Part 4

Travis, William Barret Travis organized a company of volunteers in June 1835 which expelled the Mexican garrison at Anahuac. He commanded a scouting company as part of the Volunteer Army before San Antonio. He was appointed a major of artillery in December, but later took a commission as lieutenant colonel of cavalry. Sent out to recruit volunteers, he was ordered to proceed to San Antonio with such troops as he could muster. He arrived there on February 2, 1836. Command fell to him when James Neill left, but by mid-February he was sharing command with James Bowie. After February 24, because of Bowie’s illness, Travis held sole command. Refusing to surrender the garrison to Santa Anna, Travis died in the assault on March 6.

U

Ugartechea, Domingo de Military commandant of Coahuila and Texas, he was put in charge of the forces at San Antonio in 1835. He ordered Lt. Francisco Castaneda to attempt to reclaim the cannon at Gonzales, thus setting off the organized resistance of the Texan colonists. He arrived in San Antonio with reinforcements for General Cos on December 9, just in time to take part in the surrender of the city. He retreated with Cos’s army to Laredo.

Urrea, Jose On January 2, 1836, Santa Anna ordered Urrea to march to Matamoros to prevent the expected invasion by Texans. On February 18, Urrea left Matamoros and forced marched to San Patricio. There he surprised F. W. Johnson and his men at San Patricio on February 27, killing all but a handful. He attacked and defeated James Grant at Agua Dulce on March 2, then began the advance to Goliad on March 12. He attacked the mission at Refugio on March 14, occupying it on the following day. He laid siege to Goliad from March 16 to 20, finally defeating James Fannin at Coleto Creek on March 20. Urrea continued his march, capturing Texans at Victoria and on the Guadalupe River on March 21. On March 22 he captured the 100-man unit led by William Ward. Units under his command captured W. P. Miller and his men when they landed at Copano Bay. Urrea captured Matagordo on April 13, Columbia on the 21, and Brazoria on the 22. He was preparing to invade Velasco when ordered to retreat. Urrea strongly opposed executing the Goliad prisoners. The March 27 Massacre was carried out by Nicolas de la Portilla in obedience to Santa Anna’s orders.

V

Velasco, Treaties of Two treaties, one public, the other secret, were signed by Santa Anna and interim president David G. Burnet on May 14, 1836. In the public treaty, Santa Anna agreed to cease all hostilities against Texas, then and in the future. Mexican troops would be withdrawn south of the Rio Grande, confiscated property would be restored to the Texan owners, and prisoners would be exchanged. Texas agreed to return Santa Anna to Mexico as soon as possible, and Texas army units would approach no nearer than five leagues to the retreating Mexican army. In the secret treaty, Santa Anna agreed to secure Mexican recognition of Texas independence and a permanent end to the war. The Mexican cabinet would receive a Texas mission to conclude a treaty of commerce and limits, Texas boundaries to extend no further south than the Rio Grande. Although the Mexican retreat was begun almost immediately, the Texas Army refused to allow Santa Anna’s return to Mexico. On May 20, the Mexican government declared all Santa Anna’s acts as a captive to be null and void.

Victoria Urrea’s army, marching east after the battle of Coleto Creek, captured Victoria on March 21, a few hours after it had been burned by the Texans.

Viesca, Agustin Former governor of Coahuila and Texas, Viesca arrived at Goliad on November 11, 1835. His ill treatment by Phillip Dimmitt led Viesca to protest to Texan leaders, particularly to Stephen F. Austin. The affair at Goliad threatened to upset all Mexican support for the revolution.

Vince’s Bridge Crossing Vince’s Bayou, the bridge was the only viable crossing at that point on the San Jacinto River. Erastus (Deaf) Smith secretly destroyed the bridge on the morning of April 21, at Houston’s orders, and all retreat for either Texan or Mexican army was cut off.

W

Ward, Thomas William Ward joined the New Orleans Greys in 1835 and was at the siege of Bexar. On the day Milam was killed, Ward’s right leg was shot off by cannon fire. He returned to New Orleans and recruited a company of volunteers.

Ward, William Ward helped recruit and defray the travel expenses of the Georgia Battalion of volunteers. On December 20, 1835, he reported to Henry Smith and was elected major of the battalion when it was mustered into Texas service. Ward was elected lieutenant colonel after James W. Fannin reorganized the battalion at Goliad. He was sent to relieve Amon B. King at Refugio on March 13. Encountering the Mexican army commanded by Urrea, Ward joined King in the mission. After battling Urrea on March 14, Ward and his men escaped on March 15. They were overtaken on March 22, as they retreated toward Dimmitt’s Landing. Returned to Goliad, Ward and his men were executed on March 27.

Washington-on-the-Brazos The General Council of the Provisional Government and the Convention of 1836 met at Washington-on-the-Brazos. By March 20, the town was evacuated as the interim government retreated to Harrisburg.

Westover, Ira Westover led a group of men to join the force assaulting Goliad in October 1835. He remained at Goliad and was its first adjutant. He commanded the successful expedition against Lipantitlan in November. Although praised by Austin and the General Council for this action, Westover was relieved of duty by Philip Dimmitt. He became a member of the General Council’s committee on naval affairs. On December 6, Westover was made captain of artillery, resigning on December 17. Recommissioned by the Convention of 1836, he recruited a company from Refugio and San Patricio. It was the only regular army unit under James W. Fannin’s command. Westover and his men were killed in the Goliad Massacre, March 27.

Wharton, William Harris Active in the independence movement, Wharton was one of the leaders of the war party in Texas. He became judge advocate of the army and served at the siege of Bexar. He was appointed a Commissioner to the United States in November 1835, and served in that capacity throughout the war.

_William Robbins_ Purchased from McKinney, Williams and Company for $3,500 by the Texas government, this schooner was renamed the _Liberty_ in January 1836. Before its purchase, it had been used by William Hurd as a privateer against the Mexicans.

Williamson, Robert McAlpin (Three-Legged Willie) Crippled by illness in his childhood, Williamson nevertheless took active part in the war. He was a delegate from Mina to the Consultation and was commissioned a major by the provisional government on November 19, 1835. He was ordered to raise a corps of rangers. At the battle of San Jacinto, he served in William H. Smith’s cavalry company.

Woll, Adrian Woll was Quartermaster General in Santa Anna’s army. General Filisola sent him to the San Jacinto battlefield to find out the results of the engagement on April 21. Woll was captured and held prisoner throughout the peace negotiations.

Wyatt, Peyton S. Wyatt brought the Huntsville Volunteers from Alabama in 1835. The unit was mustered into the Texas army on December 25 and sent to relieve Phillip Dimmitt’s company at Goliad. Because Wyatt had been sent to Alabama on a recruiting mission, he escaped death in the Goliad Massacre.

Y

_Yellow Stone_ The steamboat _Yellow Stone_, purchased by McKinney and Williams and registered to Toby and Brother Company in New Orleans, transported the Mobile Greys to Texas on December 31, 1835. In February, Captain J. E. Ross took the _Yellow Stone_ up the Brazos to San Felipe. It anchored later at Groce’s Landing, and General Houston commandeered the boat to transport his men across the river. The steamboat continued down the Brazos, narrowly escaping capture by the Mexican army at Fort Bend. It transported a load of supplies and muskets to Galveston on April 25, then picked up the government to take it to the San Jacinto battlefield on May 4.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barker, Eugene C. _Mexico and Texas, 1821-1835_ New York: Russell and Russell, 1965

Bercerra, Francisco _A Mexican Sergeant’s Recollections of the Alamo and San Jacinto_ Austin: Jenkins Company, 1980

Binkley, William Campbell _The Texas Revolution_ Austin: Texas Historical Association, 1979

Castaneda, Carlos E. _The Mexican Side of the Revolution_ Salem NH: Ayer Company Publications, 1976

Ehrenberg, Hermann _With Milam and Fannin_ Austin: Pemberton Press, 1968

Henson, Margaret S. _Juan Davis Bradburn, a Reappraisal of the Mexican Commander of Anahuac_ College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 1982

Huson, Hobart _Captain Phillip Dimmitt’s Commandancy of Goliad_ Austin: Von Boeckmann-Jones, 1974

Kilgore, Dan _How Did Davy Die?_ College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 1978

Newell, Chester _History of the Revolution in Texas_ Salem NH: Ayer Company Publications, 1973

Pena, Jose Enrique de la _With Santa Anna in Texas_ Translated by Carmen Perry College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 1975

Pruett, Jakie L. and Everett B. Cole _The Goliad Massacre: A Tragedy of the Texas Revolution_ Burnet: Eakin Press, 1985

Santos, Richard G. _Santa Anna’s Campaign Against Texas, 1835-1836_ Salisbury NC: Documentary Publications, 1982

Smithwick, Noah _The Evolution of a State or Recollections of Old Texas Days_ Austin: University of Texas Press (Barker Texas History Center Series #5), 1983

Transcriber’s Notes

—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.

—Silently corrected a few typos.

—In the text versions only, underlined text is delimited by _underscores_.

—In the HTML version only, underlined text is shown in italics.