The Revolution begins!!! By 1835 Santa Anna was in full control of Mexico and he was proving he was a dictator. He disbanded the Mexican Congress and had a new constitution written to give all power to him He put down a revolt in Mexico and was extremely harsh to the rebels.

In Texas Santa Anna sent his brother in law, General Martin Perfecto de Cos to San Antonio de Bexar to watch over Texas and put down any rebellion. Cos sent soldiers to reopen Anahuac and to start collecting customs again. Martin Perfecto de Cos

Furious at the reopening of Anahuac, William Barrett Travis leads a small force of 25 men to destroy the fort. Travis uses a small ship called a schooner and fire a canon at the fort. The small Mexican force surrendered and agreed to leave Anahuac alone.

Austin Returns Two Texas lawyers secured Austin his release from prison in August of 1835. During his time in prison he learned of Santa Anna’s action and spoke positively of Texian independence. He convinced many in the peace party to call for a war for Independence.

Mottos in center: "Where Liberty dwells there is my country.“ Stephen F. Austin’s design for a Texas Flag Mottos in center: "Where Liberty dwells there is my country.“ "WASHINGTON-In his example there is safety"

Cos in San Antonio de Bexar General Cos knew the Texians were becoming more and more rebellious. He asked for more troops from Mexico and started fortifying military positions in San Antonio. He also felt he needed to disarm the Texians. He sent a small army patrol to the town of Gonzales to confiscate a small cannon there that was used for Indian defense.

Battle of Gonzales The citizens of Gonzales refused to give up the cannon. About a 160 Texians gathered around the small cannon and a flag inscribed “Come and Take It.”

The Texians attacked the Mexican soldiers and killed one. The Mexicans then retreated back to San Antonio

“Army of the People” Hundreds of Texians poured into Gonzales to take part in the fight but by the time they arrived the battle was over. They organized themselves as the “Army of the People” and elected Stephen F. Austin to lead them with the goal of taking San Antonio de Bexar.

Battle for Concepcion The Texians arrived in San Antonio with over 600 Texian soldiers. James Bowie, a Louisianan, defeated a patrol of Mexicans at a skirmish near the mission Concepcion. The Mexicans lost 76 men while the Texians only managed to lose one

Jim Bowie’s History Involved in massive land fraud in Louisiana and Arkansas before coming to TX. (fake Spanish land grants) Fought in the Sandbar fight (a duel) in 1827 where he killed a man with his famous massive knife. In 1830 moved to San Antonio to pursue land schemes and speculation. Married a young Mexican woman but she and their son died of cholera Bowie Knife

The Siege of Bexar After soldiers were defeated at Concepcion, the Texians soldiers laid siege to Cos and the city. A siege is when an army surrounds a fortified place and waits to attack. This siege would last 34 days with sporadic fighting.

The Consultation of 1835 During the siege, delegates from across the state met in San Felipe to hold a conference. The Consultation voted 33 to 15 NOT to declare independence but instead declared they fought for the Constitution of 1824 They also elected Sam Houston as General of the Texian Army. They also selected Henry Smith as provisional governor and to meet again on March 1st, 1836 to decide on the independence question.

Back at the Siege of San Antonio The siege dragged on and on and soon Texian soldiers started going back to their farms. But the army held and attacked anything that went into the city including a Mexican mule train carrying grass to feed animals in the city that became known as the Grass Fight.

Finally a 47 yr old Texian named Ben Milam told the his soldiers he was tired of waiting and proclaimed “Who will go with old Ben Milam into San Antonio?”

Three hundred men led by Ben Milam and stormed the city on Dec the 5th 1835 Fighting was fierce and Milam was killed, but the Texians won. Cos surrendered and promised to never oppose the Constitution of 1824 again. The Texians thought the war was over… Ben Milam