Battle of Refugio

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Texas Revolution
Gonzales – Concepción – Grass Fight – Bexar – San Patricio – Agua Dulce – The Alamo – Refugio – Coleto – San Jacinto

The Battle of Refugio was fought from March 12–March 15, 1836, near Refugio, Texas. Mexican General José Urrea and 1,500 Centralista soldiers fought against Amon Butler King and his 28 American volunteers and Lieutenant Colonel William Ward and his approximately 120 Americans. The battle, a part of the Goliad Campaign of the Texas Revolution, resulted in a Mexican victory and splintered Texan resistance.

[edit] Background

Colonel James Fannin and his men had improved the fortifications at the old presidio La Bahía and renamed it "Fort Defiance." News of the fate of Texans under Francis W. Johnson and James Grant (captured in earlier fights) created confusion rather than stirring the volunteers gathered at Goliad into action. To make matters worse, Fannin learned that some colonists who supported the revolt were in danger from Urrea's advance.

On March 10, he sent Amon B. King and a small force with wagons to collect the families and escort them back to Goliad. King found that the Centralista force in the area was greater than imagined and asked Fannin to send help while he took refuge in the old mission at Refugio. Fannin dispatched William Ward, commander of the Georgia Battalion, to assist King. The arrival of Ward at Refugio initiated a conflict over command between the two officers. This in-fighting caused the insurgents to break into several smaller detachments, each of which was subsequently defeated and its survivors captured by Urrea's troops.

[edit] Skirmishes

The majority of Texans were killed in the series of skirmishes that occurred following King's and Ward's rift or were captured and later executed, some in the Goliad Massacre. Fannin had received orders from General Sam Houston while King and Ward were away that directed him to evacuated Goliad and retire to Victoria as soon as possible. Reluctant to leave before these detachments returned, Fannin failed to leave Goliad ahead of Urrea's advance, leading to the Battle of Coleto.