Gen José Antonio Mexía

Today in Texas History On the trail to Texas independence. Jan 21, 1836 - Sam Houston arrives at Refugio to take control of the Matamoros expedition. The Matamoros Expedition has starts and stops, being plagued by supply, communications, and personnel problems. General Sam Houston wrote Governor Smith from Goliad. "You have no idea of the difficulties I have encountered." Nevertheless, Grant's force was determined to continue the march to Refugio, where it was to meet Johnson, be supplied from Copano, and receive reinforcements. Houston, knowing Fannin and Ward were supposed to be en route to Copano and Refugio with substantial numbers of troops and supplies, proceeded with Grant's 200 determined men to Refugio. There he probably intended to try to establish his authority prescribed by the governor and to stop the expedition, because "I have no confidence in them [the Mexican Federalists] and the disaster at Tampico should teach us a lesson.” NOTE: The Tampico Expedition. (A bit of clarification.) In what may have been a bit premature attack on Matamoros, and counting on the support of the liberals known to be among the members of the garrison at Tampico, George Fisher and José Antonio Mexía and his 150 "efficient emigrants" left New Orleans on November 6, 1835, on the schooner Mary Jane. The schooner ran aground off the bar of Tampico on November 14. This disaster, together with a premature uprising of the garrison on November 13 and the arrival of fresh troops from Tuxpan, upset Mexía's plans; he attacked the city held by Gregorio Gómez on November 15, was defeated, withdrew on the American schooner Halcyon, and embarked for the mouth of the Brazos River, where he landed his troops on December 3. Thirty-one prisoners were left at Tampico; of these, three died of wounds; the others were tried by court martial and shot on December 14. Portraits: Sam Houston, Frank Johnson, James Fannin, José Antonio Mexía