The Woll Invasion

Mexico's last invasion of the republic of Texas Alarmed San Antonio on Sept. 11, 1842, when Gen. Adrian Woll and 1300 troops struck the city from the west. Awakened by booming cannon, 56 Texians (including judge, jurors, and citizens in town to attend court) bravely attempted to defend the city. They fortified the stone home of Samuel A. Maverick at northeast corner of Main Plaza, and poured out gunfire as Woll entered with flags flying and band playing. Forced to surrender to overwhelming numbers, 52 Texians--including Maverick, Judge Anderson Hutchinson, and Clerk James L.Trueheart--were marched 1100 mile to Perote Prison in Mexico. Although Mayor John W. Smith and county clerk Thomas Addicks escaped, San Antonio had no city or county government and very little economic activity in the ensuing 23 months. On his way to capture the capitol of the republic in Austin, Woll was defeated at the Salado by Mathew Caldwell's volunteers on Sept. 17, 1842. On March 24, 1844, the last surviving prisoners of Woll's invasion were freed from Perote Castle. They made their way on foot to Vera Cruz, and were taken by a United States man-of-war to New Orleans. From there they finally traveled safely home.