The Battle of San Patricio

San Patricio

[Happened After: Houston Organizes Texas Army]

Colonel F. W. Johnson, having received his authority from the council, repaired with Dr. Grant to San Patricio, where they established their headquarters. With a force varying from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty men, they sent out parties to scour the country west to the Rio Grande. On one occasion they captured a small party of Mexicans under Captain Rodriguez. These they afterward released. At the time General Urrea marched upon San Patricio, Grant was absent on a scout, with about fifty men, leaving some forty in San Patricio. Urrea took the latter completely by surprise, and, though they fought long and vigorously, they were overpowered by numbers, and put to the sword.

After this victory, Urrea sent out scouts in search of Grant. At length, on the 1st of March, 1836, getting news that he was on his return, the Mexican commander set out at dark to meet and surprise him. At a creek called Agua Dulce, about twenty-six miles below San Patricio, the enemy formed an ambush. They were divided into two parties for the purpose of surrounding Grant—the one commanded by Colonel Garay, and the other by Urrea himself. Between eight and nine o'clock, on the morning of the 2d of March, Grant came up, and was completely surprised and defeated. He was wounded and taken prisoner. While his followers were slaughtered, he was detained a captive, that the enemy might have the benefit of his services in attending to their numerous wounded. Of the entire command under Johnson and Grant at San Patricio, five only—Johnson, Tone, Beck, Toler, and Miller—were so fortunate as to escape, and these were engaged in the affair at the town.

While Dr. Grant was in San Patricio, curing his own wound, and carefully ministering to the wants of the wounded of the enemy, he was promised that, so soon as he recovered, and those under his care were convalescent, he should have a passport to leave the country without molestation. The captain left in command of the town, after the departure of Urrea, secretly dispatched eight men in search of a wild horse. The animal was captured about three weeks after the battle of the 2nd of March. Grant was now brought forth, and, by order of the captain, his feet were strongly bound to those of the horse, and his hands to the tail. " Now," said the captain, " you have your passport—go !" At the same moment the cords by which the mustang was tied were severed. The fierce animal, finding his limbs unfettered, sprang away with great violence, leaving behind him, in a short distance, the mangled remains of poor Grant ! Nothing can be added to this simple statement of facts. [See Next: Texas Declaration of Independence]