Battle of Lipantitlan

Fort Lipantitlan was built on the site of an old Native American camp along the west bank of the Nuez River off the Gulf of Mexico. At first, the camp was used as a temporary camp for the nomadic Lipan Apache tribe during their periodic visits. ^[2] After the Apaches left the area, the camp was often used by missionaries, military units, and merchants plying between Mexico and Texas settlements. ^{[3] [4]} In 1825 or 1826, Mexican authorities erected a temporary fort called Lipantitlan, named after the Lipan Apache Indian Camp. ^{[2] [3]} According to Texan John J. Linn, the fort was a simple earthen embankment, a fence was laid along the embankment to prevent the earth from spreading. The fort was also suitable as a second-rate pig shelter. ^{[5] The} mound was surrounded by a moat. Beyond the moat were clay and wooden huts for officers and their families. ^[four]
In the fort, 80-125 soldiers of the 2nd combat (cavalry) company of Tamaulipas were stationed. ^[4] They performed their usual duties ^[6] and defended San Patricio, a small settlement 4.8 km to the south. ^{[1] [4]} Small garrisons were also stationed at Copano Bay and Refugio; a large detachment was located at Presidio la Bahia (Goliad). ^[7]

“To suppress with a strong hand all who, forgetting their duty to the nation that accepted them as their children, strive to live by their own rules, without obeying the laws.” ^[eight]
From the orders of Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna to General Martin Perfecto de Kos.

In 1835, federalists in several domestic Mexican states rebelled against the growing power of the centralist regime of Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. ^[9] In June, there was a small rebellion among Texans against ordinary duties, ^[8] prudent colonists began to create police, supposedly for self-defense. ^[10] Santa Anna suggested that strong measures were needed to suppress the rebellions and ordered General Kos to head the Mexican forces in Texas. ^[8] Kos arrived in Texas on September 20. ^[eleven]
October 2, after the battle of Gonzalez, the Texas Revolution began. A few days later, Texas rebels captured Presidio La Bahia near Goliad. ^[2] 20 Mexican soldiers fled and soon found refuge in Copano and Refujio; these garrisons soon left their posts and joined the larger detachment at Fort Lipantitlan. ^[7] Garrison soldiers began to fortify the fort. ^[12] Essentially, Lipantitlan remained the last Mexican point on the Texas coast; it was a vital link between the interior of Mexico and Bejar, the political center of Texas. Mexican troops in Texas remained only in Lipantitlan and Bejar. ^[6]
Captain Philip Dimmitt took command of the Texans at Presidio La Bahia. ^[7] In a letter to General Stephen F. Austin dated October 15, Dimmitt proposed attacking Fort Lipantitlan, as its capture could “defend the border, provide a vital defense position, introduce instability in the centralist camp, and encourage Mexican federalists. ” ^[2] Most federalists in San Patricio feared retaliation for overt disobedience to central Anna Santa’s policies. They also did not want to send delegates to the Council (Consultation) - (the interim government of Mexican Texas during the Texas Revolution) - which was to decide whether the Texans would fight for the restoration of the Mexican constitution of 1824 or for independence from Mexico. ^[13] Soldiers in Lipantitlan held Dimmitt's two subordinates captive: John Williams and John Toole for their attempt to convey messages to federal leaders in San Patricio on October 10 and 11. Dimmitt hoped to free them after the capture of Lipantitlan. ^[14]
On October 20, James Power, an impresario in the San Patricio area, learned that the soldiers of the Lipantitlan garrison had been ordered to return Presidio La Bahia. ^[13] To strengthen the garrison before the attack, the arrival of 200 cavalry was expected, and later another 200-300 soldiers were to arrive. Although Dimmitt transmitted this intelligence message to Austin, he did not receive permission to attack. This delay was costly for Williams and Tula, who, without the help of the Texans, were sent to the interior of Mexico. ^[12] According to a letter from Dimmitt, kept in an angry tone and sent to Austin, Thule begged his guards to simply kill him, instead of sending him to Mexico, this march he believed would be fatal for him. Dimmitt concluded that “this news, after the condescension shown to the captives taken here could not but give rise to strong excitement. People under my command raised a cry, demanding retribution.” ^[15]

The Texas garrison was located in Goliad, 97 km from San Patricio. Fort Lipantitlan and San Patricio were located on different banks of the Nueses River. The territory of Mexico lay south of the Rio Grande, 210 km from San Patricio.
The noise made by the Texans after escorting Williams and Thule probably prompted Dimmitt to take matters under his control. On October 31, he sent one of his aides to the adjutant, Ira Westover, with an order to gather 35 people and attack Fort Lipantitlan. ^{[12] The} three advisers from the self-selected advisory committee — John J. Lynn, Major James Kerr, and Power postponed their trip to the Council, where they were elected to take part in the battle. ^[13] Instead of moving southwest towards Fort Westover, went southeast to Refujio. ^[16] This suggests that the expedition was actually heading to Copano Bay. ^[17] In Refujio, an expedition joined by people whose number is unknown. Historian Craig Roell estimates that Westover’s squad has increased by at least 20 people ^[13] , and historian Bill Groneman estimates the squad will be 60–70 men after reaching San Patricio. ^[18]
Meanwhile, Nicholas Rodriguez, the garrison commander of Fort Lipantitlan, was ordered to harass the Texas forces stationed in Presidio la Bahia. On October 31, Rodriguez and his men approached Goliad and learned that the day the Texans had left the fort. ^[19] Mexican soldiers immediately set off on the return trip. During the march, they did not meet a single Texan. On November 1, the Mexicans reached Lipantitlan and found their fort intact. Not knowing what the Texans were going to do, Rodriguez with the bulk of the garrison (about 80 people) turned back to Goliad, hoping to intercept the Texans. ^{[13] [19]} To protect the fort, 21–27 soldiers with two guns remained. ^[20]

Rodriguez expected the Texans to follow the straight road and his men patrolled the northern approaches to the fort. Westover's men approached from the east, avoiding Mexican patrols. ^[16] 8 km from San Patricio Westover received information that Rodriguez was looking for Texans. He ordered the Texans to speed up the pace ^[21] , and they arrived in San Patricio on November 3 half an hour after sunset. ^[16] At 64 meters from Fort Westover, two small groups of soldiers were stationed to protect the crossings of the Nuez River. ^[22] While the rest of his squad was preparing for a dawn assault, two locals from San Patricio came to their camp. ^[21] Westover arrested one of them, James O'Reilly, for “helping and supporting the enemy.” ^[16] In exchange for freedom, O'Reilly offered to persuade the Mexican garrison to surrender. Historians do not know what methods of persuasion he used, but by 11 o’clock in the evening the Mexican soldiers surrendered without firing a shot. They were immediately released after they promised not to fight anymore during the Texas Revolution. The Texans captured two 4-lb (1.8 kg) guns, 18 muskets and 3-4 pounds (1.4-1.8 kg) gunpowder. ^[5] They also released several Texans held captive. ^[22]

The next day, the Texans burned down wooden huts adjacent to the fort and dismantled the mound. ^[20] By 3 p.m. they had gathered 14 horses and prepared to transport the guns back to Goliad. At this time, Rodriguez almost overcame all the way to Goliad. Before he reached Presidio la Bahia, one of his spies brought him news of the capture of Lipantitlan by the Texans. Rodriguez and his people, including 10 colonists from San Patricio, again moved back to the fort, reaching it at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. ^{[5] [23]}
The Texans used a small canoe to cross the Nueses. When the Mexican soldiers showed up, only half of the Texans had already crossed over to the east coast. ^[22] Mexicans attacked, Texans found shelter in a grove. ^{[22] The} trees prevented the cavalry from approaching, the people of Rodriguez dismounted and attacked from two sides. Texas rifles hit 180 meters compared to Mexican Brown Bess muskets, which hit 64 meters. ^[23] After a half-hour battle, the Mexicans retreated, ^[24] leaving 8 horses and several wounded. ^[22] Only one was wounded among Texans - Lieutenant William Bracken, who lost three fingers. ^[23] Texas shooter A.J. Jones (AJ Jones) later wrote to Fannin about five dead and 14 wounded Mexicans, although historian Stephen Hardin believes that 5 Mexicans were killed and 17 wounded. ^[24] A letter from Jones mentions that the three wounded were the Alcald, judge, and Sheriff of San Patricio. ^[24]

Due to the lack of draft animals, it was not easy for the Texans to find a way to transport artillery. ^[24] As night fell, it started to rain cold, plunging people into a state of moral depression. Westover, Kerr, Lynn and Power decided to throw the guns into the water instead of continuing to fight for their preservation. ^[21] The Texans also threw seized ammunition and muskets into the river, in their opinion these stocks were useless to them. ^[25]
Most Texans spent the night in San Patricio, in the homes of locals sympathetic to them. Mexican troops camped in the open, not far from the battlefield. At dawn, Westover agreed to transport the wounded Mexican soldiers to San Patricio for treatment. ^[24] The next day, one of the wounded, Mexican lieutenant Marcellino Garcia, died. ^[21] He was a personal friend of Lynn and the Texans buried him with honors. ^[26]
Westover sent a messenger to Rodriguez, asking him for “another pleasant meeting.” ^[24] Rodriguez rejected the offer and, along with the soldiers remaining with him, retreated to Matamoros. ^[25] After their departure in Texas, only one Mexican group remained in Bejar (under the command of General Kos). ^{[1] [27]} The Texans controlled the coast of the gulf and all communication between Kos and the interior of Mexico could only be done on dry land. This long journey slowed down message delivery, supply, and reinforcements. According to Groneman, perhaps this contributed to the subsequent abandonment of Kos by Behar, after which there were no Mexican soldiers left in Texas. ^[one]
On the way to Goliad, Westover’s squad met Agustin Viesca, the recently ousted governor of Coahilla y Texas. A few months earlier, Viesca was captured by the Mexican army for denying Santa Anne's intentions to disband the local legislatures. He and his cabinet were released by soldiers he sympathized with and immediately sent to Texas to recreate the local government. Westerover and his men escorted them as a military escort and arrived in Goliad on November 12. Dimmitt welcomed Vieska but refused to recognize his authority as governor. The garrison made a fuss, many supported the governor, while others believed that Texas would become an independent state and therefore did not recognize the Mexican governor. Subsequently, the Council also refused to recognize Governor Vieschi’s authority, instead establishing the post of Consul General to govern Texas ^[28]
Dimmitt punished Westover for not following orders during the expedition. However, there were no records of Westover's disobedience. ^[25] Westover refused to make an official report to Dimmitt. Instead, he sent a written report to Sam Houston, commander of the regular army. ^[29] According to Westover, “all the people fought bravely, those on the opposite bank deprived the enemy of the ability to act on the flanks above and below the crossing, which they did very effectively.” ^[21] Houston praised the officers' conduct and courage and people, by this he greatly justified himself in business and thereby earned a reputation and fame for his country. ” ^[30] This was the first armed skirmish after the battle of Goliad. According to historian Hobart Huson, victory "re-lifted the spirit of the people." ^[31] News of the battle spread throughout the United States; many American newspapers praised the Texans. ^[31]
The failure and withdrawal of the Mexican army inspired the federalists in San Patricio. They soon took control of the municipal government, formed the police, and elected the delegates who were supposed to represent them on the Council. ^[25] However, this unity was not observed among the city’s population, many still supported the centralist government of Mexico. Upon reaching Matamoros, Rodriguez sent a letter to the city leaders. The letter warned that the Mexican army would return and support the people of San Patricio in their renunciation of the rebellion. One of the federalists of San Patricio later wrote to Dimmitt, “We have neither the people nor the means to withstand any forces that they send against us.” ^[30] The Texans did not leave the garrison inside or outside of San Pastricio. In 1836, during the Santa Anna invasion of Texas, General José de Urrea led Mexican forces along the Texas coastline and took San Patricio on February 27th. ^[thirty]
In 1937, the land on which the former Fort Lipantitlan was located was donated to the state of Texas. In 1949, the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife took control of the site. ^[32] The Lipantitlana Historic State Park now covers an area of ​​2 hectares in Nueses County. A stone pointer shows the location of the former fort.

• Groneman, Bill (1998), Battlefields of Texas , Plano, TX: Republic of Texas Press, ISBN 9781556225710 , OCLC 37935129  
• Hardin, Stephen L. (1994), Texian Iliad – A Military History of the Texas Revolution , Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, ISBN 0292730861 , OCLC 29704011  
• Huson, Hobart (1974), Captain Phillip Dimmitt's Commandancy of Goliad, 1835–1836: An Episode of the Mexican Federalist War in Texas, Usually Referred to as the Texian Revolution , Austin, TX: Von Boeckmann-Jones Co.  
• Roell, Craig H. (1994), Remember Goliad! A History of La Bahia , Fred Rider Cotten Popular History Series, Austin, TX: Texas State Historical Association, ISBN 087611141X , OCLC 30667624  
• Todish, Timothy J .; Todish, Terry & Spring, Ted (1998), Alamo Sourcebook, 1836: A Comprehensive Guide to the Battle of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution , Austin, TX: Eakin Press, ISBN 9781571681522