Dawson massacre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dawson Massacre
Part of the Woll Expedition
A plaque at Monument Hill Park marking the graves of those killed in the Dawson Massacre and the Black Bean Incident.
Date September 17, 1842 Location near Presidio San Antonio de Bexar, Texas Result Mexican victory
Belligerents
Republic of Texas	Mexico
Commanders and leaders
Nicholas Mosby Dawson  †	Adrián Woll
Strength
54 militia	500 cavalry 2 artillery pieces
Casualties and losses
36 killed 15 captured	30 killed 60-70 wounded
Casualties for the Battle of Salado Creek are not included.

The Dawson Massacre was a sad event where 36 Texan volunteer soldiers, called militia, were killed by Mexican soldiers. This happened on September 17, 1842, close to what is now San Antonio, Texas. The event was part of a bigger fight called the Battle of Salado Creek. That larger battle actually ended with a Texan win.

This massacre was one of many fights over land between the Rio Grande and Nueces River. The Republic of Texas wanted to control this area after it became independent in 1836.

What Caused the Dawson Massacre?

Texas Independence and Border Disputes

On April 21, 1836, Texas won its independence from Mexico. This happened after a big victory at the Battle of San Jacinto. Texas then claimed the Rio Grande as its southern border. But the Texan army was only strong enough to control land north of the Nueces River.

Antonio López de Santa Anna, who was Mexico's leader, signed a peace agreement. This agreement, called the Treaties of Velasco, gave Texas its freedom. However, the Mexican government never officially agreed to this treaty. Santa Anna himself said the treaty was not valid once he was released by the Texans.

Mexican forces and some Cherokee fighters kept fighting against Texas. They wanted to stop Texas from taking over the land between the Rio Grande and Nueces rivers. For the Cherokees, it was revenge for a massacre of their people in 1839. For Mexico, it was to show they could return to Texas whenever they wanted.

Mexican Forces Enter San Antonio

On September 11, 1842, a large Mexican army of 1,600 soldiers marched into San Antonio. They took control of the city with very little fighting from the Texans. When people in Gonzales heard this news, a man named Mathew Caldwell quickly formed a group of 210 volunteer soldiers.

Caldwell's group marched towards San Antonio. They set up camp about 20 miles (30 km) east of the city, near Salado Creek. From there, they planned how to attack the Mexican forces.

The Massacre Unfolds

On September 17, Caldwell sent a small group of rangers. Their job was to trick the Mexican soldiers into coming towards Caldwell's chosen battleground. More than 1,000 Mexican soldiers left San Antonio to attack the Texans.

Dawson's Group Attacked

At the same time, another group of 54 Texan volunteers arrived. Most of these men were from Fayette County. They were led by Nicholas Mosby Dawson. This group started to move towards the back of the Mexican army.

The Mexican commander, General Adrián Woll, worried that his army would be surrounded. So, he sent 500 of his cavalry (soldiers on horseback) and two cannons to attack Dawson's group. The Texans fought bravely against the Mexican rifles. But once the cannons started firing, many Texans were killed very quickly. Dawson realized they had no chance and raised a white flag to surrender.

During the confusion of the battle, both sides kept firing. Dawson himself was killed. The fight lasted a little over an hour. In the end, 36 Texans were dead, fifteen were captured, and only two managed to escape.

The Aftermath of the Battle

Meanwhile, at the main battle, Caldwell's men had successfully pushed back the Mexican attacks. They caused many injuries and deaths to the Mexican soldiers. Because of this, General Woll had to retreat back to San Antonio. Then, he moved his forces towards the Rio Grande.

The next morning, Caldwell's soldiers found the Dawson battleground. They buried the dead Texans in shallow graves. The dead Mexican soldiers were not buried. Caldwell then tried to chase Woll's forces south as they left San Antonio. But he was not successful. Caldwell returned to San Antonio after the Mexicans safely crossed back over the Rio Grande.

Remembering the Fallen

A Shared Burial Site

In the late summer of 1848, Texas had become a U.S. state. A group of citizens from La Grange went to the burial site near Salado Creek. They carefully dug up the remains of the men killed in the Dawson Massacre.

These remains, along with the remains of men killed in another failed mission called the Mier Expedition, were reburied together. They were placed in a shared tomb inside a cement vault. This tomb is on a hill about one mile south of La Grange. Today, this burial site is part of the Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites.