Fannin, who had failed to respond to calls for help from the Alamo because he lacked transport for his arms and supplies, finally began a retreat on March 19. He and his men were caught outside Goliad at Coleto. After fighting off several attacks, Fannin was finally forced to surrender on the morning of the 20th. Returned to Goliad, Fannin and his men awaited a decision about their fate. Gen. Urrea favored treating them as prisoners of war; Santa Anna demanded that they be executed as pirates. Santa Anna prevailed. His orders were carried out on Palm Sunday, March 27. Throughout April, the remaining Texas troops fled to the east. While they retreated, panic seized the colonists. The Runaway Scrape saw hundreds of families take to the roads fleeing from the oncoming Mexican army. Even the Texas government was caught up in the frenzy as Santa Anna moved steadily eastward. Indeed, the government narrowly escaped being captured as its members prepared to sail to Galveston. Finally, on April 20, the Mexican and Texan armies met at San Jacinto. A brief skirmish was fought on April 20. Then, as the afternoon shadows began to lengthen, on April 21 the Texan army advanced against Santa Anna’s troops. What took place then was a slaughter of the Mexican army, its men taken by surprise, cut off from escape. The Texan victory was completed the next day when a poorly-dressed soldier was brought in from the field. The prisoners’ reactions soon revealed that this was, indeed, President-General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. For all practical purposes, the war was at an end. A Ad Interim Government The last act of the Convention of 1836 was to elect an interim government to serve until the people of Texas could ratify the Constitution and hold regular elections. David G. Burnet served as president; Lorenzo de Zavala, vice-president. This government acted from March 16 until October 16, 1836. Agua Dulce, Battle of Fought March 2, 1836. James Grant’s small body of men, a part of the Matamoros Expedition, and troops commanded by Jose Urrea met on a spot some 26 miles from San Patricio. Grant and most of his men were killed. Those who escaped death either were made prisoner by the Mexican army or were to join Fannin’s forces at Goliad, only to be executed in the Goliad Massacre. Alamo Mission The Mission San Antonio de Valero, known as the “Alamo,” was used as a fort by the Mexican army from 1821 until December 1835. After a two-month siege, Texan troops took over San Antonio on December 10, and drove the Mexican army from the city. Texan soldiers hastened to the Alamo on February 23, 1836, as Santa Anna’s army entered San Antonio. After a 13-day siege, the Mexican army succeeded in taking the Alamo on March 6. None of the 187 Texan soldiers survived the battle and its aftermath.