Most people think the Texas Revolution was won at the Alamo. Honestly, it wasn't. While the 1836 siege in San Antonio gets all the Hollywood movies and tourist traffic, the events at Goliad were arguably more pivotal to the eventual birth of the Republic of Texas. It’s a messy, violent, and deeply controversial chapter of American history that usually gets overshadowed by Davy Crockett’s coonskin cap.
If you head down to Goliad today, it feels quiet. But in March 1836, it was the site of a logistical nightmare that turned into a cold-blooded execution. The Battle of Goliad—specifically the Battle of Coleto Creek and the subsequent massacre—is where the "Take No Prisoners" policy of Antonio López de Santa Anna actually backfired.
You’ve probably heard the phrase "Remember the Alamo!" But the full battle cry at San Jacinto was actually "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" There’s a reason for that. Goliad wasn't just a loss; it was a betrayal that turned a rebellion into a war of survival.
The Messy Reality of James Fannin
To understand what happened at the Battle of Goliad, you have to look at James Fannin. He was the commander of the Texian forces there, and to be blunt, he was in over his head. Fannin was a West Point dropout who had been a slave trader before the war. He was indecisive. That’s the kindest way to put it. While Travis was pleading for help from the Alamo, Fannin sat at Presidio La Bahía with over 400 men, second-guessing every order he received from Sam Houston.
Houston told him to blow up the fort and retreat to Victoria. Fannin waited. He waited for men who were out on scouting missions. He waited for wagons. He basically waited until the Mexican Army, led by General José de Urrea, was right on his doorstep.
Historians like Stephen L. Hardin have pointed out that Fannin’s desire to "act like a regular army" was his undoing. He moved too slowly. He brought heavy cannons that got stuck in the mud. By the time he finally started moving toward Victoria, it was too late. He stopped his men in an open prairie to rest the oxen. You don't rest in an open field when a cavalry-heavy army is chasing you. It was a tactical disaster.
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The Fight at Coleto Creek
On March 19, 1836, Urrea’s forces caught up. This is what we officially call the Battle of Coleto. The Texians were surrounded in a depression on the prairie, which meant they didn't have a clear line of sight, and more importantly, they had no water.
The fighting was intense. The Texians formed a square. They fought off several Mexican charges using their superior rifles. But as night fell, the situation turned grim. They could hear the Mexican reinforcements arriving. They could hear the bugles.
The next morning, Fannin saw the Mexican artillery arrive. He knew it was over. He surrendered. This is where the historical debate gets heated. Fannin believed he was surrendering as "prisoners of war" under the norms of civilized conflict. General Urrea’s journals suggest he wanted to show mercy, but he was bound by the "Tornel Decree," a law passed by the Mexican government that labeled all foreigners caught fighting in Texas as "pirates" to be executed.
Palm Sunday: The Execution
The prisoners were marched back to the fort at Goliad. They were there for a week. Some of them actually thought they were going to be sent to New Orleans. They sang songs. They shared stories.
Then came Palm Sunday, March 27.
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The men were divided into three groups and marched out of the fort in different directions. They thought they were going to gather wood or head to the coast. Instead, the Mexican guards stopped them and opened fire at point-blank range.
It wasn't a battle. It was a slaughter.
Over 340 men were killed. A few escaped by sprinting into the San Antonio River or hiding in the tall grass. A woman named Francita Alavez, known to history as the "Angel of Goliad," managed to hide some of the Texians and pleaded for the lives of others. Her intervention is one of the few bright spots in a genuinely dark story.
Why Goliad Actually Matters More Than You Think
You might wonder why we focus on a defeat. It’s because Goliad changed the psychological landscape of the war.
- It galvanized the North: When news of the massacre reached the United States, it wasn't just seen as a military loss. It was seen as an atrocity. Support for Texas flooded in.
- It forced Sam Houston’s hand: Houston’s retreat (the Runaway Scrape) was already unpopular. The Goliad massacre made his men so angry that they were willing to charge a superior force at San Jacinto just for the chance at revenge.
- Santa Anna’s Reputation: Before Goliad, Santa Anna could claim he was simply putting down a domestic revolt. After Goliad, he was seen internationally as a butcher.
The Battle of Goliad proved that there was no middle ground. You couldn't surrender. You couldn't negotiate. You either won or you died. That kind of pressure does strange things to an army. It turns farmers into fanatics.
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Common Misconceptions About the Goliad Campaign
People often think Fannin was a coward. He wasn't. He stayed with his men even though he was wounded in the thigh during the fighting at Coleto. He was the last one executed, and his final requests—to be shot in the heart and given a Christian burial—were pointedly ignored by the Mexican firing squad. They shot him in the face and burned his body with the others.
Another myth is that the Mexican soldiers wanted to do this. Most records from Mexican officers at the scene show they were horrified. General Urrea himself had written to Santa Anna asking for clemency. The order to kill the prisoners came directly from Santa Anna, who was miles away in San Antonio, annoyed that Urrea was being "soft."
How to Visit and What to See
If you're a history buff, Goliad is actually a better visit than the Alamo because it’s less commercialized. The Presidio La Bahía is one of the most well-preserved Spanish colonial forts in North America.
Key Sites to Check Out:
- Presidio La Bahía: This is where the men were held. You can walk through the quarters and see the chapel where they spent their final nights.
- The Fannin Memorial Monument: A massive stone monument marks the mass grave where the remains of the executed men were eventually buried by the Texian Army months after the massacre.
- Coleto Creek Battlefield: Located a few miles away, this is where the actual skirmish happened. It’s a somber, open space that gives you a real sense of how exposed Fannin’s men really were.
Take Action: Deepen Your Knowledge
History isn't just about dates; it's about the "why." To truly grasp the impact of the Battle of Goliad, you should look into the primary sources.
- Read the Memoirs of Dr. Joseph Barnard: He was one of the few doctors spared because the Mexican army needed medical help. His firsthand account of the morning of the massacre is chilling and remains one of the most reliable sources of what happened inside the fort.
- Compare the Commanders: Study the contrast between General Urrea’s tactical brilliance and Fannin’s indecision. It’s a masterclass in why leadership and clear communication matter more than raw numbers.
- Visit the Goliad State Park: Don't just look at the fort. Look at the Mission Espíritu Santo nearby to understand the Spanish colonial context that existed long before the revolution even started.
The events at Goliad remind us that in war, the greatest mistakes aren't always made on the battlefield; they’re often made in the aftermath. By ignoring the rules of engagement, Santa Anna didn't crush the rebellion—he insured its success.