Cedar
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Joined : 15 May 2007
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|  Subject: Fannin's Surrender at Goliad (March 20, 1836)  Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:17 pm | |
| Today marks the 172nd anniversary of Colonel James W. Fannin's surrender to General Jose de Urrea -- at Goiliad -- following the Battle of Coleto.
I am just beginning to learn about these campaigns of Mexico against Texas, and the actions which surrounded them. It is a challenge to learn without feeling very angry. And Santa Anna increasingly takes on the persona of a modern-styled, Middle-Eastern dictator: weasel, trickster, terrorist ... and fundamentally lacking in honor.
Rather than abide by the understood military conventions that the Texians "should be treated as prisoners of war according to the usages of civilized nations ..., Santa Anna sought and obtained from the Mexican Congress the decree of December 30, 1835, which directed that all foreigners taken in arms against the government should be treated as pirates and shot." (taken from Handbook of Texas article, linked to below)
Disgusting 
General Urrea is said to have been less comfortable with slaughter. Does anyone have viewpoints concerning this Mexican commander? It seems that he had to dance and weasel around to Santa Anna's cruel strategies and whims, but left to his own, would there ever have been a Massacre at Goliad?
Of course, the manipulation of words used by Urrea to entice Fannin into surrendering ~ "written terms, under which the Texans should give up their arms and become prisoners of war 'at the disposal of the Supreme Mexican Government,'" is almost Clinton-esque in its manner of deception.
Then, there was the previous call of Father Thomas J. Malloy -- who had ministered to the Irish colonists at San Patricio -- for clemency in regard to the prisoners taken there on February 27th. Their numbers were slight enough, as I understand, to allow General Urrea to exercise some mercy.
Urrea carried out but the core of his duty on March 15th, executing only fourteen of Captain Amos B. King's Company who had taken part in the Battle of Refugio .... allowing civilians to depart the scene.
But the dishonesty of Major Juan Jose Holsinger, as he approached Fannin and his men on March 20th:
"Well, gentlemen! In eight days, home and liberty!"
Disgusting
Is anyone familiar with the ancestry of this Mexican commissioner?
What is said vs. what is written in war: the voice seems to allow but little more latitude to liars than does the pen .... which, like the tongue, can be manipulated into all manner of filigree and fantasy.
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The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves |
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