Fannin Battleground Obelisk Base - North Face
Early in the 18th century, the Spanish crown decided that securing its claim to the province of Texas required establishing settlements there. This included a presidio, or military fort, known as Presidio La Bahia, established in 1747, downriver from San Antonio, near the present town of Goliad, Texas.
Occupied by Spanish and later Mexican soldiers, Texian rebels took it in 1835. In 1836, the Mexican army returned in force to restore Mexican control of Texas. The Texian commander at La Bahia, Colonel James W Fannin, was ordered to lead his men out of his post and join the main rebel army. Five days later, on March 19, 1836, Fannin led his men out of the fort. However, later that day, Mexican cavalry caught them in the open prairie and surrounded them. The Texians surrendered the next day, expecting that they would be treated as prisoners of war. Instead, the Mexican army marched the disarmed men back to the presidio and, on Palm Sunday March 27, marched them out and massacred them.
I visited this place on March 16, 2021.
Fannin Battleground Obelisk Base - North Face
Early in the 18th century, the Spanish crown decided that securing its claim to the province of Texas required establishing settlements there. This included a presidio, or military fort, known as Presidio La Bahia, established in 1747, downriver from San Antonio, near the present town of Goliad, Texas.
Occupied by Spanish and later Mexican soldiers, Texian rebels took it in 1835. In 1836, the Mexican army returned in force to restore Mexican control of Texas. The Texian commander at La Bahia, Colonel James W Fannin, was ordered to lead his men out of his post and join the main rebel army. Five days later, on March 19, 1836, Fannin led his men out of the fort. However, later that day, Mexican cavalry caught them in the open prairie and surrounded them. The Texians surrendered the next day, expecting that they would be treated as prisoners of war. Instead, the Mexican army marched the disarmed men back to the presidio and, on Palm Sunday March 27, marched them out and massacred them.
I visited this place on March 16, 2021.