This Week in Texas History:

March 25, 1843: During a border raid into Mexico, a fierce fight ended when the Texans ran out of food and water and were forced to surrender near the town of Mier. They were then marched toward Mexico City when 170 Texans made a break, but were recaptured.

Santa Ana ordered all to be shot, but the governor of the province refused, and decided that every 10th man be shot. A jar was filled with white beans, and 17 black ones. The 17 who drew the black beans were blindfolded and shot. Few of the surviving prisoners ever returned to Texas. Most died in captivity in Mexico.

March 29, 1836: San Felipe de Austin was founded in 1824 by Stephen F. Austin. The community was the unofficial capital of the Austin colony and an urban and commercial center. It was unquestionably the social, economic and political center of the Austin colony, and the location of his home.

At the onset of the revolution, San Felipe was second only to San Antonio in size. After the fall of the Alamo, Houston's army retreated through San Felipe. On March 29, Moseley Baker, who commanded a small garrison remaining at San Felipe to defend the Brazos crossing, ordered the town evacuated and then burned it to the ground to keep it from falling into the hands of the advancing Mexican army. Terrified residents of the center of Austin's colony grabbed what they could and fled.

After the battle of San Jacinto, some residents returned, but without necessary buildings, it was not suitable for the operation of the government.

March 30, 1846: The first legislature of Texas carved out parts of Nacogdoches and Robertson counties to create Dallas County.