1. The Mier Expedition and the Lottery of Death
Bigfoot Wallace
John Christopher
Columbus Hill
It’s the Iron
Fist, Bro 9
Reilly
Santa Anna

2. The foolish days of Lamar are at an end
The foolish days of Lamar are at an end! No longer will we spend, spend, spend!
Sell the navy!
Decrease the size of the army!
Forget expanding to the Pacific!
Let’s try and get annexed!
After Lamar’s term ended, Houston became president again. Texas was broke, and at war with the Comanche and Mexico! Things were MUCH worse than they were when Houston left office 3 years before.

3. In 1842 Mexico invaded Texas and captured San Antonio
In 1842 Mexico invaded Texas and captured San Antonio. They took a few prisoners, stayed a few days, then left. Why?
Mexico hoped to scare the Texans into moving back to the United States, so that they could invade later for real and there would be less resistance. Mexico also did this to get revenge for Lamar’s Santa Fe Expedition.
M e x i c o
San Antonio
Mier

4. Houston used Mexico’s invasion as an excuse to try and move the capital back to Washington. He sent men to get the official government records (archives). The people of Austin shot a cannon at them, and the men fled. This is called the Archives War. This helped keep Austin the capital. 9

5. Lamar was an idiot, but at least he would stand up to Mexico!
Yeah! 9
Fine! I’ll send an army to patrol the Rio Grande and try to get our prisoners back!
Houston, you coward! You didn’t want to fight at San Jacinto, and you don’t want to fight now!
Lamar was an idiot, but at least he would stand up to Mexico!

6. John Christopher Columbus Hill…
…was 15 Years old. His friends were going on the Expedition to the Rio Grande, as were his father and brother. John wanted to go, but his mother refused because he was too young. The night before the expedition left for Mexico, however, his mother had a dream that “God would protect John if he went.” She changed her mind. John’s other brother had been wounded at San Jacinto and couldn’t participate. He gave John his San Jacinto rifle, and told him he would rather it be destroyed than captured by the Mexican Army.

7. Make sure Mr. Terry tells you about the bear and the accident.
Houston sent 900 men to patrol the border and try and get the prisoners back!
M e x i c o
Make sure Mr. Terry tells you about the bear and the accident.

8. The Texans reached the Rio Grande, but the Mexican Army was long gone
The Texans reached the Rio Grande, but the Mexican Army was long gone Texans decided to go home decided to invade Mexico and rob some of the border towns.
M e x i c o
The Texans robbed several town along the border before arriving at Mier on Christmas Eve. After demanding money from the mayor, they went to sleep in some of the buildings downtown. The next morning they awoke to find that 1,500 Mexican troops had them surrounded.
Mier

9. The Texans fought GREAT
The Texans fought GREAT! They killed about 600 of the enemy, and lost just a few of their own. By the next day, however, they were out of ammo and water!

10. At one point, the Mexican soldiers tried to place a cannon on a nearby hill so that they could blast the roof of the Texan’s hideout. Hill and one of is friends climbed on top of the roof and picked off the guys attempting to fire the cannon. Hill personally shot 15.

11. The leader of the Texans, Fisher, decided to surrender
The leader of the Texans, Fisher, decided to surrender. He actually surrendered at discretion to the Mexican commander, General Ampudia (Ampudia had fought at the Battle of the Alamo, so the Texans really hated him.) Little did Fisher know that as he walked through the door to surrender, Ampudia was ordering a RETREAT!
Smash your guns, boys, don’t let the Mexican Army git ‘em!
The San Jacinto Rifle was destroyed
“I once deep-fried a man’s head and put it on a stick.”- Ampudia.

12. The Texans were marched deeper into Mexico
The Texans were marched deeper into Mexico. Along the way, they overpowered the guards and escaped! They came to a crossroads: should they take path through the mountains or the path through the valley?
They chose the path through the mountains. Many Texans died of thirst. Others drank horse blood and their urine to survive. A few made it back to Texas. Most were recaptured by Mexico.

13. What Happened to John C. Hill?
You are very brave. If you allow me to adopt you, I will let your father and brother go free back to Texas.
It’s the Iron
Fist, Bro
Si.

14. Santa Anna ordered that 1 out of 10 Texans die. 176 Texans remained
Santa Anna ordered that 1 out of 10 Texans die! 176 Texans remained...The Mexican soldiers placed 159 white beans in a jar, 17 black beans on top. If you drew a white bean...prison....a black bean meant...death!
Better luck next time!

15. The Execution of the Prisoners!
I pretended to be dead. I escaped, made it back to the Rio Grande, was re-captured, brought back and shot!
It took 18 shots to finish me off!

16. Some of the Texans escaped from the prison by digging a tunnel
Some of the Texans escaped from the prison by digging a tunnel. The rest lived there for a few years and were eventually released and allowed to return to Texas.
Make sure Mr. Terry tells you about the other accident, the tobacco, and the lice!

17. John C.C. Hill at 35 Years of Age
Hill lived in Mexico the rest of his life, became a successful engineer, and had a big family. When he was almost 70, he moved back to Texas and married his childhood sweetheart.

18. How are the Mier Expedition and the Alamo similar/different?
Why do you think there has never been a movie made about the Mier Expedition?
Who should play John Hill?
Fisher?
Bigfoot Wallace?
Hill’s mother?
Ampudia?