Road To Independence Revolution Begins p. 204 - 208

A Mexican Army Arrives in Texas It seemed to officials back in the Mexican capital and in Texas that radicals were becoming disloyal. General Cos arrived in Texas with additional troops. Settlers were concerned about the troops and formed committees of safety in case of threat by the federal soldiers. Committees of Correspondence, local groups sharing political and military information, sprang up to keep the colonists informed.

Gonzales – The Lexington of Texas The Battle of Lexington The first shots starting the American Revolution were fired at Lexington, Massachusetts. On April 18, 1775, British General Thomas Gage sent 700 soldiers to destroy guns and ammunition the colonists had stored in the town of Concord, just outside of Boston.

Gonzales – The Lexington of Texas Colonel Ugartechea, the Mexican commander at San Antonio, ordered the people of Gonzales to surrender their small brass cannon. The local official refused so Ugartechea ordered about 100 soldiers to take the cannon by force. The people of Gonzales buried the cannon until reinforcements arrived.

Gonzales – The Lexington of Texas They dug up the cannon, and decorated it with a white flag saying, “Come and Take It.”

Gonzales – The Lexington of Texas The Battle of Gonzales was brief and only 1 casualty. The news of the clash spread quickly throughout Texas. General Cos regarded the actions at Gonzales as the outbreak of war.

Gonzales – The Lexington of Texas Choose one of the following: Create a flag like the one at the Battle of Gonzales Create a cartoon illustration to represent the Battle of Gonzales

On to San Antonio One week after the fighting at Gonzales, a force of about 120 Texans took the garrison at Goliad by surprise. After battling for about 30 minutes, the Mexican troops surrendered. Texans felt the defeating the Mexicans would be easy and planned to march to San Antonio to fight General Cos. To find a good defensive position outside San Antonio, Stephen F. Austin sent a search party of 90 men led by Jim Bowie and James Fannin.

On to San Antonio The scouting party was attacked by 400 Mexican soldiers at the Mission Concepción but was able to hold them off with their more accurate rifles. This clear victory boosted the morale of the Texas rebel army. Stephen F. Austin took command of 400 Texans, known as the Army of the People. Austin decided to lay siege to San Antonio and hoped Cos would run out of supplies and be forced to surrender quickly.

POP QUIZ! What did Austin hope would be the outcome of the siege?

Peace Party Prevails at the Consultation While some Texans camped near San Antonio, other Texans met in San Felipe at a Consultation on November 3, 1835. The meeting had been moved from Washington-on-the-Brazos to San Felipe because it had a printing press. War Party – delegates that favored an immediate declaration of independence from Mexico. Peace Party – agreed Texans should oppose Santa Anna, but objected to an immediate declaration of independence.

Peace Party Prevails at the Consultation A motion calling for immediate independence was defeated. The next day, the Consultation adopted a statement known as the “Declaration of the People of Texas in General Convention Assembled.” Texans declared themselves to be loyal citizens of Mexico Pledged to support the Mexican Constitution of 1824 Declared that they had taken up arms only to defend themselves and to oppose the rule of Santa Anna. Urged all Mexican citizens to join their struggle for democratic government and offered land to volunteers.

A Provisional Government Begins After adopting the Declaration of the People, the Consultation created a provisional, or temporary, government. It consisted of a governor, lieutenant governor, and a general council with one representative from each of the locally governed areas known as municipalities. The powers of the governor and council were vaguely defined, which eventually leads to conflict. The Consultation adopted a plan for the creation of a regular army of full-time, paid soldiers.

A Provisional Government Begins Sam Houston was chosen to be the commander of the regular army, but was not given authority over the volunteer army still camped at San Antonio. Stephen F. Austin, William H. Wharton, and Branch T. Archer were chosen as commissioners to represent Texas in the United States. They were told to obtain troops, supplies and money to finance the expected war and to aid in struggle against Santa Anna.