Info provided by Connie Sanders Owens, Vice President, DRT Ezekiel Cullen Chapter, San Augustine – Email Questions To: EzekielCullen@DrtInfo.org
Step Into History: Join the Epic Inaugural DRT Bicentennial Celebration of the Battle of Fredonia in San Augustine!
History is about to thunder back to life in San Augustine. On January 21, 2027, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Ezekiel Cullen Chapter will launch a once-in-two-centuries celebration marking the exact 200th anniversary of the Battle of Fredonia. Stand on the ground where Texas’ future hung in the balance, experience an extraordinary story of cross-cultural courage, and honor the defenders who stopped a deadly clash before a single shot was fired.
Are you a descendant of Stephen Prather, Stephen Eliphalet Prather, Thomas Freeman Prather, James Bridges Sr., James Bridges Jr., Ross Bridges, Peter Galloway, John McGinnis or Alexander Horton – or of the courageous Native American warriors who stood with them? If so, you are a guest of honor. All descendants are invited to step forward, join the festivities, and be publicly recognized in a powerful tribute to the families whose ancestors shaped this history.
Picture the Ayish District on the tense night of January 20, 1827: 200 armed rebels poised to seize local lands for the rogue Republic of Fredonia. Sixteen-year-old Alexander “Sandy” Horton believed his family stood alone and defenseless. Then, through the darkness, help arrived. Stephen Prather, veteran trained under Andrew Jackson rode inwith sixty Native warriors and seven Anglo settlers. Their united show of resolve shattered the rebels’ momentum, prevented a bloody battle, and changed the course of Texas history—without a single shot.
A full day of unforgettable moments awaits:
- 10:00 AM: The DRT Historic Site Marker Dedication
Gather at the battle site as schoolchildren, descendants, tribal representatives, and history lovers witness the unveiling of a marker that will permanently declare this ground a DRT Historic Site. It will be a powerful moment of remembrance—honoring the named defenders, recognizing the Native warriors, and fixing their shared courage in public memory for generations to come.
- 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM: Dynamic Bicentennial Symposium
Then the celebration surges into downtown San Augustine at the Historic Augus Theatre. Renowned historian Dr. Caroline Crimm will illuminate the dramatic Tejano experience, while Joy Montgomery, Executive Director of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe, presents the battle through a Native American lens. The afternoon builds to an unforgettable finale as descendants rise together – one living legacy, two hundred years in the making.
Cameras will be rolling. Ben Friberg, in association with Don Frazier of Schreiner University, will capture this landmark tribute on film so the story – and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas role in preserving it – can endure for the next two hundred years.
Best of all? Every single event is completely FREE and open to everyone! Plus, teachers can earn 6 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits just for attending the afternoon symposium.
Don’t just read about history – be a part of it! Due to high expected attendance, secure your spot, trace your roots, and register today by emailing EzekielCullen@DrtInfo.org. Become part of a Texas bicentennial moment that will never come again.