A Select Glossary Of The Texas Revolution - free ebook by Jean Carefoot

A Select Glossary of the TEXAS REVOLUTION

compiled by Jean Carefoot Archives Division Texas State Library 1986 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z...

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PREFACE

The active period of the Texas Revolution lasted from October 2, 1835, to April 22, 1836. The capture of General Santa Anna, coupled with the decisive victory at San Jacinto, ended, for all practical purposes, the war with Mexico. Mexico would mount two raids into Texas, each capturing San Antonio temporarily. But never again did Mexico have permanent control of any Texas territory north of the Rio Grande. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, finally acknowledged Texas independence f

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The Texas Revolution

The summer of 1835 was filled with unrest. In June the colonists had discovered that General Cos intended to use the military to force Texan compliance with government regulations. William B. Travis and a body of some 50 men responded to this threat in August by attacking and taking the fort at Anahuac. The action, although universally condemned by the Texans, strengthened Mexican determination to bring a military peace-keeping force to Texas. Texans feared that rights and liberties guaranteed b

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A

Ad Interim Government The last act of the Convention of 1836 was to elect an interim government to serve until the people of Texas could ratify the Constitution and hold regular elections. David G. Burnet served as president; Lorenzo de Zavala, vice-president. This government acted from March 16 until October 16, 1836. Agua Dulce, Battle of Fought March 2, 1836. James Grant’s small body of men, a part of the Matamoros Expedition, and troops commanded by Jose Urrea met on a spot some 26 miles fro

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B

Baker, Moseley A leader of the war party in Texas before the Revolution, Baker went into east Texas with F. W. Johnson to recruit soldiers for Texas in August 1835. Baker fought in the battle of Gonzales and the Grass Fight. He was elected captain of his company on March 1, 1836. His command prevented the Mexicans’ crossing the Brazos during the Texas Army’s retreat. After burning San Felipe, he rejoined Houston’s army and was wounded in the battle of San Jacinto. In that engagement, Baker comma

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C

Centralists A Mexican political party which supported a strong central government (instead of a federal system). Although Santa Anna had originally gained the presidency of Mexico by supporting the federal cause, he had decided in 1834 that Mexico was not yet ready for democracy. He dissolved the state legislatures in October 1835, putting the nation under a single, central governing body. Chambers, Thomas Jefferson Chambers took an active part in the events leading to the Revolution. He offered

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D

de Zavala, Lorenzo A prominent Mexican Federalist and a Texas empresario, de Zavala moved his family to a home on Buffalo Bayou in December 1835. He supported the colonists in both their attempt to restore the Constitution of 1824 and in their later move for independence. He represented Harrisburg in the Consultation and in the Convention of 1836. He was elected interim vice president on March 17, 1836. His home was used as a hospital for the wounded after the battle of San Jacinto. Declaration

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E

Eleven League Grants Under the Mexican Law of March 24, 1825, the government of Coahuila and Texas could sell eleven league grants only to Mexicans—an attempt to place some restrictions on land speculation by Anglo American settlers and to reward loyalty to the Federalist cause. However, the colonists found it easy, once a grant was issued, to transfer these titles to themselves. Traffic in eleven league grants increased markedly after 1830. Espada Mission Pursuant to an order by General Stephen

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F

Fannin, James Walker, Jr. Fannin participated in the battle of Gonzales as captain of the Brazos Guards. With James Bowie, Fannin led the Texan forces in the battle of Concepcion and the capture of the Espada Mission. Fannin was offered the position of Inspector General of the Texan forces by the General Council, but he took, instead, an honorable discharge on November 22, 1835. He then spent time campaigning for a larger army. On December 7, Sam Houston commissioned Fannin a colonel in the regu

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G

Gaines, Edmund Pendleton At Stephen F. Austin’s invitation, General Gaines led a troop of United States soldiers into east Texas to quell a threatened Indian uprising. They remained in the Nacogdoches area until the Texan government had been organized after the end of the war. Galveston Members of the ad interim government fled to Galveston in April 1836. It became the temporary capital of the Republic, until the government was sworn in at Columbia in October 1836. Gaona, Antonio Gaona was a gen

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H

Hall, Warren D. C. Hall was a member of the Committee of Safety at Columbia. David G. Burnet appointed him adjutant general, and he served as secretary of war while Thomas J. Rusk was in the field with the Texas army. Hannah Elizabeth On November 19, 1835, the American schooner Hannah Elizabeth was attacked by the Mexican armed vessel Bravo . On November 21, the Texan privateer William Robbins , which had received letters of marque and reprisal from the Texas government, landed 20 volunteers, th

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I

Independence This Texas Navy schooner was formerly the United States Revenue Cutter Ingham . The Independence was flagship of the Texas Navy, and on January 10, 1836, took her first cruise to Mexico under the command of Captain Charles E. Hawkins. On March 20, she undertook a second cruise to Mexico, during which she destroyed a number of small Mexican vessels. In early April, she exchanged fire with the Mexican brigs of war Urrea and Bravo , but the Mexican ships withdrew before the Independenc

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J

Jack, William H. He was a member of the Committee of Safety from Brazoria. During the revolution, Jack participated in the Grass Fight and the battle of San Jacinto. From April 2 to October 22, 1836, he was Secretary of State under President Burnet. Jameson, Green B. Jameson served under Bowie as aide and chief engineer. At the Alamo he was responsible for strengthening the defenses and remounting the cannon. He was killed in the fall of the Alamo, March 6. Johnson, Francis White At the beginnin

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K

Karnes, Henry Wax Karnes fought in the battle of Concepcion and in the siege of Bexar. He organized a company of cavalry at Gonzales on March 20, 1836. Before the battle of San Jacinto, Karnes was sent on a spy mission with Erastus (Deaf) Smith to report on Mexican troop movements around Harrisburg. He and Juan N. Seguin followed the Mexican army’s retreat to protect Texan property. Kimbro, William Kimbro raised a company of volunteers for the army in September 1835. This company fought under hi

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L

La Bahia The settlement which grew up around the presidio of La Bahia also took the name “La Bahia.” On February 4, 1829, the Congress of Coahuila y Texas declared it a town and changed the name to Goliad. In correspondence and reports during the Texas revolution, the terms “La Bahia” and “Goliad” are used more or less interchangeably. Lamar, Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar joined the Texas army as it retreated eastward after the fall of the Alamo. At San Jacinto, on April 20, Lamar’s quick action sav

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M

Martin, Wylie Martin was the political chief of Gonzales in 1835. Although he thought the Declaration of Independence premature, he raised a company and joined Houston at Columbus. He was sent to guard river crossings on the Brazos, but his force was unable to prevent the Mexican army’s crossing at Richmond. Martin returned to headquarters, surrendered his command, and went to aid families caught up in the Runaway Scrape. Matagorda Captured by Urrea on April 13, the town had been deserted, altho

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N

Navarro, Jose Antonio A delegate from Bexar to the Convention of 1836, Navarro was one of three native-born signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He also served on the select committee to draft the Constitution of 1836. Neill, James Clinton Neill joined the Texas army in September 1835. He was appointed a lieutenant colonel by the General Council on December 7. He commmanded an artillery company at the siege of Bexar. On December 21, Sam Houston ordered Neill to take charge of San An

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O

Old Mill The Old Mill was situated on the San Antonio River, about one-half mile north of San Antonio’s main plaza. It was headquarters for Stephen F. Austin’s army after the battle of Concepcion. Organic Law The Plan and Powers of the Provisional Government, a document hastily drawn up by the Consultation. Although the Organic Law set up a provisional government, there was no coherent separation of executive and legislative powers. The powers of the commander-in-chief extended over only the (as

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P

Padilla, Juan Antonio Padilla joined the Texas Army on October 22, 1835. He later served on the General Council. Pelicano Mexican vessel captured by the Texas navy ship Liberty outside Sisal, Yucatan, on March 3, 1836. Permanent Council The Permanent Council served as the governing body of Texas from October 11, 1835, to early November, when the Consultation achieved a quorum. It was made up of the Committee of Safety of San Felipe and representatives from the other Texas communities. Pocket An

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R

Ramirez y Sesma, Joaquin Sesma commanded the brigade sent in advance of the main army under Santa Anna’s command. He joined forces with General Cos at Laredo, then merged with Santa Anna’s forces at the Rio Grande as it marched to Bexar. After the fall of the Alamo, Sesma was ordered to San Felipe, then to proceed to Anahuac by way of Harrisburg. On April 13, Sesma’s army crossed the Brazos at Thompson’s Ferry. He was camped on the east bank of the Brazos, near the Old Fort settlement on April 2

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S

San Antonio Captured by the Texan army after active fighting from December 5 to 10, the town was retaken by Santa Anna on February 23. It remained in Mexican hands until after the battle of San Jacinto. San Felipe The Consultation met in San Felipe, November 1835, making San Felipe one of the first capitals of the Republic (until the Convention of 1836 met at Washington-on-the-Brazos). It was burned on March 29, 1836, when retreating Texan soldiers were unable to prevent the Mexican army’s cross

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T

Tampico Expedition Commanded by Jose Antonio Mexia, 150 volunteers sailed from New Orleans November 6, 1835. Hoping to take the fort and the town of Tampico by surprise, they arrived at Tampico on November 14. Secrecy was impossible, however. The garrison’s commandant had aroused official suspicions, and he was arrested on November 13. And, when the ship attempted to approach the landing at night, it ran aground on the bar, and the men were forced to wade ashore. On November 15, they took up the

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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 Urre

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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 appro

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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 col

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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. I

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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 Re

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