Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía, or La Bahia in the City of Goliad, Texas, has a fascinating history. Founded by the Spanish in 1721 near Matagorda Bay and later moved to Goliad, La Bahia was originally built as a presidio, or fortification, to protect the Spanish missions in Southeast Texas, mainly that at Espiritu Santo, from what they perceived as encroachment by the French, who were settling the area in what is now Louisiana and had been sighted in Spanish territory in Texas.
The missions had trouble with their primary mission of converting the local Indians, so they moved the fort and the mission to the San Antonio river in 1749. After France ceded any claims to Texas in 1767, the Spanish re-evaluated their chain of Presidios along the gulf and focused on the more inland sites, leaving La Bahia as the only one along the coast from the Rio Grande to the Mississippi river.
For the next 40 years ago, the area prospered, with the town of Goliad growing up around the presidio and major trade routes passing through the area, but La Bahia would become embroiled in combat again with the onset of Mexican Revolution in 1810. The fort was the site of battles and sieges, including one by James Long and the Republic of Texas, a precursor to what would come later.
Once Mexico gained it's independence, Goliad and La Bahia remained under it's control until October 1835 when the Texas revolution began. Texian troops, reinforced by local Tejanos attacked the fort on October 10, quickly subduing the Spanish garrison. They held the fort until February 1836, when through a series of missteps, the Texian garrison lost the fort to the Mexican Army.
And there's where La Bahia's - and Goliad's most historic event occurred. The garrison had been ordered to abandon the fort and retreat to Victoria after the Alamo fell to the Mexicans. James Fannin, who apparently suffered from the lack of a sense of urgency, took his time, and ran into a Mexican force only a few days march away from the fort.
Overwhelmed, the Texian's held the Mexicans off for a day, but eventually surrendered. They were marched back to La Bahia. Then, under orders from Mexican president Santa Ana, they were massacred, their bodies partially burned and left to rot.
Along with "Remember the Alamo," "Remember Goliad" became the rallying cry for Texas Independence and the massacre was avenged when, on April 21, 1836, the forces of Texas defeated the Mexicans, captured Santa Ana and secured independence for Texas.
Today, La Bahia stands as fine example of Spanish presidios. Owned by the Catholic diocese of Victoria, it operates as a museum, church, events center and archaeology center.
Here's the side note (hah! you thought I'd forgotten didn't you?) If you would like, you can stay in a renovated priest's quarters in La Bahia. See my post on that:
Adjacent to the Presidio is the Fannin Memorial Monument, erected over the site of the final resting place of those Texian soldiers massacred at Goliad. Also in the park is a statue to the "Angel of Goliad" honoring Francisca Alvarez who helped those soldiers, as well as others during the revolution, even assisting some of the Goliad garrison in escape.
And just down the road is Goliad State Park, home to the aforementioned Espiritu Santo mission which was restored by the CCC in the 30's. I haven't yet had a chance to stay at the park, so it's still on my list, but I did spend some time in the mission.
That's it for this week. I'm off on my new adventure. I'm writing this from beautiful North Florida and will head a little further east to Jacksonville next week. I'm excited for this next round. So, until then,
Later, folks.
Comments