Gen José de Urrea

Today in Texas History On the trail to Texas independence. Feb 13, 1836 - Santa Anna and his army reach the city of Guerrero in northern Coahuila just south of the Rio Grande. José de Urrea reinforces Matamoros and prepares to march north toward San Patricio and South Texas. Temperatures reached record lows, and an estimated 15–16 inches (38–41 cm) of snow had fallen. A large number of the new recruits were from the tropical climate of the Yucatán and had been unable to acclimate to the harsh winter conditions. Some of them died of hypothermia, and others contracted dysentery. Soldiers who fell behind were sometimes killed by Comanche raiding parties. Nevertheless, the army continued to march towards Béxar. As they progressed, settlers in their path in South Texas evacuated northward. The Mexican army ransacked and occasionally burned the vacant homes. Santa Anna and his commanders received timely intelligence on Texian troop locations, strengths, and plans, from a network of Tejano spies organized by Captain Carlos de la Garza. Portraits: Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and Gen. José de Urrea.