Question

battle of gonzales
many texans were angry when santa ana refused to follow the constitution of 1824. in october 1835, a mexican colonel ordered the people of gonzales to return a cannon given to them to protect against indian attacks. mayor andrew pontón refused to give up the cannon. he disarmed the five mexican soldiers and sent out a call for help. mexicans sent capt. domingo de castroleda and a hundred soldiers to take back the cannon.
castroleda told his men to use force if needed. eighteen militiamen, known as the \old eighteen,\ were waiting for the mexican forces on the other side of the river. high water on the guadalupe river kept castroleda and his men on the opposite side. more texan volunteers arrived while the mexican forces waited for a meeting with mayor pontón. the mexican forces moved upriver, trying to find a place to cross. on october 2nd, the gonzales volunteers made a surprise attack at dawn. during a break in the fighting, the two sides tried to reach an agreement. the texans dug up the cannon from its hiding spot and fired a flag that read, \come and take it.\ the two sides did not reach an agreement. eventually, the mexican army retreated without taking the cannon. as a result, the mexican government sent even more troops to texas to put down the rebellion.
summarize this early conflict by answering the 5 w s about the battle of gonzales.
who:
what:
where:
when:
why:
battle of goliad
at 10:30 p.m. on october 9, 1835, george collinsworth, ben milam, and fifty texan soldiers defeated forty mexican soldiers in a surprise attack. it took the americans just thirty minutes to beat the mexican soldiers. the goliad campaign increased the morale of the texans and allowed them to gain military supplies from the battle.
after reading about the battle of goliad, highlight who won the battle.

Explanation:

1. Who: Santa Anna, Gonzales Texans (including Mayor Andrew Ponton, the "Old Eighteen" militiamen, and other Texan volunteers), Mexican forces (led by Colonel Castañeda).
2. What: The Battle of Gonzales was a conflict over a cannon. Mexican forces wanted to retrieve the cannon from Gonzales. Texans refused to give it up, made a surprise attack, and during a break in fighting, they dug up the cannon and flew a "COME AND TAKE IT" flag.
3. Where: Gonzales (near the Guadalupe River).
4. When: October 2, 1835.
5. Why: Santa Anna refused to follow the Constitution of 1824. A Mexican colonel ordered the people of Gonzales to return a cannon (given to them to protect against Indian attacks). Mayor Ponton refused to give up the cannon.

For the Battle of Goliad:

• Who won: The Texans (George Collingsworth, Ben Milam, and fifty Texan soldiers) won the Battle of Goliad as they defeated the Mexican soldiers in a surprise attack.

Answer:

1. Who: Santa Anna, Gonzales Texans (including Mayor Andrew Ponton, the "Old Eighteen" militiamen, and other Texan volunteers), Mexican forces (led by Colonel Castañeda).
2. What: Conflict over a cannon. Texans refused to give it up, made a surprise attack, and flew a "COME AND TAKE IT" flag.
3. Where: Gonzales (near the Guadalupe River).
4. When: October 2, 1835.
5. Why: Santa Anna refused to follow the Constitution of 1824. A Mexican colonel ordered the return of a cannon (for Indian - attack protection), and Mayor Ponton refused.

For the Battle of Goliad: The Texans (George Collingsworth, Ben Milam, and fifty Texan soldiers) won.