Chapter 6, Section 3
Anglo settlers were angry following the passing of the Law of April 6, 1830 and then the governmental changes occurring in Mexico. They were upset because Mexico placed military rulers over civil leaders violated their own laws. They claimed that such actions arouse the feelings of every freeman, and impel him to resistance. These words come from the Turtle Bayou Resolutions A resolution is a formal act or decision agreed to by a group of people.
The actions of Mexico had made many Texans angry. They felt that Mexico was not following their own rules. Mexico, like the U.S., had a constitution, which is a plan of government that describes the different parts of the government and their duties and powers. Mexico, unlike the U.S., was not following its own constitution.
The settlers wanted their leaders to follow the rules. Until they did so, many settlers refused to obey those leaders. The governor of Coahuila y Tejas issued new land grants to people from the United States. A group of settlers who had arrived before 1830 were thus able to receive land in East Texas. They named the new settlement Liberty.
The Mexican government put General Mier y Terán in charge of Texas. General Mier y Terán sent more soldiers to keep peace in Texas. He declared that the new settlements were illegal under the Law of April 6, 1830. He ordered Captain Bradburn to arrest those who had made the land grants.
Bradburn was not a very nice man. He frequently abused his power. He was born in the U.S., yet fought for Mexican independence and was a Mexican citizen and later became a colonel in the Mexican army you can see why Anglo settlers were not his biggest fans! Not to mention He pushed people around and treated them badly. He ignored local leaders. He abolished the town of Liberty, arrested the land officials and ignored the local leaders. He was HATED among the settlers, and as you will soon see he will arrest someone very important in Texas History!
The town of Perry s Point is going to get a name change to Anahuac (the Aztec capital) in order to make Texas more Mexican Bradburn s visit to Liberty was not his only time in Texas, previously he had set up a garrison and tax collection station at Anahuac. His behavior here is going to get him into some trouble. Bradburn forced settlers to give him supplies for his fort without paying for them. He also took some slaves from settlers.
After taking slaves from settlers, William Travis and Patrick Jack, lawyers who represented a Louisiana slaveholder went to try and reason with Bradburn- to no avail. When Bradburn refused to cooperate, Travis and Jack tried to trick Bradburn into thinking there was going to be an uprising among the colonists in response Bradburn put them in jail without charging them with a crime! Bradburn s actions were legal under Mexican law. The Anglo settlers, however, thought his actions were wrong, as they would been under United States law.
Many settlers near Anahuac thought Bradburn abused his powers. William Jack, Patrick Jack s brother, spread the word about the events in Anahuac. William Jack s story about how Bradburn had his brother in jail and was abusing his powers sparked a rebellion. The settlers organized a fighting force of 160 men! At Brazoria, John Austin (No relation to Stephen or Moses) gathered another large group headed for Bradburn s garrison. The settlers tried to negotiate for the release of Travis and Jack. When Bradburn did not live up to his agreement about releasing Travis and Jack the settlers decided to attack the garrison.
Before they decided to attack the garrison, they decided they needed to assemble more firepower. They sent John Austin with a Group of men to Brazoria to find cannons for the attack.
While they waited, what did they write? The Turtle Bayou Resolution The Turtle Bayou Resolutions stated the causes of the revolt. The rebels said that Bradburn had ignored the Mexian Constitution of 1824. They pledged their loyalty to the constitution. The rebels also pledged their support for General Antonio López de Santa Anna. They said that he was the kind of leader they wanted. This is the first organized protest against Mexico, but it will not be the last!
The story of the rebellion at Anahuac spread throughout Texas. Soon, Colonol Jose de las Piedras, leader of the Nacogdoches garrison, heard about it. Not wanting a bloody fight with the settlers, Piedras decided to Replaced Bradburn and released Travis and Jack to satisfy settlers and avoid a fight.
The dispute was now resolved in Anahuac. No fighting will occur In the meantime, John Austin got the cannon from Brazoria and planned on traveling by ship down to Galveston Bay. However, there was one obstacle was in his way A Mexican fort stood on the banks of the Brazos River at Velasco.
Colonel Domingo de Ugartechea, the fort s commander, ordered John Austin s ship to stop. The Texas settlers refused, and instead they fired on the fort. Another group of settlers attacked from the ground. Many fighters on each side died or suffered wounds in the battle. Finally, Ugartechea ran out of ammunition and surrendered.
The hard feelings between the Mexican government and the Texas settlers had led to violence and bloodshed. The settlers had risen up against their leaders. Yet they had not given up on Mexico. Instead they wanted reform, improvements in the system.