This is a timeline of the Texas Revolution, spanning the time from the earliest independence movements of the area of Texas, over the declaration of independence from Spain, up to the secession of the Republic of Texas from Mexico.
The first shot of the Texas Revolution was fired at the Battle of Gonzales on October 2, 1835. This marked the beginning of the revolution. Over the next three months, the Texian colonists drove all Mexican army troops out of the province. . General Jose Urrea marched half of the troops up the Texas coast in the Goliad campaign, while Santa Anna led the rest of the troops to San Antonio de Bexar. After a thirteen-day siege, Santa Anna's army defeated the small group of Texians at the Battle of the Alamo and continued east. Many Texians, including the government, fled their homes in the Runaway Scrape. On March 19 the Texas troops marched into an open prairie outside of Goliad during a heavy fog. When they stopped to rest their animals, Urrea and his main army surrounded them. The Texas force numbered at least 300 soldiers, and the Mexicans had 300 to 500 troops. With no choice but battle, James Fannin chose to stand and fight near Coleto Creek. Santa Anna and his troops searched for the Texian government and the Texian army led by Sam Houston. On April 21, 1836, the Texans defeated Santa Anna's army at the Battle of San Jacinto; Santa Anna was captured the following day. The Mexican army retreated back to Mexico City, ending the Texas Revolution. Texas was now an independent colony and later joined the United States.
Prelude to war: 1823–1834 YearPolitical eventsMilitary events 1823 February 18Agustín de Iturbide approved Stephen F. Austin's colonization contract. JulyAustin establishes the town of San Felipe de Austin as his headquarters. Mexico passes a law forbidding sale or purchase of slaves and requiring that the children of slaves be freed when they reached fourteen. Any slave introduced into Mexico by purchase or trade would also be freed. 1824 October 4The Mexican Constitution of 1824 establishes a federal republic. Texas is combined with the province of Coahuila to form the new province Coahuila y Tejas. 1825 Green DeWitt establishes a new colony in Texas, west of Austin's. Haden Edwards establishes a colony in Texas, east of Austin's. Martín De León establishes a colony in Texas, south of Austin's. 1826 December 16Empresario Haden Edwards and 30 of his settlers declare themselves to be the independent Republic of Fredonia. JulyComanches burn DeWitt's town to the ground. 1827 United States President John Quincy Adams offers to purchase Texas for $1 million. Mexican President Guadalupe Victoria declines the offer. The legislature of Coahuila y Tejas outlawed the introduction of additional slaves into the state and granted freedom at birth to all children born to a slave. The new laws also stated that any slave brought into Texas should be freed within six months. January 31 Mexican forces and militiamen from the other colonies combined to drive Edwards from Texas. DeWitt and his settlers rebuild their town, Gonzales. 1829 Slavery officially outlawed in Mexico. Fearing that the edict would cause widespread discontent, Austin tries to suppress its publication. United States President Andrew Jackson again offers to purchase Texas, for $1 million. Mexican President Vicente Guerrero declines. Mexican General Manuel Mier y Teran issues a report on the outcome of the colonization laws in Texas. It concluded that most Anglo Americans refused to be naturalized and tried to isolate themselves from Mexicans. He also noted that slave reforms passed by the state were being ignored. The report recommended new garrisons in Texas which could oversee the Anglo colonists and encourage Mexicans to resettle in the area. JulyYucatan governor Antonio López de Santa Anna leads Mexican troops to repel an invasion by Spanish General Isidro Barradas. During the invasion, the Mexican Congress had granted war powers to Vicente Guerrero, making him essentially a dictator. 1830 April 6Mexican president Anastasio Bustamante signs a series of laws aimed at Texas. Among the actions taken were an order for Texas to comply with the emancipation proclamation or face military intervention. To circumvent the law, many colonists converted their slaves into indentured servants for life. Others simply called their slaves indentured servants without legally changing their status. rescinding the property tax law, which had exempted immigrants from paying taxes for ten years. He further increased tariffs on goods entering Mexico from the United States, causing their prices to rise. Settlement contracts were brought under federal rather than state control. Colonies that did not have at least 150 inhabitants would be canceled. Prohibited immigration from the United States to Texas. This measure was widely ignored; by 1834, it was estimated that over 30,000 Anglos lived in Texas, compared to only 7,800 Mexicans. 1831 For protection, the political chief of the region grants Gonzales a small cannon. Following Mier y Teran's recommendations, three garrisons are established in Texas. The presidio at Anahuac became the first port in Texas to collect customs. A second customs port, Fort Velasco, was established at the mouth of the Brazos River, while a third garrison established Fort Teran on the Neches River below Nacogdoches to combat smuggling and illegal immigration. The presidios are staffed with convicts. 1832 A new provincial law prohibits worker contracts from lasting more than ten years. October 155 political delegates meet at San Felipe de Austin for the Convention of 1832. The delegates drafted three petitions to the Congress of Mexico. They wished for an annulment of Article 11 of the colonization law of 1830, which prohibited foreign settlement as well as customs reform, recognition of squatters as valid immigrants, and a separate state for Texas. JuneThe commander of the Anahuac garrison, Juan Davis Bradburn, angers the settlers by strictly enforcing the 1830 laws. The settlers elect Johnson as their commander. In the first of the Anahuac Disturbances, angry colonists attacked Bradburn's garrison to free imprisoned lawyers William Barret Travis and Patrick Churchill Jack. June 26Colonel Domingo de Ugartechea, commander of the forces at Velasco, attempts to stop colonists from bringing a cannon up the Brazos River to assist in the attack on Anahuac. This begins the overnight Battle of Velasco, followed by the surrender of the Mexican troops the next day, and then several days of negotiation. June 29Ugartechea signs a capitulation agreement with the Brazoria militia at Velasco. JulyColonel Jose de las Piedras arrives in Anahuac with the garrison from Nacogdoches. As a result of negotiations with the settlers, the Turtle Bayou Resolutions were created, and Bradburn was removed from his post, ending the Disturbances. August 2The Battle of Nacogdoches, All Mexican soldiers are driven from east Texas. 1833 MarchThe capital of Coahuila y Tejas is moved from Saltillo to Monclova, further removed from Texas. April 1Santa Anna is elected president of Mexico. April 1The Convention of 1833, with 56 political delegates, convenes. It appointed a commission to draft a constitution for a new state of Texas and chose Stephen F. Austin to represent Texas before the federal government. November 21 At Austin's urging, the Mexican Congress repeals the ban on foreign settlement in Texas. 1834 JanuaryStephen F. Austin arrested in Saltillo on suspicion of treason. No charges were ever formally filed against him. MarchTexas was granted more representation in the provincial government. Trial by jury was introduced, and English was authorized as a second language. Santa Anna rescinds the Mexican Constitution of 1824. As the national congress attempted to centralize the nation, a civil war ensued. Saltillo declared that Monclova had been the capitol illegally and appointed their own governor.
1835 MonthPolitical EventsMilitary Events January Stephen F. Austin published his Exposition to the Public Regarding the Affairs of Texas. In this document he explained that Texas wanted to be a separate [Mexican] state, not an independent nation. May 25Fearing that Santa Anna would march against Coahuila after subduing the rebels in Zacatecas, federalist governor Agustín Viesca disbanded the state legislature in Monclova. Viezca traveled towards Texas, intending to set up a new government in the more remote San Antonio. He was arrested en route. Centralist elements of the Mexican army invaded the capital, Saltillo, and dissolved the state government. June 20In the second of the Anahuac Disturbances, William Barret Travis led a militia to free colonists who had been arrested in a customs dispute. The Mexican troops surrendered and were expelled from the province. July The political chief of the Nacogdoches region told the militias to take arms against the Mexican troops. "Texas Committees" in the United States organized to send money and volunteers to Texas. August Austin arrives in Texas and resumes his position as civil head of Anglo-American Texas. September 8Austin reverses himself and calls for war with Mexico to secure the freedom of Texas. 28 Juan Seguín, Salvador Flores, Manuel Flores and a group of Béxar locals hold a meeting near Floresville, Texas and declare their support and readiness to take up arms in favor of a revolution.de la Teja (1991), p. 77.Lindley (2003), p. 133. 1Correo-San Felipe affair. Texas armed schooner San Felipe exchanges fire with and captures Mexican Navy armed schooner Correo de Majica with help of small steamer Laura. Arguably the first shots in the conflict.Hill, Jim Dan. The Texas Navy: In Forgotten Battles And Shirtsleeve Diplomacy, P 29. 20General Martin Perfecto de Cós, lands at Copano with an advance force of 300 troops and marches toward Goliad. 28Albert Martin is selected as Captain of the Gonzales "Old 18" defenders. 29Mexican Lieutenant Francisco de Castañeda and 100 dragoons arrive near Gonzales to force the settlers to return the cannon they had been given in 1831. October 3Santa Anna abolishes all state legislatures. 2 The Battle of Gonzales officially begins the Texas Revolution. The Texian settlers retained their cannon; Castañeda and his men retreated. Cós occupies Goliad and awaits the arrival of 450 reinforcements from the Morelos battalion. Cós sends Capt. Manuel Sabriego and twenty-five men to Guadalupe Victoria, Texas to seize their cannon and arrest José María Jesús Carbajal. Alcalde Plácido Benavides leads the militia of Victoria; The settlers retained their cannon. 5Cós departs for San Antonio, leaving a residual force of about 30 men in Goliad. 10The Battle of Goliad, afterwards Texians occupy the presidio at Goliad. 11Austin is elected commander of the Texian volunteers. The army begins marching towards San Antonio. 14Philip Dimmitt takes command of the militia that remain to guard Presidio La Bahia. 27Austin sends James Bowie, James Fannin and Juan Seguín with 90 men to scout for a base of operations from which to launch a siege. Despite orders to return that day, Bowie and his men camp overnight on the grounds of Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña. 28400 Mexican troops attack Bowie and his men. The Battle of Concepcion ended with a Mexican retreat. November 3The Consultation meets in San Felipe de Austin to decide the overall goals of the revolution that was underway. The group does not declare independence, and affirms their intention of restoring the Constitution of 1824. 7The Consultation declares the right to form a new independent state and government as long as the 1824 Constitution of Mexico was not valid in Mexico. 14Henry Smith is named Governor.