Name: _______________________
Period: ___
The Turtle Bayou Resolutions
In June 1832, a group of Anglo-American settlers staged a rebellion against Mexican
rule in the town of Anahuac, near Galveston. John Davis Bradburn, a lieutenant
commander in the Mexican army, had been selected by Mexico to establish the town
two years earlier in order to collect taxes and custom duties, stop smuggling (secretly
and illegally taking out or bringing in items), and bring angry and disobedient Texans
under Mexican law.
Comprehension Check: What side was John Davis Bradburn on? (Mexican or Texan)
William B. Travis, a newly arrived young lawyer from Alabama, led the fight against
Bradburn and Mexican rule. Travis started what he called a "civil militia,” a group of
civilians who serve as an informal military. He said his purpose in starting this militia
was to fight Indians, but in reality it was to organize a military force that could fight
Bradburn and his garrison (soldiers).
Comprehension Check: What side was William B. Travis on? (Mexican or Texan)
Bradburn arrested Travis and other leaders of the opposition, leading to an armed
uprising by Travis's friends in order to free him. Travis's friends captured some Mexican
soldiers and held them hostage for a day in hopes of exchanging them for Travis and
the others. When Bradburn ordered an attack against the rebels, they withdrew to an
area known as Turtle Bayou. Once there, the Mexican prisoners were released and the
rebels waited for supplies and support from fellow Texans.
Comprehension Check: Why was Travis arrested, and why did this upset his friends?
While they were waiting at Turtle Bayou, the rebels drafted a set of resolutions
explaining their actions. They stated that Bradburn had ignored the Mexican
Constitution of 1824. The rebels supported the constitution and, in their eyes, were not
acting against the Mexican government but instead, trying to uphold Mexican law. In
addition, they stated that even though they supported Mexico, they were not supportive
of the way the Mexican government was treating them. The rebels also pledged to
continue supporting Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. They agreed with his views and
believed that he would continue to uphold the Mexican Constitution of 1824. The
resolutions were published in a Brazoria newspaper in July 1832.
Comprehension Check: What were some of the specific statements made in the
resolutions?
In the meantime, Colonel Jose de las Piedras marched to Anahuac to support Bradburn
and the Mexican soldiers. After speaking with some of the Texan rebels, he decided
that the situation was explosive and had been handled badly. He relieved Bradburn of
command. Shortly afterwards, the Anglo-Americans intimidated the Mexican soldiers
enough that the Mexicans decided to pack up and withdraw. The Texan rebels had won
a temporary victory.
Comprehension Check: How was this situation resolved?
The Turtle Bayou Resolutions were the first organized protest against Mexico, but they
would not be the last. Later, the Turtle Bayou Resolutions would be remembered as one
of the events that led to the Texas Revolution.
Comprehension Check: Why would the Turtle Bayou Resolutions be one of the events
in the “Road to Revolution”?