Capture of San Antonio (1835): Texian Victory in the Texas Revolution

The Siege and Capture of Béxar (San Antonio), December 5–9, 1835, was the first major Texian victory of the Texas Revolution—expelling General Martín Perfecto de Cos's Mexican garrison and seizing the Alamo.

Strategic Context

• October 1835: Gonzales ("Come and Take It"), Goliad fall to Texians
• Stephen F. Austin marches on Béxar (central Texas political/military hub)
• Cos (Santa Anna's brother-in-law) fortifies Alamo and town plazas with ~1,200 men
• Texians: ~600 volunteers (irregular, poorly supplied, elected officers)

The Battle

Dec 5: Ben Milam ("Who will go with old Ben Milam into San Antonio?") leads 300 volunteers into house-to-house urban combat—unprecedented in Texas warfare.

Dec 5–9: Texians advance block by block, digging through adobe walls ("mouseholing"), using crowbars, axes, rifles from rooftops. Mexicans defend from Alamo, Military Plaza, Main Plaza.

Dec 9: Cos surrenders. Terms: Mexicans retire beyond Rio Grande with arms (officers) / without (enlisted); Texians seize Alamo, artillery, supplies.

Casualties

• Texians: ~20–30 killed (incl. Ben Milam, sniper Dec 7), ~50 wounded
• Mexicans: ~150 killed/wounded, ~400 captured (paroled)

Significance

• Proved Mexican regulars could be beaten in urban combat
• Seized 21 cannon (later used at Alamo, San Jacinto)
• Boosted recruitment, morale, political legitimacy
• Led to Santa Anna's personal intervention → 1836 Alamo siege / Goliad massacre / San Jacinto

Aftermath

Texians garrisoned Alamo (Neill, then Travis/Bowie). Houston argued for demolition; Gov. Smith refused. The captured cannon became the "Twin Sisters" at San Jacinto. The victory made independence inevitable—but the Alamo's defense would define the myth.