The Revolution Begins

[Craig Tx]

From the Texas State Historical Association

Texas Revolution begins at Gonzales

On this day in 1835, fighting broke out at Gonzales between Mexican soldiers and Texas militiamen.

When Domingo de Ugartechea, military commander in Texas, received word that the American colonists of Gonzales refused to surrender a small cannon that had been given that settlement in 1831 as a defense against the Indians, he dispatched Francisco de Castañeda and 100 dragoons to retrieve it on September 27.

Though Castañeda attempted to avoid conflict, on the morning of October 2 his force clashed with local Texan militia led by John Henry Moore in the first battle of the Texas Revolution. The struggle for the "Come and Take It" cannon was only a brief skirmish that ended with the retreat of Castañeda and his force, but it also marked a clear break between the American colonists and the Mexican government.



Craig

[BEAVERMAN]

Craig, I sure do enjoy reading your posts and learning more about Tejas along the way, well done! Keep up the good work!

[Flinthawk]

That also goes for me too!
Keep up the good work! Do you have any data on who organized volunteers or troops in East Texas that went to the Alamo?

[Craig Tx]

Flinthawk,

Thanks!

The short answer is I'll have to look it up.

I can't remember off the top of my head who the movers and shakers were in Nacadoches, and San Augustine at the time.  Sam Houston was the representative to the consultation for San Augustine.  So it wasn't him.

Gimme a coupla days, or so to look it up.

Craig

[Craig Tx]

Flinthawk,

I'll have to dig even further.  I've consulted three sources so far and can find no organized group originating from East Texas to the Alamo.  I'll need to see if there were any units at the seige of Bexar that might have stayed.

What makes it difficult is there was no consistant record keeping throughout the Revolution.  Units banded, disbanded, and merged with each other with alarming frequency.

Recorded units at the Alamo included:

Regular Army:

Travis' Cavalry Company

Dickinson's Artillery Company

Seguin's Cavalry Company

Permanent Volunteers:

Blazeby's Company of Infantry (A combination of the New Orleans Greys, and the San Antonio Greys)

Carey's Artillery Company

Bowie's Volunteer Company

Volunteer Auxiliary  Corps:

Harrison's Company of Tennesee Mounted Volunteers (Came through Nacogdoches and San Augustine and might have picked up some locals...)

Militia:

The Gonzales Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers

(I found the units listed in the "Alamo Sourcebook 1836: A Comprehensive Guide to the Alamo and the Texas Revolution"  By Tim J. and Terry S. Todish.)


Craig