| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Serving as an important prelude to the Texas |
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| 6 | 7 | | Revolution, the Battle of Velasco was fought from June 25 through |
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| 7 | 8 | | 27, 1832, and the site of the engagement is being commemorated with |
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| 8 | 9 | | the dedication of a memorial monument on June 27, 2023; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, The conflict was perhaps the first incidence of |
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| 10 | 11 | | bloodshed as resistance to Mexican rule intensified in Texas in the |
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| 11 | 12 | | 1830s; the battle took place when a group of Texans under the |
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| 12 | 13 | | command of Henry Smith and John Austin traveled to Brazoria to |
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| 13 | 14 | | secure a cannon to use against Mexican forces who had imprisoned |
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| 14 | 15 | | William Travis and others at Anahuac; when they tried to transport |
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| 15 | 16 | | the cannon down the Brazos River, they were opposed by a garrison of |
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| 16 | 17 | | Mexican soldiers led by Colonel Domingo de Ugartechea, commander of |
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| 17 | 18 | | Fort Velasco; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, An estimated seven Texans and five Mexicans lost |
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| 19 | 20 | | their lives in the fighting, with dozens more wounded on both sides; |
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| 20 | 21 | | ultimately, the Texans forced Colonel Ugartechea to surrender on |
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| 21 | 22 | | June 29, after his troops exhausted their ammunition; and |
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| 22 | 23 | | WHEREAS, While records indicate that veterans of the Battle |
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| 23 | 24 | | of Velasco developed plans to erect a memorial for their fallen |
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| 24 | 25 | | comrades, no evidence for the existence of such a monument has ever |
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| 25 | 26 | | been found; recent imaging of the area has helped identify the exact |
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| 26 | 27 | | location of Fort Velasco, and renewed interest in the battle led to |
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| 27 | 28 | | a collaboration between the Old Fort Velasco Historical |
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| 28 | 29 | | Association, the Old Velasco/Surfside Beach Historical Committee, |
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| 29 | 30 | | the Village of Surfside Beach, Bryson Memorials, and area citizens; |
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| 30 | 31 | | working together, they have succeeded in their mission to establish |
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| 31 | 32 | | a long-overdue tribute to those who served and died in the battle; |
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| 32 | 33 | | and |
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| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, Today, 191 years after the Battle of Velasco, the |
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| 34 | 35 | | unveiling of the monument provides an opportunity to reflect on a |
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| 35 | 36 | | pivotal moment in Texas history and on the courageous actions of |
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| 36 | 37 | | those who took up arms to further the cause of Texas independence; |
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| 37 | 38 | | now, therefore, be it |
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| 38 | 39 | | RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 39 | 40 | | hereby commemorate the dedication of the Battle of Velasco Memorial |
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| 40 | 41 | | Monument and extend sincere appreciation to all those who helped |
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| 41 | 42 | | bring this project to fruition. |
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| 42 | | - | Vasut |
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| 43 | | - | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 44 | | - | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 45 | | - | I certify that H.C.R. No. 113 was adopted by the House on May |
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| 46 | | - | 25, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 47 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 48 | | - | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 49 | | - | I certify that H.C.R. No. 113 was adopted by the Senate on May |
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| 50 | | - | 26, 2023, by a viva-voce vote. |
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| 51 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 52 | | - | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 53 | | - | APPROVED: __________________ |
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| 54 | | - | Date |
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| 55 | | - | __________________ |
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| 56 | | - | Governor |
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