The Deadly Black Bean Lottery,When Texas became independent of Mexico hostilities between Mexico and

The Deadly Black Bean Lottery,When Texas became independent of Mexico hostilities between Mexico and Texas did not immediately cease.  In an attempt to destabilize the Republic of Texas, Mexico launched several raids and full scale military incursions in the late 1830’s and 1840’s.  One of the largest was the Battle of Salado Creek, in which 200 Texas militia were able to fend off an invasion by 1,600 Mexican infantry and cavalry.  On November 25th, 1842 the customs officer Alexander Somervell raised an army of 700 Texans to strike back against the Mexicans.  The Somervell Expedition was largely successful; retaking Loredo, which was then under Mexican occupation and capturing the town of Guerrero.  However, the Somervell Expedition was a privately organized affair that lacked backing by the Texas government.  Without supplies and support from Texas, Somervell ordered his men to disband and return home.  He believed that he had done enough to convince the Mexicans not to mess with Texas.Five captains and and 308 men disagreed, decided to continue the campaign and march against the Mexican city of Ciudad Mier.  Unbeknownst to the Texans, Ciudad Mier was guarded by a force of 3,000 Mexican troops.  The Texans inflicted heavy casualties, killing over 600 enemy soldiers, but they were forced to surrender as the Mexican’s numerical superiority overwhelmed them.  243 Texans surrendered and were forced on a 250 mile death march through the Mexican desert to the city of Santillo.  Due to a lack of food and water, only 159 would survive the march.  When they arrived in Santillo, they learned that President Santa Anna had ordered them all executed, however diplomatic efforts by the US and Britain convinced Santa Anna to compromise by only killing 17 of the Texans.  To decided who would live and who would die the officer in charge of the executions, Col Domingo Huerta, held a lottery in which the Texans would draw lots.  142 white beans and 17 black beans were placed in a pot.  The Texans would then draw the beans, starting with officers, then enlisted men by alphabetical order.  Those who drew a white bean would live, those who drew a black bean would die. The first man to draw a black bean was Major James D. Cocke, who held the bean in his fingers and remarked, “"Boys, I told you so; I never failed in my life to draw a prize." That day 9 men were lined up against a wall and shot by a firing squad.  The rest were executed the next day.  Incredibly one of those who was to be executed survived (James L. Shephard) by playing dead and later escaping.  In addition another man was executed; Capt. Ewen Cameron was personally singled out by Santa Anna to be killed.  Refusing a blindfold, his last words were,"for the liberty of Texas, Ewen Cameron can look death in the face.”  He ordered his own execution squad to fire by shouting, “fuego!”.The remaining white bean survivors were imprisoned and later paroled back to Texas.  The events of the death march and the black bean lottery are featured in the Larry McMurtry’s novel Dead Man’s Walk. -- source link

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