Battle of Refugio 12-15 March 1836, Refugio, Texas- Mexican Gen. José Urrea (1795-1849) and 1500 Centralist soldiers fought with Amon B. King and 28 American volunteers Lt. Col. William Ward and approximately 120 American volunteers
Background
James Fannin and his men had improved the fortifications at the old presidio La Bahía and renamed it Fort Defiance. News of the fate of Johnson's and Grant's men created confusion rather than stirring the volunteers gather at Goliad into action. To make matters worse, Fannin learned that some colonists who supported the revolt were in danger from Urrea's advance. On 10 March he sent Amon B. King and a small force with wagons to collect the families and escort them back to Goliad. King found that the Centralist force in the area was greater than imagined and asked Fannin to send help while he took refuge in the old mission at Refugio. Fannin dispatched William Ward, commander of the Georgia Battalion, to assist King. The arrival of Ward at Refugio initiated a conflict over command between the two officers. The in-fighting caused the insurgents to break into several smaller detachments, each which was subsequently defeated and its survivors captured by Urrea's troops. James Fannin James Walker Fannin, Jr. ...
Outcome
The majority of Texans were killed in the series of skirmishes that occurred following King's and Ward's rift or captured and later executed. Fannin had received orders from Gen. Sam Houston while King and Ward were away that directed him to evacuated Goliad and retire to Victoria as soon as possible. Reluctant to leaving before these detachments returned, Fannin failed to leave Goliad ahead of Urrea's advance. Sam Houston Samuel Houston (March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) 19th century statesman, politician and soldier; was a key figure in the history of Texas, and, as of 2005, the only person in U.S. history to have been the governor of two different states — Tennessee and Texas. ...
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