The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 50, July 1946 - April, 1947 Page: 315

THE SOUTHWESTERN HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
VOL. L JANUARY, 1947 No. 3
Alabama arid the rexas RevolutioA
CLAUDE ELLIOTT
IN THE early 1830's the Anglo-Americans in Texas became in-
volved in a quarrel with the Mexican government which ter-
minated in a revolution in 1835. The Texans hoped to receive
aid from the United States in their hour of trouble. In this
they were not disappointed, and among the first states to offer
assistance was Alabama. As a matter of fact, public sentiment
in favor of giving assistance to the Texans had been somewhat
aroused in that state even prior to the arrival of the news con-
cerning the "Lexington of Texas" at Gonzales. This feeling
attained considerable proportions as news came to Alabama
of the fight at Gonzales and of the formation of an army to
march against San Antonio. It reached its peak of indignation
as the gruesome story of the tragedy at Goliad in March of 1836
was revealed through the medium of the Alabama newspapers.
The numerous public meetings held in Alabama between Octo-
ber, 1835, and May, 1836, furnish eloquent testimony of this ill-
concealed fact and show the deep interest the Alabamans had
in the Texas cause.
In September, 1835, the Mexicans stationed at San Antonio
demanded that the people of Gonzales surrender the cannon
which they had for their protection. The Texans refused to
give it up, and on October 1, a detachment of Mexican soldiers
appeared in the vicinity of Gonzales; on the following day
a skirmish occurred between the Texans and the Mexicans. The
result, the return of the Mexicans to San Antonio, was of no
importance except that it definitely resigned the Texans to
war with Mexico and kindled anew in the United States a feel-
ing of brotherhood for the Texans.1
Just a little more than two weeks later, October 17, 1835, a
1Incidentally through the manifestation of brotherly love the men from
the United States expected to be rewarded with a few hundred acres of
rich Brazos bottom land.