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The Battle of Medina was fought approximately 20 miles south of San Antonio, Texas on August 18, 1813 during an uprising against Spanish authority in Mexico. Spanish Royalist troops led by Gen. Joaquín de Arredondo defeated Republican forces (calling themselves the "Republican Army of the North"), consisting of Mexican revolutionaries and Anglos participating in the Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition, under Gen. José Álvarez de Toledo y Dubois.

Background

Col. Don Jose Bernardo Maximiliano Gutiérrez de Lara took up the effort to free Texas from Spain. Col. Gutiérrez visited Washington, DC and gained support for his efforts. In 1812, Lt. Augustus William Magee, who had commanded U.S. Army troops guarding the border of the “Neutral Ground” between Louisiana and Texas, resigned his commission, and formed the Republican Army of the North to aid the Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition. The army flew a solid emerald green flag, thought to have been introduced by Col. Magee, who was of Irish descent.

Nacogdoches was taken on 12 August 1812, with little opposition, and on 7 November 1812 the Republican Army of the North marched into what is present day Goliad where they took the Presidio La Bahia beginning a four month siege. While at La Bahia, Col. Magee died on 6 February 1813. After numerous battles and heavy losses, the Spanish lifted the siege and returned to Bexar.

On 25 March 25 the Republican Army of the North left La Bahia for Bexar after receiving reinforcements. Col. Samuel Kemper replaced Col. Magee, and Lieutenant Colonel Reuben Ross was elected second in command.

The battle

There were approximately 1,400 men in the Republican Army at the time, composed of Anglos, Tejanos, Indians, former Royalist soldiers who had deserted the Spanish Army, and at least one Black slave. General Toledo and his men had camped about six miles north of this area and were slaughtered by the Royalists Army.

The battle lasted four hours before the Republican line collapsed and its troops fled in panic. During the retreat most of the Republicans were captured and slaughtered. Less than 100 out of 1,400 soldiers on the Republican side survived. The Royalists lost only 55 men. The defeat effectively ended the Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition.

Among Arredondo's loyalist troops at the battle was a young Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, future president and later dictator of Mexico. Santa Anna's experiences in Texas during the expedition with Arredondo are believed to have contributed to disposition towards the province and brutalities during the Texas Revolution many years later.

External links

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-The '''Battle of Medina''' was fought approximately 20 miles south of [[San Antonio, Texas]] on [[August 18]], [[1813]] during an uprising against Spanish authority in [[Mexico]]. Spanish royalist troops led by Gen. [[Joaquín de Arredondo]] defeated republican forces (calling themselves the "Republican Army of the North"), consisting of Mexican revolutionaries and Anglos participating in the [[Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition]], under Gen. [[José Álvarez de Toledo y Dubois]].
+The '''Battle of Medina''' was fought approximately 20 miles south of [[San Antonio, Texas]] on [[August 18]], [[1813]] during an uprising against Spanish authority in [[Mexico]]. Spanish Royalist troops led by Gen. [[Joaquín de Arredondo]] defeated Republican forces (calling themselves the "Republican Army of the North"), consisting of Mexican revolutionaries and [[Anglo]]s participating in the [[Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition]], under Gen. [[José Álvarez de Toledo y Dubois]].
 == Background ==
-Col. Don Jose Bernardo Maximiliano Gutierrez de Lara took up the effort to free Texas from Spain.  Col. Gutierrez visited Washington, DC and gained support for his efforts.  In 1812, Lt. Augustus William Magee, who had commanded U.S. Army troops guarding the border of the “Neutral Ground” between Louisiana and Texas, resigned his commission, and formed the Republican Army of the North to aid the Gutierrez-Magee Expedition.  The army flew a solid [[Emerald (color)|emerald green]] flag, thought to have been introduced by Magee, who was of [[Ireland|Irish]] descent.
+Col. Don [[Jose Bernardo Maximiliano Gutiérrez de Lara]] took up the effort to free Texas from Spain.  Col. Gutiérrez visited Washington, DC and gained support for his efforts.  In 1812, Lt. [[Augustus Magee|Augustus William Magee]], who had commanded U.S. Army troops guarding the border of the “Neutral Ground” between Louisiana and Texas, resigned his commission, and formed the Republican Army of the North to aid the Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition.  The army flew a solid [[Emerald (color)|emerald green]] flag, thought to have been introduced by Col. Magee, who was of [[Ireland|Irish]] descent.
-Nacogdoches was taken on 12 August 1812, with little opposition, and on 7 November 1812 the Republican Army of the North marched into what is present day Goliad where they took the Presidio La Bahia beginning a four month siege. While at La Bahia, Augustus Magee mysteriously died on 6 February 1813.  After numerous battles and heavy losses, the Spanish lifted the siege and returned to Bexar.
+[[Nacogdoches]] was taken on 12 August 1812, with little opposition, and on 7 November 1812 the Republican Army of the North marched into what is present day [[Goliad]] where they took the [[Presidio La Bahia]] beginning a four month siege. While at La Bahia, Col. Magee died on 6 February 1813.  After numerous battles and heavy losses, the Spanish lifted the siege and returned to [[Bexar]].
-On 25 March 25 the Republican Army of the North left La Bahia for Bexar after receiving reinforcements. Col. [[Samuel Kemper]] replaced Col. Magee, and Lieutenant Colonel Reuben Ross was elected second in command.
+On 25 March 25 the Republican Army of the North left La Bahia for Bexar after receiving reinforcements. Col. [[Samuel Kemper]] replaced Col. Magee, and Lieutenant Colonel [[Reuben Ross]] was elected second in command.
 == The battle ==
-There were approximately 1,400 men in the Republican Army at the time, composed of Anglos, Tejanos, Indians, former Royalist soldiers who had deserted the Spanish Army, and at least one Black slave.  General Toledo and his men had camped about six miles north of this area and were slaughtered by the Royalists Army.
+There were approximately 1,400 men in the Republican Army at the time, composed of Anglos, [[Tejanos]], Indians, former Royalist soldiers who had deserted the Spanish Army, and at least one Black slave.  General Toledo and his men had camped about six miles north of this area and were slaughtered by the Royalists Army.
-The battle lasted four hours before the republican line collapsed, sending its troops into a panicked flee. During the retreat most of the republicans were captured and slaughtered. Less than 100 out of 1,400 soldiers on the republican side survived. The royalists lost only 55 men. The defeat effectively ended the Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition.
+The battle lasted four hours before the Republican line collapsed and its troops fled in panic. During the retreat most of the Republicans were captured and slaughtered. Less than 100 out of 1,400 soldiers on the Republican side survived. The Royalists lost only 55 men. The defeat effectively ended the Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition.
 Among Arredondo's loyalist troops at the battle was a young [[Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna]], future president and later dictator of [[Mexico]]. Santa Anna's experiences in Texas during the expedition with Arredondo are believed to have contributed to disposition towards the province and brutalities during the [[Texas Revolution]] many years later.