Led by Adolphus Sterne, citizens of Nacogdoches helped outfit a volunteer force, the New Orleans' Greys, to fight in the Texas War for Independence. One company of Greys traveled overland to San Antonio by way of Nacogdoches in Nov. 1835. The 50-100 men camped for a few days at this site near Sterne's home. They were honored with a banquet of bear, raccoon, and other meat, and were praised in toasts and speeches. The Greys reached San Antonio before the Siege of Bexar, Dec. 5-9, 1835. Most of the volunteers died in later battles of the revolution.