The Saga Of The Texas Independence Trail Region
Pictured above: CCHC Chairman Bobby J. Wheat
The Texas Independence Trail Region consists of 28 counties, along and adjacent to the driving trail designated by the State of Texas in the 1960s.
This trail was developed for access to the Historic sites involved in the battles for Texas Independence.
The Trail runs from Washington County, its northernmost point to Chambers County, its easternmost point, down to Calhoun County, at its Southern tip; and West to the eastern edge of San Antonio.
Blue and white Texas Independence Trail signs mark the original route.
~~~THE YEAR 1830 ~~~
The Government of Mexico selected a site on Trinity/Galveston Bay, situated near the mouth of the Trinity River, and on a bluff overlooking the Bay,
to establish a Military Post. Here, Mexican General Meir Teran directed Juan Davis Bradburn, a Colonel in the Mexican Army, to build this Fort, and to lay out the site for a new town, the name to be selected by General Teran.
This Fort would protect the interest of Mexico by serving as a Customs collection point, enforcing Mexican President Bustamente’s law of 1824, that pertained to Colonists’ settling in Texas, their rights and protection.
By 1831, the Fort was basically completed and manned by 170 Mexican Troops, under the command of Col. Bradburn. The town was laid out, and in a Grand Ceremony, General Teran named the new town, ”Anahuac”, in honor of an ancient Aztec Capitol.
Soon after the arrival of the Mexican troops to Fort Anahuac, they began treating the American Colonists with much disrespect and cruelty. The Colonists complaints to Col. Bradburn about this harsh treatment went unanswered, and little was done to curb these actions by Bradburn’s troops. The unjust treatments continued and escalated.
Then after the sexual assault of an Anglo woman in Anahuac by two of Bradburn’s men, local firebrand lawyers, William B. Travis and his partner Patrick C. Jack, along with other colonists, captured one of the soldiers who witnessed the rape, and had done nothing to aid of the victim, and they then tarred and feathered the witness. Then Travis and Jack demanded Bradburn to take appropriate action against the guilty pair, but instead, Bradburn retaliated by arresting Travis and Jack, and throwing them into a converted brick kiln, that served as the jail at Anahuac, for their part in the tar and feathering of one of his troops.
The Colonists became outraged at these actions and demanded the immediate release of Travis and Jack. Bradburn refused, so the Colonists captured the Mexican Calvary unit who were on a patrol away from the Fort. The colonists then offered to trade their prisoners to Bradburn for the immediate release of Travis and Jack. Bradburn agreed to their terms, the colonists set their captives free, but Travis and Jack were not released as promised. However, after some serious negotiations between the colonists and Bradburn, the colonists threatening armed intervention, Bradburn released Travis and Jack. But, tensions further increased between the colonists at Anahuac and the Commander at Fort Anahuac.
In the meantime, President Bustamente repealed the 1824 law and replaced it with the new law of 1830. One Article of this new law stated: “The introduction of foreigners across the northern frontier (Texas) is prohibited under any pretext what-so-ever, unless the said foreigners are privileged with a passport issued by the agent of the Republic of Mexico at the point where the foreigners set out”. The colonists realized the Mexican Government was not going to act in their best interest, protecting their land grants, titles and civil rights.
It became very clear the Mexican Government intended to stop American colonization into Texas, and instead, give the best lands in Texas to the Mexican officers and their families.
The colonists met on June 13, 1832, at Turtle Bayou, 6 miles north of Anahuac, and drew up a set of declarations voicing their complaints against these new laws, and of the cruel and unjust treatment they were receiving at Anahuac. The documents were penned by Patrick C. Jack, utilizing his legal expertise, and became known as “The Turtle Bayou Resolutions”, and would later become recognized as giving Anahuac the distinction of being known as “The Cradle of Texas Independence”.
Included in these resolutions were the statements, “The Colonists of Texas have long been convinced of the arbitrary and unconstitutional measures of the administration of President Bustamente”.
The Resolutions also spelled out the injustices the government of Mexico had inflicted upon the Colonists. The Colonists would therefore pledge “our lives and fortunes in support of these distinguished leaders (including Travis and Jack) who are gallantly fighting in defense Pof our civil liberties”.
These Resolutions were presented to the Mexican Government, and received by General Santa Anna, who had now assumed the role of President and Supreme Ruler of Mexico.
Continued in Part 2 ~~~The Answer of Santa Anna to Anahuac~~
Part 1 - The Year 1830
Part 2 - The Answer of Santa Anna to Anahuac
Part 3 - The Escalation Of Hostilities
Part 4 - The Oncoming Tide
Part 5 - The Onslaught Continues
The Saga Of The Texas Independence Trail Region
(first published by The Anahuac Progress)
written by
CCHC Chairman Bobby J. Wheat
Chambers County Historical Commission News
Copyright 2009-2010. All Rights Reserved