L A G R A N A D A L A G R A N A D A Order of Granaderos July y Damas de Gálvez 2 0 1 9 San Antonio Chapter ◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘ www.granaderos.org ◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘ The Canary Islanders In Texas On Saturday, June 15th, Granaderos Joe Perez, Tim Thatcher and Alex Zamora served as Color Guard at an unveiling of the book, The Canary Islanders In Texas, by Armando Curbelo Fuentes, which has been translated into English by Dr. Alfonso (Chico) Chiscano. The ceremony was conducted at the Trinity University William Knox Holt Center and and was very well attended. After the Color Guard marched in with two Spanish flags, accompanied by a solemn drum cadence, the ceremony was opened by Tom Payton, Director of Trinity University Press. The ceremony featured speakers Claudia Guerra, Cultural Historian with the City of San IN THIS ISSUE: Antonio; Dr. Félix Almaraz, Educator, Author PG. and Historian; and Dr. Alfonso (Chico) Canary Islanders in Texas 1 Chiscano, thoracic surgeon. The ceremony Upcoming Meeting/Events 2 was followed by a meeting of the Canary Recent Internet Articles 3 Islands Descendants Association of San 4th of July Ceremony 3 Antonio. Early Mail Service Part IV, Thanks go out to Joe Perez, Tim Thatcher The Republic of Texas 4-7 and Alex Zamora for representing our Jesse Villarreal Article 7 June Meeting Minutes 8 organization. HAPPY BIRTHDAY July 1 Joel Escamilla Next Meeting Judge Ed Butler There is no meeting July 8 Corinne Staacke in the month of July July 14 Carlos Garza due to our sponsorship July 16 th of the 35 Annual Jack Cowan Gerard Cortese Fourth of July July 27 Santos Villarreal Patriotic Ceremony Claire Steves July 30 Manny Rodriguez July 31 Ricky Reyes Upcoming Events Thursday, July 4 10:00 am - 11:00 am Governor Our 35th Annual Fourth of July Patriotic Ceremony at Ft. Joe Perez Sam Houston National Cemetery. Deputy Governor Alex Zamora Saturday, July 20 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Candlelight Tours: Seeing History From a Different Light Treasurer Landmark Inn in Castroville Manny Rodriguez Saturday, August 10 10:00 am - 12:30 pm Secretary Briana Perez Presentation to the 1718 San Antonio Founding Families & Descendants group. Drum Major Ricardo Rodriguez Saturday, August 17 11:00 am - 3:00 pm Chaplain Battle of Medina History Symposium Joe González Recent Articles on the Internet Suggestion for Gálvez to be included in the play Hamilton This is an interesting article from the Austin American Statesman about Gálvez and a popular modern play. https://www.statesman.com/opinion/20190610/commentary-dear-mr-miranda-love-play-but-its-missing-texas 35th Annual Fourth of July Patriotic Ceremony Master of Ceremonies: Joe González Color Guard: Musical Presentation Songs: Tim Thatcher: Guard Yankee Doodle Peter Baron: U.S. Flag Frog In The Well Manny Rodriguez, Spanish Flag Garryowen Roger Valdez: Guard The Girl I Left Behind Yellow Rose of Texas Fife & Drum Corps: Ricardo Rodriguez: Drum Major Invocation: Crystal Benavides: Fifer Rita McSorley Louisette Zurita: Fifer President San Antonio Area Regents Council Janie Rodriguez: Fifer Daughters of the American Revolution Julie Soto: Fifer Alex Zamora: Drummer Pledge of Allegiance: Jesse Benavides: Drummer Sofia Janae Villarreal Mario Martinez: Drummer Girl Scout Troop # 105 Luis Martinez: Drummer National Anthem: Musket Detail: Nickie Barrón Tim Thatcher: Spanish Grenadier Manny Rodriguez: Spanish Grenadier Welcoming Remarks: Jesse Guerra: Spanish Grenadier Aubrey David Adam Dominguez: Spanish Grenadier Director Roger Valdez: Spanish Grenadier Ft. Sam Houston Nat’l Cemetery Peter Baron: American Colonial Army Randy Pike: American Militia Benediction: Joe Weathersby: American Militia Dustin Whittenburg Juan Gonzales: Tejano President, San Antonio Chapter Bob O’Campo: Tejano Sons of the American Revolution Three volleys followed by Taps: Memorial Services Detachment Buglers: Michael Kinkade and Robert Ramirez Also: Joe Zavala: Spanish Grenadier Ricky Reyes: Native American Early Mail Service Part IV: The Republic of Texas By Rueben M. Perez The time is drawing close as the winds of war wage over the landscape of Texas. If any place has suffered the wages of war, it has to be San Antonio and Texas. Leading up to Texas declaring to be an independent country, skirmishes continued around Texas with the Battle of Gonzales, Goliad, Concepción Lipantitlán, Grass Fight, and Siege of Bexar. In our last part, we discussed Texas Provisional Government from November 1st to the end of February and for all practical purpose, the provisional government ceased to exist, and Texas was without leadership during the critical month of February. It would not be long that both Anglo-American colonists and Tejanos felt that the Constitution of 1824 was no longer applicable to the rule of law in Texas. Dissension and discord mounted in Texas, both on the military front and by the provisional government of the Consultation at San Felipe. The colonists agreed that another course of action needed to be taken. The General Council of the provisional government on December 10, 1835, issued a call for an election to be held on February 1, 1836 and to choose forty-four delegates to assemble on March 1st at Washington-on-the-Brazos. These delegates represented the seventeen Texas municipalities and the small settlement at Pecan Point on the Red River. The idea of independence from Mexico was growing. Courtesy of The Portal to Texas History for educational purposes only. Reading of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836, at Washington-on-the-Brazos painting by Fanny V. and Charles Berkeley Normann, 1936. Delegates from Bexar County included: Jesse B. Badgett and Samuel A. Maverick (representing the Garrison -Alamo), José A. Navarro, signed the Declaration of Independence, attended the 1845 Convention and signed the 1845 Constitution for the State of Texas, when it entered the United States. Navarro’s uncle, Francisco Ruiz also signed the Declaration of Independence. The only two native Texans-Tejanos to sign the Declaration of Texas Independence were Navarro and Ruiz. Only ten delegates who served writing the Declaration of Independence had been in Texas before 1836, the rest came outside of Texas. The Texas Declaration of Independence was the formal declaration of the Republic of Texas ceding from Mexico during the Texas Revolution. It was adopted on March 2, 1836 and formally signed the day after mistakes were noted in the text. Independence Hall at Washington-on-the- Brazos Courtesy of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission The weather on the day the Convention convened was freezing cold. The delegates met in an unfinished building they rented, but the bill was never paid. On March 17th there were reports that the Mexican Army was advancing towards the Convention. The Convention delegates proceeded to write the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, organized an ad interim government, and elected Sam Houston Commander of the military forces of the republic, but with the approaching army, this temporary government adjourned in haste on the morning of March 17. Prior to fleeing with the people in the Runaway Scape, the last act was to select David G. Burnet as president and Lorenzo de Zavala as vice president. Thus was born the Republic of Texas, a country in and of itself. Texas declared its independence on March 2, 1836 and on April 21, 1836 General Sam Houston’s Texian army attacked and defeated the Mexican army at the battle of San Jacinto. The first congress convened at Columbus on October 3, 1836 at Columbia (now West Columbia) the first capital the Republic of Texas and remained there for three months. The capital was moved to Houston on April 19, 1837 and lasted there until 1839. The Republic purchased 7,735 acres along the Colorado River and land adjacent in the Hamlet of Waterloo(Austin) which was given approval to be the permanent capital of the new Republic of Texas. Formation of a Mail System During the Republic of Texas When word came back to the Mexican Congress, they repudiated Santa Anna, rejected his treaties, and ordered the war with Texas to continue. The new Republic of Texas lacked the men and resources to retaliate. Communications were poor, roads were few, and there was no regular mail system. The treasury was empty, the new nation’s credit was in low repute and money was the scarcest. There was much confusion about land titles and many families were destitute who found their property and livestock consumed or scattered when they returned home. The ad interim president called for an election for the first Monday in September to establish a government under the constitution. Voters were asked to approve the constitution, authorize congress to amend it, elect a president, officers, members of congress, and finally, to express their views to be annexed to the United States. The postal system of the Republic of Texas had its beginnings in October 1835, when a special committee of the Permanent Council established mail routes, and John Rice Jones was named Postmaster General following Robert Barr’s death. A Post Office Department was established by the decree and ordinance of the Provisional Government and approved December 13, 1835. On December 20, 1836, an act of the Congress of the Republic of Texas approved the new postal system. The first route was established in 1835, but Jones was authorized to establish fifteen routes. Jones patterned the Texas postal system after that of the United States. Unfortunately, the government failed to provide funds until 1836. Mail carriers who delivered the mail in 1837 could take payment in land, at fifty cents an acre to offset expenses. Eventually, rates were charged to mail a letter. The first rate was 6.25 cents for twenty miles, 12.5 cents up to fifty miles, 18.75 cents for the third zone and higher rates for longer routes.