By Green H.C.R. No. 179 76R8818 WMS-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Gonzales has long been known as the "Lexington of 1-2 Texas" by virtue of the prominent place the town holds in the 1-3 history of the Texas War for Independence, and it is appropriate 1-4 that the State of Texas recognize this unique facet of our shared 1-5 heritage as Texans and Americans; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Similarities between the two battles are striking; 1-7 in 1775, American colonists were chafing under the rule of the 1-8 distant British monarchy; fearing rebellion, the British army 1-9 marched into the village of Lexington, Massachusetts, on April 19, 1-10 1775, with the intention of confiscating the settlers' arms and 1-11 ammunition; the settlers resisted, and within minutes, the first 1-12 shots of the American Revolution had been fired; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Some 60 years later, Texans were growing resentful 1-14 of a Mexican colonial government that seemed unsympathetic to their 1-15 needs and concerns, and again the spirit of revolution was in the 1-16 air; when Mexican authorities demanded the return of a small cannon 1-17 that had been deployed to Gonzales for the protection of its 1-18 citizens, the townspeople refused, and 100 Mexican soldiers were 1-19 dispatched to Gonzales to retrieve the cannon and quash the 1-20 apparent insurrection; and 1-21 WHEREAS, An initial force of only 18 men set out to delay the 1-22 cavalrymen by removing the only river ferry that provided access to 1-23 the settlement; the Mexican soldiers were forced to look for 1-24 another crossing, and within a few days, on October 2, 1835, they 2-1 were met by a force of some 50 armed Texans under the command of 2-2 Colonel J. H. Moore and Lieutenant Colonel J. W. E. Wallace; at the 2-3 forefront of the group was the cannon, and over the cannon flew a 2-4 stark black and white flag featuring the immortal words, "Come and 2-5 Take It!"; and 2-6 WHEREAS, After one shot was fired from the small but powerful 2-7 cannon, the Mexican Army retreated, and the people of Texas 2-8 officially embarked on the path that would lead to independence and 2-9 later statehood; and 2-10 WHEREAS, The significance of these two battles lies in the 2-11 determination of the people who were willing to risk their lives 2-12 for the noble cause of freedom, and it is indeed fitting that we 2-13 today pay homage to both of these watershed moments in history; 2-14 now, therefore, be it 2-15 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-16 hereby declare Gonzales to be the "Lexington of Texas" in 2-17 recognition of the town's vital role in the Texas Revolution.