Mike Fisher/Flickr Creative Commons
Texas, our Texas! All hail the mighty State!
Today we’re going to drive from one end of Texas Independence all the way to the other! Who knew that the concept of Texan Independence had geographical boundaries? Used to be that 7th Grade was Texas History in school, I wonder if it still is? Remember those school field trips to the Alamo and the San Jacinto Monument? If y’all are recent arrivals to Our Fine State, then you’ve probably figured out by now that we native Texans are mighty proud of our history… sometimes to the point of obnoxiousness, true, but if you were from a place as colorful and awesome as Texas, you might have stayed there, eh? Ha!
OK, so we’re going to drive from south to north and east in order to drive from one side of texas Independence to another. The events won’t be chronological, but they will be in a more efficient driving order. We start in Brownsville. Back in 1835-36 a Texian (that’s what we called ourselves back then) Expedition attacked Matatmoros on the other side of the Rio Grande from Brownsville. Some say it was an attempt by folks who wanted to push a reluctant Texas into full rebellion against Santa Anna, some say is was unbridled greed and land speculation that was behind this attack. But either way, Brownsville and Matamoros helped light the fuse that led to war.
Next we head north to San Antonio. Back then it was San Antonio de Bexar and was at the center of the debate about whether to fight to force Santa Anna to reinstate the Constitution of 1824 or declare Independence from Mexico. Needless to say, everybody has heard of the Alamo and what happened there so be sure to visit while you’re in town. Also, since you’re here, swing by the other four preserved Spanish Missions in San Antonio for a little more of that Spanish colonial flavor.
On to Gonzales! East of San Antonio and just a little ways south of I-10 is the town of Gonzales, forever famous for the phrase “Come and Take It!”. This was the site of the first open rebellion against Mexico. Depending on which side you’re on, the Mexican army either loaned a tiny cannon to the town of Gonzales, or GAVE it to the town. Either way the Mexican army wanted it back and Gonzales said “Come and Take It!” then fired it at them thus concluding the “Battle of Gonzales” and sparking an amazing T-shirt and bumper sticker industry better than a hundred years later.
Further east on I-10 we finally reach the end of Texas Independence: The San Jacinto Battleground. It’s kind of small, kind of humid, the skeeters are TERRIBLE so spray up with Deet, but this little spot of swampy bayou country was the spot where Texas as a nation was born! There’s a giant obelisk that is 15 feet taller than the Washington Monument (naturally), the battleship USS Texas is berthed nearby, and it is on this spot that Sam Houston accepted the surrender of Santa Anna, securing Texas as it’s own sovereign nation. Hope you enjoyed the trip!