NationMaster - Encyclopedia: James Fannin

James Walker Fannin, Jr. (January 1, 1805 – March 27, 1836) was a 19th century U.S. military figure and Texas leader during the Texas Revolution of (1835–36). Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1805 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in leap years). ... Charles Darwin 1836 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Texas Revolution was fought from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836 between Mexico and the Tejas portion of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas. ...

1 Early life
2 Military career
3 Private Citizen
4 Texas: 1834-35
5 Texas: 1835-36
6 Battle of Coleto Creek
7 See also
8 External link
9 Further reading

Early life

Fannin's grandfather, James W. Fanning, dropped the 'g' from his last name to disassociate himself from his "Tory" brother during the US Revolutionary War. His grandfather died in (1803). Fannin's father, Isham, died on 26 April 1817. He had two children, Jamie and Eliza. Both girls. Fannin was born in Twiggs County, Georgia. Twiggs County is a county located in the state of Georgia. ...

Military career

Fannin joined the United States Military Academy at West Point on July 1, 1819. He resigned from West Point due to poor grades, absences and tardies. West Point redirects here. ...

Private Citizen

In 1828 he moved to Columbus, Ga. to become a merchant. He married Minerva Fort on 17 July 1829 and they had two daughters, Jamie Fannin (b.1830) and Eliza (b.1832). In (1832) Fannin also begins dealing in the illegal importation of slaves to the US. He also serves as a representative to the state convention in (1833) from Troup Co.,Ga.

Texas: 1834-35

In 1834, Fannin settled at Velasco in the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas (now Texas), where he apparently was a plantation owner. By 1835, Fannin was becoming part of the growing resistance to the Mexican government in Texas. He wrote letters seeking financial assistance and volunteers to help the Texas cause. In April (1835) Fannin traveled to New Orleans where he was arrested for an outstanding debt he owed to Theopholus Hyde. Fannin posted bail and went back to Texas. By September, Fannin was an active volunteer in the Texas Army. He participated in the Battle of Gonzales on October 2 and urged Stephen F. Austin to send aid to Gonzales. Fannin later worked with James Bowie ,First Battalion, First Division, under Austin's orders to secure supplies and determine the conditions in and around Gonzales and San Antonio de Bexar. Fannin, together with Bowie also participated in the Battle of Concepción on 28 October 1835. 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Founded in 1831, Velasco, TX is situated on the east side of the Brazos River in southeast Texas. ... Coahuila y Tejas (or Coahuila and Texas) was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area Ranked 2nd - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 kmÂ²) - Width 660 miles (1,065 km) - Length 790 miles (1,270 km) - % water 2. ... A plantation is an intentional planting of a crop, on a larger scale, usually for uses other than cereal production or pasture. ... | Come and take it, slogan of the Texas Revolution 1835 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Mexican Texas is the name given by Texas history scholars to the period between 1821 and 1836, when Texas was part of Mexico, as a part of the state of Coahuila y Tejas. ... The Battle of Gonzales was a skirmish that took place on October 2, 1835, in the Texas town of Gonzales between the Texian settlers and a detachment of Mexican army. ... October 2 is the 275th day (276th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 90 days remaining. ... Stephen F. Austin Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 â€“ December 27, 1836), known as the Father of Texas, led the Anglo-American colonization of the region. ... James Bowie (1796 - March 6, 1836), better known as Jim Bowie, was a pioneer and soldier who took a prominent part in the Texas Revolution and was killed at the Battle of the Alamo. ... The Alamo in San Antonio San Antonio is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. ... The Battle of ConcepciÃ³n A 19th century skirmish between the Republic of Mexico and the rebellious Mexican state of Texas on 28 October 1835, during the Texas Revolution, Republic of Texass independence from Mexico. ...

Texas: 1835-36

In November 1835, Austin ordered Fannin and William B. Travis and about (150) men to cut off any Mexican supply party. On 13 November Houston offered Fannin the post of Inspector General to the regular army. Fannin wrote back requesting a field appointment of Brigadier General and a "post of danger". On 22 November 1835, Fannin was honorably discharged from the volunteer army by Austin and began campaigning for a larger regular army for Texas. He also went home to spend time with his family. William Travis William Barret Travis (August 1809â€“March 6, 1836) was a 19th Century lawyer and soldier. ... November 13 is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 48 days remaining. ... Inspector General is a fact finding officer whose responsibility is to investigate charges of corruption, fraud, waste and abuse and other complaints regarding government officials. ... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... November 22 is the 326th day (327th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sam Houston, supported by Governor Smith, commissioned Fannin as a Colonel in the regular army on 7 December 1835. By 7 January 1836, the provisional government had appointed Fannin 'military agent' that answered only to the council and not Houston. He began recruiting forces and supplies for the forthcoming and confusing campaign against Matamoros, Mexico. However, Fannin had difficulty leading the volunteers in his charge. He tried to institute regular army discipline, but his irregular volunteers would not accept it. Many of his men felt he was aloof and several historians believe that he was an ineffective commander because of it. The majority of the men serving under Fannin had only been in Texas a short time and this frustrated Fannin who wrote acting Lt. Governor James W. Robinson "..among the rise of 400 men at, and near this post, I doubt if 25 citizens of Texas can be mustered in the ranks...". Sam Houston Samuel Houston (March 2, 1793 â€“ July 26, 1863) was a 19th century American statesman, politician and soldier. ... Colonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 7 is the seventh day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Matamoros is a city in the north of the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. ... Irregular soldiers in Beauharnois, Quebec, 19th century Irregular military refers to any non-standard military. ...

In early February, Fannin sailed from Velasco and landed at Copano with four companies of the Georgia Battalion, moving to join a small band of Texans at Refugio. When Mexican reinforcements, under General Jose Urrea, arrived at Matamoros, thus complicating the Texan's plans to attack that city, Fannin withdrew twenty-five miles north to Goliad. He quartered his troops at Presidio La Bahia. Now Lt. Colonel of the First Artillery, Fannin began strengthening defenses at Goliad, and sent out his captains to find recruits for the army. "Enlist all you can.." ..." fill up your companies, and be ready for the field soon". Refugio is a town located in Refugio County, Texas. ... b. ... Goliad is a city located in Goliad County, Texas, United States. ...

Appeals from Travis at the Alamo prompted Fannin to launch a relief march of over 300 men and four pieces of artillery on 25 February. Finally, after some delay, Fannin and his men moved out on the 28th for the ninety-odd miles to San Antonio. The entire relief mission was a failure. The troops barely had crossed the San Antonio River when wagons broke down, forcing the men to camp still within sight of Goliad. There was little or no food to take, some men were barefooted and over night, the oxen to pull the wagons wandered off. February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

On 12 March, Fannin sent Captain Amon Butler King and about twenty-eight men to take wagons to Refugio and help evacuate the remaining families there. King and his men confronted an advanced party of Gen. Urrea's cavalry in Refugio and withdrew to the old mission. A local boy managed to sneak out of town and alerted Fannin of the skirmish. Fannin sent Lt. Col. William Ward and about 120 men to King's aid. Ward managed to drive the small Mexican forces away and decided to stay the night to rest his men. On 14 March 1836, Ward and King were attacked by Urrea and over 200 Mexican soldiers as they were about to depart back to Fannin. The same day, Gen. Houston ordered Fannin to retreat to Victoria. There have been several people named William Ward, including: William Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley, sometime Governor-General of Australia William Ward the Serampore missionary (see Joshua Marshman, and William Carey ) for more details William Ward, Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the Georgia Battalion, who was executed at the Goliad Massacre during... March 14 is the 73rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (74th in leap years) with 292 days remaining in the year. ... Victoria is a city located in Victoria County, Texas. ...

Battle of Coleto Creek

On 19 March, about 9:30am, Fannin began his slow retreat from Fort Defiance [1] and destroyed everything he did not take with him. Fannin took nine cannon and over 500 spare muskets and was heavily ladened with supplies and baggage. The column traveled about six miles when Fannin ordered a halt to rest his animals. At about 3:00pm Mexican cavalry appeared near Fannin's troops. The Texans immediately formed a hollow square with their wagons and cannon were placed in each corner for defense as Gen. Urrea's forces attacked. After a fierce battle that cost the Mexicans about 100-200 killed and wounded; Texan losses were seven to nine killed and sixty wounded, Fannin and his troops, facing overwhelming odds, surrendered at the Battle of Coleto. They were marched back to Fort Defiance and were imprisoned. March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... Fort Defiance (Navajo Tséhootsooí) is a census-designated place located in Apache County, Arizona. ... An infantry square is a battle tactic of infantry when faced with cavalry. ... The Battle of Coleto (also known as The Battle of Coleto Creek) was a 19th century battle of the Texas Revolution fought between rebelling Texan colonists and the Republic of Mexico on March 19 and March 20, 1836. ...

Mexican Gen. Urrea appointed Col. Jose Nicolas de la Portilla in command of the La Bahia garrison while he was away at Victoria. On 26 March 1836 a courier arrived with orders from Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna to Portilla: " I therefore order, that you should give immediate effect to the said ordinance in respect to all those foreigners who have yielded to the force of arms." Portilla answered with the reply that the prisoners would be shot the next day. On 27 March 1836 Fannin's men were marched out in three columns and shot point blank and massacred. Fannin was shot before a firing squad while seated and blindfolded. March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (86th in leap years). ... Antonio López de Santa Anna Antonio López de Santa Anna Pérez de Lebrón (sometimes spelled de Santa Ana) (February 21, 1794 - 21 June 1876) was a Mexican general and dictator. ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in leap years). ... The word massacre has a number of meanings, but most commonly refers to individual events of deliberate and direct mass killing, especially of noncombatant civilians or other innocents, that would often qualify as war crimes or atrocities. ... Execution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, especially in times of war. ...

Fannin County, Texas and Fannin County, Georgia are named in his honor. Ironically, the county seat of Fannin County, Texas is Bonham, named after the individual who sought Fannin's aid at the Alamo. Fannin County is a county located in the state of Texas. ... Fannin County is a county located in the state of Georgia. ... Bonham is a city in Fannin County, Texas, United States. ...

Camp Fannin, a large military training and POW Camp used during World War II and located near Tyler, TX, was named in his honor. Tyler is the county seat of Smith County in East Texas; it is located roughly halfway between Dallas and Shreveport. ...

External link

Entry for James Walker Fannin, Jr. from the Handbook of Texas Online

The Handbook of Texas (ISBN 0-87611-151-7) is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published jointly by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) and the General Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin. ...

Contents

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