Augustus Magee facts for kids

Augustus William Magee (sometimes spelled McGee) was an American soldier and leader of a special military group. He is best known for leading the Gutiérrez–Magee Expedition into Spanish Texas in 1812. This expedition aimed to help Mexico gain independence from Spain.

Early Life and Army Career

Augustus Magee was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1789. He was a very bright student and graduated third in his class from West Point in 1809. West Point is a famous military academy in the United States.

After graduating, Magee became an artillery officer. He served in places like Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Fort Jesup. He worked under important generals, including Zachary Taylor, who later became a U.S. president. Magee was good at his job, but he was also very strict with settlers and outlaws in a disputed area called the Neutral Ground. This area was between the Arroyo Hondo and the Sabine River. Even though he was recommended for a promotion, Magee turned it down.

Magee became unhappy with his future in the army. He then heard about a plan from Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara. Gutiérrez wanted to invade Spanish Texas from American land to support the Mexican War of Independence. This plan went against a U.S. law called the Neutrality Act, which said Americans could not attack other countries from U.S. soil. Despite this, Magee resigned from the army in June 1812. He then personally recruited many soldiers for this military adventure, taking the rank of colonel alongside Gutiérrez.

The Expedition into Texas

Magee and his group of 130 men left Natchitoches on August 2, 1812. Six days later, they crossed the Sabine River. On August 10, General Gutiérrez joined them. By August 16, their force had grown to about 300 soldiers, and they entered Nacogdoches.

In mid-September, the army occupied Santísima Trinidad de Salcedo (now Trinidad, Texas) on the Trinity River. It was here that Magee became very ill. He was still in charge of the military, even though he was sick.

Magee died on February 6, 1813, while his group was under attack at the Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía. This place is now known as Goliad, Texas. After Magee's death, Samuel Kemper took over as the commander of the expedition. Kemper successfully ended the attack by the Spanish forces the next month.

See also

In Spanish: Augustus Magee para niños

• Casas Revolt