Edwin R. Rainwater
Encyclopedia
Edwin R. Rainwater was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution
, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto
that helped seal the decisive Texian
victory.
army and was a member of Captain Henry Wax Karnes
' Company of Cavalry
and was one of the men who assisted in destroying Vince's Bridge
. The others who were with him on that mission were Deaf Smith
, John Coker
, Denmore W. Reaves
, Young Perry Alsbury
, John T. Garner
and Moses Lapham
. He evidently left Texas soon after the Mexican-American War. He did not apply for the Bounty and Donation land due him for his services in the army and he assigned his land rights to Samuel Fuller on January 25, 1848. He served in Company A, Captain Benjamin Hill's Company, Texas Mounted Volunteers during the Mexican-American War and he served from April 14, 1847 to June 16, 1847.
He became an early citizen of Rio Grande City, TX in Starr county, where he was involved in organizing the county government in the fall of 1848 to address the increasing influence of outlaws in this border town at the termination of the Mexican-American war. His disappearance from Texas records at this point suggest he either joined one of the parties of Starr County citizens who left Texas for the California gold rush, or that he died in the cholera epidemic in the spring of 1849, that killed a significant portion of the early residents of Rio Grande City.
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...
, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto
Battle of San Jacinto
The Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
that helped seal the decisive Texian
Texian
Texian is an archaic, mostly defunct 19th century demonym which defined a settler of current-day Texas, one of the southern states of the United States of America which borders the country of Mexico...
victory.
Biography
Rainwater came to Texas at the age of 22, sometime between May 2, 1835 and March 2, 1836. He enlisted in the TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
army and was a member of Captain Henry Wax Karnes
Henry Wax Karnes
Henry Wax Karnes was notable as a soldier and figure of the Texas Revolution, as well as the commander of General Sam Houston's "Spy Squad" at the Battle of San Jacinto....
' Company of Cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
and was one of the men who assisted in destroying Vince's Bridge
Vince's Bridge
Vince's Bridge was a wooden bridge constructed by Allen Vince over Sims Bayou near Harrisburg, Texas. Its destruction by Texas armed forces played a critical role during the April 1836 Battle of San Jacinto in the decisive defeat of the Mexican army, which effectively ended the Texas Revolution...
. The others who were with him on that mission were Deaf Smith
Deaf Smith
Erastus "Deaf" Smith was an American frontiersman noted for his part in the Texas Revolution and the army of the Republic of Texas. He fought at the Grass Fight and the Battle of San Jacinto. After the war, Deaf Smith led a company of Texas Rangers.-Biography:Smith was born in Dutchess County, New...
, John Coker
John Coker
John Coker was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto that helped seal the decisive Texian victory.-Biography:...
, Denmore W. Reaves
Denmore W. Reaves
Denmore W. Reaves was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto that helped seal the decisive Texian victory.-Biography:Denmore W. Reaves arrived in Texas in June 1835...
, Young Perry Alsbury
Young Perry Alsbury
Young Perry Alsbury was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution. He was among the group of volunteers for the mission that was successful in burning the strategically important Vince's Bridge during the Battle of San Jacinto...
, John T. Garner
John T. Garner
John T. Garner was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto that helped seal the decisive Texian victory.-Biography:John T...
and Moses Lapham
Moses Lapham
Moses Lapham was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto that helped seal the decisive Texian victory.-Biography:...
. He evidently left Texas soon after the Mexican-American War. He did not apply for the Bounty and Donation land due him for his services in the army and he assigned his land rights to Samuel Fuller on January 25, 1848. He served in Company A, Captain Benjamin Hill's Company, Texas Mounted Volunteers during the Mexican-American War and he served from April 14, 1847 to June 16, 1847.
He became an early citizen of Rio Grande City, TX in Starr county, where he was involved in organizing the county government in the fall of 1848 to address the increasing influence of outlaws in this border town at the termination of the Mexican-American war. His disappearance from Texas records at this point suggest he either joined one of the parties of Starr County citizens who left Texas for the California gold rush, or that he died in the cholera epidemic in the spring of 1849, that killed a significant portion of the early residents of Rio Grande City.
Sources
- ” Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Muster Rolls of the Texas Revolution (Austin, 1986).
- ” Joseph Milton Nance, Attack and Counterattack: The Texas-Mexican Frontier, 1842 (University of Texas Press, 1964).
- ” The Writings of Sam Houston, 1813-1863 (University of Texas Press, 1938)
- ” "The Corpus Christi Star", Nov 14, 1848. (University of Texas, Center for American History)
See also
- John CokerJohn CokerJohn Coker was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto that helped seal the decisive Texian victory.-Biography:...
- Young Perry AlsburyYoung Perry AlsburyYoung Perry Alsbury was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution. He was among the group of volunteers for the mission that was successful in burning the strategically important Vince's Bridge during the Battle of San Jacinto...
- John T. GarnerJohn T. GarnerJohn T. Garner was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto that helped seal the decisive Texian victory.-Biography:John T...
- Moses LaphamMoses LaphamMoses Lapham was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto that helped seal the decisive Texian victory.-Biography:...
- Denmore W. ReavesDenmore W. ReavesDenmore W. Reaves was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto that helped seal the decisive Texian victory.-Biography:Denmore W. Reaves arrived in Texas in June 1835...
- Vince's BridgeVince's BridgeVince's Bridge was a wooden bridge constructed by Allen Vince over Sims Bayou near Harrisburg, Texas. Its destruction by Texas armed forces played a critical role during the April 1836 Battle of San Jacinto in the decisive defeat of the Mexican army, which effectively ended the Texas Revolution...
- Battle of San JacintoBattle of San JacintoThe Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
- Deaf SmithDeaf SmithErastus "Deaf" Smith was an American frontiersman noted for his part in the Texas Revolution and the army of the Republic of Texas. He fought at the Grass Fight and the Battle of San Jacinto. After the war, Deaf Smith led a company of Texas Rangers.-Biography:Smith was born in Dutchess County, New...
- Henry Wax KarnesHenry Wax KarnesHenry Wax Karnes was notable as a soldier and figure of the Texas Revolution, as well as the commander of General Sam Houston's "Spy Squad" at the Battle of San Jacinto....
- Sam HoustonSam HoustonSamuel 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...
- Antonio López de Santa AnnaAntonio López de Santa AnnaAntonio 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...
- Vicente FilisolaVicente FilisolaVicente Filisola was a Spanish military figure, Mexican military and political figure in the 19th century.-Life and career:...
- José de UrreaJosé de UrreaJosé de Urrea was a noted general for Mexico. He fought under General Antonio López de Santa Anna during the Texas Revolution. Urrea's forces were never defeated in battle during the Texas Revolution...
- Martín Perfecto de CosMartín Perfecto de CosMartín Perfecto de Cos was a 19th-century Mexican general. He was married to Lucinda López de Santa Anna, sister of Antonio López de Santa Anna.-Background:Cós was born in Vera Cruz in the year 1800, the son of an attorney...
- Juan AlmonteJuan AlmonteJuan Nepomuceno Almonte was a 19th century Mexican official, soldier and diplomat. He was a veteran of the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution...
- Timeline of the Texas RevolutionTimeline of the Texas RevolutionThis is a timeline of the Texas Revolution, spanning the time from the earliest independence movements of the area of Texas, over the declaration of independence from Spain, up to the secession of the Republic of Texas from Mexico....
- Runaway ScrapeRunaway ScrapeThe Runaway Scrape was the name given to the flight and subsequent hostilities that occurred, as Texan, Tejano, and American settlers and militia encountered the pursuing Mexican army in early 1836....