Texas heroes celebrated in Fayette County

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Members of the Black Powder Brigade gathered in downtown La Grange during Texas Heroes Day to begin the day with a bang. They fired off several round between 7:30 and 8 a.m. before going up to the Park for the day’s celebration.       -- Staff photo by Taylor

Sept. 29, 2005 - While most of Texas has many parks to be proud of, Monument Hill State Historical Park in Fayette County is one of the oldest in Texas and has a great story to tell visitors.

Sons and Daughters of the Republic decided to “re-instate” a Texas Heroes Day on Sept. 17 to celebrate and honor members who lost their lives fighting with the Dawson Company and in the Mier Expedition who are buried at Monument Hill under the granite tomb, many of whom were from the Fayette County area. For many years, survivors of the two groups met, yearly, to celebrate the lives of those who were lost … and those who survived.

According to history, Texas won its independence from Mexico on April 21, 1836, not that Mexico really recognized the fact.  The independence was the result of General Sam Houston’s battle at San Jacinto against General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna of Mexico.  For the next 70 years, cattle rustling was common, with Anglos and Mexican outlaws invading Texas ranches.

Clara Mae Marcotte of Seguin spins wool into yarn. She was one  of many demonstrators who presented historical arts during the event. -- Staff photo by Taylor

Once Mexico had settled its differences with the Federalist Revolution in Mexico and the war between Mexico and France, attention … once again … turned to Texas and regaining property.  History indicates that in February of 1842, General Rafael Vasquez led about 700 troops into Texas to attack and seize San Antonio.  After taking everything the Mexican Army wanted, they started to retreat back to Mexico.  Word got out to Texans what had happened.  That’s when Fayette County would go down in history.

Captain John Coffee Hays and two companies of volunteers from Fayette County, under the commands of Thomas J. Rabb and Nicholas Mosby Dawson followed the Mexican retreat, but they did not have the personnel required to capture any of the raiders.  For several months, Texas was “safe.”  On Sept. 10, 1842, it was discovered that another army of about 950, led by General Adrian Woll, successfully captured San Antonio.  Fifty-two Texans were taken prisoner and back to Mexico.

Once word reached La Grange on Sept. 14, about 15 men met under the large oak tree (now known as the Treaty Oak) in downtown La Grange.  They decided to go and ride towards San Antonio, and along the way, they were joined by others until they had 54 members.  Nicholas Mosby Dawson was elected captain.

On the way into San Antonio, Dawson and his troops were intercepted by 400 Mexican troops.  Although the Texans fought as long as they could, with everything they had, the Mexicans used deadly cannon fire to kill about one-third of the Texans.  At the end of the battle, it is reported that 36 Texans had been killed, 15 taken prisoner and three managed to escape.

Battles continued for the next few months until on Feb. 11, 1843, under the Mier Expedition led by Captain Ewen Cameron, 188 Texans escaped capture in Mexico and tried to get back to Texas.  Within two weeks, starving, tired Texans surrendered.  History reports that 176 Texans were recaptured, seven died in the mountains and only five made it back safely to Texas.

The Texans who were returned back to the Rancho Salado became the group identified by the “black bean” execution.  Santa Anna ordered that one-tenth of the men be killed, so 159 white beans and 17 black beans were drawn by the Texas soldiers.  Those who were unfortunate enough to receive the black beans were allowed to write a final letter home, before being executed.

In 1847, remains of those Texans killed were brought back to La Grange by wagon, after traveling to Galveston by ship.  Shortly thereafter, those men killed under Captain Dawson, along with the Captain’s remains, were brought back to Fayette County.  On September 18, 1848, the remains were given a military burial in a tomb on the bluff over-looking the Colorado River, just south of La Grange.

Over the years, the property changed hands several times, as the tomb continued to crack and deteriorate.  In June of 1931, a member of the Texas State Historical Association visited Monument Hill and was repulsed by the shape of the tomb of the great Texan heroes.  Although he wanted to take the remains back to Austin and bury them in the State Cemetery, local members of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas had other ideas!

On Sept. 18, 1933, the 91st anniversary of the Dawson Massacre, a new granite tomb was dedicated.  In 1936, the 48-foot tall monument with a panel of sculptured colored plaster was erected to honor the fallen Texans.

Although recent historians have made corrections to some of the facts and names, the Monument Hill State Park continues to be a “hallowed ground” to all who hear the story or have ancestors who were involved in the battles.

There is a plan to continue with Texas Heroes Day on the Saturday nearest Sept. 18, starting this year.  As Fayette County Judge, Ed Janecka said at the ceremony, “People who’ve forgotten their past have no future.”

(To contact Monument Hill State Park: 979-968-5658 or www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/monument/.)