Presidio La Bahía facts for kids
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Presidio La Bahía
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Presidio La Bahía as it stands today
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 Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía
Location in Texas
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| Nearest city | Goliad, Texas |
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| Area | 45 acres (18 ha) |
| Built | 1749 |
| NRHP reference No. | 67000024 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 24, 1967 |
| Designated NHL | December 24, 1967 |
The Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía, often called Presidio La Bahía, is an old Spanish fort. It was built by the Spanish Army and became the start of the city of Goliad, Texas, in the United States. The fort you see today has been in its current spot since 1747.
This historic fort played a big role in the Texas Revolution. It was the site of the Battle of Goliad in October 1835. Later, in March 1836, it saw the sad Goliad massacre. The presidio was carefully rebuilt in the 1960s. In 1967, it was named a National Historic Landmark.
Today, Presidio La Bahía is owned by the Catholic Diocese of Victoria, Texas. It works as a public museum, letting visitors explore its rich history. It is considered a very important historical site in Texas.
Contents
The Story of Presidio La Bahía
The Presidio La Bahía was first built in 1721. It stood on the ruins of a failed French settlement called Fort Saint Louis. In 1726, the fort was moved to a new spot along the Guadalupe River.
Moving to the San Antonio River
The presidio and its mission moved again in 1747. This time, they settled at their current location on the San Antonio River. By 1771, the fort was rebuilt using strong stone. It became the only Spanish fort along the entire Gulf Coast. This area stretched from the Rio Grande to the Mississippi River.
A town grew up around the presidio in the late 1700s. This town is now known as Goliad. The area around the fort became one of the three most important places in Spanish Texas.
Challenges During Mexican Independence
The presidio was captured twice during the Mexican War of Independence. In 1813, the Republican Army of the North took it over. Then, in 1821, the Long Expedition captured it. Each time, Spanish troops later defeated the attackers.
By the end of 1821, Texas became part of the new country of United Mexican States. La Bahía was one of the two main military bases in Mexican Texas. It was located between San Antonio de Béxar, the political center, and Copano, a major port.
Presidio La Bahía in the Texas Revolution
In October 1835, the Texas Revolution began. A group of Texian fighters marched on La Bahía. After a short battle, the Mexican soldiers gave up. The Texians took control of the presidio. They soon renamed it Fort Defiance.
The Battle of Goliad
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In 1835, La Bahía was one of two main forts in Mexican Texas. The other was the Alamo in Béxar. Days after the Texas Revolution started, Texian volunteers decided to attack La Bahía. They wanted to capture Mexican General Martín Perfecto de Cos.
About 125 Texian volunteers marched to the fort. They learned that General Cos had already left. But they kept going. Some local Tejanos joined them. They reported that Colonel Juan López Sandoval had only 50 men. This was not enough to defend the large fort.
On October 10, 1835, before dawn, the Texians attacked. They broke through a door on the north wall. They quickly ran into the fort's courtyard. Mexican soldiers fired at them, hitting Samuel McCulloch. The Texians fired back for about 30 minutes. During a break, a Texian shouted that they would "massacre everyone" if the Mexicans did not surrender. The Mexican soldiers quickly gave up.
More Texian settlers joined the group at La Bahía. Stephen F. Austin, the Texian Army commander, ordered 100 men to stay at La Bahía. Philip Dimmitt was put in charge. The rest of the Texian Army marched to Béxar. The Texians took supplies from the fort. They found 300 muskets, but most were broken. They also took food, clothes, and blankets worth $10,000. These supplies helped the Texian Army for the next three months. The Texians also gained control of several cannons.
Support for the Alamo Battle
Colonel James Fannin later became the commander at La Bahía. He renamed the fort Fort Defiance. In February 1836, Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna led a large army into Texas. He wanted to stop the revolution. Santa Anna's army reached Béxar on February 23. They began a siege of the Alamo.
The Alamo commander, William B. Travis, sent a message to Fannin. He asked Fannin to send help to the Alamo. Fannin decided to try and help. On February 26, 1836, he set out with 320 men, 4 cannons, and supply wagons. They planned to march 90 miles from Goliad to the Alamo.
The Goliad soldiers had no horses for the wagons and cannons. They had to use oxen. After only 200 yards, a wagon broke down. The group stopped for repairs. It took six hours to cross the San Antonio River. By dark, they camped by the river. A cold front hit that night. The soldiers were cold and wet in the rain.
The next morning, Fannin realized the oxen had wandered off. His men had also forgotten to pack food. It took most of the day to find the oxen. After two days, Fannin's men had barely moved one mile from the fort. Fannin decided to cancel the rescue mission. His officers told him that General Urrea's army was marching toward Goliad.
The Goliad Massacre
After learning that the Alamo had fallen, General Sam Houston ordered Fannin to leave La Bahía. He told Fannin and his men to retreat to Victoria. They started their retreat on March 19, 1836. They took nine cannons but had little food or water. Fannin did not rush.
Near Coleto Creek, Mexican General José de Urrea and his men attacked. The Texians fought back at first. But they soon ran out of water. Fannin then surrendered. The Texians were taken back to La Bahía. They arrived by March 22, 1836. General Urrea asked Santa Anna to treat the prisoners kindly. However, on March 27, 1836, the Texian men were marched out of the fort. Mexican soldiers executed them. This sad event is known as the Goliad massacre.
Restoring the Presidio
In the 1960s, a local helper named Kathryn O'Connor gave $1 million. This money was used to restore the presidio. Construction happened between 1963 and 1968. Architect Raiford Stripling oversaw the work. The building was almost completely rebuilt. It was made to look exactly as it did originally.
Herbert Malloy Mason, a historian, called the presidio "one of the finest examples of Spanish church building" in North America.
Gallery
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The Presidio chapel as it looked in 1936
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Presidio chapel
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Defensive turret along the walls of the fort
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Gate leading from the chapel courtyard to the fortress courtyard
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Goliad Massacre Monument
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See also
In Spanish: La Bahía para niños
