Why is Thomas H. Roberts listed as being killed at the Alamo and Goliad?

Question

I went to the Goliad monument a few months ago and saw a Thomas H Roberts listed as being killed at the Goliad massacre. A Thomas H. Roberts is also listed as being killed at the Alamo. Were there two different men with the same name at each location, or was there a clerical error that was made in the listing?

Answer 1

Hi Keith,

Thank you for asking..  When researching Thomas H Roberts, This is the biography I gleaned from the references. Sources I found, listed him for the Alamo.  A couple of sources went further, which I put into the biography.  

1) Thomas H Roberts was assigned to Capt Chenoweth's command Jan, 1836 at the Alamo, which  must have resulted in a list..

2) Later Capt. Chenowith was assigned to Goliad after Chenowirh's  commanding officer was killed and put in charge at Goliad.

3)Our Thomas H Roberts, a marksman was re-assigned to Capt. Baker's company and entered the Alamo compound as one of James Bowie's troops.(his name may still have been on Chenoweth's list, even though he was reassigned).

Alamo sources list him as being killed in the Battle of the Alamo and Texas General land office investigated this also with their notes.

I would point out that no one survived the Alamo, except a Mexican American man who talked the Mexican Army into freeing him, as he said he was a prisoner.....

Answer 2

Here are a few book titles which MIGHT be useful.  They are copied from the (online) Handbook of Texas History (very short article about Thomas H. Roberts):

Daughters of the American Revolution, The Alamo Heroes and Their Revolutionary Ancestors (San Antonio, 1976). Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Muster Rolls of the Texas Revolution (Austin, 1986). Bill Groneman, Alamo Defenders (Austin: Eakin, 1990). Phil Rosenthal and Bill Groneman, Roll Call at the Alamo (Fort Collins, Colorado: Old Army, 1985).