Southern Methodist University - Rotunda Yearbook (University Park, TX)

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a march against San Antonio, the major Mexican stronghold. Before the siege of San Antonio got under way, however, a consultation at San Felipe set up a provisional govern- ment, named Austin, because of his dip- lomatic gifts, as one of a commission of three to seek aid from the United States and chose Sam Houston as commander- in-Chief of the army. This gathering voted against declaration of indepen- dence, demanding only the rights of stateh 20d under the Mexican constitu- tion of 1824., which Santa Anna had re- voked. Henry Smith was elected Civil head of the revolting territory with the title of provisional governor. After a period of indecision, 300 TeX- ans, under Colonel Ben lVIilam, took San Antonio in a four-day siege ending De- cember 9th, forcing the surrender of General Cos, Mexican commander in Texas, who agreed to retire below the Rio Grande. The ease of their Victory bred over- confidence among the Texans. Lack of organization and dissention within the council at San Felipe also contributed to a dangerous state of aflairs at the Alamo. The garrison dwindled and the council delayed in sending reinforcements to Colonel William B. Travis, in command, although it was known that Santa Anna himself was marching northward. When the Mexican president-general arrived at San Antonio on February 2 3rd, Travis had only about 150 men within the Alamo. Desperate appeals brought some 30 more from Gonzales. It was this little hand that held the fort for live days against 3,000 Mexicans, finally dying to the last man in the assault of lVIarch 6th after a terrific bombardment had breached the walls. The lVIeXican forces began an eastward sweep of ven- geance, determined to wipe out the revolutionists. Colonel Fanninls force, split into two detachments, was out- numbered at Goliad and Refugio. Near- ly all of Fanninls men were either slain in battle or massacred after surrender. The unprotected colonists began a panic- stricken retreat to Louisiana on horse- back, in oxearts and on foot. This was the llRunaway Scrape? In the meantime, on lVIarch 2, I836, Texan leaders, meeting at Washington- on-Brazos, had declared independence, named David G. Burnet provisional president and given General Houston undisputed com- mand of the army. Houston rushed to Gonzales, find- ing a nucleus of 400 men there. These were hastily drilled while the commander tried to get in touch with Fannin. Hearing, finally, of Fanninls disaster at Goliad, he began an organ- ized retreat east- ward, gathering

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of them came from Louisiana, others came from lVIissouri, Kentucky, Tennes- see, and states of the Old South and East. Austinis grant opened the way for other colonizers. Mexico, having failed to settle Texas from the south with its own citizens, was liberal with its grants for several years. A dozen colonies were projected, notably those of Green, De- Witt, Burnet, Zavala, Vehlein, DeLeon, Power and Hewetson, and McMullen and MCGloin. By 1836, when inde- pendence was declared, it is estimated that the territory had a population of 30,000. Racial differences and the misunder- standings and distrust generated by them were at the base of the Texas Revolu- tion. To this must be added two equally disturbing factors: first, many Anglo- American colonists, although they sub- scribed to the regulations laid down by Mexico, never really regarded them- selves as lVIexican citizens. Second, lVIeXican politics was in turmoil during this period and the national government was becoming suspicious of the political purposes of the colonists in the north. In 1829 a governmental decree freed slaves which Texas colonists had brought with them. This decree was later nulli- hed but in an effort to strengthen Mexi- cols hold on Texas, the military posts north of the Rio Grande were strength- ened. Another law ended the exemption from import and oth- er taxes which the Texans had enjoyed for nearly ten years. Another fac- tor was the join- ing of Texas with Coahuila in the State of Coahuila-Texas. Texans, whose homes lay 4.00 to 600 miles dis- tant from Saltillo, the capital, sought separate statehood for Texas. At San Felipe de Austin, headquarters of his colony, a convention in 1833 designat- ed Stephen F. Austin to take the appeal for statehood to lVIeXico City. Austin, who had been con- stant in his de- sire to create a prosperous new Mexican state, set out with no other motive than to obtain political reforms and separate statehood. But injudicious correspondence led to his imprisonment in the Mexican capital for fifteen months. By its treatment of Austin, the government of President 'Santa Anna alienated a sincere friend and convinced Austin that further eHorts to obtain re- forms by petition would be futile. He returned to Texas, where the spark of revolution had already been struck, to cast his lot with the uVVar Party? There were several minor clashes be- tween Texans and Mexican troops, but the first pitched battle of the revolution took place at Gonzales, October 2, 1835, when a Mexican force appeared to de- mand the surrender of a cannon held by the town. Hastily gathered volunteers, fighting under a crude banner whose legend read, iiCome and Take Itll, won a quick and decisive victory. News of the affair at Gonzales brought recruits hurrying to that point from all Texas. Austin was elected commander- in-chief of the hastily formed army and it was decided to take the offensive with :':13J:

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and losing re- cruits as he Santa main went. Annats army pursued, destroying set- tlements as they came. The new Texas govern- ment tied from Har1'isburg,just before the Mex- icans took that settlement, to Galveston island. HoustOIYs little army finally met Santa Anna,s army at the San Jacinto River. In the mid-afternoon of April 21st, his 74.3 Texans made a surprise attack on the encamped NIeXican force of 1,300. The More than 600 Mexi- cans were killed and practically all the remainder captured, including the die- tator-general himself. On NIay 14th, a treaty was signed at Velasco by the terms of which the hlexi- cans agreed to retire beyond the Rio Grande and Santa Anna was to be re- leased on his promise to act for Texas independence at NIeXiCO City. The Texan army, however, protested s0 Vio- lently against Santa Annak release that President Burnet could not release him. He remained a prisoner for six months, until Houston assumed the presidency. The Treaty of Velasco was never af- firmed in NIeXiCO City, but Texas, inde- pendence was recognized by the United States, France, Great Britain, and other nations. During ten years of the repub- lic,s existence, NIeXico regarded Texas as legally hers. NO decision regarding the border line was reached, and from 1836 until the United States-Mexican war, sporadic expeditions and counter- expeditions crossed the Rio Grande. Eventual annexation to the United battle was a rout. 2K1; ,, States was hoped for by most of the Tex- ans from the beginning of the revolution. The new republic, heavily in debt, with sparse population, was unable to hear the expense of an adequate government. A heavy majority favoring annexation was recorded at the republicts first election. In the United States, however, the slavery question proved an almost ina surmountable obstacle. Anti-slavery states protested vehemently against ad- ditional slave territory. The problem finally became a burning national1 issue and the deciding factor in the presiden- tial election of 1844, when Polk, Demo- crat and annexationist, defeated Clay. The annexation treaty followed and a state constitution was approved by the people of Texas on October 13, 1845. President Anson Jones retired from of- Ece on February 16, 1846, and was suc- ceeded by J. Pinckney Henderson, the first governor of Texas. Annexation, as was inevitable, precip- itated war with NIeXico the same year. It was this brief, decisive conHict that final- ly won recognition of Texas freedom from NIeXico and that resulted also in the acquisition by the United States of Mexi- can territory westward to the Pacific. From the time of its statehood Texas, progress has been uninterrupted, its eX- pansion and development outstanding.