On October 1, 1835 a platoon of Mexican lancers arrived at the town of Gonzales. Their mission was to retrieve a small cannon that the citizens had been using for defense against the Indians. The citizens of Gonzales refused to surrender the cannon, urging the Mexican forces instead to "Come and Take it!". On October 2, 1835 the first shots of the War for Texas Independance were fired, causing the Mexican forces to retreat.

Once again, the Texians celebrated. They had pushed the Mexican army out of Texas. Many people believed this to be the end of the war. However, on February 23, 1836, the men stationed in San Antonio were surprised by an advance column of Mexican Dragoons entering the city. Retreating to the Alamo, approximately 150 men were soon besieged by an enemy that numbered over 2,000. A brave band of 32 men from Gonzales would be the Texians only reinforcements. On March 6, 1836, after 13 days of continual bombardment, the Alamo fell to the attacking forces. A handful of men survived the battle, but were executed by order of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The bodies of all the defenders were burned.

News of this defeat spread quickly throughout Texas. General Sam Houston began a forced retreat towards the Louisiana border, pushing all the citizens of Texas before him. The fleeing people burned their homes and provisions to keep them from falling into the hands of the advancing Mexican army. This "scorched earth" campaign became known known as the "Run-a-way Scrape."

On March 19, Colonel James Walker Fannin was forced to surrender his force of 400 men to Mexican General Urrea at the Battle of Coleto Creek. Fannin and his men were marched back to their own fortress in Goliad and were imprisoned in the small church there. By order of Santa Anna, on March 27, all the captured soldiers with the exception of those too wounded to march were split into three groups. Those capable of walking were marched out of the fort and shot in cold blood. Colonel Fannin was among those too wounded to be marched out with the rest of the soldiers. They were instead taken into the courtyard at Goliad and shot. A few men were able to escape this death; however, a total of three hundred and ninety men died in the execution.

As news of the Alamo and Goliad spread across Texas, the organized retreat became a route. The provisional government of Texas was in full flight from the advancing Mexicans.

Houston's army of 1500 was rapidly dwindling as men left to protect their families. His objective was to spread the Mexican army so thin that they could not force a major conflict. By April 20, 1836, Houston and the Texas army were now numbering 800 while encamped in a region known as Buffalo Bayou. Santa Anna caught up with them late in the afternoon, and settled in to a camp one mile from the Texians. The men under Houston's command were restless and ready for a fight. A small band of mounted scouts clashed with a group of Mexican lancers, further adding to the eagerness of the infantry.

The next afternoon, April 21, 1836, Houston and his army quietly approached the Mexican camp. At a range of less than 100 yards, the silent Texians opened fire. The Mexican camp was caught during a siesta, and was soon over-run. The Battle of San Jacinto lasted only 18 minutes, but the bloodlust of the Texians was not satiated. For the next several hours, the Texians shot at and killed every Mexican soldado they could find. As the sun began to set, the carnage began to subside. 630 Mexicans had been killed, 208 wounded, and 700 captured. The Texians lost 9 dead and 34 wounded.

General Santa Anna was captured the following morning. As he was brought before the injured Sam Houston, he is reported to have said "You have conquered the Napolean of the West." Santa Anna's life was spared, much to the dismay of the Texian soldiers, as he had promised to work towards Texas' independance. The War for Texas Independence ended with the Battle of San Jacinto.