Battle of Gonzales
Gonzales, Gonzales County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The first battle of the Texas Revolution, fought on the west side of the Guadalupe River about four miles above Gonzales on October 2, 1835, came to be known as the Lexington of Texas. The incident grew out of Col. Domingo de Ugartechea's demand late in September for a cannon given to the settlement for defense against Indians. When the colonists refused to deliver the cannon, Ugartechea sent 150 Dragoons to demand the weapon. Alcalde Andrew Ponton, in the meantime, sent word to other colonists that he had refused to surrender the cannon, which on September 29 was buried in George W. Davis' peach orchard. From September 30 to October 2, the number of defenders at Gonzales had grown from 18 to about 160. Under command of John H. Moore and J. W. E. Wallace they dug up the cannon, mounted it on ox-cart wheels, filled it with chains and scrap iron, crossed the river and marched toward the enemy. When the Texan scouts discovered the Mexican forces early October 2 they fired their pieces and retired with the Mexicans in pursuit. A discharge from the six-pounder caused the latter to retreat. When the Texans opened with their artillery and charged the enemy his force was driven back in the direction of San Antonio.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
On October 2, 1835, near the Guadalupe River above Gonzales, Texian colonists fired the first shots of the Texas Revolution—earning the clash its nickname, the 'Lexington of Texas.' The trouble began when Mexican Col. Ugartechea demanded the return of a small cannon lent to the town for defense. The colonists buried it, dug it up, mounted it on ox-cart wheels, loaded it with scrap iron, and drove the Mexican dragoons back toward San Antonio.
Why it matters
Gonzales was the spark of the Texas Revolution, and its defiant 'Come and Take It' stand became an enduring symbol of Texan independence.
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Related people
- · Domingo de Ugartechea
- · Andrew Ponton
- · John H. Moore
- · J. W. E. Wallace
Related events
- · Battle of Gonzales
- · Texas Revolution
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Andrew Ponton
Gonzales, TX
Andrew Ponton came to Texas in 1829, settled in Green DeWitt's colony, and by 1834 served as alcalde—mayor—of Gonzales. When Mexican forces demanded the town's cannon in 1835, his delay in surrendering it helped spark the "Come and Take It" fight now remembered as the opening battle of the Texas Revolution. He also helped rally the Gonzales men, the "Immortal 32," who answered Travis's call and died at the Alamo, and he later served the Republic of Texas as a legislator and judge.
Plaza
Gonzales, TX
When Gonzales was laid out as a four-league town tract, its inner city held 49 squares, seven of them reserved for public use. This particular square was meant for a municipal building but instead became a public plaza. Today it bears the name Texas Heroes Square, honoring the men of Gonzales who took up arms in the Texas Revolution.
James W. Robinson
Gonzales, TX
Indiana-born James W. Robinson came to Texas in 1833 and was elected the Republic's first lieutenant governor in 1835, briefly serving as governor before shouldering a musket as a private at the Battle of San Jacinto in April 1836. He later settled in Gonzales, sat as a district judge, and served on the state Supreme Court. The office he first held became the second-highest in Texas, wielding broad power over the Senate and legislation.
Gonzales Cannon Burial Site
Gonzales, TX
At this spot in a peach orchard, the colonists of Gonzales buried their contested cannon to hide it from 150 Mexican dragoons sent to seize it in September 1835. Two days later they dug it up, mounted it on ox-cart wheels, loaded it with chains and scrap iron, and fired what is remembered as the first shot of the Texas Revolution.