The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 23, July 1919 - April, 1920 Page: 274
319 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Positive evidence that Fannin was attempting to retreat to Vic-
toria may be found in two letters which Fannin wrote from Goliad,
but which fell into the hands of Urrea and were translated into
Spanish and published in his Diario in 1838.85 These show that
Fannin was having difficulty in retreating to Victoria, but that he
was firm in his resolution to do so. The first of the letters is an
order to Colonel A. C. Horton to hasten forward the cattle, horses,
and mules to aid him in the retreat. An extract from it re-trans-
lated into English reads:
Yours of yesterday received rather late in the afternoon. I wish
to inform you that as soon as the party of 200 men under the com-
mand of Colonel Ward, which I look for between 9 and 10 tonight,
returns, overcoming all difficulties, I shall march to Victoria in
compliance with the orders of General Houston. Therefore, if you
cannot advance to this point, you will probably overtake me on
the way.
The second letter is to Captain Sam A. White at Victoria urg-
ing him also to hasten forward the carts, oxen, etc., for the re-
treat, and ordering that ammunition be sent for the army along
the Colorado. An extract from it reads: "The division under
the orders of Colonel Ward has not yet arrived, but as quickly as
they do, we shall march upon Victoria, which point I shall defend
as quickly as possible."
It is hardly possible that Fannin would have written these officers
urging them to aid him in his retreat, and at the same time have
written General Houston that he refused to do so.
Again, Desauque, the courier who brought the message to Fannin
to retreat to Victoria,6 was present at the battle of Coleto, was
captured there, and was shot on March 27 along with the other
volunteers. It is not likely that Fannin would have sent so im-
portant a reply by another messenger, or that Desauque would have
returned to Goliad after delivering the message to Houston.
Thus, the evidence examined shows that there were two orders
to retreat, one to Bexar and the other to Victoria, and that Fannin,
though possibly refusing to obey the first, was using every effort
to obey the second."Urrea, Diario, 57-8.
"Yoakum, History of Texas, II, 87.274
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 23, July 1919 - April, 1920, periodical, 1920; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101075/m1/280/: accessed May 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.