Col. James Fannin
(1804-1836)

Died aged c. 32

James Walker Fannin Jr. (1804 or 1805 – March 27, 1836) was an American military figure and slave trader in the Texas Army and leader during the Texas Revolution (1835-1836) against Mexico. After being outnumbered and surrendering to Mexican forces at the Battle of Coleto Creek, Colonel Fannin and nearly all his 344 men were executed soon afterward at Goliad, Texas, under Santa Anna's orders for all rebels to be executed. Slavery and slave-trading were both illegal under Mexican law, but was mostly tolerated prior to the revolution by Mexican authorities. He was memorialized in several place names, including a military training camp and a major city street in Houston.

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Commemorated on 3 plaques

Texas Historical Marker #02257

Grave of Colonel J. W. Fannin and His Men. After battle of Coleto (March 19 - 20, 1836), where a Texas Army under Col. James Walker Fannin met defeat by Mexicans in superior numbers, the Texas soldiers were held in Presidio La Bahia, supposedly as war prisoners. However, by order of Mexican Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, approximately 400 of Fannin's men were marched out and massacred on Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836. The wounded were shot one by one in the fort compound. Col. Fannin was the last to die. Because of their profession, Drs. J. H. Barnard, J. E. Field and Jack Shackelford were spared; about 25 men were saved by a Mexican woman, "The Angel of Goliad". Approximately 30 escaped by feigning death or by swimming the San Antonio River. The Texans' corpses were stripped and partly burned, but left unburied. This atrocity three weeks after the fall of the Alamo gave Texans part of the battle cry--"Remember the Alamo! Remember La Bahia!"--under which decisive victory was won at San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Gen. Thomas J. Rusk and the Texan Army afterwards marched here and gathered the bones of Fannin's men from the terrain. From Presidio La Bahia the remains were carried in procession to the grave, and there given a military funeral and burial on June 3, 1836. (1968) #2257

?, Goliad, TX, United States where they was buried (1836)

Texas Historical Marker #02686

J. W. Fannin. SOUTH SIDE OF MONUMENT: Erected in memory of J. W. Fannin and his comrades in arms April A.D. 1885 NORTH SIDE: Remember the Alamo, Remember Goliad EAST SIDE: Massacred March 27, A.D. 1836 WEST SIDE: Independence declared March 2, A.D. 1836, consummated April 21, A.D. 1836 #2686

?, Goliad, TX, United States where they is commemorated

Texas Historical Marker #16052

Site of the Home of James Walker Fannin. Site of the Plantation Home Established in 1834 by James Walker Fannin, who, with his troops, was massacred at Goliad March 27, 1836 #16052

?, Brazoria, TX, United States where they lived (1834)