Martín Perfecto de Cos
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Martín Perfecto de Cos (1800 – 1854) was a 19th-century Mexican general.
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[edit] Background
Cos was born in Vera Cruz (modern-day Veracruz, Veracruz). He attained the rank of General in the Mexican Army and took part in the campaign against the rebellious Mexican state of Coahuila y Texas in the 1835–36 War of Secession from which the Republic of Texas arose.
[edit] Personal life
His father was a prominent attorney in Vera Cruz. He became a cadet in 1820 and rose through the military ranks. Cos was allegedly the brother-in-law of Mexican general and president Antonio López de Santa Anna. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1833 despite his limited battlefield experience.
[edit] Military career
Cos was appointed commander of military forces in Texas in July 1835 and was sent there to disarm any rebellious citizens. He arrived in Texas on 21 September 1835. Cos proceeded to the town of Goliad on October 1, then moves on to San Antonio de Béjar. Cos ordered the arrest of William B. Travis and any other rebel leaders. Once in San Antonio, Cos was assailed by Texan forces under the leadership of Stephen F. Austin. The town was put under siege by the Texan army. Cos surrendered the town of San Antonio and weapons to the Texans then proceeded to leave Texas. Mexican losses during the siege were about 150. On his way south, he met up with Santa Anna's forces at Laredo marching north to put down the rebellion.
[edit] The Alamo
Cos returned to San Antonio and led a column of 300 Mexican soldiers against the northwest corner of the Alamo on 6 March 1836. Eventually Cos' soldiers breached the Alamo's north wall.
[edit] San Jacinto
On April 21, 1836, Cos arrived with over five hundred reinforcements for Santa Anna shortly before the Battle of San Jacinto. He was taken prisoner the same day after his battalion was smashed and routed by a combined attack by Texas volunteers under Colonels Sidney Sherman and Edward Burleson. After being freed by General Sam Houston once Santa Anna had formally surrendered his army and agreed to terms, Cos led the survivors back to Mexico. He remained in the army, but his influence waned.
During the Mexican-American War, Cos was in charge of the garrison at Tuspan, but did not play a significant role in the fighting with the United States Army.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Davis, William C.; Lone Star Rising-The Revolutionary Birth of the Texas Republic; Free Press; ISBN-0-684-86510-6
- Roberts, Randy & Olson, James S.; A Line in the Sand-The Alamo in Blood and Memory; Simon & Schuster; ISBN-0-7432-1233-9
[edit] External links
- Read Martin Perfecto de Cos's entry in the Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas hosted by the Portal to Texas History.
- Martin Perfecto de Cos letter, August 8, 1835.
