Brown Bess musket

Today in Texas History On the trail to Texas independence. Nov 24, 1835 - The Texas Army volunteers elect Colonel Edward Burleson as commander in chief to replace the departing Stephen F. Austin. Austin, who had been the commander of all the Texas forces at the beginning of the Revolution, was sent to the United States by the General Council of the Provisional Government of Texas to enlist more troops and secure funding. Meanwhile in Mexico - At this time, there were only 2,500 soldiers in the Mexican interior. This was not enough to crush a rebellion and provide security—from attacks by both Indians and federalists—throughout the rest of the country. According to author Will Fowler, General Santa Anna financed the Texas expedition with three loans; one from the city of San Luis Potosí, and the other two loans from individuals Cayetano Rubio and Juan N. Errazo. Santa Anna had guaranteed at least a portion of the repayments with his own financial holdings. He began to assemble a new army, which he dubbed the Army of Operations in Texas. A majority of the troops had been conscripted or were convicts who chose service in the military over jail. The Mexican officers knew that the Brown Bess muskets they carried lacked the range of the Texian weapons, but Santa Anna was convinced that his superior planning would nonetheless result in an easy victory. Corruption was rampant, and supplies were not plentiful. Almost from the beginning, rations were short, and there were no medical supplies or doctors. Few troops were issued heavy coats or blankets for the winter. Portraits: Colonel Edward Burleson, General Santa Anna, Brown Bess musket.