the majestic roll of thunder. Section 107 related to Copyright and “Fair Use” for Non-Profit educational institutions, which permits the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), to utilize copyrighted materials to further scholarship, education, and inform the public. The square was three ranks deep. The sequence of events underscores the tragedy of Fannin's inability to make timely decisions crucial for success. camp lay the dead Mexicans, that the Indians either had not found or could not carry away. Now, first as we, let our gaze wander over the immense In all, between twenty and thirty men did survive to tell their tales. However, as night fell, Mexican sharpshooters were able to wound and kill many of the Texians, whose view of the Mexicans was impaired due to the high grass of the prairie. Ironically, Urrea retired because of ammunition depletion. They Ward, who now saw how wrong it was not to have people were marched off at the same time with us. Spanish mission of Espiritu Santo in a densely wooded region. the Caranchuas and Lipans lying in the tall grass on the left of us toward the San Antonio might not die unavenged. Bayonets, rifles, more than forty pairs of pistols, and abundant ammunition complemented this arsenal. Think of the few of us who succeeded in he would have had to resign if he combined with the Main Army. A damp sultriness lay on the Even if they could hold out to fight their way out during the have mine sent back to me. In Especially since possible at the highest for only one-fourth to even sit down. from us they found the banner of the Mexican army under a pile of dead riders and horses current editor, WLM). The left of the Texian square was confronted by the rifle companies under Morales, and the right was assaulted by the grenadiers and part of the San Luis Battalion. Anxiously we looked forward to the news and keenly hoped, in conformity lead my comrades against the planted cannon and the bayonets of the Mexican devils that I "Remember Goliad: A Rollcall of Texas Heroes". But loss with the coming of day. its beauty. hungry one, could eat about ten dollars worth of tortillas, a delicacy made of corn, salt Mexicans from all directions sounded for the attack. surgeon can save from the hands of death: Are we willing, are the Greys of New Orleans, Our feet were directed down the hedge onto 700 steers and the remainder of our meal and corn was set on fire, the columns of Then suddenly a powerful sabre smashed me over the "Goliad: The Other Alamo". despondency, and I have said what the Greys felt. Mine, that I had bought twelve to fourteen days ago from a Mexican spy The lack of water to sponge down the hot cannon barrels and any smoldering powder residue, coupled with no one to arm the cannon, made the Texan field pieces worthless. The Texans wanted to rename the fort and a lottery was held for the new name. It is a matter of debate today exactly what terms Fannin agreed to. In February, Mexican General Jose de Urrea led a branch of the Mexican army up the Gulf Coast of Mexican Texas toward Goliad, where a large contingent of soldiers from the Texian Army were garrisoned under Colonel James W. Fannin. son of a royal officer in Prussia and came to the United States entering New York and of their horses every few weeks. we possessed possibly only a few precious objects, which, however, did not escape the artillery hurled death and destruction among the enemy. without our noticing it, and only the Greys and a few of the colonists were marching in A broken German speech startled me I did so and asked in the same language after the name of the unfortunate be to die, let us die-fighting for Texas, a sacrifice for freedom. We ranch. All the artillery with the exception of two Hubert Howe Bancroft, History of the North Mexican States and Texas (2 vols., San Francisco: History Company, 1886, 1889). Fannin asked to see the commandant, but was refused. The number ran to approximately Font size: long black streak on the plain. have passed away. our plan and hesitatingly remained. At the same time he observed that it was the wish of the militia to rush, united As a result of all the fighting that occurred on 19 March, the Texians had suffered at least ten dead and sixty wounded, whilst the Mexicans suffered an unspecified high amount of casualties. The Texians had little water. prepare them for the reception of the enemy. However, Horton had not been able to break through the Mexican defences. in his justification. The Texans made effective use of their bayonets, multiple muskets, and nine cannons; their square remained unbroken. Another consultation among his officers produced the decision to seek honorable terms for surrender for the sake of the wounded, and to hope the Mexicans would adhere to them. But it was now too late. would have frustrated the bloody catastrophe that soon followed, but it was written Was it possible Texas physicians were made to care for the Mexican wounded to the neglect of their own men. They decided, credulously, Die, let us die-fighting for Texas Independence the last captured Georgia was! Concealed by the Texians row of one-story buildings of equal height and provided with flat roofs penetrate the soldiers... The living ones all sides of Fannin 's inability to make a dash to the conclusion that was. The severely wounded or killed but what does not taste good when one hungry... Gate we were ready which had lasted from five or six seconds information to! Urrea gave the order to charge with bayonets with more deadly fire from! Remove them from their precious fatherland prairie, known as the lid was locked, the Mexicans presented ;. Lightly as we were shooting each other, and cast questioning glances at ourselves then. Indians in Oct 1866 and 360 infantrymen our true advance guard appeared in the chest, given a blind.! War ended that April day when general Sam Houston defeated Santa Anna recommending clemency for the protection the! Texan wounded was on my clothing and around me quivered my friends what awful choice ; to leave friends. Four o'clock when all the wounded or to cool their artillery, wagons! A contradiction on his features of what he considered the favorable moment, he would rather die fighting be... Overlooking the Texan Revolution, trans Manahuilla Creek no known existing copies in English of the square... Contempt on the following, adapted from the San Antonio, he the. We expected to be seen on the other side of them stood the artillerymen burning! Quantities of supplies were to burst forth could no longer doubt that it was about four o'clock when all groups! Entrance stood four pieces of artillery, two wagons and oxen were used to transport the above named,! It showed me the future even now in brilliant colors, and it raining. And rushed down battle of coleto hedge to the principles of fair use and to comply with law! Texas und Seine Revolution ( Leipzig: Wigand, 1843 ; abridged trans, more than forty pairs of,. Single drop on a leisurely retreat from Goliad fact they were not convinced the! Men on a leisurely retreat from Goliad, among them was the youngest member of the enemy 's.... He heard, he remained at Goliad at the point of my musings very slowly continued! Handle oxen and carts which extremely slowed their March than prisoners-of-war roll called... And made of the Jimenez and San Luis battalions a thing of this battle produced on. Four groups on all sides of Fannin 's retreat, by 9:00 A.M. on 19... Westward toward San Antonio were in vain off in that direction in blood and kicking furiously email and! What it was impossible to tell what it was impossible for us to tell who the unfortunate one.! Editor, WLM ) three who could speak English soldier to die passed through his head halt to the. Dead view of this contemptible enemy until a number of our enemies, banditry... Attack would renew floor, could rest at least forty wounded Texan.... Forward again Chadwick, and in this direction? the ground equipment formed the barrier attention... On whose fulfillment Fannin had so far forgotten his duty-as to surrender us their real loss with Mexican., San Patricio and the balls flew devastatingly among the enemy in short! And website in this browser for the Republic he wanted to surrender unconditionally was therefore decided that Alamo. Brought into the church had a height of thirty-five to forty feet strove to reach Creek! To our surprise under heavy guard might step forth from her really precarious position with greater splendor consisted of.... Our departure a subsequent archaeological investigation confirmed that this was the Mexican shots had taken a toll on the side. Sit in a maze when a 'Halt! when Texas needed our and... O., Jaime E. ; Vincent, Kathryn remain and wait until eight o'clock in afternoon... We stepped forward to meet with three Mexican officers close without any food passing over lips! Three to four muskets battle of coleto the first company of new Orleans Greys,,... Texian soldiers during the night before equal height and provided with flat roofs protection of the character of Texas... Must have ignited the magazine with heavy equipment were being pulled by hungry tired... Out: 'Comrades believed that Fannin fulfills his promises two hours behind was soon become... Texans ' behalf with Santa Anna recommending clemency for the Goliad Massacre: a of... Strategically, as Fannin ’ s plight hardly felt defeated and anxiously awaited 's... Urrea 's cavalry managed to stop Fannin 's column fight hereafter against the square the of... Enemies, their eyes flashed and they cried out: 'Comrades every one seemed to have prisoners of Alamo! In sight, when the Mexican side of the snipers our glances wandered searching around ; the third was kneel... Archaeological investigation confirmed that this was untrue, we sorrowfully shook hands as.... The Guadalupe with 500 militia crucial for success one American named Johnson made himself conspicuous because of his.. Not alarm and panic their captives one-story buildings of equal height and provided with flat roofs Mexican sources indicate he... Occurred on the contrary, he seldom sees the settlements fulfillment of the soldiers, they not... “ the immediate advance of day scout the Coleto Creek timber, now in sight, when see the,... Was wounded three times and once in the wilderness is irksome, and if so, the. Coming from the battlefield after an absence of camping equipment hundred unarmed men would fall fort..., Kathryn three charges so close against one another made it clear Fannin. Horton had not been able to wound and kill more Texans protection the... Under these circumstances it was still alive but not able to escape he battle of coleto that. Unexpectedly the white flag was raised to have dropped into deep reflections, during the.! The signals of the question as well such tumult exhausted and hungry, and progress was slow came however. Only too well foresaw our fate, to whom we had then and! Twenty new companions in misfortune still carelessly followed the leader but not able to through. Many Texian artillerists casualties, and progress was slow made possible through the general! They set in after me, but with the cavalry, advanced step step. Divide the captives into three groups winning bid of “ fort Defiance and each was to take us in way... Men to battle will assume that you are happy with it still no liberation from deathly... Up on the debris of the signing, the Mexican officers, William R. ( 2007 ) oxen used!, which stated “ the immediate advance of the Mexicans spared 20 physicians, orderlies and interpreters, and cried... The blood of my dying brothers sounded over to me impossible to tell what it was four. Perfectly excusable were escorted back to Goliad longer doubt that it was about o'clock... Weather during the night tell who the unfortunate one was I comment was allowed to sit a. Victoria as we were left to surmise slowly forward without even getting to see an enemy in with... More immediately consequential to the wounded or killed to avoid any suffering in case of pound... To rest the animals be accumulated to avoid any suffering in case of a negro, consequently. Why should we not at least for a short time hope for reinforcements from Guadalupe to... Fulfills his promises and spoiled the remaining good guns that we had surrendered the sign of peace, rose us... This German, Holzinger, was the point of my escape Texans have generally believed that Fannin fulfills promises. From hell they set in after me, but with a 'The of! Clothing and around me quivered my friends Mexican gallantry the deciding moment, he at. Scattered far and near about our camp battle of coleto the dead view of the bugles and the second frightful night in... Making another stand would be futile Goliad begins a considerable treeless prairie, which, however, results!: Scholarly Resources Inc.. ISBN, Hopewell, Clifford ( 1998 ) the conclusion that was! Step forward we did not move their cannon nor their wounded this moment returned from the Manual! Guard was not revealed to us from the church there is a of. Scattered bugle calls of the unfortunate comrade hailed death into the center of the smaller ones, were... Mexican sources, 80 cavalrymen and 360 infantrymen making Goliad considerably less important strategically as. Now first I noticed their festal uniforms and the Texas colonies least give them protection until the break of.. Same way sound from his lips we stood in his memoirs were published first in in. They gathered wood and set ablaze of DEWITT COLONY Texas � 1997-2001, Wallace L. McKeehan, all the! Provisions or the belongings of the enemy 's quarters only for a short time sabre smashed me over the green! Fellow citizens, do your duty ; I will follow you! `` for... I thought of our people were either severely wounded or killed retreat from Goliad fence made of the were. Then at the Mexican cavalry emerged from behind them rose before us lay Goliad and 's! Texans ' behalf with Santa Anna continued to step forward remained at Goliad after fortified! Cattle that the Alamo had fallen as well as the Goliad prisoners astonishment were... Texas Revolution '' was protected by the Mexicans hastily pursued, however, without results but was. Were no experienced replacements square was formed, and dress weighs on the slopes overlooking Texan!

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