Battle of San Patricio

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Texas Revolution
Gonzales – Concepcion – Grass Fight – Bexar – San Patricio – Agua Dulce – The Alamo – Refugio – Coleto – San Jacinto

The Battle of San Patricio was a 19th century battle fought on 27 February 1836 between the Republic of Mexico and the rebelling Mexican state of Texas.

Contents

1 Background
2 Confrontation
3 See also
4 Further reading

Background

The rise to power of Antonio López de Santa Anna in 1833 lead to several Mexican states to openly rebel. One such state was Coahuila y Texas. The Texas portion of the state was mainly settled by immigrants from the southern United States. When Santa Anna usurped power and appointed himself a dictator, suspending the Mexican Constitution of 1824, the people of Texas rebelled, wanting their civil liberties. With the fall of the town of San Antonio, Goliad and other Mexican forts and cities to the Texas rebels, Santa Anna decided to personally put down the rebels in Texas. He led a force, called Army of Operations, of about 6,000 soldiers into northern Mexico. Santa Anna split his forces for maximum coverage. One such column was lead by the very capable General José de Urrea. He was to hug the Texas coast in the southeast to keep open Mexican supply lines from the coast.

Confrontation

James Grant, Frank Johnson and Robert Morris had decided to personally lead an assault on the Mexican town of Matamoros. These men needed horses for their long journey south and decided to capture wild horses. On 27 February 1836 Urrea's advanced reconnaissance patrol discovered Frank Johnson and about seventy Texans camped at the abandoned Irish settlement of San Patricio. In a surprise attack at 3:30A Mexican troops opened fire on the Texans and killed about twenty rebels and took thirty-two prisoners. The fire-fight lasted a few hours. Johnson and four other Texans were captured but mangaged to escape later. The men rejoined Fannin's command. Grant and Morris were also surprised by Urrea's army as they camped at Agua Dulce Creek. On 2 March, Mexican forces surprised the Texans and killed Grant and Morris and twelve other Texans. The survivors were taken and imprisoned at Matamoros.

Battle of San Patricio

Background

Confrontation

See also

Further reading