Mexicans Defending Tejas | Texas Time Travel

Francita Alavez or the “Angel of Goliad”

In 1836, Francita Alavez accompanied Mexican Army Captain Telesforo Alavez on campaign; she was then about twenty years old. At Goliad, she exercised her influence with Mexican officials to have them spare the lives of many Texan prisoners of war. Because of her appeals, more than 100 rebels evaded execution. Following San Jacinto, she withdrew to Matamoros, where she provided assistance to other captured Texans. Later, when Alavez abandoned her, Francita became destitute. Recalling her many compassionate deeds, Texan friends came to her aid and she spent the remainder of her days working on the King Ranch.

Francisco de Castañeda

Lieutenant Castañeda played decisive parts in both the opening and closing incidents of the Texas Revolution. As a member of the Second Flying Company of San Carlos, he billeted inside the secularized (but not abandoned) San Antonio de Valero Mission. On September 27, 1835, Castañeda led 100 dragoons to Gonzales to retrieve a cannon. But residents refused to relinquish their ordnance and the battle of Gonzales—the “Lexington of Texas”—resulted. On June 4, 1836, Juan Seguín, an officer of the Texas Republic, accepted the formal surrender of San Antonio from Castañeda, in the revolution’s last official act.

Martín Perfecto de Cos

Born in Veracruz in 1800, General Cos saw more action during the Texas Revolution than most Mexican officers. In 1835, the 36-year-old general commanded troops during the siege and storming of Béxar. In 1836, he fought at the Alamo and later at San Jacinto. He was related to Santa Anna, but sources disagree exactly how. In Mary Austin Holley’s 1836 book, she labeled Cos as Santa Anna’s brother-in-law; others identified him as a cousin or nephew. Yet, Cos’s service records reveal that he was single in 1836. He later married Santa Anna’s sister, but that was not until 1840.

José Nicolás de la Portilla

Lieutenant Colonel Portilla was born in Vera Cruz in 1808. Following the battle of Coleto, General José de Urrea placed Texan prisoners under Portilla’s custody at Goliad. On March 26, Mexican Dictator Santa Anna directed him to execute his captives immediately. But, he also received Urrea’s instructions to "treat the prisoners with consideration.” He passed an agonizing night before concluding he had no option but to follow the supreme commander’s directive, resulting in the Goliad Massacre, during which Mexican soldiers gunned down some 342 helpless Texans. The shame of that decision followed Portilla to his grave.

Antonio López de Santa Anna

Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón worked hard to justify such a grandiose name. But he left his mark on Mexico—and Texas. During a twenty-two-year period, the self-styled "Napoleon of the West," served as president eleven times. Born in Jalapa, Veracruz, in New Spain, on 21 February 1794, he was 42 years of age in 1836. During his Texas Campaign he demonstrated both laudable brilliance and deplorable folly. Supremely ambitious, at least he knew it. He once observed, “If I were made God, I should wish to be something more.”

Domingo de Ugartechea

In 1835, Colonel Ugartechea was the Mexican military commandant headquartered at San Antonio de Béxar. As such, he dispatched dragoons to Gonzales to confiscate a cannon, an edict that ignited the Texas Revolution. On October 28, at the battle of Concepción, 90 Texans overwhelmed the 275 Mexican soldiers he commanded. The 44-year-old Ugartechea served throughout the siege and storming of Béxar and, in December, retreated with General Cos. But he returned to Texas for the 1836 campaign, when he commanded reserve troops stationed at Copano, Victoria, and Goliad. Following the devastating defeat at San Jacinto, he retreated to Matamoros.

José de Urrea

General José de Urrea was born at El Presidio de San Augustín de Tucson—modern-day Tucson, Arizona. The 39-year-old achieved distinction for his Goliad Campaign, during which he won every engagement he fought. At the battle of Coleto Creek, he surrounded and captured Colonel James W. Fannin’s entire force. Following San Jacinto, Urrea bitterly resented receiving retreat orders from his superior, General Vicente Filísola. As he explained it: “My division at that time was in the finest condition. Each soldier could hold his head proudly, for up to then they had met only victory in every encounter with the enemy.”