Texas Tidbits: Juan Seguin - Man of Courage

A Hero in Any Language

It's very easy to get caught up in the history of the Texas Revolution and just do the easy thing and write about such Texas heroes as Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett and Sam Houston. Today, I am going to recognize heroes of the Revolution that were actually born in Texas, specifically Texas-born Mexicans. After all, Texas was still a state of Mexico as the Revolution  raged on. This was, after all, their home and they were sending their fathers, sons and brothers into battle also, and many of these men were as much a hero as any man who fought at the Alamo. Texas was their home and, like the more famous names in Texas History, Freedom and Liberty were these men's dreams.

One of the more notable Texas-born Mexican of the Texas Revolution was Juan Seguin. Seguin's is a very interesting story. We begin the story of Juan Seguin as he had just arrived at the Alamo with a band of Texas-born Mexicans to assist Colonel Travis in defend the mission. his stay would be a short one, "Captain Juan N. Seguin, son of Don Erasmo Seguin, organized a company of Texas-born Mexicans to aid in the defense of the Alamo. The native population of San Antonio repeatedly warned Col. Travis to retreat, warning him that he was certain to be overwhelmed, but evidently his hope of receiving aid from other sources caused him to remain. Seguin's men not only assisted in the storming of Bexar, in the preceding December, but some were then serving as scouts for Houston's army at González. Seven of this company fell at the Alamo; namely: Juan Abanillo, Gregorio Esparza, Antonio Fuentes, Toribio Losoya, Andres Nava and Juan Antonio Padilla, all natives of San Antonio, and José Maria Guerrero called "El Tuerto," from Laredo....." Please continue to read about Juan Seguin's service to Texas during the Revolution here at the library at Texas A&M. It's an amazing look at a man who played a pivotal part in the Texan victory over General Santa Anna.

I salute the brave men of Mexican ancestry whose dream of being free men and their willingness to fight and, in many cases, die for Texas' Independence is a legacy not forgotten by the people of Texas nearly 200 years later. I offer to these men a simple prayer...Vayan con Dios, mis amigos. Vayan con Dios. En el Nombre del Padre, el hijo y el Espirito Santo. Amen.