In 1835 Mexican officials feared that the Texas settlers were becoming disloyal. Mexico's General Cós and more than 650 Mexican troops arrived in San Antonio. The Texans braced for battle.
Gonzales—The Lexington of Texas The first conflict between Mexican troops and Texan colonists came at Gonzales on October 2, 1835. The fighting lasted only a few minutes before the Mexican troops withdrew. Another brief battle at Goliad convinced many Texans that Mexican troops could be defeated easily. Stephen F. Austin took command of the Army of the People and marched the volunteers toward San Antonio. At the same time, delegates met at a Consultation, but a motion calling for immediate independence was defeated. Instead, a provisional government was set up, with Henry Smith named as governor and James W. Robinson as lieutenant governor. Sam Houston was chosen to command the regular army.
Declaring Independence In December 1835, the Texan volunteers drove Mexican forces into the abandoned San Antonio mission known as the Alamo. General Cós asked for terms of surrender and returned to Mexico. Many Texans believed that the war was over.
Members of the provisional government quarreled frequently among themselves. In early 1836, when the Texans should have been making preparations to fight Santa Anna, little was being accomplished. However, a new convention was to be held in March 1836.
Santa Anna's army arrived in San Antonio in February 1836, and the Texans still remaining there moved into the Alamo. At about the same time, elected delegates began arriving at Washington-on-the-Brazos to attend the Convention. A declaration of independence from Mexico was written and adopted by unanimous vote on March 2, 1836. The Convention delegates then turned to writing a constitution for the new republic, which was approved on March 16. A messenger arrived on March 17, carrying news that Santa Anna's army was approaching. The ad interim president, David G. Burnet, and his cabinet fled. The future looked bleak for the new Republic of Texas.
