Independence

Enraged by the Mexican defeats, Santa Anna took personal control of the Mexican army and, in early 1836, crossed the Rio Grande with 6,000 troops headed for San Antonio. Taking San Antonio had little strategic significance for Mexico, but Santa Anna was on a punitive mission to avenge the defeat of his brother-in-law, Cos, and crush the insurgents. Santa Anna arrived in San Antonio on February 23, 1836, bringing thousands of troops to meet the hundreds of Texans occupying the Alamo.

Meanwhile, another Mexican general, José de Urrea, moved toward a group of Texans stationed at Goliad. Faced with these assaults, the provisional Texas government declared independence on March 2, 1836. The Mexican assault solidified Texans' will to fight, although their numbers and resources were, on paper, no match for the Mexicans.

Click to enlarge image Texian Loan - One of the ways the Texas provisional government raised money to fight the revolution

Texas financed the fighting through fees, donations, land bounties for soldiers, and loans. The provisional government authorized a committee to solicit up to $1 million in loans to support the fledgling government from individuals and businesses in the United States. The Texian Loan certificate, issued on January 11, 1836, records the first installment of a $320 loan from Thomas D. Samuel made in New Orleans. The interest on the five-year note was eight percent per annum, and the lender had the option of taking 640 acres of Texas land as repayment for the loan.

Texans lost the battle at the Alamo on March 6, 1836, and James W. Fannin, vastly outgunned and outnumbered near Goliad, surrendered to General Urrea on March 19 with assurances that his men would be treated as prisoners of war. Nonetheless, Urrea massacred Fannin and his troops at Goliad on March 27 under direct orders from Santa Anna.

Click to enlarge image Decreto...14 de Abril 1836 offered Texans a chance to surrender without fear of execution

Chaos reigned among Texans as refugees and some soldiers fled the advancing Mexican army. The Mexican government issued a decree on April 14, 1836, stating that Texans who were not leaders of the revolution and who surrendered within fifteen days of the order would be banished rather than put to death. Texans, however, were more interested in getting out of harm's way, and the mass movement of people has come to be known as the "Runaway Scrape."

Santa Anna felt victorious, but his officers prodded him into a final mission to crush Sam Houston and his forces in East Texas. Houston was in retreat, unwilling to risk losing his poorly trained army in a battle that would leave Texans without any further ways to resist Santa Anna. His refusal to fight angered both the troops and governmental leaders. Many men left, and morale was low. While he waited, however, Houston spent time training and drilling his soldiers.

Meanwhile, Texas President David G. Burnet was also on the run, trying to move himself and the government out of Santa Anna's reach. Santa Anna chose to pursue Burnet rather than Houston and his army, which proved to be a costly mistake. Finally, at the urging of Burnet and Texas Secretary of War Thomas J. Rusk, Houston began to move toward Santa Anna's forces.

The two armies met on April 20, 1836, near Lynch's Ferry, located at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and the San Jacinto River. Houston reached the site first and stationed his troops among the trees near the Bayou. Santa Anna arrived later and was surprised to find the Texans already encamped. They skirmished briefly but Santa Anna, feeling that Houston was in a defensive mode, decided to wait for reinforcements. Although Cos arrived with the desired troops, Santa Anna still delayed his attack. Houston, however, went on the offensive and ordered his army into the field on the afternoon of April 21. In a battle that lasted only eighteen minutes, the Texans routed the resting and unprepared Mexican troops.

Houston ordered all Mexican forces to withdraw from Texas, and the Mexicans obeyed. Had the Mexican troops in the field continued to fight, the war would have been far from over because the Texans did not have the resources available to the Mexicans. The Mexicans left, however, and the Republic of Texas was born.