Dimmitt proposed that his forces be sent to capture Fort Lipantitlan, a small Mexican army base south of Goliad.
As his troops were returning to Goliad, they encountered Agustin Viesca, the former governor of Coahuila y Tejas who had escaped imprisonment.
He wrote to Austin, "In a former communication, I hinted the policy of a dash at Matamoros, hoping from what I had then heard, that the movement would be approved and sustained by a majority of the people in that section of the country, but now, I fear it would not be.
[3] Nevertheless, Dimmitt continued to prepare for a potential invasion, and as reports from inside Mexico reached him, his desire to invade fluctuated.
[5] His letter explained that invading the interior would take the war out of Texas, and a successful attempt could give the Texians the estimated $100,000 per month in revenue that the Matamoros port accumulated.
[6] Dimmitt believed that any expedition into Mexico should be led by someone who had been born a Mexican citizen, and he proposed Lorenzo de Zavala as commander.
[12] The 200 men who accompanied Johnson had previously volunteered to garrison Bexar; their departure put them in violation of the terms of their enlistment.
[12] When Grant reached Goliad, he confronted Dimmitt and claimed to be "Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Volunteer Army".
Houston entered the fort at Goliad and on January 16, spoke to all the remaining troops, and tried to talk them out of continuing the campaign.
Fannin, taking most of the men, would depart for Goliad and make Presidio La Bahía his headquarters, renaming it Fort Defiance.
[15] Grant was informed that Mexican Captain Nicolás Rodríguez and a small company formerly from Fort Lipantitlán was in the area.
Splitting into smaller groups, the Texians searched for mounts and supplies, proceeding all the way to Santa Rosa Ranch.
While Grant was gone, Mexican General José de Urrea led a surprise attack on San Patricio in the early hours of the morning of February 27.