Goliad Massacre: Victory from Defeat

Q: What was the Goliad Massacre?

The Goliad Massacre was the execution of 350-400 Texian prisoners of war by order of President and General Santa Anna of Mexico. The prisoners had been led to believe they were to be released but were instead shot on Palm Sunday, 27 March 1836.

Q: Why was the garrison executed at the Goliad Massacre?

Santa Anna had persuaded the Mexican Congress to approve the Tornel Decree on 30 December 1835, defining anyone taking up arms against Mexico as a "land pirate" to be executed without due process of law. No prisoners were to be taken in the campaign against Texas. Although General Urrea protested this policy and tried to save the Goliad garrison, Santa Anna outranked him, and so the men were executed.

Q: Did anyone survive the Goliad Massacre?

Yes. 28 men survived by running away or playing dead, others were rescued by Francita Alavez, the "Angel of Goliad," with support from Colonel Francisco Garay, and others were spared to serve as doctors, interpreters, or laborers.

Q: What happened to the bodies at the Goliad Massacre?

The bodies of the slain garrison of the Goliad Massacre were burned, including that of Colonel James W. Fannin. The remains were left at the site until June 1836 when they were buried with full military honors by General Thomas J. Rusk. The Fannin Memorial Monument marks their burial site.

Joshua J. Mark

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Definition

The Goliad Massacre (27 March 1836) was the execution of 350-400 Texians, of the garrison of Fort Defiance at Goliad, by the Mexican Army under orders from Mexican President and General Antonio López de Santa Anna (1794-1876). General José de Urrea (1797-1849) was commanding the troops who had defeated the forces of Texian Colonel James W. Fannin (1804-1836) at the Battle of Coleto (19-20 March 1836) and was in charge of the prisoners between then and 27 March, but Urrea disagreed with Santa Anna's policy of executing prisoners of war and so left it to his senior staff, chiefly Colonel José Nicolás de las Portilla, to deal with the prisoners.

More about: Goliad Massacre

Timeline

Feb 1836 - Mar 1836
Failure of the Matamoros Expedition. .
27 Feb 1836
Texians defeated by General Urrea at San Patricio.
2 Mar 1836
Texians defeated by General Urrea at the Battle of Aqua Dulce.
14 Mar 1836
Texians defeated by General Urrea at the Battle of Refugio.
19 Mar 1836 - 20 Mar 1836
Colonel Fannin and the garrison of Fort Defiance are defeated by General Urrea at the Battle of Coleto.
27 Mar 1836
The Goliad Massacre; between 350-400 unarmed Texians are executed at Goliad.
27 Mar 1836
The Goliad Massacre takes place during the Texas Revolution in which 350-400 Texians of the garrison of Goliad, under the command of Colonel James W. Fannin, are executed by Mexican troops under General Jose de Urrea. The event would inspire the victory of the Texian army at the Battle of San Jacinto along with the Battle of the Alamo.