It was the spark in the magazine. All Texas sprang to arms under such
leaders as Houston, Austin, Travis, Bonham, Fannin, "Deaf" Smith, and
"Ben" Milam; took Goliad, where Milam lost his life heading a desperate
assault; captured Concepcion and San Antonio, until, by the middle of
December, 1836, not a Mexican soldier was left north of the Rio Grande.
But Houston, who had been appointed commander-in-chief of the Texan
forces, knew they would return, and bent every effort to organize a
disciplined army. It was a difficult thing to do with the high-tempered
and lawless elements at hand; everything was disorder and confusion, and
meanwhile came word that Santa Anna himself, at the head of an army of
six thousand men, was entering Texas.
No effective opposition could be offered such an army; the San Antonio
garrison was entrapped in the old mission called The Alamo and killed to
the last man; Fannin and his force, three hundred and fifty strong, were
cornered at Goliad and brutally shot down in detachments after they had
surrendered; and Santa Anna, certain that Texas had been conquered,
divided his army into columns to occupy the country. Houston only was
left, and the fate of Texas hung on his little force; he knew he could
strike but once; if he were defeated, the war for independence would
end then and there; so he watched and waited, gathering together the
stragglers, keeping them in heart, laboring like a very Hercules.
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