History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families, Part 10

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Texas > Harris County > Houston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 10
USA > Texas > Galveston County > Galveston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 10

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But the best-laid scheme of this man went "agley;" for as Flores was passing through Texas with about twenty-five Mexicans and Indians, he was taken by a Texan force under

James O. Rice and killed. Flores' men had committed several murders; and in the en- gagement, which occurred about fifteen miles from Austin, the men were put to flight. The correspondence with reference to the en - listment of the Indians and Cordova thus fell into the hands of the Texans and the plot was made known.

THE INDIANS.

The Texan goverment then resolved to remove the Cherokees, npon whose rich and beantiful lands the whites were constantly eneroaching. Accordingly, Colonel Burle- son, from the Colorado, Colonel Landrum, with his regiment from eastern Texas, and General Rusk, with the Nacogdoches regi- ment, were ordered to invade the territory. The whole force, about 500 men, was placed under the connnand of General Donglass. Negotiations for the peaceable removal of the tribe to Arkansas having failed, on July 15, Douglass advanced against the Indian camp, on arriving at which he found that the Indians had retreated higher up the river. Ile found them, abont 800 strong, and a run- ning fight with them for several days drove them from their lands. Their crops were also destroyed, with the idea that they were being raised in order to co-operate with the Mexicans. A few of the expelled owners, however, did not leave the country, but re- mained along the Colorado and continued to harass the settlers.

But the most hostile and troublesome In- dians were the Comanches. In February, 1840, showing a disposition to enter into a treaty of peace, twelve of their principal chiefs met, March 19, the Texan commission- ers at Bejar, where General II. D. McLeod was in command. It was known that the Comanches had thirteen white captives in

State Capitol.

TOGGLEDAT

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

their power, and the release of these was de- manded. The Indians brought forward only one, a little girl. After a brief discussion, in which the Indians exhibited defiance, an order was sent to Captain Howard, to bring his company into the council room; and as soon as the men had taken their position the chiefs were informed that they would be de- tained as prisoners until the captives were surrendered. A terrible conflict ensued; the twelve chiefs, armed, were all killed in the council room, while the warriors in the yard ontside maintained a desperate fight. All were finally slain, thirty-two in number, while seven women and children were made prisoners.

Naturally the Comanches in general. were resolved on revenge for what they considered treachery, and in return for the destruction of so many of their chiefs. With a band of 600 they raided Linnville and the vicinity of Victoria, which latter place they made two efforts to capture, and carried off to their homies immense numbers of live stock and large amounts of other property. During August (1840) the whites had several skir- mishes with them, under command of General Felix Houston, and drove them away, with considerable loss. Furthermore, on October 5th following, Col. John II. Moore, with ninety Texans and twelve Lipan Indians, was sent up the Colorado in pursuit of the escaped Comanches, and on reaching them he des- troyed their village and killed many of the escaping Indians. The rout was complete, and Lamar's system of extermination or ex- tinction was for once thoroughily carried out.

SANTA FE EXPEDITION.

A comparatively long interval of peace with Mexico was occasioned by internal strifes in the latter country. The northern " Fed-

eralists" failed to establish their "Republic of the Rio Grande," a scheme wholly ignored by the Texans. The latter, however, as has already been remarked, claimo I all the terri- tory east of the Rio Grande to its source, which was indeed much farther into the in- terior than they were warranted in going. Accordingly, in 1841, they sent out an expe- dition toward -Santa Fe, in order more per- fectly to establish their possession to that section of the country. This scheme was a wild one, from the fact that the population of Santa Fe was thoroughly Mexican, and separated from the Texas settlements by an Indian country fully 600 miles in width. Indeed it was not sanctioned by the Texan congress, and the scheme was wholly Lamar's. He proclaimed in advance to the authorities at Santa Fe the object of the expedition. If they in that section were unwilling to submit to Texas, said he, then he wished to establish friendly commercial relations with New Mex- ico. Ile instrneted his commander not to subjugate the country if the people were un- willing to submit; the military organization of the expedition was only for protection against the savages. The expedition, con- sisting of 270 soldiers, left Austin June 20, 1841, and met with many disasters, and, after some loss of men, was captured before it reached Santa Fe, and most of the men sent to the City of Mexico, where they were kept in prison for a time. Among them was the commissioner, J. A. Navarro, who, after languishing in prison for fourteen months, finally escaped at Vera Cruz, in January, 1845.

LOCATION OF THE CAPITAL

January, 14, 1839, Congress appointed five commissioners to select a site for the capital of the republic. The commissioners were Albert O. Horton, Lewis I'. Cook, Isaac

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

W. Burton, William Menifee and J. Camp- bell, who made choice of the location where Anstin now stands. Although at that date the new town, which was immediately laid out, was situated on the extreme frontier of the settlements, the commissioners showed their wisdom in their selection. They aimed at establishing a permanent capital, which would occupy a central position when Texas had become a thickly populated country; and though the government would be near the Indians, Austin as the seat would draw set- tlers more rapidly westward.

During the month of November, 1840, the congress assembled there, surrounded by the wilderness. The seat of government for the Republic of Texas, like that of most other new governments, was subject to frequent change. The following is the order, with the dates:

1. San Felipe, November, 1835.

2. Washington, March, 1836.

3. 1Iarrisburg, same month.

4. Galveston, April 16, 1836.

5. Velasco, May, 1836.

6. Columbia, October, 1836.

7. Ilouston, May, 1837.

8. Austin, October, 1839.

9. Ilouston, in 1842 a short time.

10. Washington, November, 1842.

11. Austin, 1845 to the present time.

The new State capitol has a length of 566 feet 6 inches, inclusive of porticos; width, 288 feet 10 inches at widest point; height, 311 feet from grade line to top of statute on dome. It contains 258 rooms, and is second only in size to the capitol at Washington, and is the seventh largest building in the world.

The State executive offices are located on the first floor, as follows: Governor, see- . retary of State, comptroller, treasurer, super-

intendent of public instruction, adjutant- general, attorney-general, commissioner of agriculture, insurance, statisties and history, superintendent of public buildings and grounds and State geologist; also the police department and offices of the electrician and janitor.

The senate chamber and hall of house of representatives, State library and reading- rooms, reception and consultation rooms of the governor, president of the senate, speaker of the house and the legislative committee rooms are located on the second floor.

The supreme court, court of appeals, law library, galleries of the house of representa- tives and senate chamber, and reporters' gal- leries, and marshal's, clerks' and other offices of the judicial department are located on the third floor.

The fourth floor consists of twenty-three unassigned rooms.

All the conveniences necessary to a com- plete modern structure have been incorpor- ated in the building.

The following brief description of the capitol is copied from the "Official Guide to the Texas Capitol," by Charles N. McLangli- lin:

" The building is located on a command- ing elevation, near the center of the city of Austin, in the square originally selected for the capitol of the Republic of Texas. It is shaped like a Greek cross, with projecting eenter and flanks, having a rotunda and dome at the intersection of the main corri- dors. The exterior walls are built of Texas red granite, from the inexhanstible quarries of Burnet county. This granite is pro- nonnced by experts to be equal to any in the world, both in beauty and intperishability. The stately ideas of ancient builders have been blended with the useful of the modern,

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

and the whole conception and aim seems to have been to meet the practical demands of a progressive aud cultured people. Wherever it was practicablo Texas material has been used in the building, and the fact that nearly all the material nsed is native, is an illustra- tion of the wonderful and varied resources of Texas. Besides the granite a vast amount of other material, including stone, lime, wood, brick, etc., and many other articles, were secured in Texas, so that it may be said the Siate honse is built for Texas land, out of Texns material."

RECOGNITION BY FOREIGN POWERS.

During the first presidency of Mr. Hous- ton, General J. P. Henderson was sent to London and Paris to obtain an acknowl- edginent from those countries of Texan inde- pendence; and from the first the British government was favorably disposed, on ac- count of Texas being an agricultural country and the people inclined to free trade, thins opening new channels for English commerce. France, indeed, recognized the independence of Texas in 1839, but this friendly relation was soon interrupted by a ridienlons affair until some time in 1842. Holland and Bel- ginin recognized it in 1840, aud England iu 1841. But all the efforts made to obtain a like recognition from Mexico failed. In this connection the following passage from Ban- croft's history will be appropriate:

" In 1839 the Texan government, enter- taining some expectation that Mexico would be inclined to listen to proposals for peace, sent Bernard E. Bee as diplomatic agent to that government. Bee arrived at Vera Cruz in May, where he remained feu days, pending the decision of the government with regard to his reception. He was court-

eously treated by General Victoria, Governor of Vera Cruz, during his stay in that city. The Mexican authorities finally decided not to receive him, and he embarked for Havana. Texas, however, had a secret agent in the Mexican capital, who, in 1840, under the auspices of Packenham, the English minister in that city, succeeded in submitting to the government the basis of a treaty of peace. Packeuham, moreover, offered to act as me- diator. The treaty and the offer were alike rejected by Mexico. In 1841 the British government, withont waiting for the ex- change of ratifications of the mediation con- vention, officially instructed Packenham to bring before the Mexican authorities the proffer of Great Britain to mediate between that power and Texas; and Mr. Burnley, provided with a letter of introduction to him from Lord Palmerston, proceeded to Mexico as negotiator on the part of Texas. James Webb also was sent from Texas as commis- sioner to open aud conduct the negotiations, but he was not receivel, and immediately returned. Mexico paid no more heed to the British nation thau she had done to her diplomatic agent. She unhesitatingly de- clined any such mediation, refused to enter- tain the question of peace unless Texas re. signed her claim to independent sovereignty, and prepared for war."

PRESIDENTS LAMAR'S AND HOUSTON'S ADMINIS- TRATIONS.

The presidential election of September, 1841, resulted in the choice of Sam Houston again, by a vote of 7,915 votes against 3,616 for David G. Burnett. Edward Burleson was elected vice-president, against Mennican llunt, with a much smaller majority.

When congress met in November, Lamar

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

opened his message with congratulations upon the prosperity of the country, but advised hostilities with Mexico, stating that he had already sont the Texan navy to co-operate with the government of Yneatan, which had lately declared her independence of Mexico. Lamar's administration was a bad one. He was too military and sanguine. During his administration the question of annexation to the United States lay quiescent. The Gov- ernment at Washington consistently main- tained that so long as Texas was at war with Mexico and the United States at peace with her, annexation would be a breach of treaty with her and involve our Government in war with her; and, on account of public criticism and the labors of his office, he obtained per- mission for absence from his office during the last year of the terin, while the govern- ment was administered by the vice-president, David G. Burnett.

President Houston, on the opening of his second term, did not hesitate to annonnce that his administration would be guided by a policy directly opposite to that of his pred- ecessor, advocating a kinder and more patient course with regard both to Mexico and the Indians. Financially, he made a number of recommendations to improve the treasury and the credit of the Republic. As long as Texas was able to borrow she had been bor- rowing, and as long as her paper was of any valne at all she issued it and lived on the proceeds, no matter how ruinous the rate. On the recommendation of President Ions- ton congress adopted a policy of retrench- ment, abolishing many unimportant offices and cutting down the salaries of the govern- inent officers to less than half. A system of economy was likewise practiced in all the departments of the government. During the administration of Lamar the treasurer paid

ont $4,855,215, while during a like term, Honston's second, only $493,175, the prin- eipal difference being caused by the infla- tion of low credit.

THIE MEXICAN WAR.

As an argument for annexation to the United States, it was stated that Mexico had for six years failed to reconqner Texas or even sent an army within her borders, and that the war therefore might be considered ended, although no formal recognition of the independence of Texas had been made by the mother country. Her prolonged inactivity might be considered an acknowledgment that reconquest was impossible.

Mexico, however, in order to make good her claim, prepared at the close of 1841 to invade Texas. On January 9, 1842, General Arista issued a proclamation from his head- quarters at Monterey that the Mexican nation would never consent to the separation of the territory, and that it was owing only to the civil wars in Mexico that no effort had re- cently been made to subjugate Texas. He declared that his country was determined to recover her rights through the only means left her, namely, persuasion or war; that hos- tilities would be directed against ouly those who sustained and fought to maintain the Texan nationality; and he called upon the people to reflect and consider their own in- terests, and return to their allegiance.

On Marchi 5, General Rafael Vasquez ap. peared before' San Antonio de Bejar at the head of 500 men. The Texan force there, being small, evacuated when the surrender of the town was demanded. Vasquez en- tered the place, hoisted the Mexican flag and departed. About the same time small forces of Mexicans occupied Refugio and Goliad,

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

and also soon retired. Aronsed, the Toxans bristled up for nuother engagement, and Houston, on the 10th of March, issued a proclamation calling upon all citizens sub- ject to military duty to hold themselves in readiness to repair to the scene of action in the event of a formidable invision. On the 21st he addressed a letter to Santa Anna, again in power, which was published far and wide. In it were criticisms incited by inju- dicious correspondence between him (Santn Anna) and Bernard E. Boe and General Hamilton. Santn Anna declared that Mox- ico would not cense her efforts until she had planted her standard upon the Sabine. Hous- ton replied promptly and boldly, that Texas would never yield, writing a very eloquent letter to the old treacherous Mexican. Ile declared blockaded ull the Mexican ports on the eastern coast from Tabasco, including the month of the Rio Grande and the Brazos Santiago. The Texan navy at this time con- sisted of four vessels, the other vessels that had been purchased by authority of the con- gress having been wrecked. These vessels were transferred to the United States the next year, upon annexation.

By the way, it may be observed that when Vasquez oceupied San Antonio much alarm was folt for the safety of Austin and the gov- ernment arelives. The president removed his eabinet to Houston, where congress held its special session of June 27, 1842, and this aggravated the indignation of the people of Austin. A vigilance committee was formed, the records were packed in boxes and a guard placed over them. Besides, a foree was sent out to guard the roads, to see that no wagon passed with the archives. December 10, 1842, Houston instructed Captain Thomas I. Smith to raise a company secretly and bring the most necessary books and documents to

Washington, where congress was to convene in regular session that month. Smith avoided the regular patrols by a circnitous route, en- tered Austin December 30, at night, and snc- ceeded in loading three wagons with records. This act was a surprise to the inhabitants of Austin. Smith hastened back, after having been fired upon without effeet by Captain Mark B. Lewis, who, having rallied a volun- teer company and procured a cannon from the arsenal, fired at the intruders. Smith en- campo at Kinney's fort on Brushy creek, and on the following morning discovered that Lewis, with his cannon pointed, had taken a position in front. After some par- ley, Smith agreed to take the wagons back to Austin. This affair has been called the Archive war. No further attempt was made to remove the records. The Austin people retained them until 1845, when, on occasion of the annexation convention being sum- moned to meet in July, they delivered them over to the administration of Anson Jones, on condition that the convention should assemble at Anstin.

THE WAR OF THE "MODERATORS " AND "REG- ULATORS."

This breeze took place during the second administration of President Houston, in 1842. Early in this century the " neutral ground " became the asylum of adventurers and desperate men. Land commissioners, especially in Shelby county, found a profit- able business in issuing "headright" certifi- cates. During this year one Charles W. Jackson, a fugitive from justice, arrived in Shelby county from Louisinna, and offered himself as a candidato for the Texan con- gress. Being defeatel, he undertook to ex- Ipose the land frauds, declaring that his de.

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

feat was owing to the opposition of the party connected with them. lle notified the gen- eral land office of the illegal proceedings had there, and a man named Joseph Goodbreal intimated that his life was in danger if he did not desist. Jackson shot him de id on the spot. Ile was called to trial, the court was thronged by armed men, and the judge failed to appear. The Lonisianian then organized his party, under the name of " Regulators." Their operations were somewhat irregular, and doubtless many honest men lost their lands, ete., by their work. The " Modera- tors" were therefore organized in opposi- tion, and a kind of warfare was carried on for three years, when the two factions drew up in aetnal battle array in front of each other; but the President had General Smith, with a foree of about 500 men, put a stop to the threatening strife. However, many a mar- der was afterward committed in quarrels growing out of the issues.

THE GREAT WAR CLOUD AGAIN.

In 1842 the Texan congress resolved on war with Mexico, bnt President Honston ve- toed the bill authorizing the undertaking, as it was then beyond their means. Violent men were angered by the president's action. Directly, in July, General Davis on the Nneces was attacked by Canales with 700 men, 500 of whom were cavalry; but with only 192 men he repulsed them. Two months later General Woll took possession of Antonio, after some resistance on the part of the Anglo-Texans. After some discussion the Texans, fifty-two in number, surrendered on condition that they should be treated as prisoners of war.

When it became known in Gonzales that Bejar was again occupied by the Mexicans,

a force of nbout 220 men, under Col mel Matthew Caldwell, assembled in the Salado bottom, abont six miles east of town, and they sent Captain John C. Hayes forward to draw ont the enemy, and was snecessful. Woll came up with the remainder of his forces, and maintained a fight for an hour. Meantime a company of fifty-three Texans, from Fayette county, under the command of Nicholas Dawson, hastened to the assistance of Caldwell; but the enemy proved too strong, putting most of the Texaus to death, only two making their escape; fifteen were taken prisoners, and started on foot toward the city of Mexico.

Then, September 16, Houston called for volunteers to cross the Rio Grande. About 1,200 men were soon collected in the vicinity of Bejar, but poorly equipped and provisioned, and there was also considerable discontent as to choice of officers, many preferring General Burleson to Somerville, whom Houston had appointed. The latter indeed proved to be a poor general, and soon returned to Bejar, while the most of his men, abont 550 in nnin- ber, determined to do something to redeem the expedition from disgrace, choosing Colonel William S. Fisher as their commander. But after a fight of a day or so in the vicinity of Mier, they had to surrender to the Mexican General Ampudia and Colonel Canales. The Texan prisoners, about 260 in number, suc- ceeded at the hacienda del Salado in making their escape, with some loss of life, and after seizing some ammunition, guns, etc., started on their way home, but made the mistake of changing their route to that through the mountainons region, which proved disastrous, and, weakened by hunger and exposure, they were easily re-captured. Seventeen of these were massaered at Salado by order of Santa A mal One of these, James L. Shepherd by

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

naine, was at the first shot struck in the fare by the ball, but not seriously wounded, and he fell forward and feignel death. At night he crawled to the mountains, but compelled by hunger, after wandering for several weeks, surrendered himself and was taken to Sal- tillo, recognized and shot in the public square! Much important matter is condensed in the following paragraphs, from II. II. Bancroft, quoted before:

"On the subject of the release of these prisoners, much correspondence was carried on between the governments of Texas and those of the United States and Great Britain, through their representatives. The expedi- tion under Fisher was conducted without the sanction of the Texan government, and in di- reet deliance of General Somerville's order to march home. By the United States and Great Britain it was regarded as a marand- ing incursion, and those powers remonstrated with Texas when it sought their interposition in behalf of the prisoners. The defense of the Texan government, however, was based ou reasonable grounds. Admitting, said the executive, that they went withont orders and were thereby placed beyond the protection of the rules of war, yet the Mexican officers, by proposing terms of capitulation to the men relieved them from the responsibility whichi they had ineurred.

" The opposition papers of the time charged the president with endeavoring to prejudice Santa Anna against the prisoners by admitting that the move nent across the Rio Grande had been made on their own responsibility. Ou January 10, 1846, General Green published an address to the people of Texas, in which he holds Ilouston responsible for the decima- tion of the prisoners, on the ground that he begged the mercy of the Mexican government for them, ' though they had entered Mexico

contrary to law and authority.' Green, in his journal, expressed himself very bitterly against Houston, and brought forward charges against him which the latter considered so serions that he denounced them as calumnies before the United States Senate, in 1854, when he was a member of that body. Hous. ton dealt as severely with Green, and consid - ered that his book should receive the attention of the chairman of the committee of the library of Congress, and be condemned. Ilous- ton's speech elicited a reply frem Green, who, in scathing terins, assailed his opp meut."

In all probability Houston, in the first place, unwittingly admitted that the Mier ex- pe dition was unauthorized, not thinking that any serious consequences could come from it, but that the statement would indeed elicit greater consideration for the lionor of the Texan government. At the same time the Texan soldiery were too zealous, and rushed forward with too small numbers and too little equipment for so formidable an undertaking as a war with Mexico. On this subject, we think that neither Ilouston nor the soldiery were criminal, but made mistakes.

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Author: Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895 Number of Pages: 1532

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532