The moment Francita Alavez heard the nightmarish news on the evening of Mar. 26, 1836, she sprang into swift but secret action. The brave wife of a Mexican officer would not stand idly by while her countrymen killed the defenseless detainees at Goliad.The Tampico prisoners served as guinea pigs for Santa Anna’s get-tough policy toward meddlesome foreigners. A number of Americans were a...