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Mexican soldiers arrive to reclaim a loaned cannon but Texans refused to give it back, Texans fired on Mexican troops. Mexican troops retreated -
(the 1st real battle of the Texas Revolution) Texan soldiers followed the Mexican troops back to San Antonio de Bexar and after five days of fighting, the Texans seized the town from Mexican General Martin Perfecto de Cos and gained control of the Alamo.
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General Santa Anna and his army arrive on Feb. 23 and trap them in the Texans in the mission. Santa Anna demanded the Texans surrender, but Travis refused with a cannon shot prompting the Mexicans to attack the fort, starting the 13-day Battle of the Alamo -
Sam Houston negotiates a treaty with the Cherokee Indians. He asked for the Cherokee to remain neutral and stay out of the war so the Texians would not face war with the Indians and Mexicans at the same time.
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Commander William Barret Travis penned a letter to the “people of Texas and all Americans in the world” pleading for help fighting because the Texans were greatly outnumbered.
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Upon hearing of the plight of the Alamo, James Fannin, commander of the soldiers at Fort Defiance in Goliad began marching to their aid
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Within a day of deciding to go to the aid of the Alamo, Fannin felt that he should remain at Presidio La Bahía (known as Fort Defiance during the Texas Revolution) in Goliad. He had heard that Mexican General Urrea was headed his way and that Goliad should not be left unprotected.
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32 men from Gonzales enter the Alamo. These are the only reinforcements known to have entered the Alamo after the siege began
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The Constitution and the Texas Declaration of Independence established Texas as a new sovereign nation. Drafted by representative George Childress
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Sam Houston is appointed commander-in-chief of regular, volunteer, and militia troops -
General Santa Anna called for a surprise attack on the Alamo. The battle lasted 90 minutes and left 189 Texas men dead.
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The Constitution for the Republic of Texas is completed
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As the final act of the Convention of 1836, an ad interim government was sworn in consisting of David G. Burnet, president; Lorenzo de Zavala, vice president; Samuel P. Carson, secretary of state; Bailey Hardeman, secretary of the treasury; Thomas J. Rusk, secretary of war; Robert Potter, secretary of the navy; and David Thomas, attorney general.
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After making the decision to abandon Fort Defiance, Colonel Fannin and his men headed east as quickly as possible. General Urrea’s forces caught up with them before they could reach the cover along Coleto Creek. The following morning, after it was clear that more troops had joined Urrea, the Texians agreed to surrender. -
The surviving men of the Battle of Coleto Creek were marched back to Fort Defiance and held there until March 27 when General Urrea received orders from General Santa Anna to execute his prisoners. Over three hundred men were killed that day, but a handful of men managed to escape to tell the story. -
The last major battle in the Texas Revolution. General Sam Houston led the Texan army At 3:30 pm in the afternoon. With cries of “Remember the Alamo” and “Remember Goliad” ringing in the air, the Texan army surprise-attacked the napping Mexican troops. The battle only lasted 18 minutes, but during that short time 630 Mexicans were killed and 730 were taken prisoner. Santa Anna escaped during the fight but was captured the next morning in the grass, dressed as a common soldier. -
Santa Anna is taken to Velasco, TX where he signed a treaty stating he could never fight against Texas and that Mexico would immediately evacuate the new republic, officially ending the Texas Revolution.
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A resolution to recognize Texas was introduced in the U.S. Senate.
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The U.S. recognizes the Republic of Texas, as the last act of the Jackson Presidency. -
U.S. Secretary of State reports that treaty agreements with Mexico prohibit the U.S.'s annexing Texas.
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Texas withdraws the offer of annexation because of the U.S. Congress's lack of action on the proposal.
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President Polk signs the Joint Resolution. Texas is officially the 28th state on this date.
