Presidio La Bahia

by Kristina Deane

Title

Presidio La Bahia

Artist

Kristina Deane

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

A little history from the Presidio La Bahia in Goliad Texas. The Angel of Goliad story Information is from the museum.

Perhaps the most compassionate figure of the Texas Revolution, Senora Alavez is credited with directly sparing the lives of a number of men at Goliad. Francita Alavez was not the wife, but the traveling companion of Col. Telesforo Alavez, an officer in General Urrea's army. At Goliad, she plead and saved the lives of a number of men including fifteen year old Benjamin Hughes. Later at Victoria, she assisted in the escape of Issac Hamilton. He had escaped the Goliad Massacre, but was captured again at Victoria.

Her selfless and sincere concern for the enemy Texians displayed deep and humane feeling beyond common bonds and was recalled later by some of those whom she comforted during their imprisonment.

A bronze bust of Francita Alavez and painting (shown below) is on display in the museum at Presidio La Bahia.


The below information about Francita Alavez is from The Sons Of Dewitt Colony web site � 1997-2001, Wallace L. McKeehan, All Rights Reserved.

Multiple survivor accounts of the Massacre at Goliad mention with honor and reverence and credit their survival to a Mexican lady immortalized with the term "The Angel of Goliad" in the extensive accounts of the events surrounding the massacre by Dr. Joseph Barnard and Dr. Jack Shackelford. Historical accounts refer to the "Angel of Goliad" as a lady of Mexican birth named Francita, Francisca, Panchita, or Pancheta/Panchita with surname Alavez, Alvarez, or Alevesco. She is often referred to as the wife of Captain Telesforo Alav�z who was commander of Mexican Centralista forces in the Copano and Victoria region under Gen. Jos� de Urrea's command until May 14 when the army retreated south to Matamoros after defeat at San Jacinto. Mexican archives show that Captain Alav�z in December 31, 1837 was 34 years of age, married, and a resident of Toluca. The archives show that his legitimate wife at that time was Maria Augustina de Pozo, also of Toluca, whom he had abandoned in 1834. She and her brother wrote several letters, 1836-1837, to the minister of war, asking for money for her support. Augustina had two small children at the time.

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August 4th, 2015

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