4. The Texas Revolution: Part B (November-December 1835)
Selected Texas History Primary Source Documents
(Back to Texas Revolution Table of Contents)
Suggestion: One might also find it useful to consult the list of documents and collections of documents at List 2, "Texas in the Nineteenth Century: General."
Stephen F. Austin. Order Book, October 11-November 24, 1835. Orders having to do with Austin's role as commander-in-chief (with the rank of general) of the army of Texas during this period. Link to document
Texas. The Consultation. Journals of the Consultation Held at San Felipe de Austin, October 16-November 14, 1835. [This is a pdf file, requiring that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader to access it. If you do not, it may be possible to download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Internet.] Link to document
Samuel Maverick. Account of life inside San Antonio, September 5-December 31, 1835. [Diary entries.] Link to document
Jose Juan Sanchez Navarro, "A Mexican View of the War in Texas: Memoirs of a Veteran of the Two Battles of the Alamo," Library Chronicle, 4 (no date given). (Excerpts.) Author was a defender in the siege of San Antonio in 1835 and a participant in Santa Anna's siege of the Alamo in 1836. He also makes reference to the executions at Goliad in March 1836. [Scroll down to the excerpts, which are in quotations.] [To access this document, click on "Link to access page," then on ""Memoirs of a Veteran of Two Battles of the Alamo."] Link to access page
Stephen F. Sparks, "Recollections of S. F. Sparks." [Written many years after events described.] Author recounts participation in the Texas Revolution from the fall of 1835 to the summer of 1836. Link to document
William Fairfax Gray. The Diary of William Fairfax Gray, from Virginia to Texas, 1835-1837. Author was, at the time, traveling to Texas as an agent for two Washington, D.C. land speculators. Texas material for November and December 1835 appears in Volume II, p. 28; Vol. III, p. 35; and Vol. IV, pp. 50-53. [Pages are numbered consecutively through all of the volumes. Use the "Go to Page" link to reach the desired pages.] Link to document
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Manifesto relating to the Texas Campaign, May 10, 1837. Evidently written at Vera Cruz. Link to document
D. L. Kokernot. Reminiscences, Gonzales Inquirer, August 17, 1878. Tells of author's participation in the march from Gonzales to San Antonio in the fall of 1835 and in the subsequent siege of the town. Link to document
William Bluford DeWees to Clara Cardello, December 25, 1835. Founder of the town of Columbus tells of his participation in the Battle of Gonzales and in the subsequent campaign to capture San Antonio. Link to document
Dilue Rose Harris, "Reminiscences," Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, 4 (no date given). This portion covers events from June 1835 to June 1836. Recounts how non-combatants were caught up in the Texas Revolution, including the events of September-December, 1835. Link to document
William R. Carey to "Brother and Sister" January 12, 1836. Author, the first commander at the Alamo, tells of his participation in the Texas Revolution at San Antonio up to the date of the letter. Link to document
Herman Ehrenberg. Account of the siege and the taking of San Antonio. November-December, 1835. Author, an emigrant from Germany, was a participant. Link to document
Gus Jones. Account of the siege and capture of San Antonio, November-December, 1835. Link to document
Anson Jones. Account of his visit to the Consultation. [November 1835.] In his "Private Memoirs" [1849] a section of his Memoranda and Official Correspondence Relating to the Republic of Texas . . . ., 1859. Recalls that he had an unfavorable impression of the meeting and several of its participants, including James Bowie and Sam Houston. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to James Bowie and James Fannin, November 1, 1835. Says their communication to him that day is "satisfactory in every respect." Has asked Cos to surrender San Antonio; received refusal. Notes other news of the campaign. Link to document
Army of Texan volunteers outside San Antonio. Report of council of war, November 2, 1835. Officers decide not to storm the town. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to James Bowie and James Fannin, November 2, 1835. Reports the decision of the army officers not to storm San Antonio. Poses questions about likelihood that the town can be invested. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to James Bowie and James Fannin, November 2, 1835. Orders them to march their detachment to his headquarters that night or the next morning. Link to document
James Bowie to Stephen F. Austin, November 2, 1835. Tenders his resignation from his command in the army. Speaks of dissatisfaction among troops. Will explain more later. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to Philip Dimmitt, November 2, 1835. Reports on the Battle of Concepcion. Is pessimistic about future operations in the San Antonio area. Is in poor health. Link to document
James Fannin to Stephen F. Austin, November 2, 1835. Reports decision of officers not to storm San Antonio. Has ordered troops to pack and be ready to march to Austin's headquarters. Link to document
Branch T. Archer. Agenda for the Consultation meeting at San Felipe, [Probably November 1, 2, or 3]. Archer had just been elected president of the Consultation. Link to document
Texas. The Consultation. Ordinances, November-December, 1835. [There are six different files of ordinances on a Table of Contents Page. [Scroll down to find the ordinance files. The documents themselves are in pdf files; Adobe Acrobat required.] Link to Table of Contents to the documents
George Fisher to Stephen F. Austin, November 4, 1835. Will leave New Orleans soon for Tampico, Mexico. Says that Valentin Gomez Farias, the liberal vice president of Mexico, will soon be escorted to Texas for his own safety. There he will represent "the only constitutional authority of the Mexican Republic." Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to the president of the Consultation, November 4, 1835. States willingness to mortgage his entire estate to obtain funds for the cause. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to the Consultation, November 5, 1835. [Excerpt.] States that the army is in good spirits, cannon have arrived, etc. Has been too ill to carry out his duties. Pleads with the Consultation not to send any more "ardent spirits." [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to Andrew Briscoe, November 6, 1835. Orders him to patrol west of San Antonio, reconnoiter, prevent supplies from reaching the town, etc. Link to document
William B. Travis to Stephen F. Austin, November 6, 1835. Is resigning as captain of cavalry. "I cannot be longer useful to the army without complaints being made." Link to document
J. W. Fannin, Jr., to the president of the Convention of Texas, November 6, 1835. Encloses U.S. army Major Francis S. Belton's letter to Fannin of September 23. Fannin states his belief that Belton would accept the command of the Texas army if tendered. Details. [Scroll down to the document.]Link to document
Returns of election to replace Colonel John Moore, ca. November 7, 1835. Edward Burleson elected overwhelmingly by troops under Stephen F. Austin's command. Link to document
Texas. The Consultation. "Declaration of the People of Texas," November 7, 1835. States why colonists in Texas were in insurrection against the regime of Mexican President Antonio Løpez de Santa Anna. Link to document
Texas. The Consultation. Broadside: "Declaracion del Pueblo de Tejas, [adopted on November 7, 1835]. Translation into Spanish by Lorenzo de Zavala soon after adoption. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to the Consultation, November 7, 1835. Situation report. Recommends expedition against Matamoras or Tampico. Link to document
Moses Austin Bryan to James and Emily Perry, November 7, 1835. States that the entire army will move to Mission San Jose. Then will divide into three parts. Nearly 800 men now in the Texas camp. Tells of uncle Stephen's troubles. Link to document
Robert Boyd Irvine to Sam Houston, November 7, 1835. States that a new army needs to be raised. Says Austin has resigned his command. Link to document
Texas. The Consultation. Motion to request that Lorenzo de Zavala translate the "Declaration of the People of Texas" into Spanish [November 8, 1835]. Five hundred copies to be distributed among "our Mexican Fellow citizens of the Republic of Mexico." Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to the president of the Consultation, November 8, 1835. States that he will remain in command of the troops outside San Antonio but considers himself not well suited to the task. Link to document
William H. Wharton to Stephen F. Austin, November 8, 1835. Tenders resignation as judge advocate of the army. Gives as reasons the failure to enforce general orders and a disregard "of the grave decisions of councils of war [by Austin?]." Believes that no good likely to be achieved by the army. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to James Fannin, November 9, 1835. Orders Fannin to intercept Mexican reinforcements believed to be coming from the west. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to William B. Travis, November 11, 1835. Orders Travis to cooperate with James W. Fannin in intercepting Mexican reinforcements from the west. Link to document
Augustus Jones to James W. Fannin, November 12, 1835. Jones, writing from Goliad, states (among other things) that on November 5 forty men, including himself, fought seventy Mexican troops on the Nueces [at Lipantitlan] and "flogged them like hell." Link to document
Texas. The Consultation. Plan and Powers of the Provisional Government of Texas, [November 13, 1835]. This had been drafted by a committee chaired by Henry Smith. [Source may have "1836" as the date of this document. If so, it is in error.] Link to document
Texas. The Consultation. Plan for organizing the Texan revolutionary army. ]November 13, 1835]. [Source may have "1836" as the date of this document. If so, it is in error.] Link to document
Texas. The General Council of the Provisional Government. Journal of the Proceedings of the General Council, November 14, 1835-March 11, 1836. The council met in San Felipe until February 22, 1836. All meetings from that time to the end were at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Part 1 ends with the partial proceedings of the session for December 7. Part 2 begins with the conclusion of the proceedings for December 7 and continues beyond the period of this list. [These are a pdf files, requiring that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader to access it. If you do not, it may be possible to download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Internet.] Link to Part 1 Link to Part 2
Texas. The Consultation. Declaration in regard to the Texas Cherokees, November 13, 1835. The delegates to the Consultation recognize the Cherokees' claims to certain specified lands in eastern Texas and state their hope that the provisional government of Texas and the Cherokees will remain friends in peace and war. Details. Link to document
Sam Houston to James W. Fannin, November 13, 1835. Makes disparaging remarks about Stephen F. Austin's leadership (by inference) and announces his [Houston's] appointment as commander-in-chief "of forces to be raised in Texas." Is pleased that James Bowie is at the head of the army. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to the Consultation, November 14, 1835. Says the situation has improved; the enemy is more discouraged every day. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to Sam Houston, November 14, 1835. Appeals for reinforcements. All has been done that can be done under the circumstances. His health is better. Link to document
Thomas J. Rusk to Sam Houston, November 14, 1835. Report from outside San Antonio that the Texan force is diminishing; reinforcements needed badly. Army has no organization. Link to document
Ben Milam to James W. Fannin, November 15, 1835. States that the campaign outside San Antonio has been badly conducted. Alleges Austin and officers did not order supplies in time. Link to document
Henry Smith. Inaugural address as governor of the Provisional Government of Texas, November 15, 1835. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to the Consultation, November 18, 1835. States that he favors storming San Antonio soon. Link to document
James W. Fannin to Sam Houston, November 18, 1835. States that a retrograde movement of the volunteer army from San Antonio to Gonzales would meet with little opposition. Still believes that the Texas troops can storm and capture Bexar but explains why the army should fall back on Goliad and Gonzales. Link to document
Edward Burleson to Stephen F. Austin, November 21, 1835. Reports that a majority of the officers oppose storming San Antonio and are unwilling to attempt it. Is a response to Austin's general order of that day stating that an attack on Bexar's fortifications would be made the following morning. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to James F. Perry, November 22, 1835. States that his officers will not agree to the storming of San Antonio. Will make one more effort. If that fails, he will go to the U.S. to carry out the commission of the Consultation. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin. Order appointing Juan N. Seguin as captain of a volunteer company of Tejanos to serve in the Texan army. November 24, 1835. [It may be necessary to scroll down to the document.] Link to document
Stephen F. Austin. Report announcing the election of Edward Burleson to replace him as commander-in-chief, November 24, 1835. Link to document
Stephen F. Austin. General order, November 24, 1835. Gives command of troops to Edward Burleson. Reports that 10,000 troops are being recruited in Mexico. Will arrive in Texas by the spring. President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna will command. Link to document
Sam Houston to Wylie Martin, November 24, 1835. States that Gonzales is the key to the defense of Texas. Link to document
Thomas J. Rusk to James W. Robinson, November 25, 1835. Says Mexicans to be reinforced soon. If the Texans are not reinforced, they will be cut off. Link to document
William H. Jack to Edward Burleson, November 27, 1835. Report of the "Grass Fight," that took place that day outside San Antonio. Link to document
Edward Burleson to the Provisional Government of Texas, November 27, 1835. Official report on the "Grass Fight." Link to document
Thomas J. Rusk. Reminiscence [written probably long after the fact] about his participation in the "Grass Fight." Taken from Frank W. Johnson's History of Texas and Texans (1914). Link to document
Stephen F. Austin to the Provisional Government of Texas, November 30, 1835. States why Texan volunteers have resisted Centralist rule, defends his service to Texas through the years and his decision to invest San Antonio. Link to document
Moses Austin Bryan to James and Emily Perry, November 30, 1835. States his Uncle Stephen's situation. Doubts Austin will go to the U.S. unless vested with power to attach Texas to the United States. Reports much dissatisfaction in the army with the actions of the Consultation. Link to document
James Chessher and H. McHanks to the Provisional Government, November 30, 1835. Complains about the failure of settlers living in the western settlements to defend their homes against Mexican threats. Link to document
J. W. Fannin, Jr., to [Henry] Smith, November 31 [sic], 1835. Author writes to the governor of the provisional government of Texas that several young U.S. army officers have informed him that, under certain circumstances, they would abandon their country and join the Texas army. Fannin suggests a plan to accomplish this end and explains the advantages for the revolutionary cause. [Scroll down to the document, which appears to be somewhat abridged.] Link to document
James Butler Bonham to Sam Houston, December 1, 1835. Author volunteers his services to fight in the Texas Revolution. Link to document
Jose Antonio Mexia to Augustin Viesca, December 3, 1835. Describes the abortive Federalist attack on Tampico. In Spanish with English translation. [To access this document, click on "Link to access page," then on "December 3, 1835."] Link to access page
Joseph Field. Account of the taking of San Antonio, December 1835. [In author's Three Years in Texas, 1836.] Author, a physician and soldier, was an eyewitness to the events he describes. Link to document
Edward Burleson and Ben Milam to the president of the Provisional Government, December 6, 1835. Report on the first assault on San Antonio. Link to document
Micajah Autry to Martha Autry, December 7, 1835. Author, later to die in the Alamo, writes from Memphis, Tennessee, to his wife in Jackson, Tennessee, that he is on his way to Texas. George Childress has told him that there will soon be fighting there. Link to document
Henry Smith. Commission for three agents to seek a loan in the United States to finance the Texas Revolution, December 7, 1835. The commission, issued by the provisional governor of Texas, names Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton as commissioners and provides details about the loan to be sought. Link to document
Henry Smith to Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William H. Wharton, December 8, 1835. The provisional governor of Texas issues instructions to the agents about to go to the United States to seek funding for the Texas Revolution. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document
Henry Smith. Proclamation to the people of Texas, December 8, 1835. The governor of the Provisional Government calls for ammunition and for men to join volunteers about San Antonio. Link to document
Henry Smith to Edward Burleson, December 9, 1835. Is a response to the report of the first assault on San Antonio. Says he has issued a proclamation calling for volunteers and is taking steps to send ammunition. Link to document
[Unsigned]. List of Texans wounded in the siege of San Antonio. [December 10, 1835 or soon thereafter.] Link to document
Jose Maria Gonzalez. Appeal to Mexican troops in San Antonio, December 10, 1835. Asks them to support the Federalist cause against that of the Centralists. In Spanish with English translation. [To access this document, click on "Link to access page," then on "December 10."] Link to access page
Jose Antonio Mexia. Appeal to the citizens of San Antonio, [early December, 1835]. Urges them to join the Federalist cause. Link to document
Lorenzo de Zavala to [Philip] Dimmitt, December 9, 1835. Author writes from Lynchburg, evidently in response to correspondence from Dimmitt. Gives conditional endorsement of a military movement to Matamoros. [English translation.] Link to document
Texas. The Consultation. Resolution calling for a convention to meet March 1, 1836, passed December 10, 1835. [The link below is to a Table of Contents Page. [Scroll down to find the link to the resolution. The document is a pdf file; Adobe Acrobat required.] Link to Table of Contents
Texas. The General Council of the Provisional Government of Texas. Proclamation to the Mexican people, December 10, 1835. Explains why the people of Texas have taken up arms in defense of their rights and liberties. Link to document
Francis W. Johnson to Edward Burleson, December 11, 1835. Report on the taking of San Antonio. The attack had begun on December 5. Link to document
Martin Perfecto de Cos and Edward Burleson. Surrender terms agreed to at San Antonio, December 11, 1835. [Includes image of manuscript (in Spanish) with transcripts in Spanish and English.] Link to document
Mag Stiff [or Stiffs]. Notes on the storming of San Antonio in December of 1835. Written in December 1836 by an eyewitness. Link to document
W. G. Cook. Account of the storming of San Antonio in December of 1835. Written in February 1844 by an eyewitness. Link to document).
Augustus Jones to W. E. Jones, January 15, 1836. Eyewitness account of the storming of San Antonio in December of 1835. Link to document
Joseph Lopez. Account of the storming of San Antonio in December of 1835. Taken from the author's Republic pension application. No date provided for the application. Link to document
Sam Houston. "Proclamation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Texas," December 12, 1835. Calls for volunteers to fight in the Texas Revolution. [Broadside.] Link to document
Inventory of military stores delivered to the Texan forces at San Antonio in accordance with the capitulation of the Mexican forces commanded by General Martin Perfecto de Cos, December 13, 1835. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document
Macajah Autry to Martha Autry, December 13, 1835. Author, later to die at the Alamo, writes from Natchitoches, Louisiana to his wife at Jackson, Tennessee. Notes that "about 20 men from Tennessee formed our squad in Memphis." They are on the way to the seat of the war in Texas. Understands that Santa Anna is marching toward Texas in the spring, but by then "there will be soldiers enough of the real grit . . . to overrun all Mexico." Link to document
Edward Burleson to Henry Smith, December 14, 1835. Reports on the taking of San Antonio. Link to document
Carlos Sanchez-Navarro. Account of the fall of San Antonio, December, 1835. Written sometime after the fact by a Mexican officer who was a participant. Link to document
Martin Perfecto de Cos to Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and Jose Maria Tornel, December 15, 1835. Reports on the circumstances surrounding his surrender of San Antonio and subsequent withdrawal from it. Link to document
The General Council of the Provisional Government of Texas to Edward Burleson and others, December 15, 1835. Extends congratulations on the taking of San Antonio. Link to document
Soldiers and residents of Goliad. "Goliad Declaration of Independence," December 20, 1835. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document
S. F. Austin to the Provisional Government of Texas, December 22, 1835. Writing as he is about to leave Texas to go to the U.S. to enlist support for the Texans' resistance to Santa Anna's dictatorship, Austin gives his opinion about how the provisional government should deal (especially publicly) with the issue of the relationship of Texas to Mexico. Details. Urges caution with respect to declaring independence. Explains why. [Scroll down to the document.] Link to document
Jose Antonio Mexia to Henry Smith, December 23, 1835. Gives notice that he is withdrawing from the Texas conflict. [To access this document, click on "Link to access page," then on "December 23, 1835."] Link to access page
James W. Fannin to William Ward and others, December 25, 1835. Welcomes the Georgia Battalion to the cause of resisting Mexican tyranny. [Printed in Anna J. H. Pennybacker, A New History of Texas for Schools, Revised Edition, 1895.] Link to document
John Quincy Adams. Speech in the U.S. House of Representatives, December 25, 1835. Lengthy extract (with notes in brackets by Benjamin Lundy) of an address about the war in Texas and its connection to slavery in the United States. [Scroll down to the extract.] Link to document
Daniel William Cloud to I. B. Cloud, December 26, 1835. Author explains why he is on his way to Texas to aid the Anglo settlers' resistance to Mexican rule. He died at the Alamo a few weeks later. [The source for this document is The Daughters of the Republic of Texas Alamo website.] Link to document
Texas. The General Council of the Provisional Government. Resolution concerning the Cherokee Indians, December 26, 1835. The council provides specific instructions to Sam Houston, John Forbes, and John Cameron, commissioners they have appointed to negotiate a treaty with the Cherokee Indians in eastern Texas. These include that they were to "pursue a course of justice and equity towards the Indians" with respect to their lands. [Scroll down toward the bottom of the page for the document.] Link to document
Jose Maria Tornel. Circular, December 30, 1835. All foreigners who enter Mexico and take up arms against the government or who bring weapons and ammunition for that purpose are to be considered pirates. Link to document
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