Fannin, james

In 1821, Fannin moved to Columbus , Georgia , where he got a job as a merchant. On July 1, 1824, Fannin entered the US Military Academy at West Point under the name "James F. Walker." He was expelled from West Point for poor performance, being late and absenteeism. July 17, 1829 married Minerva Fort. They had two daughters: Jamie Fannin (born 1830 ) and Eliza (born 1832 ). In 1832, James Fannin went to the 1833 State Convention, where he represented Troupe County.

In 1834, Fannin and his family moved to Velasco , in the Mexican state of Coahuila i Texas (now Texas), where he apparently owned the plantation. During 1835, he joined the wave of growing resistance of the Texans against the Mexican government. He writes letters to US Army officers (West Point Academy graduates) calling for financial assistance and volunteers for the Texas cause. In April 1835, Fannin was sent to New Orleans , where he was arrested for outstanding debt. He leaves a deposit and returns to Texas. In September, he was already an active volunteer in the Texas Army. October 2, participates in the battle of Gonzalez , convincing Stephen Austin to send help to the city. Later, together with James Bowie, he commands the 1st Battalion of the 1st Division. By order of Austin, they guard the territory and control the lines of communication between the cities of Gonzalez and San Antonio de Bejar . On October 28, 1835, both command a Texas squad at the Battle of Concepcion .

In November 1835, Austin instructed the units of Fannin and Travis , in which there were up to one and a half hundred people to cut the supply lines of the Mexican garrisons. On November 13, Houston proposed Fenin's candidacy for the post of inspector general of the Texas Army. Fannin in response asks for his appointment as a brigadier general and entrust him with a dangerous site. November 22, 1835 Fannin solemnly leaves the ranks of the volunteer army and enlisted in the regular army of Texas. He is also allowed to return home and visit his family.

The commander in chief of the Texas Armed Forces, Sam Houston, with the support of Texas Governor Henry Smith , on December 7, 1835 confers Fannin the rank of colonel in the regular army. On January 7, 1836, the interim government appointed the “military representative” his subordinates only to the Supreme Council, and not to Houston. He begins to gather troops and ammunition for the upcoming disorientation strike on Matamoros , Tamaulipas . However, it was difficult for Fannin to keep the militias under his control. He tried to instill strict military discipline, which the volunteers did not want to accept. Many spoke of him as a cold and arrogant man, which allows some historians to conclude that his command was ineffective. Most of the people who served with Fannin recently moved to Texas, which annoyed him and he wrote to the current vice-governor James Robinson "... of the four hundred men who are in this post, and in its vicinity, I doubt that at least 25 were citizens of Texas" .

In early February, Fannin sailed from Velasco to Copano with four companies of the Georgia Battalion to join the Texas forces at Refujio. By this time, Mexican reinforcements under the command of General José de Urrea were arriving at Matamoros, making Texas plans to attack the city difficult. Fannin moves 25 miles north to Goliad . There his troops stop at Presidio la Bahia. The colonel begins to strengthen the city, and continues to send his officers to recruit recruits. "Include all whom you can ..." ... "to replenish their companies, and be ready for an early battle."

Having received (via James Bonham ) a letter from Travis from Alamo, on February 25, Fannin decides to come to the rescue along with more than 300 soldiers and 4 guns. After some delay, on February 28, he and his people set off on a journey of 90 miles to San Antonio de Bejar . The attempt to unlock the surrounded fortress was unsuccessful. As soon as the troops crossed the San Antonio River , the wagons broke down, and Goliad still had not disappeared from sight. There was not enough food, some of his men lacked shoes, and the bulls pulling the wagons scattered overnight. On March 6, Alamo fell, and all of his defenders (about 187 people) were killed.

On March 12, Fannin sent captain Emon Butler King and about 28 people with carts to take the remaining families out of Refujio. King and his men were confronted with the advanced units of the cavalry of General Urrea, the path from Refuhio was cut off and he took refuge in an old mission. A local boy made his way out of the city and reported to Fannin what had happened. He sent Lieutenant Colonel William Ward and about 120 soldiers to help King. Ward scattered the small Mexican units and stayed with King on a mission to spend the night so that their people could rest. On March 14, 1836, Ward and King on the way back were attacked by more than 200 Mexican soldiers of General Urrea. On the same day, Fannin received an order from General Houston to retreat to Victoria as quickly as possible.

In the end, on March 19, Fannin, without waiting for the units of Ward and King, led the retreating Texans and left Presidio la Bahia (which he renamed Fort Defaense), destroying everything that could not be carried with him. Fannin took with him nine guns, more than 500 muskets and a large load of ammunition and equipment. The column advanced about six miles when he gave the order to stop so that the animals could rest. At about 3 pm, the Mexican cavalry discovered Fannin's troops. The Texans immediately lined up in a square , placing carts with guns at the corners for protection. After a fierce battle, costing the Mexicans from 100 to 200 people killed and wounded, while Texas losses were seven to nine dead and 60 wounded, Fannin and his troops, surrounded by superior enemy forces, surrendered. They were sent back to Fort Defense, where they were in custody. On March 27, 1836, by order of the Mexican Commander-in-Chief of Santa Anna, James Fannin was shot along with all the captives.

Fannin County, Texas and Fannin County, Georgia are named after him. It is characteristic that the district center in Texas Fannin is the city of Bonham , bearing this name in honor of an officer who came to James Fannin for help for the Alamo Fortress .

During World War II , near Tyler , there was a training and concentration camp Fannin, named after James Fannin.

In the series Rebellion of Texas (2015) the role of Fannin was played by Robert Morrow .

• Gary brown. James Walker Fannin-Hesitant Martyr in the Texas Revolution. - Plano, TX: Republic of Texas Press, 2000 .-- 275 p. - ISBN 1-55622-778-7 .
• William Davis. Lone Star Rising: The Revolutionary Birth of the Texas Republic. - New York, NY: Free Press, 2004 .-- 354 p. - ISBN 0-684-86510-6 .
• Clifford Hopewell. Remember Goliad: Their Silent Tents. - Austin, TX: Eakin Press, 2000 .-- 169 p. - ISBN 1-57168-195-7 .

• Handbook of Texas Online Biography