Battle of Agua Dulce

Battle of Agua Dulce
Part of the Texas Revolution
Date March 2, 1836[1] Location 25 miles (40 km) southwest of San Patricio 27°50′51″N 97°50′59″W / 27.84750°N 97.84972°W / 27.84750; -97.84972 Result Mexican victory
Belligerents
Centralist Republic of Mexico	Republic of Texas
Commanders and leaders
José de Urrea	James Grant †
Strength
150 men	53 men
Casualties and losses
1 killed unknown wounded	12–15 killed 6 captured
approximate location of the battle class=notpageimage| Location within Texas Show map of Texas approximate location of the battle approximate location of the battle (the United States) Show map of the United States

The battle of Agua Dulce Creek was a skirmish during the Texas Revolution between Mexican troops and the colonists of the Mexican province of Texas, known as Texians. As part of the Goliad Campaign to retake the Texas Gulf Coast, Mexican troops ambushed a group of Texians on March 2, 1836. The skirmish began approximately 26 miles (42 km) south of San Patricio, in territory belonging to the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

When Mexico transitioned to a centralized government in 1835, supporters of federalism took up arms. Colonists in Texas revolted in October 1835 and by the end of the year had expelled all Mexican troops from their province. With hostilities temporarily suspended, Frank W. Johnson, the commander of the volunteer army in Texas, and James Grant gathered volunteers for a planned invasion of the Mexican port town of Matamoros. In late February 1836, Johnson and half of the volunteers drove a herd of horses to San Patricio, while Grant took the remaining men to gather more horses and to attempt contact with federalist sympathizers near Matamoros.

Unknown to the Texians, on February 18, Mexican General José de Urrea led a large contingent of troops from Matamoros into Texas to neutralize the rebels gathered along the coast. His troops easily defeated Johnson's small force on February 26. Several days later, informants revealed Grant's location, and on the morning of March 2, Urrea sent 150 troops to ambush the rebels. After a brief battle, the main body of the Texian and Tejano troops were defeated. Grant and two others escaped the battle and were pursued for 7 miles (11 km). Grant was killed, as were 11 men under his command. Six Texians were taken prisoner; contrary to Santa Anna's orders, Urrea did not execute them, but instead sent them to a jail in Matamoros. An additional six Texians escaped; five of them later died in the Goliad massacre.