Salvador Flores (Jose Salvador Ramon Flores) (ca. 1806–1855) served as a volunteer in the
Texan Army in 1835–1836. He was instrumental in organizing and commanding Texian volunteers in support of the
Texas Revolution. He participated in many battles and would rise through the ranks to reach Captain status during the fight for Texas independence from
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. Salvador continued to provide protection for the ranches and settlers of Texas throughout the Republic years.
Early life
He was the son of Jose Flores De Abrego and Maria Rodriquez.
[de la Teja (1991), p. 18.] They were a prominent family of Béxar, rich in the ranching history of Texas. Four Jose Flores De Abrego sons,
Captain Salvador Flores Captain
Manuel N. Flores,
Handbook of Texas Online Manuel Flores Lieutenant Nepomuceno Flores,
[Banks (2001), p. 51.] and Private Jose Maria Flores
[de la Teja (1991), p. 150.] participated
in the Texas Revolution, serving at Béxar
[Matovina (1995), p. 34.]["Three men named Flores who received donation certificates for service at the siege of Béxar; Manuel Flores, Manuel Maria Flores, and Salvador Flores. (Men issued Donation Certificates for 640 acres of land for participation in Storming and Capture of Béxar Dec 5, 1835 - Dec 10, 1835 5; T1 p254-257] and San Jacinto. Salvador was also a brother-in-law to Col.
Juan Nepomuceno Seguín.
[Groneman (1990), p. 97.]
Texas Revolution
Fighting begins in Gonzales, Texas
The first skirmish establishing the Texas Revolution began in early October 1835, at the
Battle of Gonzales. The
Texians
Texians were Anglo-American residents of Mexican Texas and, later, the Republic of Texas.
Today, the term is used to identify early settlers of Texas, especially those who supported the Texas Revolution. Mexican settlers of that era are refer ...
would be challenged by the Mexican army, when they tried to retake possession of an artillery piece at
Gonzales, Texas. It was a small cannon, formerly given them by Mexico, which had been used for security against the
Native Indians. Texians considered this action as an infringement of their right to bear arms and were determined to keep it. On October 2, they would show that determination. During this time, a meeting would be held at Salvador Flores Ranch that would organize a volunteer force of Texas ranchers that would favor the impending revolution.
[de la Teja (1991), p. 77.][Lindley (2003), p. 133.] Soldiers continued gathering, immigrants, colonists, native Texans. The Texian Army would become a mixture of all peoples, interested in freedom from the oppressive policies of Mexican President
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (; 21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876),Callcott, Wilfred H., "Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez De,''Handbook of Texas Online'' Retrieved 18 April 2017. usually known as Santa Ann ...
.
The fight spreads to Goliad, Texas
After the victory at Gonzales, the Texan forces gained confidence. Trying to sustain the momentum, Commander Austin deemed it necessary to take possession of
Presidio La Bahia
A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th and 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Spanish Philippines in particular, were ce ...
(
Goliad
Goliad ( ) is a city in Goliad County, Texas, United States. It is known for the 1836 Goliad massacre during the Texas Revolution. It had a population of 1,620 at the 2020 census. Founded on the San Antonio River, it is the county seat of Gol ...
) and Béxar (San Antonio). The Texian troops marched towards Goliad, to reinforce Major Collinsworth at the
Battle of Goliad
The Battle of Goliad was the second skirmish of the Texas Revolution. In the early-morning hours of October 9, 1835, Texas settlers attacked the Mexican Army soldiers garrisoned at Presidio La Bahía, a fort near the Mexican Texas settlem ...
, but were overtaken by an express from Austin, asking them to join the attack on Béxar.
[de la Teja (1991), p. 106.] On October 23, 1835, Stephen F. Austin granted a captain's commission to Juan Seguín, authorizing him to form a company, which would be supplied with guns and ammunition by the provisional government.
[Edmonson (2000), p. 219.] Austin's aide,
William T. Austin, asserted that "These mexicans
icbeing well acquainted with the country, were of important service as express riders, guides to foraging parties, &c."
[Hardin (1996), p. 50.] Several days later Salvador Flores and
Manuel Leal joined the effort with 41 Tejano volunteers from ranches southwest of San Antonio.
[de la Teja (1991), p. 24.] Flores became the first lieutenant of the central Texas volunteers and Placido 1st Lt. of the southern volunteers . While Seguin would be immediately tasked with the burden of supplying the Texian troops with food and provisions,
[ Salvador was left to reconnoiter the Missions at San Antonio and handle the militia.][Hardin (1994), pg. 29] Several more parties of locals eventually joined in, with isolated enlistments occurring every day.
Focus on San Antonio, Texas
At Mission San Jose, they accompanied James Bowie
James Bowie ( ) ( – March 6, 1836) was a 19th-century American pioneer, slave smuggler and trader, and soldier who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He was among the Americans who died at the Battle of the Alamo. Stories of h ...
, with the orders to approach the city, by following the river's path into town.[de la Teja (1991), p. 78.] Four groups, led by Valentine Bennet, Andrew Briscoe, Robert M. Coleman, and Michael Goheen and their scouts, were also sent to explore the other missions. While investigating, they were discovered by Mexican guards and gunfire was exchanged before joining with Bowie.
His recruits joined with Bowie in the Battle of Concepción on Oct 28, 1835. The Texans won again and gained confidence and some new ground. After the fight and learning of the plan to siege Béxar, he would recruit more men from the ranches on the San Antonio River
The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in midtown San Antonio, about 4 miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the ...
.[This is actually the instance of the extra recruiting by Flores, the totals being mentioned earlier, just placed in chronological context.][Lozano (1985), Darden Letter p. 72.][Poyo (1996), p. 53.] Drifting into the volunteer ranks would be fourteen soldados from the fort, now disillusioned with the centralists.[Winders (2004), pg.58.] On November 10, the Tejanos had teamed up with Deaf Smith
Erastus "Deaf" Smith (April 19, 1787 – November 30, 1837), who earned his nickname due to hearing loss in childhood, was an American frontiersman noted for his part in the Texas Revolution and the Army of the Republic of Texas. He fought i ...
and Travis to capture a herd of over 300 horses.[Edmonson (2000), p. 230-231.]
On November 14, Austin instructed Flores to "burn off the whole country from the other side of the Nueces to the Medina on the roads from Laredo and the Rio Grande."[ This would make it more difficult for the Mexican army to graze their livestock. Flores was also to explore the Rio Grande area and report on any movement of Mexican troops towards Béxar.][
During December 5–10, 1835, the Texians would attempt to take Béxar. Now, heavily involved in house to house fighting, Salvador participated as Second Lieutenant in the siege and capture of Béxar. The company of Seguin now amounted to over 160. He would advance with troops to aid in the capture of the Alamo at the ]Siege of Bexar
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characterize ...
and the removal of Mexican forces of General Cos from Texas.[de la Teja (1991), p. 182.][After the revolution, Manuel Montalvo, who served with Salvador Flores in Béxar, also joined the Texas Rangers, from Sept. 10-Nov. 21, 1839. He was used many times as a witness on the pension petitions. see a]
/ref> After the surrender of Cos, his company was sent out to protect the families of the lower ranches, against the devastation made by the retiring Mexican troops and from the reprisal of hostile Indians.[de la Teja (1991), p. 80.] The people of Texas would now control Béxar (San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, subdivision_t ...
) and the Alamo fort. Colonel James C. Neill receives orders on December 21 to command at Béxar.
Col. James Bowie
James Bowie ( ) ( – March 6, 1836) was a 19th-century American pioneer, slave smuggler and trader, and soldier who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He was among the Americans who died at the Battle of the Alamo. Stories of h ...
moves into the Alamo under Neill on January 19, bringing 30 men. On behalf of Henry Smith and General Sam Houston, he assesses the military situation at Béxar. On January 22, verbal intelligence was directed at Col. Neill, from a Tejano courier through the Jose Antonio Navarro family.[Todish (1998), p. 126.] Jose Cassiano brings news that Gen. Santa Anna had arrived at Saltillo
Saltillo () is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican state of Coahuila and is also the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. Mexico City, Monterrey, and Saltillo are all connected by a major railroad and highwa ...
on January 27, with approximately 3000 troops and Sesma at Rio Grande City with 1600 more. Neill passes this information to Houston, now in Goliad.[Lindley (2003), p. 7.] Bowie, after learning that Santa Anna was advancing towards Bexar,[hopewell (1994), p.114.] wrote several letters to the provisional government asking for supplies and assistance to defend the Alamo[hopewell (1994), p.115.]
An election for delegates, to attend the Convention of 1836, is held at the Alamo on February 1. Captain Flores, as well as other names, are recorded and preserved on the voting tally list.[Lindley (2003), p. 320-322.] Neill and Bowie now agree that defending the Alamo is key to achieving Texas independence. On February 3, Colonel Travis arrives in Béxar, with 25 men.
Col. Neill forced to leave on urgent family matters, makes a quick muster roll of his men at the Alamo. Colonel Neill would pass command of the Alamo to William Barret Travis
William Barret "Buck" Travis (August 1, 1809 – March 6, 1836) was a 19th-century American lawyer and soldier. At the age of 26, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army. He died at the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. ...
on February 12. Former Congressman David Crockett of Tennessee, boosted the ranks on February 8, with 16 additional men.
On February 10, a party was given to honor the arrival of David Crockett
David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He is often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of ...
. With Neill leaving early on February 11, he was not present. Blas María Herrera
Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms (BLAS) is a specification that prescribes a set of low-level routines for performing common linear algebra operations such as vector addition, scalar multiplication, dot products, linear combinations, and matrix ...
, a courier, from Plácido Benavides
Plácido Benavides (1810–1837) was an early Mexican-born settler in De Leon's Colony, Victoria County, Texas. Benavides earned himself the sobriquet of the Paul Revere of Texas for his 1836 journey from San Patricio to Goliad to Victoria, warn ...
,[Hardin (2010), p.64.] was searching for Juan Seguin
''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, t ...
at the party and could not locate him. Possessing a letter dated February 6, it was then given to Antonio Menchaca
José Antonio Menchaca (January 1800 – November 1, 1879) was an American soldier and politician who fought in the Texas Revolution and was recognized by a Joint Resolution of the Republic of Texas on December 22, 1838. Following the war, Men ...
. Handwritten in Spanish, it announced soldados at Presido Rio Grande, ready to march on Béxar.[Matovina (1995), p. 118.] Travis now forewarned, remarked that it would take about 13 days for the Mexican army to arrive, and still was not immediately concerned with the information received and the party continued into the night.
Bowie and Travis agree to share command on the 14th. On Feb.16, Ambrosio Rodriquez was warned by his wife's cousin from Laredo, and another warning came again on Feb. 18. Travis was still skeptical. On the 20th, Blas María Herrera
Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms (BLAS) is a specification that prescribes a set of low-level routines for performing common linear algebra operations such as vector addition, scalar multiplication, dot products, linear combinations, and matrix ...
from Seguin's own company reported that Santa Anna had crossed into Texas.[Lord (1961), p. 87.] Travis held a council that night at 9 p.m.. The story was told and the same verdict was reached, it couldn't be true. Local families began packing possessions, with intent to leave Béxar. About a dozen of Seguin's men were so convinced, that they requested to leave,[Hardin (1994), p. 121.] in order to remove their families from Santa Anna's path.
Santa Anna's forces would enter Béxar on February 23, surprising the Texian forces and initiating a Siege of the Alamo
The siege of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was the first thirteen days of the Battle of the Alamo. On February 23, Mexican troops under General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna entered San Antonio de Bexar, Texas, and surrounded the ...
. The Texians and Tejanos would immediately gather in the Alamo for safety and defense, with some bringing their families into the compound.[Edmonson (2000), p. 301.] The battle lasted for thirteen days, with the final battle lasting ninety minutes and terminating in violent hand-to-hand combat. All Texian forces effectively lost. Several Tejanos [Lindley (2003), p. 134.] remaining in the Alamo perished: San Antonians Juan Abamillo, José Gregorio Esparza
José Gregorio Esparza (February 25, 1802 – March 6, 1836), also known as Gregorio Esparza, was the last Texan defender to enter the Alamo during the early days of March 1836 in the Siege of the AlamoLindley (2003), p. 94. and was the only one t ...
, Antonio Fuentes, Toribio Losoya, Andrés Nava, Juan A. Badillo, Damacio Jiménez and José María Guerrero. Antonio Cruz y Arocha and Alexandro de la Garza left as couriers before the fall.
Juan Seguín stated that with him, 15 men also entered to defend the Alamo. Lindley believes that the Flores brothers were defending the Alamo during the siege.[Lindley (2003), p. 112.] After serving at the Battle of Béxar, Salvador was one of the few, 100 or so, that remained at the Alamo with Neill. His brother Manuel, and other Tejanos (15) entered on February 23.[ Neill's roster places Captain Flores in the Alamo as an artillery officer. Captain Flores also appears on Colonel Neill's voting tally, as well.][Winders (2004), p. 100.][Many instances of old have been found in which Spanish names have been lost or confused because of misspelling, due to efforts by English-speaking recorders to spell names in accordance with their pronunciation or English transliteration. (Flores translates in English to Flowers)
Floris, Florez, Flowers, Flodders, Flouders are alternate spellings found for Flores. Muster rolls and documents that contain phonetic, partially mis-transcribed, or translated spelling is common for the period.] Somehow, they seem to have exited soon after Seguin's departure, thus putting them on the Alamo survivor list. In 1907, Enrique Esparza claimed that Santa Anna called an armistice and he remembers some Flores leaving then.[Matovina (1995), p. 82.] They took this opportunity to gather Alamo reinforcements, bringing along a couple more of the Flores brothers (according to Seguin, they had a Tejano force of 100 when they regrouped in Gonzales), and secure their families (having not been seen, since abruptly entering the Alamo). They then rendezvoused with Seguin, now in Gonzales. The company headed for the Alamo. The Tejano defenders were joined by up to fourteen more men from Gonzales (led by former Alamo couriers Alsbury and Sutherland). They proceeded toward the Alamo. There they waited on the Cibolo Creek to team up with Fannin. The Alamo fell before they could reach it.[Groneman (1990), p. 98.][Lindley's research concludes that a relief force was waiting on the Cibolo ford and were located by a team that sallied out with Crockett. They entered the Alamo near the end of the battle. Travis' March 3 letter states that only three Tejanos were left in the Alamo after the armistice, but seven died there. One might logically conclude that four more of the Seguin-Flores recruits also entered as part of the relief force, although they possibly thought there was only a slim chance of survival. See Lindley, p. 142.]
Regrouping in Gonzales and on to San Jacinto, Texas
The news of the fall of Béxar and Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Anto ...
was overwhelming for the Texans. A frantic flee eastward began immediately after receiving the fateful news at Gonzales in March 1836. The Tejano volunteers now being reassembled at Gonzales would ride with Captain Flores. Salvador Flores had accepted Sam Houston's orders during this Runaway Scrape
The Runaway Scrape events took place mainly between September 1835 and April 1836 and were the evacuations by Texas residents fleeing the Mexican Army of Operations during the Texas Revolution, from the Battle of the Alamo through the decisive B ...
. As troops would march away from Gonzales, Salvador Flores along with a group of volunteers formed the rear guard that protected the fleeing families and proceeded westward to secure the lower ranches of San Antonio.[Verbal dispatch with orders Sam Houston to Flores March, 1836, as no documents have been found verifying this order, but Houston never denied it. Pension petitions verify that the troops were there helping the evacuees escape. See Lindley (2003) pg. 170][de la Teja (1991), p. 187.] The forces then split. Salvador maintained this position offering protection from Mexican and Indian attack,[Moore (2004), p. 60.] while his relatives Capt. Manuel Flores,
Lieutenant Nepomuceno Flores,[de la Teja (1991), p. 136.] left with Seguin to regroup a company of men that followed Houston toward east Texas and on to San Jacinto.[Sullivan (2011), p. 74.]
Texas Republic 1836–1842
In late 1836, Salvador Flores was Captain of Company C, which served the citizens of Texas, much like a ranging company.[de la Teja (1991), p. 151.][After becoming a Republic, J.N. Seguin had become be the head of the San Antonio military, commander of a battalion of three companies (A,B,C), in defence of the western frontier of Texas. See de la Teja (1991), p. 29.] Later in 1839, Flores would serve the Republic of Texas, as 1st Lt. in Col. Juan N. Seguin's Company. Salvador Flores would protect the colonists as a participant in the Henry Karnes campaign against the hostile Comanche Indians.[Moore (2006), p. 230.][de la Teja (1991), p. 185.] As a member of the Karnes Company, he would team up with Mathew Caldwell
Matthew Caldwell, (March 8, 1798 – December 28, 1842), also spelled Mathew Caldwell was a 19th-century Texas settler, military figure, Captain of the Gonzales – Seguin Rangers and a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Because of ...
's Rangers in the pursuit of Vincente Cordova.[Nance (1963), pg. 129] Again he would be involved in 1842 in organizing San Antonio citizens concerned with the imminent re-invasion by Mexico. Assigned as Captain by Mayor John William Smith, he would command 100 local Tejanos against the Mexican invaders led by General Adrián Woll
Adrián Woll (December 2, 1795 – February 1875) was a French Mexican general in the army of Mexico during the Texas Revolution and the military conflict between Mexico and the Republic of Texas which followed.
Woll was governor of Tamaulipas f ...
.[Ramos (2008), pg. 188]
Later life and family
Flores married Conception Rojo on September 30, 1848, in San Antonio, and they had two children. Salvador Flores spent the remainder of his life in and around the now-U.S. city of San Antonio, Texas. He died on January 17, 1855, in that city. Juan Seguin was appointed administrator of his holdings and became the guardian of his family. In 1858, he filed a probate for the Flores famil
Legacy
His skills and tactics demonstrated on horseback would be those modeled by the Texas Rangers.[Hardin (1994), pg. 249] In later years, the Flores descendants would be the ones to donate the land for the establishment of the city in Texas that bears their name: Floresville, Texas
Floresville is a city in Wilson County, Texas, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population was at 7,203 at the 2020 Census. It is the county seat of Wilson County. The city is also part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statis ...
.TSH Marker 5335 Floresville, Texas
/ref> A Texas State Historical Marker was placed at the Floresville courthouse during the 1986 Texas sesquicentennial. It now stands in honor to Salvador Flores and his family for their service to Texas.
Tejanos who served under Juan Seguín
See also
*List of Texas Revolution battles
When Mexico's congress changed the constitution in 1827 and 1835, and banned slavery in 1829 and immigration in 1830, immigrants, slave-owners, and federalists throughout the country revolted; in Texas, an armed uprising began on October 2, 1835, ...
*Timeline of the Texas Revolution
This is a timeline of the Texas Revolution, spanning the time from the earliest independence movements of the area of Texas, over the declaration of independence from Spain, up to the secession of the Republic of Texas from Mexico.
The first sh ...
*Juan Seguin
''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, t ...
* Manuel N. Flores
Notes
References
Sources
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External links
Letter to S. Darden , State Comptroller, Listing service records of Tejano Veterans Jan.12, 1875
* ttp://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/19thcentury/articles/dawsonmassacre.aspx Milvern Harrell: Survivor of the Dawson Massacre by Garland R. Lively
Pension petition of Juan Manuel Cebera (Cabrera) referencing M. Montalvo Nov. 30, 1874, Service record under Captain S.Flores
* ttps://tshaonline.org/supsites/military/rep_cont.htm Index to Military Rolls of the Republic of Texas 1835 - 1845br>1835 -1836 Texas Muster Rolls (scans)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flores, Salvador
1806 births
1855 deaths
People of Spanish Texas
Alamo defenders
Alamo survivors
People of the Texas Revolution
People from Floresville, Texas
Military personnel from San Antonio
Tejano people