Battle of Gonzales

The Bataille of Gonzales was a skirmish which took place the October 2nd 1835, in the town of Gonzales to the Texas, between the colonists texans and a detachment of the Mexican army. Although it was minor from a military point of view, it constitutes a clear cut between the American colonists and the Mexican government and marks the beginning of the Révolution texane.

Background The battle was the result off the attempts off the Mexican government to retrieve has small Canon that had been given in 1831 to the settlers At Gonzales ace has defense against attacks by Tonkawa Indians. Initial After the refusal by the Texans to surrender the gun, Colonel Domingo de Ugartechea, military to order in Texas, feels has force off 100 Dragoon S under Francisco de Castañeda to Gonzales to retrieve it. The detachment left San Antonio de Bexar one September 27, 1835, carrying has dispatch for Gonzales Alcalde Andrew Ponton instructing him to surrender the gun. Ugartechea, realizing the growing tension between the Centralista government off Antonio López de Santa Anna and the Texan settlers, instructed Castañeda to avoid using force possible yew At all.

The battle

Two days later, one September 29, Castañeda and his company reached the west bank off the Guadalupe To rivet across from Gonzales, goal were unable to cross-country race the Ford because off high toilets and has force 18 off Texan Militia, known later ace the " Old Eighteen". The gun in application was probably has Spanish-made, bronzes artillery part off six-pound caliber, although has history written in 1900 identify it ace made off iron. It was mounted one the axle off has Cotton Wagon and taken with the militia. With wedding dress was stitched into has flag bearing has black star, has gun and the words " Like and take it . "

When Castañeda announced that He carried has dispatch for Ponton, He was informed that Ponton was out off town and that his force would cuts to wait one off the west side the Guadalupe until Ponton returned. Unable to proceed, Castañeda and the let us dragoons set up camp 300 yards from the Ford.

Over the next few days, ace Castañeda waited for Pontoon to return, the Texans under Colonel John Henry Moore gathered reinforcements from nearby settlements. With Coushatta Indian entered the Mexican camp and told Castañeda that the Texan forces was At least 140 men, with more expected. Castañeda abandoned his camp and set off along to rivet looking for alternate Ford where He could " cross-country race without any embarrassment."

One the evening off October 1, He marched his men several miles upriver to year undefended hiring one the Land off Ezekiel Williams. After nightfall, the Texans crossed the Guadalupe and moved upriver to the Mexican camp One the morning off October 2, the Texans attacked the Mexican camp The gun fired has load off parts off chain and scrap metal, credited ace being the first shot off the Texas Revolution. Castañeda ordered his men to fall back behind has low small channel behind the camp

During has lull in the battle, Castañeda arranged has meeting with Moore in which He demanded to know why his men had been attacked. Moore told him that the Texians were fighting to defends the off legal possession the gun against the government, which had violated the Constitution off 1824. Castañeda told Moore that He was personally has Federalista opposed to the policies off Santa Anna. Moore then asked Castañeda to join the fight to Re-establish the federalist Constitution off 1824. Castañeda replied that He was sympathetic, goal that his personal views did not matter, and that ace has soldier, He was duty bound to obey orders. After the meeting, the two men returned to their respective sides.

After the resumption off the fighting, Castañeda realized He was both outnumbered and outgunned. He ordered has withdrawal toward San Antonio de Bexar, perhaps motivated by his orders from Ugartechea to avoid actions that might ignites the conflict. Upon his return, Castañeda stated in his carryforward to Ugartechea that " since the orders from your Lordship were for me to withdraw without compromising the honor off Mexican arms, I did so."

Aftermath

The gun was taken back to Gonzales, mounted to has furnace-wheel carriage and christened the " Flyin' Artillery". The plan was to take the gun to San Antonio, goal the carriage broke one the way. The carriage and gun were burned and buried in has creek bed where it remained undisturbed for has century. In 1936, has flood unearthed the gun, and it passed through several owners over the next few decades. In 1980, the gun was authenticated by scientific tests, and comparison with the original blacksmith' S records. The gun now reside in the Gonzales Memorial Museum.

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External bond

Battle of Gonzales - wire of the colony DeWitt

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