Dillard Cooper ( 1814-1896 ) was an American farmer and Texas Revolutionary soldier who survived the Goliad massacre . Born in South Carolina , Cooper married his first wife , Lucinda , and moved first to Tennessee and then to Courtland , Alabama . In November of 1835 , Cooper joined Courtland doctor Jack Shackelford 's Alabama Red Rovers , a filibuster force raised to support Texas ' effort to secede from Mexico Cooper remained in camp with the Rovers until December 12 , 1835 when the unit set out for Texas , stopping first in New Orleans and arriving at Dimmit 's Landing on Lavaca Bay on January 19 , 1836 . From there , the Red Rovers joined James Fannin 's command and on March 19-20 , fought in the Battle of Coleto Creek where Cooper suffered minor wounds . The Texians had been caught on open prairie and , after Mexicans reinforcements arrived on the second day , were overwhelmed and forced to surrender . Mexican president Antonio López de Santa Anna had ordered General José de Urrea to treat the rebellious Texians as pirates instead of soldiers and to have them executed in accordance with the law rather than kept as prisoners of war
Goliad massacre
Goliad massacre
Dillard Cooper