In October 1835, Mexican military officials sent Lieutenant Francisco de Castañeda and a group of soldiers to take a cannon from the town of Gonzales. The settlers gathered volunteers from the surrounding area and refused to return the cannon. They displayed a flag challenging the Mexican troops to “Come and Take It.” After a brief exchange of fire, Castañeda and his troops withdrew.
Immediately after the Battle of Gonzales, Texas volunteers began organizing an army with Stephen F. Austin in command. This force marched toward San Antonio, where Texas forces later defeated Mexican General Martín Perfecto de Cos. The Battle of Gonzales marked the beginning of open armed conflict in the Texas Revolution.
Many of the early Texas forces were volunteers rather than professional soldiers. Some lived in Texas, while others came from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and other parts of the United States. Their reasons for joining varied. Some opposed the actions of Mexico’s central government, some supported the federal system established by the Constitution of 1824, and others increasingly supported independence for Texas.
One group of volunteers was the New Orleans Greys, who came from the United States to join the Texas forces. Members of the unit fought in several battles during the Texas Revolution, including at Bexar, the Alamo, Coleto, and San Jacinto. They carried a banner bearing the words “God and Liberty.”
At the beginning of the Texas Revolution, Texas did not have a well-established regular army. Much of the fighting was carried out by volunteers and militia forces. Over the following months, these forces became more organized as the conflict with the Mexican government expanded.