Richard Andrews (1800-1835) was a

Texian Texians were Anglo-American immigrants to Mexican Texas and, later, citizens of the Republic of Texas. Today, the term is used to identify early Anglo settlers of Texas, especially those who supported the Texas Revolution. Mexican settlers of tha ...

merchant and soldier who was the first

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

casualty of the

Texas Revolution The Texas Revolution (October 2, 1835 – April 21, 1836) was a rebellion of colonists from the United States and Tejanos (Hispanic Texans) against the Centralist Republic of Mexico, centralist government of Mexico in the Mexican state of ...

during the

Battle of Concepción The battle of Concepción was fought on October 28, 1835, between Centralist Republic of Mexico, Mexican troops under Colonel Domingo Ugartechea and Texian patriots led by James Bowie and James Fannin. The 30-minute engagement, which histor ...

on October 28, 1835. He is a

folk hero A folk hero or national hero is a type of hero – real, fictional or mythology, mythological – with their name, personality and deeds embedded in the popular consciousness of a people, mentioned frequently in Folk music, folk songs, folk tales ...

(the "

Nathan Hale Nathan Hale (June 6, 1755 – September 22, 1776) was an American Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot, soldier and spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an Military intelligence, intelligence ...

of Texas") for his purported final words "I am a dead man, but don't let the other boys know it. Tell them to conquer or die." He is purportedly also the first

wounded in action Wounded in action (WIA) describes combatants who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during wartime, but have not been killed. Typically, it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing ...

casualty of the war at the

Battle of Gonzales The Battle of Gonzales was the first military engagement of the Texas Revolution. It was fought near Gonzales, Texas, Gonzales, Mexican Texas, Texas, on October 2, 1835, between rebellious Texian settlers and a detachment of Mexican army soldier ...

on October 2, 1835. However, Samuel McCulloch Jr. is considered by some historians to be the first at the

Battle of Goliad The Battle of Goliad was the second skirmish of the Texas Revolution. In the early-morning hours of October 9, 1835, Texas settlers attacked the Mexican Army soldiers garrisoned at Presidio La Bahía, a fort near the Mexican Texas sett ...

on October 10, 1835.

Biography

Andrews, an Indian fighter, joined the Texian army at the beginning of the Texas Revolution. Andrews was nicknamed "Big Dick" because of his large size and great strength. He was wounded in the

on October 2, 1835. He fought at the

on October 28, 1835, where he was the only Texian killed in the battle. His purported final words were "''I am a dead man, but don't let the other boys know it. Tell them to conquer or die.''" A memorial to Captain Andrews was erected by the State of Texas and stands approximately .15 miles west of Mission Road on E. Theo Avenue near Concepcion Park, in

San Antonio, Texas San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...

Legacy

Monuments

* "The First Sacrifice in the War of Texas Independence", 1936 Texas Centennial Monument,

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is a National Historical Park and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site preserving four of the five Spanish frontier missions in San Antonio, Texas, US. These outposts were established by Catholic re ...

It reads: ''Erected by the State of Texas to Commemorate the Heroic Deeds of Captain Richard Andrews.'' ''Born in Sandersville, Georgia in 1800. Fell at the Battle of Concepcion October 28, 1835. The first sacrifice in the War of Texas Independence. Son of William and Mary Andrews. Came to Texas in 1818. Established an Indian Trading Post on the Brazos River at the present site of Richmond. Later moved to Mina, now Bastrop. Was an Indian fighter of note. A scout of indomitable courage. One of the first to enlist in the War for Texas Independence and the first to die for his country.''

Namesakes

* Andrews County *

Andrews, Texas Andrews is the county seat of Andrews County, Texas, Andrews County in the Permian Basin of West Texas. Andrews sits to the far southwest within the Texas Panhandle's plains, about 30 miles east of New Mexico. Andrews was incorporated on Februar ...

References

Sources

*History of Fort Bend County, Clarence Wharton, 1939.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Andrews, Richard 1835 deaths People of the Texas Revolution Military personnel killed in action 1800 births Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state)