Mexican Activities at Santa Gertrudis in the 1830's

The general who camped here came from the far northern frontier himself. José de Urrea was born in 1797 at the presidio of Tucson, then part of Sonora, became a cadet in 1809 and backed Iturbide in 1821. After the Texas campaign he opposed the withdrawal Santa Anna ordered from captivity. Named commandant general of Sinaloa and Sonora in 1837, he declared for the federal system, lost at Mazatlán, rose again in Durango and was sent to Perote Prison in 1839. He later governed Sonora, fought the United States in 1846 and died in 1849.

What the plaque says

Mexican Activities at Santa Gertrudis in the 1830's As a favored camp, important in Mexico's relations with early Texas. Visited June 1832 by Matamoros citizens on their way to compliment Irish settlers with a feast at Banquete Lake, 25 miles to the north. Gen. Juan Urrea camped here Feb. 25, 1836, with his unit of Santa Anna's invading army. With him were several persons who became agents of mercy to the Texans-- a famous Mexican woman known as "The Angel of Goliad"; Col. Francisco Garay, and Lt. Col. Juan Holsinger. But also with Urrea was Lt. Col. Jose de La Portilla, who under orders from Gen. Santa Anna carried out the 1836 Palm Sunday Massacre at Goliad. The Mexicans left Santa Gertrudis to fight Texans at San Patricio, Agua Dulce, Refugio, and Coleto. Santa Gertrudis soon afterward saw Mexican armies in retreat. Gen. Urrea returned here in May, heading south. Gen. Vicente Filisola and other officers also returned here June 11, as aftermath of defeat of the Mexican army at San Jacinto. With them were 4,500 soldiers, throngs of camp followers, numerous fleeing Negro slaves, thousands of draft and cavalry horses, and even herds of captured range cattle. The camp at Santa Gertrudis was used often after 1830's by soldiers of Texas and the United States. (1967)

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• King Ranch Visitor Center — steps away
  The bus-tour gate to a working ranch of about 825,000 acres, founded on Santa Gertrudis Creek in 1853 and worked from the start by the Kineños, families from Cruillas in Tamaulipas.
• Kenedy Ranch Museum of South Texas — 22 mi
  A museum in the Kenedy Pasture Company's 1927 office in Sarita, telling how Mifflin Kenedy and three generations of his family shaped the Wild Horse Desert, with murals and an audio guide.
• Don Pedrito Jaramillo Shrine — 23 mi
  The grave and shrine of the folk healer of Los Olmos, a place of prayer where South Texans still leave candles and letters for the curandero who took no fee.
• Heritage Museum at Falfurrias — 25 mi
  A free town museum of ranch gear, a Texas Ranger room and 99,000 photo negatives, in the town Edward Lasater built around his railroad and his Jersey cows.

More markers nearby

• Kleberg County — steps away
• Camp Kingsville, U.S.A. — steps away
• The King Ranch — steps away
• Texas A&M University-Kingsville — 1.0 mi