Juan Seguín

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Juan Nepomuceno Seguín (IPA: ['xwaŋ nepomu'θeno se'ɣiŋ]) (October 27, 1806–August 27, 1890) was a Tejano hero of the Texas Revolution.

As a teen in Mexico he had a strong interest in politics. He was very critical of the current Mexican leader, Antonio López de Santa Anna, and gladly joined the Texas Revolution to rid Texas of Santa Anna's rule. He led a band of twenty-five Tejanos who favored a revolt and fought on the Texan side at the Battle of the Alamo. Because Seguín spoke only Spanish, he was chosen to carry the message through lines that the Texans "shall never surrender or retreat." Seguín got the message to the other soldiers on the Texan side. He returned to the Alamo, but it had already fallen to Santa Anna's army. Seguín arranged for the dead Alamo defenders to be buried with military honors. Newcomers to Texas who disliked all Tejanos falsely accused Seguín of plotting rebellion.

He later commanded a cavalry company and fought at the Battle of San Jacinto. Seguín was elected to the Texas Senate in 1839 and became mayor of San Antonio in 1841. Seguín was forced from office on charges that he was aiding the Mexican army and for his defense of Tejano rights. He fled to Mexico in 1842 to "seek refuge amongst my enemies," where he was arrested and forced to enlist in the Mexican army as an officer. He later served against Texas and the United States in the Mexican-American War.

Seguín periodically returned to Texas after that, being elected to two terms as Justice of the Peace of Bexar County in 1852 and 1854 and as County Judge in Wilson County in 1869. He eventually settled in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, where his son Santiago was mayor. He died there on August 27, 1890. His remains were returned to Texas in 1974 and reinterred in his namesake town, Seguin, during ceremonies on July 4, 1976.