Battle of the San Gabriels facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of the San Gabriels
Part of The Texas–Indian wars
Date 17 May 1839 Location The San Gabriel River, near Georgetown, Texas 29°44′56.3712″N 97°52′10.05″W / 29.748992000°N 97.8694583°W / 29.748992000; -97.8694583 (San Gabriels Battlefield) Result Texian victory
Belligerents
Republic of Texas	Mexico Various Indians
Commanders and leaders
Lt. James Rice	Manuel Flores

The Battle of the San Gabriels was a small but important fight in 1839. It was part of the Texas–Indian wars, which were conflicts between the people of the Republic of Texas and various Native American groups. This battle helped uncover a secret plan against Texas.

What Happened at the San Gabriels?

On May 17, 1839, a group of Texas Rangers led by Lieutenant James O. Rice was chasing a Mexican agent named Manuel Flores. An agent is someone who works for a government, often secretly. Flores and his group, which included some Mexicans and Native Americans, were being pursued because they had attacked and killed four land surveyors. These surveyors were working between the towns of Seguin and San Antonio, Texas.

The Chase and the Fight

The Texas Rangers chased Flores and his group for two days. Finally, they caught up with them near the north San Gabriel River. The battle started there. In the very first attack, Manuel Flores was killed. After their leader fell, his group quickly ran away.

A Secret Plan Uncovered

When Flores's group fled, they left behind a supply train. This train was full of supplies that were meant to equip Native American groups in East Texas. The plan was for these groups to start a revolt against the Texians, who were the people living in Texas.

Important Letters Found

In the abandoned supplies, Lieutenant Rice found some very important letters. These letters were between Flores and another person named Vicente Córdova. There were also instructions from a Mexican general named Valentín Canalizo. These documents revealed details about a secret plan called the Córdova Rebellion. This rebellion was a plot to cause trouble and fight against the new Republic of Texas.

The Link to the Cherokee War

The letters also showed that The Bowl, a leader of the Cherokee people, was involved in Córdova's revolt. This was surprising because The Bowl had previously said he was not involved. The discovery of these letters directly led to the Cherokee War, another major conflict in Texas history.