Paul Revere of Texas is a
sobriquet given to people during the
Texas Revolution for alerting settlers about Mexican troop movements. It is a reference to
Paul Revere because of the similar circumstances in 1775 when Revere and
William Dawes responded to information from
Joseph Warren about movement of
British forces. The duo made rides alerting
Samuel Adams,
John Hancock and colonial militia troops.[1]
People who were referred to as Paul Revere of Texas include:
Plácido Benavides (1810–1837), an early Mexican-born
settler. Benavides escaped during the March 2, 1836
Battle of Agua Dulce, near
San Patricio, and rode to
Goliad to warn
James Fannin of the advancing invading forces of Mexican
General José de Urrea. Fannin sent Benavides home to
Victoria, while Fannin himself stayed to engage Urrea at the
Goliad massacre. Throughout his journey from San Patricio to Goliad to Victoria, Benavides alerted all communities he passed through. Fannin was captured and executed at Goliad.[2][3][4]
John Marie Durst (1797–1851), an early settler and military figure. Attending a session of the
Coahuila y Tejas legislature held in
Monclova in 1835, Durst became privy to information regarding northward troop movements of the Mexican army under the command of
Antonio López de Santa Anna. Durst then mounted his horse and for the next twelve-and-a-half days traveled several hundred miles, warning settlers about the impending military invasion, ending his ride in
Nacogdoches, Texas.[6]
Blas María Herrera (1802–1878), a
San Antonio-born soldier under
Juan Seguín. Following direct orders from Seguin in February 1836, Herrera stood watch in
Laredo on the look out for any Mexican troops. Upon spotting General Santa Anna and a vanguard of Mexican troops crossing the
Rio Grande, Hererra rode all night to deliver his report to Seguin in San Antonio.[7] American volunteers chose to remain inside the
Alamo, but Herrera's warning allowed civilian families in the area time to evacuate.[8]
^Tafolla, Santiago, Carmen and Laura (2009). A Life Crossing Borders: Memoir of a Mexican-American Confederate. Arte Publico. p. 115.
ISBN978-1-55885-597-7.{{
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link)