By: Dr. Richard Bruce Winders, Alamo Director of History and Curation
Both Texan and Mexican forces used the month immediately following the Texan victory at San Jacinto to reorganize their scattered forces. Volunteers continued to report to General Thomas Rusk’s headquarters at Victoria, eager to fight for Texas’ independence. Under the direction of General Vicente Filisola, the Mexican Army retreated southward to the Rio Grande where it planned to regroup and refit at Matamoros before resuming its campaign against Texas. Although stalled for the meantime, continued hostilities seemed almost certain.
News of San Jacinto and Santa Anna’s capture had reached San Antonio de Béxar on May 5th, 1836, prompting the withdrawal of troops under General Juan José Andrade and the evacuation of the town. The exodus occurred on May 24 as Andrade put his 1000 man column on the road to Matamoros where it would reunite with the rest of the Mexican Army. Lieutenant Francisco Castañeda, an officer with the local Alamo Company, remained behind with 18 soldiers with orders to receive the Texans and turn the town and its public property over to them. On June 4, 1836, Captain Juan Seguín arrived with 22 men to reclaim Béxar. After a brief meeting, Castañeda relinquished control of the town to Seguín and he and his men departed for Matamoros. The only Mexican troops left were 8 soldiers wounded in the attack on the Alamo who were unable to travel. [Barnard, 33; Pierce, 125-26; Andrade, 17]
San Antonio had been occupied by soldiers of one side or another since October 1835. Two major battles had been fought within its environs. Many of the trees had been cut down either to build fortifications or use as firewood. The town had a desolate, war torn appearance when Seguín rode in. He reported that only 40 families were left out of Béxar’s prewar population of nearly 2000 residents. Many of the inhabitants had fled the town during the fighting to find safety in the countryside. Others had followed Andrade’s column to Matamoros. Within a few weeks, Seguín estimated that besides the soldiers of the Texas Army, only about 50 individuals actually remained. [Pierce, 125-26]
Reinforcements soon arrived to support Seguín. On June 4th, General Rusk had ordered Colonel James Smith to travel from Victoria to Béxar with his command. His mission was (1) to check the upper route to make sure they were clear of Mexican troops and (2) round up any cattle they encountered. In regards to the residents of Béxar, the general told Smith, “. . . you will be careful on going to San Antonio to prevent any unnecessary interruption to the citizens there. Such conduct as entering their homes and taking their property you will forbid [as] improper [as] those of them who have taken [a] hand against us are gone and those who remain have either been our friends or are no service to either party. [Pierce,125-26] On June 8, Smith reported “Agreeable to your orders I continued to Scour the country on both sides of Antonio river and have found the country to be in a perfect state of quietness, from information recd.” Nevertheless, a rumor circulated that Mexicans were planning “to ravage the whole of that part of the country, to murder the inhabitants and rob the country of every thing valuable.”[PTR, 7:75-76] This information, true or not, helped push Smith forward on to Béxar.
Rusk had notified Seguín of Smith’s mission. Wrote the commander of the Texas Army, “I have detached one hundred and eighty men by way of San Antonio where I have directed them to remain and co-operate with you for a few days and then pass on Eastward . The detachment is under Col. Smith.” In the same letter Rusk instructed Seguín that “You will communicate with me frequently giving me all the information you may be able to collect whether or not I occupy Bexar depend upon the resources furnished me by the Government to whom I have written very full on these subjects if you can obtain any correct information from the interior or any newspapers from them you will not fail to communicate it to me immediately, I trust I will hear from the Government soon and be able to make permanent disposition upon the frontier.” [PTR, 7:129-30] As promised by Rusk, Smith entered the town in mid June and encamped his men around the Alamo even though many houses in town were vacant. The two Texan officers, Smith and Seguín, set about fulfilling Rusk’s orders to secure both the town as well as acquiring information about the condition on the frontier.
Events were about to take a drastic change that would result in the Texans’ evacuation of Béxar. Rusk had received messages by three Texan officers who were being held prisoners in Matamoros, which had been secreted in the handle of a courier’s whip sent. The message came from Henry W. Karnes, Henry Teal, and William P. Miller, who warned that the Mexican Army was on the verge of returning to Texas to finish the task of crushing the revolt. Filisola was no longer in charge. They wrote, “Urea [sic] is commander in chief of the Mexican army, and says he will not stop short of the Sabine. . . . Blow up Goliad and Bexar. You must have a sufficient force in the field at once, and we will whip them again; . . .” [PTR, 7:90-91] Shaken by the news, Rusk issued a public appeal for action in which he repeated the men’s warning. [PTR, 7:186] The “Whip Handle Dispatch” seemed to give Texans two options: prepare to fight once again or leave Texas.
Rusk sent an urgent order to Smith at Béxar. “You will with your whole force of Cavalry except thirty men rejoin the Army at Headquarters, with the greatest dispatch possible information has just reached of the rapid advance of the enemy about Six Thousand strong from Matamoros . . . this information comes in letters from Carnes [sic], Teal and major Miller who are arrested and confined in the Mexican Camp. They succeeded in getting a letter out by an individual they happened to come on with it. You will dispatch thirty men and direct them to drive back across the Guadalupe and Colorado all the stock they properly can with as much dispatch as possible keeping a good look out for the advance of the enemy Cavalry. . . . Great dispatch and promptitude is expected in the executions of this order. There is not one moment to be lost.” [PTR, 7:187]
Rusk had specific orders for Seguín. In a postscript, he asked Smith to pass the flowing instructions on: “Col Seguin with his command will also repair forthwith to Head Quarters he will give an order to the citizens to appeal in driving off the cattle.” [PTR, 7:187] Complying with Rusk’s wishes, Seguín issued a public appeal to the residents of Béxar.
“TO THE INHABITANTS OF BEXAR
Fellow Citizens:
Military movements compel me to repair to Head Quarters. I have in consequences to evacuate this town, but previous to doing so, I require your aid to carry off the cattle and place them where the enemy cannot make use of them. I have no doubt that you will assist cheerfully in this measure, thereby furnishing to the supreme government of Texas a proof of your attachment to the just cause, and the beloved liberty we are contending for. If, on the contrary you fail to render the slightest service, your disaffection will be manifest: and although a matter of regret to the supreme government, yet it can then no longer treat you as Texians, but, perhaps, as enemies. Be not deceived with the idea we have no forces wherewith to repel force — time will show to the contrary and will convince you that Texas must be free.
Fellow citizens your conduct on this day is going to decide your fate before the general government of Texas. If you maintain your post as mere lookers-on; if you do not abandon the city and retire to the interior of Texas, that its army may protect you, you will, without fail, be treated as real enemies, and will suffer accordingly. My ties of birth and friendship I entertain towards you, cause me to desire your happiness, and I therefore address you in that spirit of truth while in me is characteristic.
Bexians: render every possible aid, and soon shall you enjoy your liberty and your property, which is the wish of your countyman and friend, Juan N. Seguin” [PTR, 7:244.]
Seguín’s address made it clear: the residents of Béxar were facing a test of their loyalty to the newly established Republic of Texas.
With Smith’s and Seguín’s departure, Béxar was virtually deserted by the end of June 1836. Throughout the summer, Rusk kept his troops further to the east, positioned to block Urrea’s advance — which failed to come. Not until late August would he feel safe enough to send any troops back to the frontier and Béxar.
SOURCES
Barnard, J. H. Dr. J. H. Barnard’s Journal. Aransas Pass, TX: Biography Press, 1983 reprint of 1912 edition.
Jenkins. John, ed. Papers of the Texas Revolution. 10 vols.; Austin: Presidial Press, 1973. See Volume 7.
Nance, Joseph Milton. After San Jacinto: The Texas-Mexican Frontier, 1836-1841. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1963.
Pierce, Gerald S. Texas Under Arms: the Camps, Posts, forts, & Military Towns of the Republic of Texas,1836-1846. Austin: Encino Press, 1969.
Potter, R. M. “Escape of Karnes and Teal from Matamoros,” Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association. Vol. 4, No. 2. (October 1900), 71-84.
Santos, Richard G. Santa Anna’s Campaign Against Texas, 1835-1836. Waco, TX: Texian Press, 1968
This article originally appeared in the June 2014 edition of The Alamo Messenger, a monthly history publication from the Alamo’s education department. Subscribe Here
