Judge Harbert Davenport, whom General Hobart Huson calls
the outstanding authority on the history of Fannin's Command, in his treatise
The Men of Goliad, writes:
"Soon after his arrival at Goliad, his evil
genius prompted Colonel Fannin to strengthen and rebuild the fort. This
was unwise for two reasons: little good could be had from such fortifications;
and the time spent in this relatively useless labor was badly needed
for training their men. . . . Convinced of the importance and usefulness
of his labor, he proposed to stay around to see the results."
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Chatwick
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This strengthening of the fortifications of the old fort was
done according to the plans and under the direction of Captain
[JOSEPH M.] CHADWICK,
whose map we still have and which has been a guide to the restoring
of the Presidio in 1963-65. He was assisted by Captain
[John Sowers] Brooks and Polish engineers. It was Brooks who designed
a half-moon to the fort, and also he invented an infernal machine,
sixty-eight old muskets which [George] Collinsworth had captured
in October, and which could all be fired with a single match;
an early nineteenth century version of the machine gun fire. What
a pity Brooks never had an opportunity to try out his scheme!
Before the fortifications were completed Travis' call came for
Fannin to come to his aid at the Alamo.Fannin thought this move
unadvisable and started strengthening his position in the Presidio.
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Here, under the directions of Chadwick and the Polish engineers,the men were put to strengthening the walls of the fort where it was needed,and
a bastion was rebuilt at each of the southern angles.A covered way was built from the northwest comer of the fort down to the river, about
two hundred yards distant, for the purpose of having a secure access to the water in case of emergency.--Fannin's men soon clashed with the
Mexican citizens of La Bahía whom they called the Badeños. Some of the Americans when drunk and on night prowls outside the walls broke
into the homes of the town people, molested their women and robbed and plundered. The citizens naturally became terrorized and, led by their
devoted priest, Father José Valdez and Don Carlos de la Garza moved down to Carlos' Ranch, some 9 or 10 miles down the river. This
ranch was, at that time, quite a thriving settlement, with a chapel, store and blacksmith shop, and, besides the Mexicans, some members of
the Power-Hewetson Colony lived there, notably the Teals, Sidicks, Reileys and others.
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