained control of several cannon.
Battle of the Alamo support
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...
became the commander of the troops at La Bahia. He renamed the presidio Fort Defiance. In February 1836, President Antonio López 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...
led a large force of Mexican Army
Mexican Army
The Mexican Army is the combined land and air branch and largest of the Mexican Military services; it also is known as the National Defense Army. It is famous for having been the first army to adopt and use an automatic rifle, , in 1899, and the first to issue automatic weapons as standard issue...
troops into Texas to quell the revolution. Santa Anna and part of his force entered Bexar on February 23 and initiated a siege of the Alamo
Siege of the Alamo
The siege of the Alamo describes the first twelve days of the Battle of the Alamo. On February 23, Mexican troops under General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna entered San Antonio de Bexar, Texas and surrounded the Alamo Mission...
. Alamo commander William B. Travis
William B. Travis
William Barret Travis was a 19th-century American lawyer and soldier. At the age of 26, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army...
immediately sent a courier to Fannin, asking him to provide reinforcements to the Alamo. At first unable to make up his mind, Fannin finally decided to ride to the relief of the Alamo. Historian Robert Scott suggests that the trip was initiated after Fannin's objections were overridden by his officers. On the morning of February 26, he set out with 320 men, 4 cannon, and several supply wagons for the 90 miles (144.8 km) march from Goliad to the Alamo. The Goliad garrison had no horses to move the wagons and artillery and were forced to rely on oxen. Barely 200 yards (182.9 m) into their journey, one of the wagons broke down, and the expedition stopped for repairs. The group then took six hours to cross the waist-deep water of the San Antonio River. By the time they reached the other side it was dark, and the men camped along the river. The cold front reached Goliad that evening, and the poorly-dressed soldiers were "quickly chilled and miserable" in the driving rain. On awakening, Fannin realized that all of the Texian oxen had wandered off, and that his men had neglected to pack food for the journey. It took most of the day for the men to round up the oxen; after two days of travel, Fannin's men had not even ventured 1 miles (1.6 km) from their fort. In a letter to Acting Governor James Robinson, Fannin said that his officers approached him to ask that the rescue trip be cancelled, as they had received word that General Urrea's army was marching towards Goliad. The officers and men in the expedition claimed that Fannin decided on his own to abort the mission. Several of the men agreed with the decision, with Dr. Barnard writing in his journal, "With but three or four hundred men, mostly on foot, with but a limited supply of provisions, to march a distance of nearly one-hundred miles through uninhabited country for the purpose of relieving a fortress beleaguered by five-thousand men was madness!"
Goliad Massacre
After learning of the fall of the AlamoBattle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio de Béxar . All but two of the Texian defenders were killed...
, General Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
ordered Fannin and his men to abandon La Bahia and fall back to Victoria. They began the retreat on March 19, carrying with them nine pieces of artillery but little food or water. Fannin showed no signs of haste, and on the banks of Coleto Creek Mexican General José 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...
and his men attacked. Although the Texians initially repulsed the attacks, they soon ran out of water and Fannin surrendered.
The Texians were escorted back to La Bahia, arriving by March 22. Although Urrea requested that Santa Anna treat the prisoners with clemency, on March 27 the men were marched from the fort and executed by Mexican soldiers, in an event known as 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:...
.
Restoration
In the 1960s, local philanthropist Kathryn O'Connor donated $1 million to restore the presidio. Construction took place between 1963 and 1968, under the oversight of architect Raiford Stripling. The building was essentially rebuilt from the ground up to look exactly as it had originally. In his Spanish Missions of Texas, Herbert Malloy Mason remarked that the presidio was one of "the finest examples ofSpanish ecclesiastical building on the North American continent".
External links
- La Bahia Presidio Chapel, South on U.S. Route 183, Goliad, Goliad County, TX: 5 photos, 2 data pages, at Historic American Building Survey
- Nuestra Señora de Loreto Presidio - Handbook of Texas Online
- - Official website of Presidio La Bahia, Goliad, Texas
- article about the restoration while it was in progress