CLASS SET The Goliad Massacre

Document # 1: tHe BAttLe of coLeto creek rePort

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In 1835, thousands of Americans, mostly from the southern states, had immigrated to Mexico. Due to political changes, the policies of the Mexican government became more and more repressive. Many colonists living in Texas decided to rebel from the Mexican government to start their own independent country. The Texans then proceeded to seize a number of key towns and forts, including the Alamo in San Antonio and the Presidio La Bahia in the town of Goliad.

tHe mexicAns

In early 1836, the president of Mexico, Antonio López de Santa Anna, led a force of an estimated six thousand Mexican soldiers into Texas to put down the uprising. While Santa Anna led the main column of troops to retake San Antonio, his subordinate, General Jose Urrea led his right wing towards Goliad along the Texas gulf coast.

tHe texAns

In Goliad, the Texian forces were commanded by Colonel James Fannin, numbering close to 500 troops. Some were trained soldiers while others were militia. General Urrea's objective was to control the Gulf of Mexico, which would ensure that Santa Anna's supply lines were protected. As Urrea drew nearer, it became clear that he would have to capture Goliad in order to achieve his objective. He moved quickly, and within a short time was closing in on the town.

Fannin was ordered by Sam Houston on 11 March 1836 to abandon Goliad and retreat to the Guadalupe River near Victoria. However, he had sent most of his carts and horses with Ward to Refugio and had no cavalry. He sent couriers to Ward, but all of them were intercepted by Urrea's cavalry. Fannin hoped to retreat to Victoria, but hesitated for several days. Urrea, meanwhile, sent cavalry to surround and isolate Goliad. He linked up with several more units of Mexican infantry, bringing the total number of Mexican troops in the area to 1,500.

tHe BAttLe of coLeto creek

On 18 March, Urrea's advanced scouts were viewing Goliad. Not until the morning of 19 March did Fannin finally begin his retreat from Goliad. Weighted down with cannons and 500 extra guns, Fannin burned his extra supplies in an attempt to lighten the load. The Texans had traveled only six miles from their fort when on 19 March, the Mexican army engaged the Texans on an open prairie. The Texans were less than one mile from the safety of the tree line of Coleto Creek. That afternoon, Urrea's cavalry encircled the Texians on open prairie near Coleto. After several hours of fighting, the Mexicans had suffered an estimated 200 casualties and the Texians about nine killed and sixty wounded. Fighting was halted that day due to darkness. Fannin, seeing Urrea having received a hundred more men and three more artillery pieces, agreed to terms of surrender. The Texans were then marched back to Goliad and held as prisoners.

Document # 2: extrAct from tHe DiAry of coLoneL nicoLás De LA PortiLLA

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José Nicolás de la Portilla, a lieutenant colonel in the command of Mexican general José de Urrea during the Texas Revolution, was born in Jalapa, Vera Cruz, in 1808. After the battle of Coleto at the end of the Goliad Campaign of 1836, Portilla was placed in charge of James W. Fannin, Jr., and his men during their imprisonment at La Bahía.

JournAL entries:

March 26, 1836. At seven in the evening I received orders from General Santa Anna by special messenger, instructing me to execute at once all prisoners taken by force of arms agreeable to the general orders on the subject. General Santa Anna said the prisoners were to be treated as pirates and not prisoners of war. (I have the original order in my possession.) I kept the matter secret and no one knew of it except Colonel Garay, to whom I communicated the order. At eight o'clock, on the same night, I received a communication from General Urrea by special messenger in which among other things he says, "Treat the prisoners well, especially Fannin. Keep them busy rebuilding the town and erecting a fort. Feed them with the cattle you will receive from Refugio." What a cruel contrast in these opposite instructions! I spent a restless night.

March 27, 1836. At daybreak, I decided to carry out the orders of the general-in-chief because I considered them superior. I assembled the whole garrison and ordered the prisoners, who were still sleeping, to be awaked. There were 445. (The eighty that had just been taken at Cópano and had, consequently, not borne arms against the government, were set aside.) The prisoners were divided into three groups and each was placed in charge of an adequate guard, the first under Agustin Alcerrica, the second under Capt. Luis Balderas, and the third under Capt. Antonio Ramírez. I gave instructions to these officers to carry out the orders of the supreme government and the general-in-chief. This was immediately done. There was a great contrast in the feelings of the officers and the men. Silence prevailed. Sad at heart I wrote to General Urrea expressing my regret at having been concerned in so painful an affair. I also sent an official account of what I had done, to the general-in-chief.

Document # 3: survivors Accounts of tHe goLiAD mAssAcreBy von H. eHrenBerg & JosePH H. sPoHn

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The entire Texan force was killed on March 27, 1836, except for twenty-eight men who feigned death and escaped. Among these men were Von H. Ehrenberg and Joseph H. Spohn, who later wrote about the Goliad Massacre.

von H. eHrenBurg’s Account of tHe goLiAD mAssAcre

We were 400 in number, and the enemy about 700, not including the cavalry, of which numerous small groups were scattered about the prairie.We marched in silence, not, however, in the direction we had anticipated, but along the road to Victoria. This surprised us but, upon reflection, we concluded that they were conducting us to some eastern port, thence to be shipped to New Orleans, which, upon the whole, was perhaps the best and shortest plan.

There was something, however, in the profound silence of the Mexican soldiers, who are usually unceasing chatters, that inspired me with a feeling of uneasiness and anxiety. It was like a funeral march, and truly might it be so called. Presently I turned my head to see if Miller's people had joined, and were marching with us. But to my extreme astonishment, neither they nor Fannin's men or the battalion, were to be seen.

They had separated from us without our observing it, and the detachment with which I was marching consisted only of the Greys and a few Texan colonists. Glancing at the escort, their full dress uniform, and the absence of all baggage, now for the first time struck me. I thought of the bloody scenes that had occurred at Tampico, San Patricio, and the Alamo, of the false and cruel character of those in whose power we were, and I was seized with a presentiment of evil.

A quarter of an hour had elapsed since our departure from the fort, when suddenly the command was given in Spanish to wheel to the left, leaving the road: and as we did not understand the order, the officer himself went in front to show the way, and my companions followed without taking any particular notice of the change of direction.

We were marched along the side of the hedge towards the stream, and suddenly the thought flashed across us, "Why are they taking us in this direction?" The appearance of a number of lancers, cantering about in the fields on our right, also startled us; and just as the foot soldiers who had been marching between us and the hedge, changed their places, and joined those of their comrades, who guarded us on the other hand.

Before we could divine the reason of this maneuver the word was soon given to halt. It came like a sentence of death; for at the same moment it was uttered, the sound of a volley of musketry echoed across the prairie. We then thought of our comrades and our probable fate.

"Kneel down!" Now burst in harsh accents from the lips of the Mexican commander. No one stirred. Few of us understood the order, and those who did would not obey. The Mexican soldiers, who stood at about three paces from us, leveled their muskets at our breasts. Even then we could hardly believe that they meant to shoot us; for if we had, we should assuredly have rushed forward in our desperation, and, weaponless though we were, some of our murders would have met their death at our hands.

The sound of a second volley, from a different direction then the first just then reached our ears, and was followed by a confused cry, as if those at whom it had been aimed, had not all been immediately killed. A thick cloud of smoke was wreathing and curling towards the San Antonio River.

The blood of our lieutenant was on my clothes, and around me lay my friends convulsed with their last agony. I saw nothing more. Unhurt myself, I sprang up and, concealed by the thick smoke, fled along the hedge in the direction of the river, the noise of the water for my guide.

On I went, the river rolled at my feet, the shouting and yelling behind. "Texas forever!" And without a moment's hesitation, I plunged into the water. The bullets whistled round me as I swam slowly and wearily to the other side, but none wounded me. Whilst these horrible scenes were occurring on the prairies, Colonel Fannin and his wounded companions were shot and bayoneted at Goliad, only Dr. Shackleford and a few hospital aids having their lives spared, in order that they might attend the wounded Mexicans.

JosePH H. sPoHn’s Account of tHe execution of coLoneL JAmes fAnnin“I was confronted by a wounded Mexican soldier who told me to go and ask the Mexican commander to spare my life and he might grant my wish... I then asked if Colonel Fannin was going to be executed, and he cooly replied, “YES, The Mexican government must punish Colonel Fannin for leading Texas in a rebellion against Mexico.” Once Colonel Fannin realized he was going to be killed he pulled a gold watch from his pocket and gave it to the Mexican commander in exchange for a Christian burial. The Mexican commander smiled and agreed to honor Colonel Fannin’s request. Colonel Fannin then took out a handful of money and requested to be shot in the chest. The Mexican commander agreed while his men put a blindfold over Colonel Fannin’s eyes. Within two feet of Fannin’s body the soldiers opened fire and shot him in the face. Poor Colonel Fannin fell dead into a dry ditch. His body was later piled up with the others and burned”