Key Facts
- Year
- 1835
- Conflict
- Texas Revolution
- Initiated by
- Texian volunteer army under Stephen F. Austin
- Mexican commander
- General Martín Perfecto de Cos
- Preceded by
- Battle of Gonzales (October 1835)
Strategic Narrative Overview
Stephen F. Austin, a respected civilian leader with no formal military training, was elected commander of the assembled Texian volunteers. Santa Anna dispatched his brother-in-law, General Martín Perfecto de Cos, to San Antonio de Béxar with reinforcements to hold the city. On October 13, 1835, Austin led the Texian forces toward Béxar and initiated a siege, surrounding the Mexican garrison and cutting off their ability to operate freely in the region.
01 / The Origins
Tensions between Texas settlers and the Mexican government escalated sharply as President and General Antonio López de Santa Anna's rule grew increasingly authoritarian. Texians, disillusioned with centralist policies, reached a breaking point in early October 1835 when Mexican troops attempted to reclaim a small cannon from settlers in Gonzales. The resulting skirmish, known as the Battle of Gonzales, ignited the Texas Revolution and prompted volunteers to gather and form the Texian Army.
03 / The Outcome
The siege culminated in a Texian victory, with Mexican forces under Cos defeated at San Antonio de Béxar. This early success gave the Texian revolutionary movement control of a strategically important city and bolstered confidence among settlers. The fall of Béxar demonstrated that organized Texian volunteers could overcome professional Mexican troops, setting the stage for the broader and more intense campaigns of the Texas Revolution that followed.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Stephen F. Austin.
Side B
1 belligerent
Martín Perfecto de Cos.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.