John Coker (soldier): Difference between revisions

John Coker
John Coker
	John "Jack" Coker
Born	John Coker; May 10, 1789; Laurens County, South Carolina, U.S.
Died	January 4, 1861 (aged 71); Coker, Texas
Occupation(s)	American frontiersman, Texas Revolution hero, Republic of Texas soldier, Texas Rangers

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Latest revision as of 18:54, 8 July 2024

John "Jack" Coker (1789–1861) was a soldier in the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution, noted for a daring action during the Battle of San Jacinto that helped seal the decisive Texian victory.

Early life

John "Jack" Coker was born in Laurens County, South Carolina.

Military service

Deaf Smith knew more about the lay of the land in and around the San Jacinto battle grounds than any man in Sam Houston's army. So when he went to Houston and told him of Coker’s idea that unless the bridge over Vince's Bayou was burned, the enemy could keep on getting reinforcements and, if defeated, Santa Anna would cross the bridge and escape to wait for those reinforcements and come back. Houston agreed with this plan, but said, "You will have to pass within 100 yards (100 m) of the Mexican cavalry and they will cut you to pieces." Smith told him that if he would permit him to take six men, he would burn the bridge or perish in the attempt(4).

Vince's Bridge was not chopped down, as mistakenly stated by some historians, but was instead burned. A larger force would have been required to cut down the massive and lengthy structure in so short a time. After the successful destruction of the bridge was announced to the Texans just before the battle, they knew that there was no chance for retreat for either army. They rushed forward, and in 18 minutes, completely routed the panic-stricken Mexicans.

Santa Anna, in his attempted hasty escape from the encircling Texans, soon came to the burned bridge, which he thought was on the headwaters of Buffalo Bayou and his private secretary believed was on the Brazos River. The general was later captured after being significantly delayed by the destroyed structure. The others who were with John "Jack" Coker on that mission were Deaf Smith, Young Perry Alsbury, Denmore W. Reaves, John T. Garner, Moses Lapham and Edwin R. Rainwater.

John "Jack" Coker was not wounded in the battle but his service record states that at the battle of San Jacinto, John Coker lost a horse valued at $175, when it was shot during the battle.

Later life

In 1838 in recognition for his service, the Republic of Texas awarded him 1,920 acres (8 km²) in north central Bexar County, where he settled in 1841 and founded Coker Community (2). The community became the site of an early school and church in Bexar county.

Recognition

Young Perry Alsbury wrote of John "Jack" Coker, "He is a man who is second to none in honesty of purpose, valor and patriotism." The state of Texas placed a Historical Marker in his honor at his grave in 1968, recognizing his service in the Texas Revolution.

External links

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Infobox person
-{{for|American basketball player|John Coker (basketball)}}
+|name = John Coker
+|image       =Cemetery coker 2013-7.jpeg
+|caption     = John "Jack" Coker
+|birth_name  = John Coker
+|birth_date  = {{birth date|1789|5|10| mf=y}}
+|birth_place = [[Laurens County, South Carolina]], U.S.
+|death_date  = {{death date and age|1861|1|4|1789|5|10| mf=y}}
+|death_place = [[Coker, Texas]]
+|occupation  = [[United States|American]] frontiersman, [[Texas Revolution]] hero, [[Republic of Texas]] soldier, [[Texas Ranger Division|Texas Rangers]]}}
 {{Texas History}}
-'''John Coker''' (1789{{ndash}} 1851) was a soldier in the Texas Army during the [[Texas Revolution]], noted for a daring action during the [[Battle of San Jacinto]] that helped seal the decisive [[Texian]] victory.
+'''John "Jack" Coker''' (1789–1861) was a soldier in the Texas Army during the [[Texas Revolution]], noted for a daring action during the [[Battle of San Jacinto]] that helped seal the decisive [[Texian]] victory.
-==Biography==
+==Early life==
-John Coker was born in [[Laurens County, South Carolina]]. He moved from [[South Carolina]] to [[Texas]] in 1834 and applied for land in [[Stephen Austin]]’s colonies (4).
+John "Jack" Coker was born in [[Laurens County, South Carolina]].
-Coker served in the [[Texas]] army from [[March 6]] to [[September 5]], [[1836]].  He was a member of Captain [[Henry Wax Karnes]]' Company and served in Erastus [[Deaf Smith]]’s spy company in the Battle of San Jacinto. He was one of a party of seven men who burned [[Vince's Bridge]] and kept [[Antonio López de Santa Anna]]’s army from retreat or reinforcement, thus assuring the Texan victory (5).
+==Military service==
-[[Young Perry Alsbury]], who was also at Vince's Bridge, in an 1858 letter to Congressman Grimes stated “While sitting in our saddles, John Coker, my left file-leader, made the following remark and the suggestions following: "Boys, before many hours we will have one of the damndest, bloodiest fights that ever was fought and I believe it would be a good plan to go and burn that bridge so as not only to impede the advance of reinforcements of the enemy, but it will cut off all chance of retreat of either party (2)."
-Deaf Smith knew more about the lay of the land in and around the San Jacinto battle grounds than any man in [[Sam Houston]]'s army. So when he went to Houston and told him of Coker’s idea that unless the bridge over Vince's Bayou was burned, the enemy could keep on getting reinforcements and, if defeated, Santa Anna would cross the bridge and escape to wait for those reinforcements and come back.  Houston agreed with this plan, but said, "You will have to pass within {{convert|100|yd|m|-2}} of the Mexican cavalry and they will cut you to pieces."  Smith told him that if he would permit him to take six men, he would burn the bridge or perish in the attempt(4).
-Vince's Bridge was not chopped down, as mistakenly stated by some historians, but was instead burned. A larger force would have been required to cut down the massive and lengthy structure in so short a time. After the successful destruction of the bridge was announced to the Texans just before the battle, they knew that there was no chance for retreat for either army. They rushed forward, and in 18 minutes, completely routed the panic-stricken Mexicans (2).
+Deaf Smith knew more about the lay of the land in and around the San Jacinto battle grounds than any man in [[Sam Houston]]'s army. So when he went to Houston and told him of Coker’s idea that unless the bridge over Vince's Bayou was burned, the enemy could keep on getting reinforcements and, if defeated, Santa Anna would cross the bridge and escape to wait for those reinforcements and come back.  Houston agreed with this plan, but said, "You will have to pass within {{convert|100|yd|m|-2}} of the Mexican cavalry and they will cut you to pieces."  Smith told him that if he would permit him to take six men, he would burn the bridge or perish in the attempt(4).
-Santa Anna, in his attempted hasty escape from the encircling Texans, soon came to the burned bridge, which he thought was on the headwaters of Buffalo Bayou and his private secretary believed was on the Brazos River. The general was later captured after being significantly delayed by the destroyed structure (5). The others who were with John Coker on that mission were [[Deaf Smith]], [[Young Perry Alsbury]], [[Denmore W. Reaves]], [[John T. Garner]], [[Moses Lapham]] and [[Edwin R. Rainwater]].
+Vince's Bridge was not chopped down, as mistakenly stated by some historians, but was instead burned. A larger force would have been required to cut down the massive and lengthy structure in so short a time. After the successful destruction of the bridge was announced to the Texans just before the battle, they knew that there was no chance for retreat for either army. They rushed forward, and in 18 minutes, completely routed the panic-stricken Mexicans.
-John Coker was not wounded in the battle but his service record states that at the battle of San Jacinto, John Coker lost a horse valued at $175, when it was shot during the battle (4).
+Santa Anna, in his attempted hasty escape from the encircling Texans, soon came to the burned bridge, which he thought was on the headwaters of Buffalo Bayou and his private secretary believed was on the Brazos River. The general was later captured after being significantly delayed by the destroyed structure. The others who were with John "Jack" Coker on that mission were [[Deaf Smith]], [[Young Perry Alsbury]], [[Denmore W. Reaves]], [[John T. Garner]], [[Moses Lapham]] and [[Edwin R. Rainwater]].
-In 1838 in recognition for his service, the [[Republic of Texas]] awarded him {{convert|1920|acre|km2|0}} in north central [[Bexar County, Texas|Bexar County]], where he settled in 1841 and founded [[Coker Community]] (2).  He is buried in the Coker family plot in the Coker Cemetery (1).
+John "Jack" Coker was not wounded in the battle but his service record states that at the battle of San Jacinto, John Coker lost a horse valued at $175, when it was shot during the battle.
-Young Perry Alsbury wrote of John Coker, "He is a man who is second to none in honesty of purpose, valor and patriotism." (2)
-==See also==
+==Later life==
+In 1838 in recognition for his service, the [[Republic of Texas]] awarded him {{convert|1920|acre|km2|0}} in north central [[Bexar County, Texas|Bexar County]], where he settled in 1841 and founded [[Coker Community]] (2).  The community became the site of an early school and church in Bexar county.
-*[[Young Perry Alsbury]]
-*[[Battle of San Jacinto]]
-*[[John T. Garner]]
+==Recognition==
-*[[Moses Lapham]]
+Young Perry Alsbury wrote of John "Jack" Coker, "He is a man who is second to none in honesty of purpose, valor and patriotism."
-*[[Edwin R. Rainwater]]
+The state of Texas placed a Historical Marker in his honor at his grave in 1968, recognizing his service in the Texas Revolution.
-*[[Denmore W. Reaves]]
+==See also==
 *[[Deaf Smith]]
-*[[Henry Wax Karnes]]
-*[[Sam Houston]]
-*[[Antonio López de Santa Anna]]
 *[[Vicente Filisola]]
 *[[José de Urrea]]
@@ Line 41: / Line 46: @@
 *[[Timeline of the Texas Revolution]]
 *[[Runaway Scrape]]
-*[[Vince's Bridge]]
 *[[Coker, Texas]]
-*[[Republic of Texas]]
-==References==
-*1. "Coker Community Has Experienced Scope of Area Development" By Susan Goodell
-*2. "Y.P. Alsbury letter" Texas Archives
-*3. "Coker Community Church Facts" By J. William Roten, Bulletin of Coker Community Church.
-*4. "John Coker" A Texas Historical Commission historical marker.
-*5. "Battle of San Jacinto" A Texas Historical Commission historical marker.
 ==External links==
-*[http://www.its-my-website.com/Texasdocs/Alsburyletter.htm  Young Perry Alsbury Letter]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929160142/http://www.its-my-website.com/Texasdocs/Alsburyletter.htm  Young Perry Alsbury Letter]
-*[http://www.its-my-website.com/Texasdocs/santaanna.htm  Santa Anna's Letter]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929160131/http://www.its-my-website.com/Texasdocs/santaanna.htm  Santa Anna's Letter]
-*[http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/santasanj.htm Santa Anna's Account of the Battle]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070209001402/http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/santasanj.htm Santa Anna's Account of the Battle]
-*[http://www.its-my-website.com/Texasdocs/Battle%20of%20San%20Jacinto%20by%20Creed%20Taylor.htm Account of the battle by Creed Taylor]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929160137/http://www.its-my-website.com/Texasdocs/Battle%20of%20San%20Jacinto%20by%20Creed%20Taylor.htm Account of the battle by Creed Taylor]
-*[http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/batsanjacinto.htm San Jacinto]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070502033811/http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/batsanjacinto.htm San Jacinto]
-*[http://www.themonitor.net/Archive/4-20-06/frontpage.htm Vince's Bridge]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090309034436/http://www.themonitor.net/Archive/4-20-06/frontpage.htm Vince's Bridge]
-*[http://www.cokercemetery.com/battaglia6.html John Coker]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929141009/http://www.cokercemetery.com/battaglia6.html John Coker]
 *[http://www.cokercemetery.com/about.html John Coker History]
-{{Texas}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Coker, John}}
 [[Category:1789 births]]
-[[Category:1851 deaths]]
+[[Category:1861 deaths]]
-[[Category:People from Texas]]
+[[Category:19th-century American military personnel]]
+[[Category:People from Bexar County, Texas]]
+[[Category:People from Laurens County, South Carolina]]
 [[Category:People of the Texas Revolution]]