José Gregorio Esparza
Encyclopedia
José María Esparza also known as Gregorio Esparza was the last Texian
defender to enter the Alamo during the early days of March 1836 in the Siege of the Alamo
and was the only Texian body that was not burned in the pyres.
. He traveled to La Bahia and joined with the forces gathered by Plácido Benavides
who participated in the Battle of Goliad
#1 and would align with James Bowie while he was at Goliad. The company then proceeded to San Antonio where they joined up under Juan Seguín
's command in October 1835. There he participated on December 5 through 9 in the house to house fighting, taking the plazas on the north side of Béxar. He served up through December 10, when General Martín Perfecto de Cos
surrendered.
Antonio López de Santa Anna
was fast approaching San Antonio. John W. Smith
had suggested that Esparza should gather Ana with the family and move to Nacogdoches, but time ran short and on the evening of March 23, he with his family entered at night through a window in the Alamo compound. He was an avid supporter of James Bowie and would not leave the Alamo when given the chance during an armistice, probably due to this relationship. In the Alamo he commanded artillery at the rear of the Chapel, where he died on March 6, 1836. His Brother, Francisco, although a soldier in Santa Anna's army, did not participate in the battle but requested to locate his brother and was allowed to search through the bodies in the Alamo. He found the body shot and stabbed in the Alamo Chapel. His body was the only one of the defenders allowed to receive a Christian burial. He was buried by his brothers in the Campo Santo in San Antonio.
. María de Jesús Castro also known as María de Jesús Esparza was the young step daughter of Esparza, who was also spared after the battle. His wife, Ana Esparza died in 1847, and the family was left without parents. Between 1850 and 1860, Gregorio's sons, Enrique, Manuel and Francisco filed pension petitions to gain the rights to land at Pleasanton, Texas. Enrique, a San Antonio truck-farmer, also in the Alamo during the siege, was rediscovered in 1901 and became a recorded eyewitness of what transpired during the siege. His brother, Manuel owned a general store in Pleasanton, and later served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Francisco would also serve in the Confederate Army and later became a Texas Ranger. He eventually moved to Tucson, Arizona, and became a law officer in the area.
See also
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...
defender to enter the Alamo during the early days of March 1836 in the Siege of the Alamo
Siege of the Alamo
The siege of the Alamo describes the first twelve days of the Battle of the Alamo. On February 23, Mexican troops under General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna entered San Antonio de Bexar, Texas and surrounded the Alamo Mission...
and was the only Texian body that was not burned in the pyres.
Early life and family
He was born on February 25, 1802, in San Antonio de Béxar, the child of Juan Antonio and Maria Petra (Olivas) Esparza. He married Ana (Anna) Salazar, they had a daughter and three sons. His family was also in the Alamo during the siege and were eventually freed after the siege.Texas Revolution
Esparza joined the volunteer Texian ArmyTexian Army
The Texian Army was a military organization consisting of volunteer and regular soldiers who fought against the Mexican army during the Texas Revolution. Approximately 3,700 men joined the army between October 2, 1835 during the Battle of Gonzales through the end of the war on April 21, 1836, at...
. He traveled to La Bahia and joined with the forces gathered by Plácido Benavides
Plácido 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...
who participated in the Battle of Goliad
Battle of Goliad
The Battle of Goliad was the second skirmish of the Texas Revolution. In the early-morning hours of October 10, 1835, rebellious Texas settlers attacked the Mexican Army soldiers garrisoned at Presidio La Bahía, a fort near the Mexican Texas settlement of Goliad...
#1 and would align with James Bowie while he was at Goliad. The company then proceeded to San Antonio where they joined up under Juan Seguín
Juan Seguín
Juan Nepomuceno Seguín was a 19th-century Texas Senator, Mayor, Judge, and Justice of the Peace and a prominent participant in the Texas Revolution.-Early life and family:...
's command in October 1835. There he participated on December 5 through 9 in the house to house fighting, taking the plazas on the north side of Béxar. He served up through December 10, when General Martín Perfecto de Cos
Martín Perfecto de Cos
Martín 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...
surrendered.
Antonio López 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 fast approaching San Antonio. John W. Smith
John W. Smith
John W. Smith can refer to:*John Walter Smith, politician from Maryland.*John W. Smith, politician from Detroit....
had suggested that Esparza should gather Ana with the family and move to Nacogdoches, but time ran short and on the evening of March 23, he with his family entered at night through a window in the Alamo compound. He was an avid supporter of James Bowie and would not leave the Alamo when given the chance during an armistice, probably due to this relationship. In the Alamo he commanded artillery at the rear of the Chapel, where he died on March 6, 1836. His Brother, Francisco, although a soldier in Santa Anna's army, did not participate in the battle but requested to locate his brother and was allowed to search through the bodies in the Alamo. He found the body shot and stabbed in the Alamo Chapel. His body was the only one of the defenders allowed to receive a Christian burial. He was buried by his brothers in the Campo Santo in San Antonio.
Esparza survivors of the Battle of the Alamo
His family members were spared and are listed as official non-combatant survivors of the Battle of the AlamoBattle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio de Béxar . All but two of the Texian defenders were killed...
. María de Jesús Castro also known as María de Jesús Esparza was the young step daughter of Esparza, who was also spared after the battle. His wife, Ana Esparza died in 1847, and the family was left without parents. Between 1850 and 1860, Gregorio's sons, Enrique, Manuel and Francisco filed pension petitions to gain the rights to land at Pleasanton, Texas. Enrique, a San Antonio truck-farmer, also in the Alamo during the siege, was rediscovered in 1901 and became a recorded eyewitness of what transpired during the siege. His brother, Manuel owned a general store in Pleasanton, and later served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Francisco would also serve in the Confederate Army and later became a Texas Ranger. He eventually moved to Tucson, Arizona, and became a law officer in the area.
See also