Texas Revolution

The first decade of Mexico's independence was a time of instability with power changing hands often from one opportunistic ruler to another. In 1835 President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna exiled his Vice-President, dissolved the Congress, abolished the Constitution of 1824 & all state legislatures, set himself up as a dictator & enacted the "Seven Laws" further centralizing the government. Several states rebelled against Santa Anna including Coahuila y Tejas. On September 29th 1835, hoping to nip the rebellion in the bud, Col. Domingo de Ugartechea, commander of all military troops in Texas, sent 100 men to Gonzales to retrieve a cannon given to the settlers for defense against the Comanches. The Mexicans were greeted by 140 Texians who refused to surrender the cannon instead, responding with those famous words, "Come & take it!" On October 2nd the Texans opened fire and after a few hours of firing the Mexicans withdrew & the Texas Revolution had begun. Inspired by their success at Gonzales, 125 Texians decided to march to the Presidio La Bahia near Goliad to kidnap General Martin Perfecto de Cos. When they arrived on October 10th, Cos was not there. They chopped through a door & entered the compound. After a 30 minute skirmish the Mexican garrison under the command of Col. Juan Lopez Sandoval surrendered & the Mexicans were ordered to leave. The Texians confiscated $10,000 worth of provisions & a few cannon which would be used at the Siege of Bexar. With the capture of La Bahia only two Mexican garrisons remained, the Alamo Mission in San Antonio & the wood picket Fort Lipantitlan near San Patricio. On November 3rd, 1835 under the command of Ira Westover a force of about 70 men crossed the Nueces River & made camp 70 yards from the fort & prepared for a dawn attack. During the evening two San Patricio citizens wandered into the camp & were detained. One of them, James O'Riley, said he could convince the Mexicans to leave if he were set free. No one knows how he did it, but at 11:00 PM the Mexicans did indeed surrender & were sent back to Mexico leaving the Texians to dismantle the fort. The absent commander of the fort Nicolas Rodriguez was returning to the fort upon hearing of its surrender. The Texians & Rodriguez's men clashed at the Nueces River. The Texian rifles had a longer range than the Mexican muskets so after 30 minutes, the Mexicans retreated.