Juan Sequin was a Colonel in the Texas Militia and was the first to advocate the overthrow of Santa Anna and the restoration of the Constitution of 1824, long before most Anglo's thought to do so. Seguin had men from his militia at the Alamo when he rode out to desperately find assistance for the men there. He was forbidden to go to their rescue because losing Seguin would be a loss that would be hard to take for Texas.
It is a shame that his history is so played down in the movies. They make it out like he was only a participant when he had the most influence in the early years- considerably more than Travis, Crockett (who had almost no influence), Houston, and others. After the Alamo, Seguin played a large part in the Texas Government, mandating the first bilingual program in the state when he introduced a bill that the Texas Constitution be translated into English and Spanish so that everybody could understand it.
The Seguin family produced incredible leaders on both sides of the border. I don't know if there is anything but distant relations between Juan and Zargoza. Because most "Mexicans" living in Texas during those days were actually from the Spanish Colonies from the Canarie Islands, I reckon that they were all a little bit related. I do know that after Juan had successfully helped his country earn its freedom from Mexico, he was then run out of Texas because he looked "Mexican", something that broke his heart.
During the Mexican-American war, his talents of leadership and organization were recognized and he was pressed into service in the Mexican Army to fight the United States at Veracruz. He was later readmitted to Texas and became the Mayor of San Antonio, but died in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico after being run out yet again.
EDIT: To assist in keeping it gun related; the whole nasty mess began at Gonzales where the Mexican Army under General Cos were ordered to confiscate a cannon held by the people to protect against indian depredations. The Texans flew a flag over the cannon harkening back to the Leonidas and Molon Lave days that said: "Come and Take It!" Hence my sig line.
It is a shame that his history is so played down in the movies. They make it out like he was only a participant when he had the most influence in the early years- considerably more than Travis, Crockett (who had almost no influence), Houston, and others. After the Alamo, Seguin played a large part in the Texas Government, mandating the first bilingual program in the state when he introduced a bill that the Texas Constitution be translated into English and Spanish so that everybody could understand it.
The Seguin family produced incredible leaders on both sides of the border. I don't know if there is anything but distant relations between Juan and Zargoza. Because most "Mexicans" living in Texas during those days were actually from the Spanish Colonies from the Canarie Islands, I reckon that they were all a little bit related. I do know that after Juan had successfully helped his country earn its freedom from Mexico, he was then run out of Texas because he looked "Mexican", something that broke his heart.
During the Mexican-American war, his talents of leadership and organization were recognized and he was pressed into service in the Mexican Army to fight the United States at Veracruz. He was later readmitted to Texas and became the Mayor of San Antonio, but died in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico after being run out yet again.
EDIT: To assist in keeping it gun related; the whole nasty mess began at Gonzales where the Mexican Army under General Cos were ordered to confiscate a cannon held by the people to protect against indian depredations. The Texans flew a flag over the cannon harkening back to the Leonidas and Molon Lave days that said: "Come and Take It!" Hence my sig line.
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