Photos of reenactors of the battle of Goliad are to the right.

The official site for Presidio la Bahia is here

March 20, 1836: Following a battle near Coleto Creek, the Texian force of approximately 350 men led by James W. Fannin is captured and held captive inside the small church at Presidio La Bahia for seven days. They were captured by General Urrea. Some of the more severely wounded Texians (including Fannin) remained at the Coleto Creek battlefield for up to three days, before being moved to Presidio La Bahia.

General Urrea continued his advance to secure Guadalupe Victoria, from where he wrote Santa Anna recommending clemency for the Goliad prisoners. One week after Fannin's surrender, however, Santa Anna ordered Urrea and Colonel José Nicolás de la Portilla, the commander at Goliad, to carry out the congressional decree of December 30, 1835, that captured armed rebels must be executed as pirates. [Thus, while morally abhorrent, the executions were lawful under Mexican law at that time.] Note that Urrea resisted these orders though he did eventually comply.

March 27, 1836: On the order of General Santa Anna, Fannin and a force of almost 350 men are executed near Presidio La Bahia, near Goliad.

A number of men escaped execution, 27 by one count. Urrea refused to execute the Texas doctors as they had not been "armed" rebels - but were disarmed ones. Some prisoners escaped in the melee of the mass execution. A few were spared after entreaties from one Mexican soldier of Texas origin, and one was spared after the pleas of one lady who accompanied the Mexican Army. The wounded were shot after the able-bodied. Fannin was shot last. Some bodies were burned in a large fire. Others were left in the field -- to be gathered months later when the Texians returned.

Click on any thumbnail to enlarge a picture.

Bob Morecook attended the Re-Enactmentment with his best friend James Hutchison.  Click to Enlarge.

James Hutchison and wife Lindy show off their new kitten "Una". James and Lindy got her from dear people at the Goliad State Park campground.  Click to Enlarge.

Visit Bob Morecook's AFVN military radio-TV home page also.