The Bloodiest Battle in Texas History Happened Over 210 Years Ago

When it comes to famous or important battles fought on Texas soil, many people will point to conflicts associated with the Texas Revolution. The Battle of the Alamo, San Jacinto, Goliad, and Gonzales are usually the firsts to come to mind.

Texas arguably also is the site of the final battle of the Civil War. This showdown took place at Palmito Ranch in South Texas.

The Bloodiest Battle in Texas History

The historic Texas Revolution battles mentioned above all took place in the mid-1830s, but you would need to go all the way back to 1813 for the deadliest battle to have ever taken place inside the Texas border.

The Battle of Medina happened south of San Antonio on August 18, 1813, The Republican Army under the command of Jose Alverez de Toledo y Dubois marched into Texas from Louisiana and organized a battle plan to wrest the command of Texas from Spain.

These 'Texians' found success in Nacogdoches, La Bahia, and San Antonio. However, it was at the Battle of Medina where a Spanish Royalty Army comprised of nearly 1900 regulars decimated the 1400 Republican forces.

Only a hundred or so Texians survived the battle, only to be tracked down and executed in the hours and days after the Battle of Medina. The estimated 1400 men who lost their lives make this conflict the bloodiest military engagement on Texas soil, even some 200+ years later.

Read more about this bloody battle HERE.

Something Strange About the Battle of Medina

When it comes to the battles at the Alamo, San Jacinto, and Goliad, we know exactly where those conflicts took place. We can identify the fields, trails, and trees that mark where the two sides faced off.

That's not the case with the Battle of Medina. Experts know it happened south of the Medina River and north of the town of Leming, Texas.

But, we don't have an exact spot as of yet. Even the Texas Historical Marker can only give a broad estimate of where the battle took place.

A group of researchers and battlefield archaeologists led by Texas History podcaster Brandon Seale have found some artifacts, but they have yet to hit the mother lode that should be present for a battle of such magnitude.

Interesting Fact

One of the young lieutenants fighting for the Spanish loyalists at the Battle of Medina was Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. As we know, he would return to San Antonio leading thousands of troops who would eventually capture the Alamo.