Battle of Agua Dulce
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Agua Dulce Creek occurred approximately 26 miles (41.8 km) south of San Patricio on March 2, 1836 between the Republic of Mexico
and the rebellious Mexican state of Texas
as part of the Texas Revolution
. In February 1836, Mexican General Jose Urrea led a contingent of troops along the Texas coast, intending to eventually retake Goliad. After defeating a small group of Texians in San Patricio, Urrea learned that the remainder of the group was on on its way back to San Patricio after capturing wild horses. Urrea and 60 cavalry troops waited in ambush on the morning of March 2. After a brief battle, the main body of the Texian and Tejano troops were defeated. The commander of those troops, Dr. James Grant
, and a second man escaped the battle and were pursued for 7 miles (11.3 km) before being forced to dismount. Grant was killed, as were 11 other men under his command. Six Texians were taken prisoner; contrary to Santa Anna's orders, Urrea did not execute the prisoners, but instead sent them to a jail in Matamoros. An additional six Texians escaped; five of them later died in the Goliad Massacre
.
began on October 2, 1835. By December, all Mexican soldiers had been driven from the province. The Texas General Council authorized the Matamoros Expedition
to take Matamoros
in the Mexican interior. The General Council alternately gave command of the expedition to James Fannin
and Frank W. Johnson
. The acting governor, Henry Smith
, sent General Sam Houston
to try to stop the campaign.
Houston quietly pointed out the difficulties facing the soldiers in Matamoros, and many soldiers deserted. Fannin chose to pull back to Presidio La Bahia
at Goliad, leaving about 150 men with Johnson in Refugio
. Johnson shared command with his business partner, James Grant
. They marched their remaining troops 50 miles (80.5 km) south to San Patricio
, still over 100 miles (160.9 km) from Matamoros. By late February, desertions had brought their number down to fewer than 100 men.
Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
was determined to quell the unrest. By December 1835, Santa Anna had gathered 6,019 soldiers at San Luis Potosi
. Santa Anna intended to march the majority of the troops across the center of Texas to retake San Antonio de Bexar. General Jose Urrea would manage the second front of the war, with the goal of retaking Presidio La Bahia
at Goliad. On February 17, 1836, Urrea and 550 troops crossed the Rio Grande
at Matamoros.
Unaware of Johnson's fate, Grant and his party began their march northward to San Patricio, driving a herd of several hundred captured mustangs with them. Urrea had learned of their movements, and on the morning of March 2 he led approximately 60 cavalry to intercept the Texians.
rode 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) ahead of the main body of Texians and saw no signs of the Mexican soldiers.
As the remaining Texians reached the trees, the Mexican cavalry attacked. Taken completely unaware, many of the Texians were shot before they were able to raise their guns. On hearing the gunfire, Grant ordered Benavides, a local resident who was familiar with the countryside, to travel to Goliad to warn Fannin of the Mexican army's proximity. Grant and Brown returned to join the fray. As they neared, however, they realized that the battle was almost over, with most of the Texians already dead. A Mexican lance killed Brown's horse, but he managed to safely mount another horse. At about this time, the wild horses stampeded, and, in the confusion, Grant and Brown were able to escape. According to Brown's later recollection, both of their horses were wounded as Mexican soldiers fired after them.
Mexican soldiers promptly gave chase. Although some called for the Texians to surrender, Grant and Brown continued to flee. After 7 miles (11.3 km), the pair were surrounded and dismounted. Grant killed a Mexican soldier who drove a lance through Brown's arm. This made him the target of the other soldiers, and he died after being pierced multiple times. Unable to fight after a lasso
pinned his arms, Brown surrendered and was taken captive.
that all captured Texians should be executed, Urrea spared those who surrendered. The men were escorted to a prison in Matamoros. An additional six Texians escaped. Five of these joined Fannin's garrison at Goliad and were later killed in the Goliad Massacre
. No reports of Mexican losses have been found, although at least one Mexican soldier is thought to have died. After the battle, Mexican soldiers rounded up the horses that the Texians had been herding and kept them.
According to historian Stephen Hardin, this battle proved that the Texians did not fight well on open prairies. News of the imminent arrival of Urrea worried Fannin, who feared that Santa Anna would lead his troops from San Antonio de Bexar towards Goliad, essentially trapping Fannin and his men between the two branches of the Mexican Army. Fannin wrote to the Acting Governor, James Robinson, "I am a better judge of my military abilities than others, and if I am qualified to command an Army, I have not found it out." The acting Texas government
named Sam Houston
the new commander-in-chief on March 4, but instructed Fannin to "use your own discretion to remain where you are or to retreat as you may think best for the safety of the brave volunteers under your command, and the regulars in the militia".
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the rebellious Mexican state of Texas
Mexican Texas
Mexican Texas is the name given by Texas history scholars to the period between 1821 and 1836, when Texas was an integral part of Mexico. The period began with Mexico's victory over Spain in its war of independence in 1821. For the first several years of its existence, Mexican Texas operated very...
as part of the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
. In February 1836, Mexican General Jose Urrea led a contingent of troops along the Texas coast, intending to eventually retake Goliad. After defeating a small group of Texians in San Patricio, Urrea learned that the remainder of the group was on on its way back to San Patricio after capturing wild horses. Urrea and 60 cavalry troops waited in ambush on the morning of March 2. After a brief battle, the main body of the Texian and Tejano troops were defeated. The commander of those troops, Dr. James Grant
James Grant (Texas)
James Grant was a 19th century Texas politician, physician and military participant in the Texas Revolution.-Early life:James Grant was born on July 28, 1793, in Killearnan Parish, Ross-shire, Scotland. In 1823, he traveled to northern Mexico, ending up in Texas. He became interested in real...
, and a second man escaped the battle and were pursued for 7 miles (11.3 km) before being forced to dismount. Grant was killed, as were 11 other men under his command. Six Texians were taken prisoner; contrary to Santa Anna's orders, Urrea did not execute the prisoners, but instead sent them to a jail in Matamoros. An additional six Texians escaped; five of them later died in the Goliad Massacre
Goliad massacre
The Goliad Massacre was an execution of Republic of Texas soldiers and their commander, James Fannin, by Mexico, reluctantly carried out by General Jose de Urrea.-Background:...
.
Background
The Texas RevolutionTexas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
began on October 2, 1835. By December, all Mexican soldiers had been driven from the province. The Texas General Council authorized the Matamoros Expedition
Matamoros Expedition
The Matamoros Expedition was a planned 1836 invasion of the Mexican port town of Matamoros by rebellious Texians. As the Mexican government transitioned from federalism to a centralized government in 1835, many federalists offered armed opposition. In Mexican Texas, settlers launched a full...
to take Matamoros
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern part of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas, in the United States. Matamoros is the second largest and second...
in the Mexican interior. The General Council alternately gave command of the expedition to James Fannin
James Fannin
James Walker Fannin, Jr. was a 19th-century U.S. military figure on the Texas Army and leader during the Texas Revolution of 1835–36...
and Frank W. Johnson
Frank W. Johnson
Francis White "Frank" Johnson was a co-commander of the Texian Army from December 1835 through February 1836, during the Texas Revolution. Johnson arrived in Texas in 1826 and worked as a surveyor for several empresarios, including Stephen F. Austin. One of his first activities was to plot the...
. The acting governor, Henry Smith
Henry Smith (Texas Governor)
Henry Smith was first American-born Governor of the Mexican territory of Texas and briefly presided over the revolution there.-Early life:...
, sent General Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
to try to stop the campaign.
Houston quietly pointed out the difficulties facing the soldiers in Matamoros, and many soldiers deserted. Fannin chose to pull back to Presidio La Bahia
Presidio La Bahía
The Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía, known more commonly as Presidio La Bahia, or simply La Bahia is a fort constructed by the Spanish Army that became the nucleus of the city of Goliad, Texas, United States. Originally founded in 1721 on the ruins of the failed French Fort Saint...
at Goliad, leaving about 150 men with Johnson in Refugio
Refugio, Texas
Refugio is a town in Refugio County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,941 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Refugio County. Although the town's name is derived from Spanish, a vast majority of the town's residents pronounce it re-fury-oh. The Spanish pronunciation is...
. Johnson shared command with his business partner, James Grant
James Grant (Texas)
James Grant was a 19th century Texas politician, physician and military participant in the Texas Revolution.-Early life:James Grant was born on July 28, 1793, in Killearnan Parish, Ross-shire, Scotland. In 1823, he traveled to northern Mexico, ending up in Texas. He became interested in real...
. They marched their remaining troops 50 miles (80.5 km) south to San Patricio
San Patricio, Texas
San Patricio is a city in Nueces and San Patricio Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 318 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, San Patricio, located at , has a total area of 3.9 square miles , of which, 3.8 square miles of it is...
, still over 100 miles (160.9 km) from Matamoros. By late February, desertions had brought their number down to fewer than 100 men.
Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
was determined to quell the unrest. By December 1835, Santa Anna had gathered 6,019 soldiers at San Luis Potosi
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
. Santa Anna intended to march the majority of the troops across the center of Texas to retake San Antonio de Bexar. General Jose Urrea would manage the second front of the war, with the goal of retaking Presidio La Bahia
Presidio La Bahía
The Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía, known more commonly as Presidio La Bahia, or simply La Bahia is a fort constructed by the Spanish Army that became the nucleus of the city of Goliad, Texas, United States. Originally founded in 1721 on the ruins of the failed French Fort Saint...
at Goliad. On February 17, 1836, Urrea and 550 troops crossed the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
at Matamoros.
Prelude
In late February, Grant took 26 men to hunt for wild horses. Johnson remained in San Patricio with about 34 men, divided into five groups. In the early hours of February 27, Urrea attacked San Patricio. The Texians were quickly defeated, with many, including Johnson, fleeing the area. Urrea then sent scouts to find Grant's small group.Unaware of Johnson's fate, Grant and his party began their march northward to San Patricio, driving a herd of several hundred captured mustangs with them. Urrea had learned of their movements, and on the morning of March 2 he led approximately 60 cavalry to intercept the Texians.
Battle
Approximately 26 miles (41.8 km) south of San Patricio, near Agua Dulce Creek, the Mexican cavalry took cover in two groves of trees. Grant, Ruben Brown, and Plácido BenavidesPlácido Benavides
Plácido Benavides was an early Mexican-born settler in De Leon's Colony, Victoria County, Texas. Benavides earned himself the sobriquet of the Paul Revere of Texas for his 1836 journey from San Patricio to Goliad to Victoria, warning residents of the approaching Mexican army. He was twice elected...
rode 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) ahead of the main body of Texians and saw no signs of the Mexican soldiers.
As the remaining Texians reached the trees, the Mexican cavalry attacked. Taken completely unaware, many of the Texians were shot before they were able to raise their guns. On hearing the gunfire, Grant ordered Benavides, a local resident who was familiar with the countryside, to travel to Goliad to warn Fannin of the Mexican army's proximity. Grant and Brown returned to join the fray. As they neared, however, they realized that the battle was almost over, with most of the Texians already dead. A Mexican lance killed Brown's horse, but he managed to safely mount another horse. At about this time, the wild horses stampeded, and, in the confusion, Grant and Brown were able to escape. According to Brown's later recollection, both of their horses were wounded as Mexican soldiers fired after them.
Mexican soldiers promptly gave chase. Although some called for the Texians to surrender, Grant and Brown continued to flee. After 7 miles (11.3 km), the pair were surrounded and dismounted. Grant killed a Mexican soldier who drove a lance through Brown's arm. This made him the target of the other soldiers, and he died after being pierced multiple times. Unable to fight after a lasso
Lasso
A lasso , also referred to as a lariat, riata, or reata , is a loop of rope that is designed to be thrown around a target and tighten when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the American cowboy. The word is also a verb; to lasso is to successfully throw the loop of rope around something...
pinned his arms, Brown surrendered and was taken captive.
Aftermath
Although Urrea reported that 41–43 Texians were killed, historians believe that only 12 Texians died. Six Texians were taken prisoner. Despite orders from Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa AnnaAntonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
that all captured Texians should be executed, Urrea spared those who surrendered. The men were escorted to a prison in Matamoros. An additional six Texians escaped. Five of these joined Fannin's garrison at Goliad and were later killed in the Goliad Massacre
Goliad massacre
The Goliad Massacre was an execution of Republic of Texas soldiers and their commander, James Fannin, by Mexico, reluctantly carried out by General Jose de Urrea.-Background:...
. No reports of Mexican losses have been found, although at least one Mexican soldier is thought to have died. After the battle, Mexican soldiers rounded up the horses that the Texians had been herding and kept them.
According to historian Stephen Hardin, this battle proved that the Texians did not fight well on open prairies. News of the imminent arrival of Urrea worried Fannin, who feared that Santa Anna would lead his troops from San Antonio de Bexar towards Goliad, essentially trapping Fannin and his men between the two branches of the Mexican Army. Fannin wrote to the Acting Governor, James Robinson, "I am a better judge of my military abilities than others, and if I am qualified to command an Army, I have not found it out." The acting Texas government
Convention of 1836
The Convention of 1836 was the meeting of elected delegates in Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas in March 1836. The Texas Revolution had begun five months previously, and the interim government, known as the Consultation, had wavered over whether to declare independence from Mexico or pledge to...
named Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
the new commander-in-chief on March 4, but instructed Fannin to "use your own discretion to remain where you are or to retreat as you may think best for the safety of the brave volunteers under your command, and the regulars in the militia".