Residents on the Gulf Coast and at San Antonio de Béxar began evacuating in January upon learning of the Mexican army 's troop movements into their area , an event that was ultimately replayed across Texas . During early skirmishes , some Texian soldiers surrendered , believing that they would become prisoners of war — but Santa Anna demanded their executions . The news of the Battle of the Alamo and the Goliad massacre instilled fear in the population and resulted in the mass exodus of the civilian population of Gonzales , where the opening battle of the Texian revolution had begun and where , only days before the fall of the Alamo , they had sent a militia to reinforce the defenders at the mission . The civilian refugees were accompanied by the newly forming provisional army , as Houston bought time to train soldiers and create a military structure that could oppose Santa Anna 's greater forces . Houston 's actions were viewed as cowardice by the '' ad interim '' government , as well as by some of his own troops . As he and the refugees from Gonzales escaped first to the Colorado River and then to the Brazos , evacuees from other areas trickled in and new militia groups arrived to join with Houston 's force
Goliad massacre
Goliad massacre
Runaway Scrape