THE BATTLE OF GONZALES
SSG David L. Lockard
USAACE
NCOA
15Z SLC
16-005
SFC Stewart
22 August 2016
Throughout history, military organizations have used battle cries. One of my favorite battle cries—“Come and take it”— is considered the phrase that spurred the fight for Texas’ independence from Mexico (Hardin, 2010, June 15). It derived from a brief battle that took place between Anglo-Saxon immigrants and Mexicans on 2 October 1835 in what is now known as Gonzales, Texas (First shots of the Texas Revolution, 2009). During the Battle of Gonzales, the Anglo-Saxon immigrants rallied together under the battle cry “Come and take it” to fight for what they believed rightfully belonged to them. To this day, the phrase stills symbolizes unity, loyalty, and pride in parts of Texas.
In 1835, Mexicans, Native Americans, and Anglo-Saxon immigrants inhabited the area that is now known as Gonzales, Texas (First shots of the Texas Revolution, 2009). The relationship among the Native Americans, Mexicans, and Anglo-Saxon immigrants, however, was very volatile (Hardin, 2010, June 15). Because the Native Americans wanted the Mexicans and
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The Anglo-Saxon immigrants then stood proudly on the banks of the Guadalupe River and defiantly flew their flag, daring the Mexican Army to act upon its intention to reclaim the cannon. “Come and take it,” the Anglo-Saxon immigrants cried out to the Mexican Army. The Anglo-Saxon immigrants then used the cannon against the Mexican army, reportedly killing one Mexican soldier (McKeehan, n.d.). It was then that the Battle of Gonzales began. As quickly as the Battle of Gonzales began, however, it was over. The Anglo-Saxon immigrants prevailed in forcing the Mexican Army to retreat through the use of cannon fire and heavy guns (Hardin, 2010; McKeehan,
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Ramos, Raul A. Beyond the Alamo: Forging Mexican Ethnicity in San Antonio, 1821-1861. The University of North Carolina Press. 2008.
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