Manuel Tarín (1811-after 1849)
©1996 Texas State Historical Association
Manuel Antonio Santiago Tarín (also known as Manuel Leal) was a member of Juan N. Seguín's company of Tejanos who fought throughout the Texas Revolution. He was the oldest son of Don Vicente Tarín, an officer in the Alamo de Parras Company, and Doña Juana Isidora Leal (Joaquín Leal and Ana María de Arocha). He was born in San Antonio de Béxar on July 24, 1811 and baptized two days later by the military chaplain at the Valero mission. The Tarín family lived in a simple jacal near the mission's compound.
In April of 1813, Manuel's father resigned his command to join the invasion forces of the Gutiérrez-Magee expedition. After the rebel's subsequent defeat at the Battle of Medina, he fled to Natchitoches leaving his family behind.
When Spanish General Joaquín de Arrendondo's troops recaptured the Texas capital, the family's property was confiscated leaving them destitute. The female members of the insurgent's families, including Manuel's mother, were imprisoned and subjected to the cruelest of conditions for nearly two months. From their prison window many of the women watched as their children roamed the streets in search of food and shelter.
After her release, she and the infant Manuel found refuge with Father José Darío Zambrano, the parish priest of San Fernando Church. Zambrano was a known royalist but also Manuel's godfather. In later years the priest became his benefactor.
By 1814, a conditional pardon was issued to the insurgents. Although this restored some of the property that had been confiscated, Manuel's father defied the pardon forcing the family to remain in the care of the priest for many years.
Manuel became a private in the reorganized Alamo de Parras Company serving under Lt. Col. José Francisco Ruiz by 1830. That year, the Alamo de Parras Company was ordered to build and occupy Fort Tenoxtitlán, a remote frontier garrison on the Brazos River. Over a two year period, sporadic payroll shipments, isolation and eventually starvation prompted numerous desertions from the post. Tarín deserted twice and each time was arrested and restored to duty with little more than a reprimand. He returned to San Antonio with the Alamo Company in September of 1832.
His continued discontent with the Mexican military was further demonstrated in the Spring of 1833 when he was apprehended with his brother, José vicente Tarín, and another accomplice, Guadalupe Durán, attempting to steal guns from the Alamo arsenal.
He entered the Texas army joining Juan N. Sequín's company of Tejanos on February 22, 1936. Although present with Seguín at the Battle of San Jacinto, illness prevented him from participating in the actual fighting. He served for the duration of the war and left the army in the rank of corporal in July of 1837. For his participation in the revolution, he received several hundred acres in bounty warrants and donation land grants.
Manuel married María Luisa Cásares by 1846 and fathered at least two children by her. He died after 1849.
Bibliography
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Tarín, Randell G. & Tarín Robert L., Jr. Vicente Tarín. The New Handbook of Texas(Austin, TX: Texas State Historical Association, 1989).
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