In the Texas Revolution, who was Francita Alavez?

ALAVEZ, FRANCITA (c.1816–1906) Francita Alavez, the "Angel of Goliad," accompanied Capt. Telesforo Alavez to Copano Bay, Texas in March 1836. Her first name is variously given as Francita, Francisca, Panchita, or Pancheta, and her surname as Alavez, Alvárez, or Alevesco. Her real surname and place of birth are not known.

Francita was at Copano Bay when Maj. William P. Miller's Natchez volunteers were held prisoner there by General Urrea's troops. From Copano Bay she went with Alavez to Goliad and was there at the time of the Goliad Massacre. She is credited with persuading the officer in charge of the fortress not to execute Miller's men, who had been brought from Copano to Goliad. In addition, it is believed that Francita entered the fort the evening before the massacre and brought out several men and hid them, thereby saving their lives.

After Santa Anna's defeat at San Jacinto, Francita followed Captain Alavez to Matamoros, where she aided the Texans held prisoner there. From that town she was taken by Alavez to Mexico City and there he abandoned her.

She returned to Matamoros penniless but was befriended by Texans who had heard of her humanitarian acts at Goliad. Dr. Joseph Barnard and Dr. Jack Shackelford, two of the Goliad prisoners spared by the Mexicans, later testified to Francita's saintly behavior. She came to be called the Angel of Goliad and gained recognition as a heroine of the Texas Revolution.