Goliad Battle Ground - July 9th, 2018
Visit the site of the March 19-20,1836 Battle of Coleto Creek fought between Col. Fannin's Texian forces and Gen. Urrea's Mexican forces
Fannin surrendered believing his men would be treated as prisoners of war but they were treated like pirates and shot on Palm Sunday
A giant screw in the center of the outlined star marks the center spot
Battle survivor William Hunter marked the spot of surrender with piled rocks
In 1894, the landowner Sol Parks, marked the spot with an iron press screw
The spot marks the center of the square the Texians formed for defense
To escape, the Texians would need to leave the wounded, including Fannin
They stayed and fought it out, until they ran out of ammo & surrendered
The pavillion was added in 1938, the band stand was built in 1928, and the 29ft granite obelisk was installed in 1916
Creation of the Historic Site began in 1913 with 10 deeded acres to the state
Another landowner sold 3.62 acres to the state for a caretaker's residence
Memorials to Governors Hogg & Moody and a local resident KIA in WWI
Memorials to the landowner, the park commissioner & caretaker in 1928
On to the 29 feet tall obelisk in the middle of concentric rings with the park entry gate in the background
Placed in memory of James Fannin and his men who surrendered here and were later executed outside of La Bahia
Their sacrifice ignited the Texian cause spurring victory at San Jacinto
Residents found cannon balls, musket balls & other artifacts through the park & the caretaker set up an informal museum inside the bandstand
The Battle's centennial brought the pavillion to the site and the community held dances and other events here afterward
Check out a chronological battlefield map inside the bandstand museum
The memory of lost battle that inspired victory is kept alive by the community
Houston ordered Fannin to retreat from Goliad, but he delayed 5 days
Santa Anna declared Fannin's forces pirates, not POWs, they were executed
View from atop the bandstand and small museum inside of the concentric circle with center obelisk
The Texians' square could not withstand the Mexican's cannon fire
Drive 9 miles into Goliad to General Zaragoza's birthplace, La Bahia
Ignacio Zaragoza was born in 1829 in a house near Presidio La Bahia
His birthplace was reconstructed in 1974 by Texas Parks & Wildlife
The house was only a pile of rubble when it was added to the park in 1961
Reconstruction placed the building on its original foundation
The fortress walls of La Bahia also laid in ruin in 1936
Zaragoza helped defeat Santa Anna in 1855
Mexico was invaded by England, Spain & France in 1862 to collect debts
England & Spain withdrew but the French army continued to Mexico City
The victory at Puebla was brief, Zaragoza died of typhoid 4 months later & the French reoccupied Puebla & Mexico City the next year
The French withdrew in 1867 and abandoned Maximillian to his fate
The Presidio La Bahia was relocated here in 1749
Every attempt to change the order of the government in colonial Texas involved the capture of this fort
The entry to La Bahia flying Dimitt's bloody arm battle flag
The 1749 Presidio La Bahia was restored in 1966
The nine flags of Goliad fly before Our Lady of Loreto Chapel
Goliad has three more flags than the state of Texas!
The 1st Independence Flag & two Republic of Texas flags are claimed
Inside La Bahia, spanish colonial societies are defined
The AIR CONDITIONED museum inside the fortress was much appreciated!
Fannin abandoned La Bahia 5 days too late and was overtook by Gen. Urrea
Was the killing of 350 unarmed men a massacre or lawful execution of pirates? Few can deny the brutal nature of the deed
Step outside and climb to a corner battlement of the fort
Original town of Goliad surrounded the fort, Fannin burned it when he left
Look over the reconstructed wall toward the chapel & bloody arm flag
The flag is a replica banner unfurled at a premature Declaration
Heavy wooden doors leading outside Presidio La Bahia
Check out the barracks where soldiers enjoy queen bed buck beds
Lucky soldier who can defend the fort while lying in bed!
Look across the plaza and focus in on the Chapel
Zoom out and include the battlement walls looking toward the chapel from the opposite corner
Head to the Presidio's northeast corner and pass the well
The blacksmith shop is along the north wall
Look west at the back wall of the chapel
Then go inside the courtyard to view the front of the chapel
Inside Our Lady of Loreto Chapel, where Fannin spent his last days
One of the oldest US churches, the fresco behind the alter was added in 1946
The balcony and church are lit by the circular window at the entrance
One transept with an alternate altar in the middle of the chapel
The Catholic Church acquired the chapel & presidio from Goliad in 1853
It has been an active church since & celebrates Catholic mass every Sunday
The only marked grave in the Presidio is that of Annie Taylor, 1852-1880
One more battlement to investigate near another large wooden door
This battlement has a cannon in place, aiming toward the worst neighbors
Rounded watch tower protected sentinels from the weather & enemy
You can rent a room and spend the night at The Presidio Quarters
The restored Presidio matched an 1836 drawing discovered in 1967
Fannin, wounded, sat, was blindfolded, shot, & not given a proper burial
The partially burned bodies were found in May, 1836 & buried shortly after
The burial site can be seen over the battlement walls beside the still active La Bahia Cemetery
Becerra helped SF Austin find a site for his colony near the Colorado River
Gen. Rusk gave the fallen a military funeral & burial here on June 3, 1836
The Texas & Bloody Arm flags fly before the Fannin Burial Monument
The Fannin Burial Monument was erected in 1838
Beneath this monument repose their charred remains - Remember Goliad
Names of soldiers buried at the Battle of Coleto Creek battle field
Names of 350 soldiers lined up and shot like pirates by order of General Santa Anna's Tornel Decree issued in December 1835
The Tornel Decree declared all foreigners attacking Mexican forces are deemed pirates and subject to execution
The unmarked site was almost lost to history before the monument was built
View of Presidio La Bahia beyond the American Flag and cannon
A statue stands in the field between the Presidio & burial ground
The Angel of Goliad helped save the lives of many men from the massacre
Francisca Alavez's name deserves to be recorded in gold among the angels
Final view of Fannin & his men's grave with the American Flag flying
The fortress walls of the Presidio La Bahia with Our Lady of Loreto Chapel in the center as viewed by the Angel of Goliad
The active La Bahia Cemetery beside Fannin's grave
It was likely established in 1830 and made official in 1836
And celebrate General Zaragoza's achievement in the best way possible