The Finding Medina Project has identified a potential conflict site dated to the early 19th century that fits the textual evidence for the Battle of Medina.
Fought on August 18, 1813, the battle was the high-water mark of Texas’s first independence movement as a part of the War of Mexican Independence. The battle left as many as a thousand men dead and led to a series of reprisals by Spanish Royalist troops on the citizenry of San Antonio that would still be fresh on Tejanos’ minds a generation later during the 1835-36 Texas Revolution.
“We are honored to be able to work with a community of researchers in San Antonio who are passionate about locating this site and equally passionate about supporting the veteran community,” said American Veterans Archaeological Recovery Chief Executive Officer Dr. Stephen Humphreys, the principal investigator of the Finding Medina Project.
The project is led by the non-profit AVAR which provides American veterans with an opportunity to learn about archaeological fieldwork. Lab support for the effort was provided by the Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
The 2022 fieldwork season consisted of systematic metal detection surveys of three potential sites, two of which were associated with historical markers. Negative results were obtained near markers placed at Losoya Middle School and the Old Pleasanton Road/Bruce Road intersection. The third site, chosen based on the most recent scholarship of the battle, revealed a concentration of 26 munitions appropriate to the early 19th century.
X-Ray fluorescence analysis undertaken by archaeologists at Texas State University established metallurgical similarity between these musket balls and munitions previously linked to the battle. Future seasons of the Finding Medina Project plan will focus on expanding the area of interest.
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“April 6th, 2023, marks the 210th anniversary of the signing of the first Texas Declaration of Independence,” said Brandon Seale, producer of the podcast “A New History of Old Texas” and organizer of recent efforts to archaeologically identify the battle site. “As such, it seemed the perfect occasion to honor the memory of those who fought and died in Texas’ largest, bloodiest battle by updating the public on the progress of our search. We plan to continue engaging with scholars of the battle and subject-matter experts to evaluate the artifacts that we have uncovered.”
While the fieldwork results are important for the program, the benefit to the approximately 30 veterans who have taken part in the Finding Medina Project is equally valuable. AVAR’s model utilizes the archaeological mission and a unique support model to build camaraderie and provide a renewed sense of purpose to veterans taking part.
A study conducted across AVAR projects in 2021-2022 indicated that 67.5% of the participants experienced a reduction in symptoms of anxiety, 72.2% experienced a reduction in symptoms of depression, and 85.3% experienced a reduction in symptoms of stress.
“AVAR and their veterans have done what almost seemed like the impossible. Their work has materially advanced the prior work of archaeologists and historians and will greatly contribute to our understanding of the battle and its impact on our region’s history,” said former San Antonio City Archaeologist Kay Hindes.
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The Witte Museum in San Antonio plans to develop an exhibit to showcase the archaeological process and findings. This exhibit will be a critical precursor for the new planned history exhibition, We Are Texas: Origin Stories.
The Finding Medina Project has been crowdfunded by dozens of donations from listeners to Seale’s podcast. Additional support has been provided by the Summerlee Foundation, the American Battlefield Trust, Jefferson Bank, Howard Energy Partners, and the Texas Historical Foundation.
More information on American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR) can be found here. Additional information on the Battle of Medina and on Seale’s podcast can be found here.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.