Turtle Bayou Resolutions

The Turtle Bayou Resolutions were signed by settlers during the Anahuac Disturbances, which played a role in the secession of Texas from Mexico and the creation of the Republic of Texas.

On 1832, Anglo-American settlers were involved in a conflict with Mexican commander John Davis Bradburn (also an Anglo-American) at the posting of Anahuac, Texas, near the north extent of Galveston Bay. The settlers were opposed to control of their daily affairs by the centralist government. They were primarily at odds with the administration over the subject of tariffs on imports/exports and also over the presence of conscripted criminals in the Mexican garrison, whom the colonists blamed for a number of local crimes. The simmering conflict reached a head when Bradburn took in two escaped slaves from Louisiana. Though slavery was officially illegal in Mexico at the time, the Mexican authorities wanted to encourage Anglo-American colonization of the frontier and generally ignored the presence of black indentured servants among the colonists. Among this population included three slaves who escaped from Louisiana and were given asylum by Bradburn. Two local lawyers, William B. Travis and Patrick C. Jack, attempted to repatriate the freed slaves to their American owner, but were arrested after forging a letter to Bradburn threatening armed intervention from Louisiana militia.

The Anglo militia skirmished with Bradburn's troops before retreating north to the crossing on Turtle Bayou near James Taylor White's ranch house to await the arrival of artillery.

The settlers received word that the anti-administration Federalist army had won a significant victory under the leadership of Antonio López de Santa Anna.

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