Siege of Béxar

Siege of Bexar

Date	November 1- November 14, 1835
Location	modern-day San Antonio, Texas, US
Result	Texian victory

Belligerents

Mexico

Texian rebels

Commanders and leaders

Martín Perfecto de Cos
Domingo Ugartechea
Francisco de Castañeda

Stephen F. Austin
Thomas J. Rusk
Edward Burleson
Ben Milam †
Frank W. Johnson

Strength

1,200

600

Casualties and losses

150 killed, wounded & captured

35 killed, wounded & captured

The Siege of Béxar (or Bejar) was an early campaign of the Texas Revolution in which a volunteer Texian army defeated Mexican forces at San Antonio de Béxar (now San Antonio, Texas, US). Texians had become disillusioned with the Mexican government as President and General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's tenure became increasingly dictatorial. In early October, 1835, Texas settlers gathered in Gonzales to stop Mexican troops from reclaiming a small cannon. The resulting skirmish, known as the Battle of Gonzales, launched the Texas Revolution. Men continued to assemble in Gonzales and soon established the Texian Army. Despite a lack of military training, well-respected local leader General Stephen F. Austin was elected commander.

Santa Anna had sent his brother-in-law, General Martin Perfecto de Cos, to Béxar with reinforcements. On October 13, Austin led his forces towards Béxar to confront the Mexican troops. The Texians initiated a siege of the city.

In 1835, federalists in several interior Mexican states revolted against the increasingly centralist reign of Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna. The Texians staged a minor revolt against customs duties in June, and wary colonists soon began forming militias, ostensibly to protect themselves. As protests spread across Texas, Mexican officials increasingly blamed the settlers from the United States for the discontent. As historian Alwyn Barr noted, many of the new settlers had "lived entirely within growing Anglo colonies ... and had made few adjustments to the Spanish traditions of Mexico.

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Wikipedia