Siege of Béxar

Overview

The siege of Béxar was an early campaign of the Texas Revolution in which a volunteer Texian army defeated Mexican forces at San Antonio de Béxar. Texians had become disillusioned with the Mexican government as president and General Antonio López de Santa Anna's tenure became increasingly dictatorial. In early October 1835, Texas settlers gathered in Gonzales to stop Mexican troops from reclaiming a small cannon. The resulting skirmish, known as the Battle of Gonzales, launched the Texas Revolution. Men continued to assemble in Gonzales and soon established the Texian Army. Despite a lack of military training, well-respected local leader General Stephen F. Austin was elected commander.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Siege of Béxar was an early campaign of the Texas Revolution, following directly from the Battle of Gonzales in early October 1835, which marked the outbreak of the conflict. Texian settlers, disillusioned with Santa Anna's increasingly dictatorial rule, gathered at Gonzales and then organized a volunteer force that became the Texian Army. Stephen F. Austin, a well-respected local leader without formal military training, was elected commander. The campaign against the Mexican garrison at San Antonio de Béxar represented one of the first sustained offensive operations by the nascent Texian force, testing its capacity to challenge an organized Mexican military presence on Texas soil.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (9)