Texas Revolutionist James Fannin. He was a legendary fighter for the Texas Independence from Mexico. | Posted on January 17, 2015, 6:00 AM. JAMES WALKER FANNIN JR. (January 1, 1804–March 27, 1836) James Fannin led the rebels massacred at Goliad in 1836. His defeat inspired the victory that secured Texan independence. Fannin moved to Texas in 1834 from Georgia. When the Texas Revolution erupted in 1835, his ambition put him at the center of the action. With Jim Bowie, Fannin fought at the Battle of Concepción and participated in the siege of San Antonio.