Battle of Goliad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Goliad
Part of the Texas Revolution
Benjamin Milam leads the Texian soldiers fighting in the Battle of Goliad
Date October 10, 1835 Location Presidio La Bahía, Goliad Result Texian victory
Belligerents
Texian Rebels	Mexico
Commanders and leaders
James Fannin Philip Dimmitt John Lin George Collinsworth Benjamin Milam	Juan López Sandoval Martín Perfecto de Cos
Strength
125 militia	50 infantry
Casualties and losses
1 wounded	1-3 killed 3-7 wounded

Presidio La Bahía where Texas settlers attacked the Mexican Army garrisoned there

This map of the Presidio La Bahía was drawn in 1836.

The Battle of Goliad was an important fight during the Texas Revolution. It happened on October 10, 1835. Texas settlers attacked Mexican soldiers at Presidio La Bahía. This fort was near the town of Goliad.

The fort was a key spot. It was halfway between the main Mexican army base in San Antonio and the important port of Copano. Capturing it would cut off supplies for the Mexican army.

Texian leaders had planned to capture Mexican General Martín Perfecto de Cos. He was on his way to Goliad to stop the unrest in Texas. Even though General Cos left Goliad before the attack, the Texians decided to go ahead.

The battle was quick, lasting about 30 minutes. The Texians broke into the fort. The Mexican soldiers, led by Colonel Juan López Sandoval, soon surrendered. The Texians won the battle. They took valuable supplies and cannons. This victory helped the Texians in their fight for independence.

Why Did the Battle Happen?

In 1835, Mexico had two main army bases in its Texas territory. One was the Alamo in San Antonio. The other was Presidio La Bahía near Goliad. San Antonio was the political center of Texas. Goliad was important for getting supplies.

Supplies for the Mexican army often came by sea. They would arrive at Copano Bay. Then, they were moved overland to the Texas settlements.

In early 1835, Mexico's government changed. It became more centralized. This made colonists in Texas worried. They started forming groups to talk and plan. These groups were called Committees of Correspondence and Safety.

There were some small fights over taxes in June. These events made Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna send more troops to Texas. General Martín Perfecto de Cos, Santa Anna's brother-in-law, arrived in Texas with about 500 soldiers. He was ordered to stop the unrest.

General Cos landed at Copano Bay on September 20. He left small groups of soldiers at Copano and Refugio. The main group of his soldiers arrived in Goliad on October 2.

Some Texians, like James Fannin and Philip Dimmitt, wanted to capture General Cos. They thought about attacking him at Copano or Goliad. But the main Texian committee didn't order an attack. They worried they didn't have enough cannons.

Soon, Texian attention moved to Gonzales. There, a small group of Texians refused to follow Mexican orders. On October 2, the Battle of Gonzales started the Texas Revolution. After this battle, General Cos quickly left Goliad for San Antonio. He left most of his supplies behind at La Bahía.

How Texians Prepared for Battle

On October 6, Texian militia members met in Matagorda. They chose George Collinsworth as their captain. The men decided to march to La Bahía. They hoped to capture General Cos and a rumored large sum of money. About 50 Texians started marching from Matagorda.

The next day, the group stopped in Victoria. More English-speaking settlers joined them. About 30 Tejanos (Texans of Mexican heritage) also joined. They were led by Plácido Benavides. Historians believe the Texian group grew to about 125 men.

Forty-nine of these men signed a paper. They promised to be loyal to the Mexican federal government. They also promised not to harm anyone who stayed loyal to the federalist cause.

Philip Dimmitt, a merchant, learned that General Cos and his money had already left Goliad. They were on their way to San Antonio. But the Texians were not discouraged. They continued their march on October 9.

The Texians got lost in the dark. They met Benjamin Milam, a Texas colonist who had just escaped from prison. Milam joined the group. They soon found their way back to the road.

Some Texians went into Goliad that evening. They looked for guides and support. They found several Tejanos who lived near Goliad. These locals joined the Texian force. They told the Texians that Colonel Juan López Sandoval, the fort commander, had only 50 men. This was not enough to defend the whole fort. They also showed the Texians the way to the fort.

The Battle Unfolds

The Texian force got ready to attack. They sent a message to the town's leader, the alcalde, asking him to surrender. At 11 PM, the alcalde replied. He said the town would stay neutral. It would not surrender or fight. However, some locals gave axes to the Texian militia.

The Texians split into four groups. Each group approached the fort from a different direction. In the early morning hours of October 10, the Texians attacked. A lone guard saw them and shouted an alarm. But he was shot right away.

The Texians quickly used their axes to chop through a door. It was on the north wall of the fort. They rushed into the inner courtyard. Mexican soldiers heard the noise. They quickly took positions on the walls to defend the fort.

The Mexican soldiers started shooting. Samuel McCulloch Jr., a Texian soldier, was hit in the shoulder. The Texians shot back for about 30 minutes. Then, during a pause, a Texian spokesman called out. He demanded that the Mexican soldiers surrender immediately. The Mexican soldiers gave up right away.

After the Victory

Samuel McCulloch Jr. was the only Texian wounded. He later said he was the first to shed blood in the Texas War for Independence. Because of his injury and service, he was allowed to stay in Texas. A later law said freed slaves could not live in the Republic of Texas. But in 1840, the Texas government made an exception just for McCulloch and his family.

Estimates of Mexican casualties vary. Between one and three soldiers were killed. Three to seven were wounded. About 20 Mexican soldiers escaped. They warned other Mexican garrisons. Those garrisons then left their posts.

Benjamin Milam took the captured Mexican soldiers to Gonzales. This is where the new Texian Army was. The Texian Army commander, Stephen F. Austin, later let all the Mexican soldiers go. They had to promise to leave Texas and stop fighting Texas residents. One wounded Mexican soldier and Captain Manuel Sabriego were allowed to stay in Goliad. Sabriego was married to a local woman. He secretly started organizing people in Goliad who supported Mexico.

Texian troops took all the supplies they found at the fort. They found 300 muskets, but most were broken. Two gunsmiths were hired to fix the usable weapons. The Texians also took food, clothing, blankets, and other supplies. These were worth about $10,000. They found 175 barrels of flour, sugar, coffee, whiskey, and rum. For the next three months, these supplies helped feed the Texian Army. The Texians also got several cannons.

More Texian settlers joined the group at La Bahía in the following days. Many came from Refugio. Stephen F. Austin ordered 100 men to stay at Goliad under Philip Dimmitt. The rest were to join the Texian Army marching towards General Cos's troops in San Antonio. On October 14, the remaining Texians at Goliad began their march to San Antonio.

Losing Goliad was a big blow for General Cos. He lost his way to communicate with Copano Bay. This was the closest port to San Antonio. Now, Mexican troops in San Antonio would have to get supplies and reinforcements by land. This was a much longer and harder journey.

Images for kids

• 

  General Martín Perfecto de Cos

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Goliad para niños