This Day In Texas History - February 21

[joe817]

1795 - Future Mexican President and Military General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was born. In 1836, Santa Anna would lead a force of Mexican troops into Texas to put down a rebellion by Americans turn Texans, which included battles at the Alamo and Goliad before Santa Anna was defeated at San Jacinto

1819 - The Adams-Onís Treaty was signed by President John Quincy Adams for the United States and Luís de Onís for Spain. The treaty renounced the United States claim to Texas. It fixed the western boundary of the Louisiana Purchase as beginning at the mouth of the Sabine River and running along its south and west bank to the thirty-second parallel and thence directly north to the Río Roxo, or Red River, "then following the course of the Río Roxo westward to the degree of longitude 100 west from London and 23 from Washington; then, crossing the said Red River, and running thence, by a line due north, to the river Arkansas; thence, following the course of the southern bank of the Arkansas to its source, in latitude 42 north; and thence by that parallel of latitude to the South Sea. The whole being as laid down in Melish's map of the United States." Spain delayed ratification of the Adams-Onís Treaty until 1821. By that time Mexico had declared her independence of Spain and refused to recognize the treaty boundary line.

1836 - Former Mexican soldier Nepomuceno Navarro cast his lot with the Texas revolutionaries by enlisting in Juan N. Seguín's company of Tejanos. The company served as rear guard for General Houston's army, and Navarro served with Seguín at the battle of San Jacinto. For his participation in the Texas Revolution he received donation and bounty land grants and a pension. He was a member of the Texas Veterans Association until his death, in San Antonio in 1877.

1846 - General Sam Houston former President of the Republic of Texas and commander of the forces at San Jacinto, is elected US Senator from Texas.

1862 - Confederate Brig.Gen.Henry H. Sibley sent Maj. Charles L. Pyron with 180 men to reconnoiter a road to Valverde. Pyron was followed by Maj. Henry R. Raguet with five companies. Thus began the Battle of Valverde. Sibley's objective, although never clearly defined, appears to have been Colorado and eventually California, thus making the Confederacy a transcontinental nation more likely to win diplomatic recognition in Europe. By summer the Confederate Army of New Mexico was in full retreat back to San Antonio. The Sibley campaign had proved to be a disaster.

1896 - Judge Roy Bean stages the Fitzsimmons-Maher heavy weight title fight on a Rio Grande island. The fight had been prohibited by both the Texas and Mexican governments. Because of this, Bean chose a location on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande because Mexican authorities would have difficulty reaching it. It also meant the Texas Rangers sent to prevent the fight from happening in Texas had no jurisdiction. Spectators for the fight arrived on a chartered train.

1914 - Actor Zachary Scott was born in Austin, Texas. He went on to become a star of stage and screen, receiving an Academy Award nomination in the film The Southerner.

1935 - the Connally Hot Oil Act became law. The act came about as a result of the federal government's attempts to deal with the problem of "hot" oil--petroleum produced in violation of state and federal quotas and regulations. In the early 1930s the overproduction of oil, largely a result of the East Texas oil boom, was adversely affecting the oil market.

1936 - Barbara Jordan is born in Houston. She will become the first black woman from the South to serve in U.S. Congress.

1973 - the Governor of Texas, Dolph Briscoe declared this as George Forman Day presenting Forman with a Texas flag. Forman, born in Marshall in northeast Texas, won a Gold Medal in boxing at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico city, and later became the Heavyweight boxing champion of the world. He lost his title on Oct 29, 1974 in Zaire to Muhammad Ali.

1979 - Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt was born in Waco. She was raised in Nolanville until she was ten, when she and her mother moved to Los Angeles to further Jennifer's career.

[joe817]

1836 - James W. Fannin wrote from Goliad(named now Fort Defiance) to James W. Robinson(Governor) the following letter of this date. Fannin is pessimistic that reinforcements will arrive in time to be of much help in fortifying Goliad.:

"It affords me some little satisfaction to discover that you have so promptly met my expectations, and taken the first sure steps yet taken to force the militia to the field. But you will allow me to say, I am yet a sceptic, and do not calculate to see any considerable force in the field, until those already there are either sacrificed, or forced to make a retrograde movement, Do not believe, for a moment, that I have any such idea at present, or ever had....

I am fortifying here, so as to make the place tenable for a reasonable force.... I have caused a trench to be dug five feet from the old wall, and picketed in, and, four feet from that, another ditch, six feet wide, and four deep, to fill in from the picketing to the wall-and Artillery placed to defend it, &c.; also one new block-house, and old ones enlarged and strengthened; also one masked battery with old gun-barrels, &c.; lastly, though not the least important, a new sally-port to water, and a ditch from it to a natural ravine, into which I can back the water. and have my men entirely covered from the walls to water, which never can be cut off. This will all be completed, and nine pieces of Artillery mounted by "the Ides of March ......

I have caused the Old Priest, and thirteen soldiers, including one lieutenant, (who belonged to Captain Saverago's company) and who have been making their brags, sending their couriers, &c. to be made prisoners and forward a roll of narnes, tender of service, &c. I will forward them all soon. and refer you to Colonel James Powers for particulars. All I shall say is, secure well all prisoners, and suffer none to go on parole. This man of God is the blackest of old villains,-a murderer, adulterer, &c., and his influence is almost unbounded. I hope you will soon release me from the army, at least as an officer. But whilst I am in command, both private and public enemies shall be attended to. There is more danger from these spies, who are so intimately acquainted with the country, than from twenty times the number of armed soldiers. I again tell you, we must not rely on Mexicans. It would be a fatal delusion. Give us a flag to fight under, as unlike theirs as possible. We need one, and have nothing to make it of, and hope the Convention will furnish a new one, in time to hoist it in defiance of Santa Anna. Do send some money, and clothes, and shoes, for the soldiers. [James W. Fannin, Jr.] [To James W. Robinson] P.S. In relieving guard yesterday, the corporal marched off bare-footed. Many of the men are so near naked, that only certain parts of their body are covered. I will send you the Padre, to officiate as your chaplain, during the Convention."
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From the diary of Diary of the Military Operations of the Division which under the Command of General Jos Urrea(one of Santa Ana's Generals):
" 16. Lieutenant Nicol's Rodriguez set out with six men to explore the road as far as the Nueces.
17. From twelve o'clock until ten o'clock at night the division was occupied in crossing the Rio Bravo for the purpose of fighting a party of about 300 colonists whom the commandant-general of those departments and I were notified were on their way to invade the city of Matamoros.
18. I set out to join the division. At Rancho Viejo, three good leagues from Matamoros, I was informed that the enemy was retreating precipitately to San Patricio. I spent the night at this place where two foreigners, accused of being spies detailed by the enemy to get information regarding the movements of my troops, were arrested.
19. Although we still lacked practically all the necessary means to continue our march, I decided to push forward with only 500 Pesos worth of bread and hardtack which General Francisco Vital Fernandez furnished me the night before. I spent the night at Anacuitas Ranch. The following troops composed the division: 320 infantry from Yucatan and other places, 320 dragoons from Cuautla, Tampico, Durango, and Guanajuato, and one four-pounder. Of these I left about 200 men in Matamoros which were to follow later.
20. We moved on and crossed Colorado Creek. We spent the night on the left bank because, its waters being high, we experienced great difficulty in crossing the baggage and trains without the necessary equipment. The officer in charge of the advance guard rendered a report of no news.
21. We continued the march as far as Carricitos Ranch without mishap.
[I've listed several days of entries from the diary, as I found this document only this morning]