TEXAS’ EARLIEST FORTS

From the book Texas Haunted Forts. Written by Elaine Coleman

 

Presidia La Bahia.

Also known as Fort St Louis, it has a long history dating back to 1685, when the first explorers from France came to the wilderness. That would someday be known as Texas and built the first known settlement on the West side of. GARCITAS Creek.

In 1687, at the original site of Fort St Louis, the French explorer Lasalle glanced back as he and his men marched into the untamed Texas Wild. He tried to steal the nagging fear in his mind that all would not be well with the settlement he was leaving behind. The Karankawa had attacked the settlement some 20 times in the past two years, and he felt they would do so again as soon as he ha and his army were out of sight.

Two years after Lasalle left the settlement, the karankawa Indians once more attacked and destroyed Fort St Louis. All but five of the 20 men, women and children were killed.

From the Texas State Handbook of Texas History:

“At his settlement site La Salle had left hardly more than twenty persons, with the crippled Gabriel Minime, Sieur de Barbier, in charge. They consisted of women and children, the physically handicapped, and those who for one reason or another had incurred La Salle’s disfavor. Jean Baptiste Talon, who provides the only eyewitness account, relates that after La Salle’s departure peace was made with the Karankawas, whose enmity the leader had incurred at the outset; the Indians, learning of La Salle’s death and the disunity among the French, attacked the settlement by surprise around Christmas 1688 and spared only the children. Madame Barbier and her infant—the first White child of record born in Texas—were saved temporarily by the Indian women, only to be slain when the men returned from the massacre. The women succeeded in saving four Talon children and Eustace Bréman, the paymaster’s son, who were adopted into the tribe”.

After being rescued, the nine year old John Baptiste Talon, one of the children enslaved by the Indians, gave the only eyewitness count of the massacre at Fort St Louis. It is believed his mother’s ghost still roams the area surrounding the original site of Fort St Louis.

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During quiet nights, she can be heard weeping mournfully calling out her husband’s name and begging him to save her and her children.

But it is hard to know if the weeping heard at the Presidia La Bahia in Goliad is from this grieving mother.

So many deaths took place in this location over the years that. It is hard to tell. The Presidio La Bahia was the siteof the execution of 342 men. Carried out in short distance from the Fort walls. The men’s bodies were stacked and burned, then eventually buried in a mass grave on the grounds.

GHOSTS

The figure of General James Walker. Fannin. Is believed to be seen. On the grounds. When approached, he smiled sadly and disappears.

There’s a Chapel on the property and the sound of people praying can be heard when it’s empty. Also at the chapels disembodied sobs of grief.

Mysterious woman in black at the Chapel.

An ex caretaker who died suddenly of a heart attack is seen still on the property tending the grounds.

A headless soldier riding through the compound atop on top of a majestic white stallion. It wears high leather boots, cream colored pants, and a full sleeved white linen shirt. Also a long red scarf where his head had once been flaps in the wind.

Several other people tell of the soldiers very near the mission’s old stone church. Many of them believe that one or more of these soldiers compelled another ghostly woman to search the Goliad compound. She’s been seen dressed in a flowing white shroud. She floats across the compound on cold, misty nights.

Others are told of witnessing a young woman with black hair flowing down her back. She carries a baby wrapped in a blanket.

THE ALAMO

The The Alamo has long been the symbol of Texas pride. The ghosts of many of the heroes who died at the old mission still roam the Plaza. From as far back as before the bodies were even burned in 1836,, apparitions have been seen at the Alamo

Father Antonio Oliveras. Established the Mission San Antonio di Valero in 1718. The mission served the settlers and Indians until 18O3, when the Spanish cavalry took over the mission and named it Alamo De PARRAS.

At dawn on March 6, 1836, the 13th day of the siege, the Battle of the Alamo commenced.

Lasting roughly 90 minutes, and by daybreak all the Defenders had perished, including a former congressman from Tennessee, David Crockett. The loss of the garrison was felt all over Texas, and even the world. The Defenders were from many different countries, including some Defenders who were native-born Mexicans. Following the battle, Santa Anna ordered the Defender’s remains burned.

Colonel Sanchez. And his men were sent to the Alamo after the battle to carry out Santa Anna’s demands. He had been told to clean up after the battle and make sure no other uprisings from Texans would occur.

According to reports, as Sanchez and his troops approached the old Chapel, all that remained of the mission, they were confronted with six Diablos, or ghostly monks. These apparitions emerged from the walls of the mission, waving flaming swords over their heads, advancing toward the soldiers, and shouting Do not touch the walls of the Alamo.

Quickly, Colonel Sanchez, terrified crossed his chest and told his second of command to take charge.

Claiming he needed to leave immediately. And he rushed back to their camp. Reporting the events to General ANDRADE, the second in command to Santa Anna. Upset with the cowardly way Sanchez dealt with the situation. The assistant general took several men and a cannon with him to the old mission. He rode his horse up to the Chapel and shouted orders to the troops to aim the cannon to the front of the Chapel. His intention was to destroy it, as Santa Anna had requested. He was about to give the order to fire when the ghostly monks appeared with their fiery swords. The Apparitions shouted their warnings. Looking back, the general saw that his men were already retreating. He looked back and saw a smoking form that took the image of a man standing hugely above him. The massive form held balls of fire in both hands and like an avenging Angel, cast them at the general. The general fled the mission with his men and no harm ever came to the missions again. Folks believe that the ghosts of the soldiers killed at the Alamo manifested into large a large spirits to protect their resting place.

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