Battle of Medina

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about this ground — and friend, this ground has a story worth slowing down for. They call it Texas' bloodiest military engagement. The Battle of Medina.

And the marker standing near this stretch of Atascosa County says it may have taken place right here — in this general vicinity — in 1813. May have. That uncertainty is part of what makes the whole thing haunt you.

To understand how it happened, you have to back up to a world coming apart at the seams. The early nineteenth century was a time of political upheaval on a continental scale. By 1812, the United States was at war with England.

Meanwhile, Spain was watching revolts break out throughout Latin America — Mexico included. Texas, at that moment, was a province of Mexico. And in that revolutionary climate, Americans and others began efforts to influence the fate of that province, of that whole nation.

Two men stepped into that moment. Bernardo Gutiérrez and Lieutenant A.W. Magee.

In 1812, they marched from Louisiana into Texas at the head of what they called the Republican Army of the North. They took Nacogdoches. They took Trinidad.

Then they pushed on to Presidio La Bahía, where the Spanish governors and their Royalist forces laid siege to them — four months of it. Four months. And the Republican Army survived it.

The Royalists retreated toward San Antonio in February of 1813. The Republicans followed in March and were ambushed in the Battle of Rosillo. They persevered through that too, pushed on, captured San Antonio, and executed the Spanish governors.

Gutiérrez raised a green flag over his new Republic of Texas. It must have felt, for just a moment, like they had won something permanent. It wasn't permanent.

The Republic was already cracking from internal political problems when Spain made its move. They sent troops under General Joaquín de Arredondo to retake Texas. And among those troops — here's the detail that'll make the hair on your arm stand up — was a young officer by the name of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.

The same man who would later lead Mexico during the Texas Revolution. He was there, on the other side of this fight, learning how wars like this get finished. The Republican Army marched out of San Antonio on August 15, 1813.

About fourteen hundred troops: American volunteers, Tejanos, Mexicans, and Native Americans. They were led south across the plains below the Medina River. They were fatigued.

And on August 18, they came face to face with the Spanish forces. What happened next was swift and it was merciless. The army was soundly defeated.

Fewer than a hundred escaped. Most were executed. The Spanish left the decimated Texans on the battlefield and proceeded to San Antonio to punish citizens who had supported independence.

The punishment didn't stop at the battlefield. Eight years passed. Eight years those soldiers lay where they fell.

Then Mexican leaders ordered the remains of the fallen to be gathered and buried under an oak tree on the battlefield. A quiet act of recognition — late, but given. The exact site of the battle has never been pinned down archeologically.

Nobody can point to a spot and say with certainty: here. It was here. And yet the marker itself says this story remains an important part of Texas history.

Fourteen hundred men marched out. Fewer than a hundred walked away. The rest stayed here somewhere — under these plains, under some oak tree, in ground that still hasn't finished giving up its secrets.

What the marker says

Texas' bloodiest military engagement -- the Battle of Medina -- may have taken place in this general vicinity in 1813. The early 19th century was a time of political upheaval, and in 1812, while the U.S. was at war with England, Spain faced revolts throughout Latin America, including Mexico. In this revolutionary climate, Americans and others began efforts to influence the fate of Mexico, of which Texas was a province. Bernardo Gutiérrez and Lt. A.W. Magee marched from Louisiana to Texas in 1812 with their Republican Army of the North. Capturing Nacogdoches and Trinidad, they moved on to Presidio La Bahía, where they survived a four-month siege by Spanish governors and their Royalist forces. The Royalists retreated toward San Antonio in February 1813, and in March the Republican Army followed them and was ambushed in the Battle of Rosillo. The Republicans persevered, captured San Antonio and executed the Spanish governors. Gutiérrez's new Republic of Texas, with its green flag, was marked by internal political problems. Spain sent troops under Gen. Joaquín de Arredondo to retake Texas. Among his men was Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, later Mexico's leader during the Texas Revolution. The Republicans marched from San Antonio on Aug. 15, 1813 with about 1,400 troops: American volunteers, Tejanos, Mexicans and Native Americans. Led across the plains south of the Medina River, the fatigued army faced Spanish troops on Aug. 18 and was soundly defeated. Fewer than 100 escaped; most were executed. The Spanish left the decimated Texans on the battlefield and proceeded to San Antonio to punish citizens who supported independence. Eight years later, Mexican leaders ordered the remains of the fallen soldiers to be buried under an oak tree on the battlefield. Although the exact site of the battle has yet to be determined archeologically, the story remains an important part of Texas history. (2005)