The Palm Sunday slaughter that made “Remember Goliad” as famous as “Remember the Alamo”

The Goliad Massacre, 1836

On March 27, 1836, between 425 and 445 Texan prisoners believed they would soon be free. At sunrise on Palm Sunday, they were divided into three groups and shot by Mexican firing squads on Santa Anna’s orders.

Only 28 escaped by playing dead or fleeing to nearby woods. This dark chapter unfolds at Goliad State Park, where the presidio still stands for visitors today.

Here’s the horrific tragedy that happened behind this beautiful place.

Santa Anna’s Execution Order

A Mexican law from December 30, 1835 labeled foreign fighters as pirates rather than soldiers. Pirates faced death, not prisoner status.

Santa Anna used this law to justify killing the captured Texans. He saw them as lawbreakers, not legitimate soldiers fighting for independence.

He sent direct orders to Lieutenant Colonel José Nicolás de la Portilla at Goliad. Santa Anna demanded swift execution of all prisoners, calling them “perfidious foreigners” who deserved death for rebelling against Mexico.

General Urrea’s Attempted Intervention

General Urrea, who captured the Texans, disagreed with Santa Anna’s harsh approach. He believed in treating surrendered enemies with military honor.

Urrea wrote to Santa Anna asking for mercy for the prisoners. He also sent an order to Portilla on March 26 instructing him to treat the captives “with consideration.”

His message arrived the same day as Santa Anna’s execution order. Urrea hoped his appeal would save the Texans, but his rank couldn’t override the president’s command.

Colonel Portilla’s Difficult Decision

Lieutenant Colonel Portilla received both messages on March 26. As fort commander at Goliad, he faced an impossible choice between conflicting orders.

Portilla spent the night weighing his options. Santa Anna outranked Urrea and held the highest position in Mexico as president and commander-in-chief.

By morning, he decided to follow Santa Anna’s orders. Portilla scheduled the executions for dawn on March 27, which happened to be Palm Sunday.

The Prisoners’ False Hope

The Texan prisoners believed they would soon go free. Some thought they would sail to New Orleans and return home.

Mexican soldiers woke the Texans at daylight on March 27. They told them they were leaving on different tasks – gathering wood, moving cattle, or marching to Copano port.

The prisoners packed their things, feeling relieved. None suspected the true plan as they prepared to leave the fort that morning.

The Three Execution Groups

Mexican officers split the Texans into three groups. Each group left Fort Defiance on a different road – the San Antonio Road, San Patricio Road, and Victoria Road.

Two rows of Mexican soldiers walked alongside each group. This formation prevented any escape attempts. The sick and wounded Texans stayed in the chapel, too weak to march. They remained under guard inside the fort, unaware of what was happening to their comrades.

The Execution Method

About half a mile from the fort, Mexican officers ordered the prisoners to stop and turn away. Confused, the Texans faced away from their captors.

The Mexican soldiers fired their muskets at close range into the prisoners’ backs. Most died instantly from the first shots.

Those who survived tried to run. Mexican soldiers chased them across the open land, killing the wounded with bayonets, swords, and lances until none remained alive.

Fannin’s Execution

Colonel Fannin received separate treatment from his men. Mexican soldiers executed him individually at the fort.

Before dying, Fannin made three requests: send his belongings to his family, shoot him in the chest not the face, and give him a Christian burial.

The Mexican officer denied all requests. He shot Fannin in the face, took his possessions, and burned his body with the other dead Texans.

The Wounded Prisoners’ Fate

About 40 wounded Texans stayed in the chapel, unable to march with the others. Captain Carolino Huerta of the Tres Villas battalion entered with his men.

They killed the wounded where they lay. Some died in their beds, others against the chapel walls. The soldiers used different methods: shooting, stabbing with bayonets, or clubbing with musket butts. None of the wounded in the chapel survived.

The Survivors Despite the thorough killings, 28 Texans survived the massacre. They played dead among their fallen friends and escaped when the Mexican soldiers looked away.

Herman Ehrenberg lived and later wrote about what happened. William Lockhart Hunter survived despite bayonet wounds and musket blows.

Four members of an Alabama volunteer unit called Shackelford’s Red Rovers also escaped: Dillard Cooper, Zachariah Brooks, Wilson Simpson, and Isaac Hamilton.

The Angel of Goliad

Francita Alavez, a young Mexican woman traveling with the army, saved many Texans. Her kindness earned her the name “Angel of Goliad.”

The night before the killings, she snuck into the fort and helped several men escape. She hid them until after the massacre ended.

Francita convinced Mexican officers to spare about 20 prisoners as doctors, interpreters, and workers. She later helped other Texan prisoners in Victoria and Matamoros with food and medicine.

Visiting Goliad State Park & Historic Site

You’ll find Goliad State Park at 108 Park Road 6, Goliad, Texas 77963.

Explore the Fannin Memorial Monument, tour Presidio La Bahía, and visit Mission Espíritu Santo. Walk the 2.5-mile Angel of Goliad Trail connecting the park to downtown.

Fish the San Antonio River from the park’s dock (no license needed) or paddle the 6.6-mile Goliad Paddling Trail. Campsites and screened shelters are available by reservation.

From San Antonio, take Highway 181 to Kenedy, then FM 239 to Highway 59 to reach the park.

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