Matamoros Expedition
Encyclopedia
The Matamoros Expedition was a planned 1836 invasion of the Mexican port town of Matamoros
by rebellious Texian
s. As the Mexican government transitioned from federalism
to a centralized government
in 1835, many federalists offered armed opposition. In Mexican Texas
, settlers launched a full rebellion, known as the Texas Revolution
, in October. By the end of the year, the Texians had expelled all Mexican soldiers from their territory. Confident that there would be no more fighting within their lands, Texians began looking for ways to extend the fight.
from Philip Dimmitt
, newly appointed commandant of the Texian garrison at Presidio La Bahia
in Goliad. Dimmitt proposed that his forces be sent to capture Fort Lipantitlan, a small Mexican army base south of Goliad. Eliminating the Mexican forces at this coastal location would give the Texians a clear path to invade Matamoros, hopefully encouraging federalists in the Mexican interior to join the Texian revolt.
After his troops took Fort Lipantitlan
in November, Dimmitt withdrew his support for an invasion of the Mexican interior. As his troops were returning to Goliad, they encountered Agustin Viesca
, the former governor of Coahuila y Tejas
who had escaped imprisonment. Viesca's commentary on events within Mexico convinced Dimmitt that taking Matamoros was no longer feasible. He wrote to Austin, "In a former communication, I hinted the policy of a dash at Matamoros, hoping from what I had then heard, that the movement would be approved and sustained by a majority of the people in that section of the country, but now, I fear it would not be. On the contrary, I am fully satisfied that such a movement on the part of Texas, would be as likely to be opposed as to be approved". Nevertheless, Dimmitt continued to prepare for a potential invasion, and as reports from inside Mexico reached him, his desire to invade fluctuated. On December 2, he wrote a letter, published in early January, that again advocated for an invasion of Matamoros. His letter explained that invading the interior would take the war out of Texas, and a successful attempt could give the Texians the estimated $100,000 per month in revenue that the Matamoros port accumulated. Dimmitt believed that any expedition into Mexico should be led by someone who had been born a Mexican citizen, and he proposed Lorenzo de Zavala
as commander. De Zavala claimed ill health.
. The council promptly created a new regular army
, to be headed by Sam Houston
. Houston would be required to raise his army from scratch rather than take over the volunteer force already commanded by Austin
.
The council was very interested in working with federalists within Mexico to strengthen the revolution. Smith, on the other hand, was wary of working with most Mexican citizens, saying "I consider it bad policy to fit out, or trust Mexicans in any manner connected with our government, as I am well satisfied that we will in the end find them inimical [e.g. hostile] and treacherous". Nevertheless, the council, hearing reports that other Mexican states were near revolt, on December 25 authorized an expedition into Matamoros. They listed several reasons for the attempt, including:
Smith initially had supported the plan and on December 17, he instructed Houston to begin planning for such an expedition. Houston delegated the task to James Bowie but Bowie did not receive his orders for several weeks. Without consulting Smith, on December 15, the Council asked Edward Burleson
to oversee an expedition to Matamoros. Burleson had replaced Austin as commander of the volunteer Texian Army. Days before, they had taken San Antonio de Bexar after a long siege
. Their victory ensured that no Mexican troops remained within Texas. Unbeknownst to the council, after the victory Burleson had submitted his resignation to Smith. He left Frank W. Johnson
in charge of the amassed troops. On January 3, Johnson wrote to the Council that he had received the note addressed to Burleson and had initiated the expedition.
On December 30, Johnson partnered with James Grant
and ordered most of the volunteers to leave Bexar and gather at Goliad. Only 100 men were left to garrison in Bexar. They were placed under the command of Colonel James C. Neill
and stationed in the Alamo Mission. The 200 men who accompanied Johnson had previously volunteered to garrison Bexar; their departure put them in violation of the terms of their enlistment.
The Council voted to make Johnson the official commander of the expedition. He initially refused, citing another dispute with the council, before changing his mind the following day. In the interim, the council appointed James W. Fannin to lead the expedition. They did not revoke Johnson's orders, leaving two men with authority to raise an army to go to Matamoros.
When Grant reached Goliad, he confronted Dimmitt and claimed to be "Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Volunteer Army". He then tried to assume command and commandeered all the supplies that Dimmitt and his men had in their stores.
Houston, hearing of the developing crisis, attempted to resolve the situation and left for Goliad. He arrived on January 14, just in time to meet with Dimmitt as he was leaving Goliad with some of his men. Houston entered the fort at Goliad and on January 16, spoke to all the remaining troops, and tried to talk them out of continuing the campaign. Grant's men could not be dissuaded and headed for Refugio
, where Johnson and other troops were gathering. Houston went along with them, while trying to gain some stature with the men.
Fannin and William Ward
had also gathered a force of 200 strong, that had assembled at Velasco
. On January 24, they departed and landed at Copano harbor on February 2. Fannin would press his supplies from the stores of the ships in the harbor. On February 4, he marched out to join Johnson's men at Refugio.
his headquarters, renaming it Fort Defiance. However, Grant and Johnson continued their quest towards Matamoros. As co-commanders, with about 70 to 100 men, they went as far as San Patricio to gather horses for the expedition. Grant was informed that Mexican Captain Nicolás Rodríguez and a small company formerly from Fort Lipantitlán was in the area. Grant confronted and overtook them, confiscated their horses and took the men as prisoners to San Patricio. Within a few days the prisoners had escaped, alerting nearby Mexican forces.
Splitting into smaller groups, the Texians searched for mounts and supplies, proceeding all the way to Santa Rosa Ranch
. Grant and a group of fifteen Texians left to forage. While Grant was gone, Mexican General José de Urrea led a surprise attack on San Patricio
in the early hours of the morning of February 27. Most of Johnson's men were killed, but Johnson narrowly escaped. Grant and his men, while foraging, were also attacked by members of General José de Urrea
's cavalry. Grant was killed in the battle of Agua Dulce
at 10:30 a.m. on March 2, 1836.
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern part of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas, in the United States. Matamoros is the second largest and second...
by rebellious Texian
Texian
Texian is an archaic, mostly defunct 19th century demonym which defined a settler of current-day Texas, one of the southern states of the United States of America which borders the country of Mexico...
s. As the Mexican government transitioned from federalism
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
to a centralized government
Centralized government
A centralized or centralised government is one in which power or legal authority is exerted or coordinated by a de facto political executive to which federal states, local authorities, and smaller units are considered subject...
in 1835, many federalists offered armed opposition. In Mexican Texas
Mexican Texas
Mexican Texas is the name given by Texas history scholars to the period between 1821 and 1836, when Texas was an integral part of Mexico. The period began with Mexico's victory over Spain in its war of independence in 1821. For the first several years of its existence, Mexican Texas operated very...
, settlers launched a full rebellion, known as the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
, in October. By the end of the year, the Texians had expelled all Mexican soldiers from their territory. Confident that there would be no more fighting within their lands, Texians began looking for ways to extend the fight.
Dimmitt
The Matamoros Expedition traces its origins to an October 15, 1835 letter to Texian Army commander Stephen F. AustinStephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin was born in Virginia and raised in southeastern Missouri. He was known as the Father of Texas, led the second, but first legal and ultimately successful colonization of the region by bringing 300 families from the United States. The capital of Texas, Austin in Travis County,...
from Philip Dimmitt
Philip Dimmitt
Philip Dimmitt was an officer in the Texian Army during the Texas Revolution. Born in Kentucky, Dimmitt moved to Texas in 1823 and soon operated a series of trading posts. After learning that Mexican General Martín Perfecto de Cos was en route to Texas to quell the unrest, Dimmitt proposed that...
, newly appointed commandant of the Texian garrison at Presidio La Bahia
Presidio La Bahía
The Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía, known more commonly as Presidio La Bahia, or simply La Bahia is a fort constructed by the Spanish Army that became the nucleus of the city of Goliad, Texas, United States. Originally founded in 1721 on the ruins of the failed French Fort Saint...
in Goliad. Dimmitt proposed that his forces be sent to capture Fort Lipantitlan, a small Mexican army base south of Goliad. Eliminating the Mexican forces at this coastal location would give the Texians a clear path to invade Matamoros, hopefully encouraging federalists in the Mexican interior to join the Texian revolt.
After his troops took Fort Lipantitlan
Battle of Lipantitlán
The Battle of Lipantitlán, also known as the Battle of Nueces Crossing, was fought along the Nueces River on November 4, 1835 between the Mexican Army and Texian insurgents, as part of the Texas Revolution...
in November, Dimmitt withdrew his support for an invasion of the Mexican interior. As his troops were returning to Goliad, they encountered Agustin Viesca
Agustín Viesca
Agustín Viesca was a governor of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas in 1835. He was the brother of José María Viesca, also a governor of Coahuila y Tejas during 1827-1831....
, the former governor of Coahuila y Tejas
Coahuila y Tejas
Coahuila y Tejas was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution.It had two capitals: first Saltillo, and then Monclova...
who had escaped imprisonment. Viesca's commentary on events within Mexico convinced Dimmitt that taking Matamoros was no longer feasible. He wrote to Austin, "In a former communication, I hinted the policy of a dash at Matamoros, hoping from what I had then heard, that the movement would be approved and sustained by a majority of the people in that section of the country, but now, I fear it would not be. On the contrary, I am fully satisfied that such a movement on the part of Texas, would be as likely to be opposed as to be approved". Nevertheless, Dimmitt continued to prepare for a potential invasion, and as reports from inside Mexico reached him, his desire to invade fluctuated. On December 2, he wrote a letter, published in early January, that again advocated for an invasion of Matamoros. His letter explained that invading the interior would take the war out of Texas, and a successful attempt could give the Texians the estimated $100,000 per month in revenue that the Matamoros port accumulated. Dimmitt believed that any expedition into Mexico should be led by someone who had been born a Mexican citizen, and he proposed Lorenzo de Zavala
Lorenzo de Zavala
Manuel Lorenzo Justiniano de Zavala y Saenz was a 19th-century Mexican politician. He served as finance minister under President Vicente Guerrero. A colonizer and statesman, he was also the interim Vice President of the Republic of Texas, serving under interim President David G...
as commander. De Zavala claimed ill health.
Planning
In mid-November, the Consultation met and formed a provisional Texas government, headed by Henry SmithHenry Smith (Texas Governor)
Henry Smith was first American-born Governor of the Mexican territory of Texas and briefly presided over the revolution there.-Early life:...
. The council promptly created a new regular army
Regular army
A regular army consists of the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained under arms during peacetime.Countries that use the term include:*Australian Army*British Army*Canadian Forces, specifically "Regular Force"*Egyptian army*Indian Army...
, to be headed by Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
. Houston would be required to raise his army from scratch rather than take over the volunteer force already commanded by Austin
Stephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin was born in Virginia and raised in southeastern Missouri. He was known as the Father of Texas, led the second, but first legal and ultimately successful colonization of the region by bringing 300 families from the United States. The capital of Texas, Austin in Travis County,...
.
The council was very interested in working with federalists within Mexico to strengthen the revolution. Smith, on the other hand, was wary of working with most Mexican citizens, saying "I consider it bad policy to fit out, or trust Mexicans in any manner connected with our government, as I am well satisfied that we will in the end find them inimical [e.g. hostile] and treacherous". Nevertheless, the council, hearing reports that other Mexican states were near revolt, on December 25 authorized an expedition into Matamoros. They listed several reasons for the attempt, including:
- The Texas government could confiscate all fees collected at the port
- Texas would have command of the Gulf of MexicoGulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
from Matamoros to New Orleans - The Mexican centralists would not be able to use Matamoros as a staging ground to invade Texas
- The Texian troops were bored and would not cause trouble if they had a task to do.
Smith initially had supported the plan and on December 17, he instructed Houston to begin planning for such an expedition. Houston delegated the task to James Bowie but Bowie did not receive his orders for several weeks. Without consulting Smith, on December 15, the Council asked Edward Burleson
Edward Burleson
Edward Burleson was a soldier, general, and statesman in the state of Missouri, the Republic of Texas, and later the U.S. state of Texas....
to oversee an expedition to Matamoros. Burleson had replaced Austin as commander of the volunteer Texian Army. Days before, they had taken San Antonio de Bexar after a long siege
Siege of Bexar
The Siege of Béxar was an early campaign of the Texas Revolution in which a volunteer Texan army successfully defeated Mexican forces at San Antonio de Béxar . Texians had become disillusioned with the Mexican government as President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's tenure became increasingly...
. Their victory ensured that no Mexican troops remained within Texas. Unbeknownst to the council, after the victory Burleson had submitted his resignation to Smith. He left Frank W. Johnson
Frank W. Johnson
Francis White "Frank" Johnson was a co-commander of the Texian Army from December 1835 through February 1836, during the Texas Revolution. Johnson arrived in Texas in 1826 and worked as a surveyor for several empresarios, including Stephen F. Austin. One of his first activities was to plot the...
in charge of the amassed troops. On January 3, Johnson wrote to the Council that he had received the note addressed to Burleson and had initiated the expedition.
On December 30, Johnson partnered with James Grant
James Grant (Texas)
James Grant was a 19th century Texas politician, physician and military participant in the Texas Revolution.-Early life:James Grant was born on July 28, 1793, in Killearnan Parish, Ross-shire, Scotland. In 1823, he traveled to northern Mexico, ending up in Texas. He became interested in real...
and ordered most of the volunteers to leave Bexar and gather at Goliad. Only 100 men were left to garrison in Bexar. They were placed under the command of Colonel James C. Neill
James C. Neill
↔James Clinton Neill was a 19th-century American soldier and politician, most noted for his role in the Texas Revolution and the early defense of the Alamo. He was born in North Carolina.-Early life and career:...
and stationed in the Alamo Mission. The 200 men who accompanied Johnson had previously volunteered to garrison Bexar; their departure put them in violation of the terms of their enlistment.
The Council voted to make Johnson the official commander of the expedition. He initially refused, citing another dispute with the council, before changing his mind the following day. In the interim, the council appointed James W. Fannin to lead the expedition. They did not revoke Johnson's orders, leaving two men with authority to raise an army to go to Matamoros.
When Grant reached Goliad, he confronted Dimmitt and claimed to be "Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Volunteer Army". He then tried to assume command and commandeered all the supplies that Dimmitt and his men had in their stores.
Houston, hearing of the developing crisis, attempted to resolve the situation and left for Goliad. He arrived on January 14, just in time to meet with Dimmitt as he was leaving Goliad with some of his men. Houston entered the fort at Goliad and on January 16, spoke to all the remaining troops, and tried to talk them out of continuing the campaign. Grant's men could not be dissuaded and headed for Refugio
Refugio, Texas
Refugio is a town in Refugio County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,941 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Refugio County. Although the town's name is derived from Spanish, a vast majority of the town's residents pronounce it re-fury-oh. The Spanish pronunciation is...
, where Johnson and other troops were gathering. Houston went along with them, while trying to gain some stature with the men.
Fannin and William Ward
William Ward (Texas)
William Ward , was a Macon, Georgia native, who answered the appeal from Texas, during the Texas Revolution. He recruited men from Georgia and led the Georgia Battalion.-Georgia native:William Ward and Dr...
had also gathered a force of 200 strong, that had assembled at Velasco
Velasco, Texas
Velasco was a town in Texas, United States, that was later annexed by the city of Freeport. Founded in 1831, Velasco is situated on the east side of the Brazos River in southeast Texas. It is sixteen miles south of Angleton, Texas, and four miles from the Gulf of Mexico.The town's early history is...
. On January 24, they departed and landed at Copano harbor on February 2. Fannin would press his supplies from the stores of the ships in the harbor. On February 4, he marched out to join Johnson's men at Refugio.
Expedition
At Refugio, Houston again tried to persuade the men and this time his efforts met with success, as most of the men decided to break with the Matamoros campaign. Fannin, taking most of the men, would depart for Goliad and make Presidio La BahíaPresidio La Bahía
The Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía, known more commonly as Presidio La Bahia, or simply La Bahia is a fort constructed by the Spanish Army that became the nucleus of the city of Goliad, Texas, United States. Originally founded in 1721 on the ruins of the failed French Fort Saint...
his headquarters, renaming it Fort Defiance. However, Grant and Johnson continued their quest towards Matamoros. As co-commanders, with about 70 to 100 men, they went as far as San Patricio to gather horses for the expedition. Grant was informed that Mexican Captain Nicolás Rodríguez and a small company formerly from Fort Lipantitlán was in the area. Grant confronted and overtook them, confiscated their horses and took the men as prisoners to San Patricio. Within a few days the prisoners had escaped, alerting nearby Mexican forces.
Splitting into smaller groups, the Texians searched for mounts and supplies, proceeding all the way to Santa Rosa Ranch
Raymondville, Texas
Raymondville is a city in and the county seat of Willacy County, Texas, United States. The population was 9,733 at the 2000 census. It may be included as part of the Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville and the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan areas....
. Grant and a group of fifteen Texians left to forage. While Grant was gone, Mexican General José de Urrea led a surprise attack on San Patricio
Battle of San Patricio
The Battle of San Patricio was a 19th century battle fought on February 27, 1836, between the Republic of Mexico and the rebelling Mexican state of Texas.-Background:...
in the early hours of the morning of February 27. Most of Johnson's men were killed, but Johnson narrowly escaped. Grant and his men, while foraging, were also attacked by members of General José de Urrea
José de Urrea
José de Urrea was a noted general for Mexico. He fought under General Antonio López de Santa Anna during the Texas Revolution. Urrea's forces were never defeated in battle during the Texas Revolution...
's cavalry. Grant was killed in the battle of Agua Dulce
Battle of Agua Dulce
The Battle of Agua Dulce Creek occurred approximately south of San Patricio on March 2, 1836 between the Republic of Mexico and the rebellious Mexican state of Texas as part of the Texas Revolution. In February 1836, Mexican General Jose Urrea led a contingent of troops along the Texas coast,...
at 10:30 a.m. on March 2, 1836.