The “Happy” Year 1835

1 st battle of the Texas Revolution Soldiers were sent to get the canon back that was loaned to Texans for protection against Natives Nickname is “The Lexington of Texas” because of the similarities between this battle and the first battle of the American Revolution Texans WON!!! 1835

1 st Battle of the AMERICAN Revolution 1 st Battle of the TEXAS Revolution Gonzales, TX April 19, 1775 October 2, 1835 Battle of Gonzales Battle of Lexington Mexican officials had gone to Gonzales to get the cannon that had been loaned to them by the Mexican government to protect themselves from Native Americans British soldiers went to Lexington to get any military supplies or weapons that the Americans had stored Because of these similarities, the Battle of Gonzales is sometimes called “The Lexington of Texas” Texans won!!! Americans won!!! Lexington, MA

A week after Gonzales, Texans take the Presidio at Goliad They realize they may actually be able to beat the huge Mexican Army They decide to go to San Antonio– the biggest town in TX with the most soldiers The Mission at Goliad 1835

Everybody goes back to Gonzales to organize Stephen F. Austin and other leaders gather a bunch of Texans (American and Tejano) to march to San Antonio They start their march and call their group the “Army of the People” Texans have about 600 soldiers when they get to SA (as per TSHA) General Cos has about 750 soldiers in SA The Army of the People’s March to San Antonio (Late Oct., 1835) 1835

A siege is where one army is inside a fort or city and the other army tries to block all supplies and people from getting in or out Mexicans were inside the Alamo and the Texans surrounded them It started in on Oct. 28 and lasted FOREVER!! (At least that’s what the Texan volunteers started to think) The Siege of Bexar: Oct. 28 – Dec. 5, 1835 General Cos and Mexican soldiers in the Alamo The Alamo (In San Antonio de Bexar) 1835

Write a “Declaration of the People”… NOT of independence… it just tries to explain their actions to MX 1.they are loyal citizens of Mexico 2. they would support the Constitution of fighting only to defend themselves from Santa Anna 4. ask all Mexican citizens to fight for a democracy (SA was a dictator) Remember? They had called for this meeting at the end of Ch delegates from 14 towns meet 1835 War Party Peace Party

There had been very little military activity in Oct. and Nov. because sieges were BORING A TX scout named “Deaf” Smith heard that the MX Army had some cavalry and mule train headed to San Antonio Some of the Texans, thinking it has silver for Cos’ soldiers ATTACK!!! It ends up to be just grass for their horses! This is the final straw… the siege is called off and the Texans start packing to go home The Grass Fight: Nov. 26,

Ben Milam, an empresario, heard that the Texans were leaving and tried to rally the troops to fight (he really wanted independence) He and Frank Johnson organized about 300 of the troops that were left and attacked the Mexicans in the Alamo!!! The battle lasted about 4 days… and the Texans had won!! Cos surrendered and went home. Yay! 1835 With Cos gone… the Texans realized that he took with him the last of the Mexican soldiers in Texas… many Texans thought they had won the war!!!!

Mexico City General Cos Santa Anna President Santa Anna! The Texans have run us out of Texas!!! Geez, Cos!!! Can’t you do anything right? I guess if you want something done right you have to do it yourself! Come on! Let’s go back to Texas and I’ll show you how to stop this rebellion!!!!

San Felipe Consultation of 1835 The Battle at Goliad March of the Army of the People Siege of Bexar Consultation of 1835 The Grass Fight Battle of San Antonio Cos surrenders and returns to Mexico 1835 The Battle of Gonzales

Review Questions 1.What was the FIRST battle of the Texas Revolution? 2.What was that battle’s nickname? 3.Why did it get that nickname? 4.What did the Battle of Goliad make the Texans realize? 5.What did the Texans decide to DO after the Battle of Goliad? 6.How did the Texans get to San Antonio? Who was in charge? 7.Who was in San Antonio and what were the Texans going to do about it? 8.What is it called when an army traps another group and tries to “wait them out”? What was the one in San Antonio called? What is the other name for it? 9.Who did that to whom in October of 1835? 10.What was the meeting called that started in November of 1835? 11.What did they do at the meeting? 12.What event during the siege was the “straw that broke the camel’s back”? (What event during the siege led to the battle?) 13.Who led the Texans into battle? What happened to him? 14.Who won the Battle of San Antonio? What is another name for it? 15.Who lost the Battle of San Antonio? What did he (and they) do next? 16.What did the Texans think after they won the Battle of San Antonio? 1835