Texas Almanac, 1958-1959 Page: 59
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HISTORY OF TEXAS 59
quiring their land grants) in good faith
or evaded it entirely.
Fight at Anahuac
A small band of Texans attacked the
town of Anahuac, July 13, 1832. Col.
John D. Bradburn; the Mexican officer
and former American, was charged with
interfering with plans of settlers to ac-
quire legal title to land which they had
acquired as squatters. He had arrested
several colonists, including William Bar-
ret Travis. After the exchange of a few
shots Bradburn promised to release the
prisoners.
His promise was not fulfilled, but the
attacking force decided to await rein-
forcements. In the meantime, in their
camp on Turtle Bayou they passed the
Turtle Bayou Resolutions declaring that
they were not in revolt against Mexico,
but fighting for Gen. Lopez de Santa
Anna, who was leading a revolution
against President Bustamente. Santa
Anna was then posing as a liberal in op-
position to the dictatorial methods of
Bustamente. Before the attack on Ana-
huac could be resumed, Colonel Piedras
arrived with a force from Nacogdoches
and released the prisoners.
Battle of Velasco.
Although only a few shots were fired
at Anahuac, the conflict had caused the
first actual engagement of the growing
Texas-Mexican controversy. A detadh-
ment bringing two cannons from Brazoria
to camp at Turtle Bayou, via the Brazos,
was refused passage by the Mexican com-
mander- at Velasco at the- mouth of the
Brazos. After a battle, June 26, the Tex-
ans were victorious, capturing Col. Do-
migo IJUartechea and -his command.
Following this conflict, Texans took ap-
preciable part. in the revolt of Santa
Anna against. ustamete. Government
garrisons at ' Nacogdoches, San Antonio-
and other points.were forced out or made
to switch allegiance.
San FeJipe Conveitions
A convention was held at San felipe
de Austin Oct. 1, 1832, at which Stephen
F. Austin was elected chairman and -a
.memorial addressed to-'both federal and
state governments was adopted asking re-
peal of the Law of 1830, urging settle-
ment of certain land titles in East Texas,
seeking the right to use the English lan-
guage mipubhlic business, the privilege of
organizing a militia, separation of Texas
from the State of Coahuila and certain
other things.
Austin Goes to Mexico
When Santa Anna became President
early in 1833 the Second Convention at
San Felipe was called, meeting April 1.
This convention adopted resolutions simi-
lar to those of the first assembly and in
addition; drew up a proposed State Con-
stitution, which was drafted by a com-
mittee headed by Sam Houston. Stephen
F. Austin headed a commission elected
to carry the new Constitution and peti-
tion for reforms to Mexico City for ap-
proval.
After several months of waiting in-
Mexico City Austin received some prom-
ises from President Santa Anna andstarted home. However, he was arrested
and imprisoned when a letter he had
previously written fell into Mexican
hands. Impatient over his long stay in
Mexico City, he had advised Texans to
go ahead with organization of a state
separate from Coahuila, even without au-
thorization.
In the arrest of Austin, the Mexican
Government lost a strong supporter among
the Anglo-American colonists. He had
opposed the Fredonian Rebellion. He
had been influential on behalf of Mexico
during the unrest of 1832 and had always
been sincerely desirous of effecting a
settlement that would establish Texas as
a permanent member of the Mexican fed-
eration of states.
When early in 1835, Santa Anna sent a
company of soldiers to Anahuac to assist
in the collection of duties, a force of colo-
nists under William Barret Travis
marched on the town and forced the
Mexicans to surrender their arms and
leave for San Antonio. As a result, Gen.
Martin Perfect de Cos, brother-in-law of
Santa Anna and commander of Northern
Mexico, ordered the arrest of Travis and
several others.. It was at this juncture
that Austin returned from Mexico and
announced that he had become convinced
that war was Texas' only recourse.-
A military force was established over
Texas-Coahuila by President Santa Anna,
under command of Col. Domingo de Ugar-
techea at San Antonio.
SGonzales, First: Battle
Colonel Ugartechea sent a company to
Gonzales to take possession of a cannon,
but the Mexicans were attacked by the
Texans and defeated, Oct. 2, 1835. The
news of this battle spread and volunteers
poured into Gonzales. It wasin this bat-
tle that the -Texans used the famous flag
bearing the words, "Come and Take It,"
referring to the cannon which .the -Mexi-
cans had demanded. - Although there had
been several prior skirmishes, the- Battle
of Gonzales is usually consideredthe first
battle of the Texas Revolution.
On Oct. 9, a- small band ,of volunteers-
had surprised the Mexican -arrison at
Golad and captured. a store of military
supplies. -
It was decided to march from Gonzales
against San Antonio. Stephen F. Austin
was elected commander-in-chief. A de-
tachment of Austin's army had a light
engagement with Mexican cavalry at Mis-
sion Concepcion Oct.-28, and on Nov. 26
the so-called "grass fight" occurred south
of- San Antonio. This skirmish was oc-
casioned by the rumor that an approach-
ing burro train carried silver for the pay
of the Mexican garrison at San Antonio,
but when captured the burros' burden
proved to be hay destined for consump-
tion by Ugartechea's cavalry horses. A-
gathering force of Texans besieged San
Antonio.
Provisional Government Formed.
A provisional Texas government was
formed by a gathering of Texans at San
Felipe begining.Nov. 3, 1835. An ex-
tended debate resulted in a vote -not to
declare Texas independent of Mexico, but
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Texas Almanac, 1958-1959, book, 1957; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117139/m1/61/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.