Talk:Texas Revolution/Lack

Lack, Paul D. (1992), The Texas Revolutionary Experience: A Political and SOoial History 1835–1836, College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, ISBN 0-89096-497-1

First half

p 3 "The people of Texas had received much from the governmnet of Mexico and had not been badly treated." in Anglo areas, people still did business in English Mexico had limited resources in 1823/4 - weak economy, pop decrease, political uncertainty Mex Const of 1824 "in some ways even more loosely federalistic than that of the United States, allowed considerable local autonomy"

p 4 recurring disputes between Tx and Mex led to tension slavery laws ignored or "muted" with contract labor; exempted from emancipation measures Sep 15, 1829; 1832 contracts given a 10-yr max length overall people still sold/traded "but Mexican policy had the effect of slowing the pace of immigration, perpetuating labor shortages, and retarding growth"

p 5 empresario policy of Coahuila was more lax than land policy in US US also had economic depression; result - more immigration than expected, both legal and illegal US also making diplomatic advances to get TX - combo scared Mexico Laws of April 6, 1830 - immig. rule difficult to enforce and caused discontent 2 empresarios got temp exemptions and also illegal immigration cont to happen Tex efforts to get this part of law overturned "increased Mexican suspicion that Texas had become disloyal."

p 6 "The Anglo colonists venerated the 1824 constitution because localized and limited government protected their way of life" - got allowances, like for justice sys

1832 Anahuac Dist. "impact resulted from an awkward constitutional arrangement" - fed govt/mil authority over town in coastal area, and state control over nearby community of Liberty also, Tex not used to paying taxes and not happy about it

rumors in 1832 that civ planning to attack Anahuac

p 7 "local compromises averted violence for a time"

about Turtle Bayou - "Although this coincidental political upheaval in Mexico had helped prevent a complete rupture in 1832 in Texas the events at Anahuac had great significance. The centralist effort to establish firmer machinery of national control had been defied, and those who had led the resistance no doubt gained confidence as a result."

"by 1832-1833, the Texans had become both impatient with what they regarded as the nation's constant political turmoil and contemptuous of Mexican power."

p 10 in OCt 1835 Sterling C. Robertson wrote "Texas is divided into small municiplaities unconnected by any bond of union except their common danger."

individiualism, possibly due to difficulty of settling the frontier many who came were running from US b/c of business failures, personal issues, law - :"they brought with them an enhanced dislike of social restraints."

p 11 very little actual govt in Texas - some at local level govt far away and few troops to enforce laws few paid local taxes, so no community had salaried law enforcement

p 12 few official religious centres - either Catholic or Protestant overall "Remarkably few institutions existed to develop group consciousness and cohesion."

mid-1830s, slaves were >10% of Texas population; many were

p 13 recent arrivals from Africa; increased possibility ot revolt, esp as they learned of laws in rest of Mexico

about 4000 Tejano in fall 1836 - most in dept of Bexar, where they were a mjority; sizeable pop of Tejanos in Nac (about 600) in Nac, conflicting land claims

p 14 about 100 Mex families near Victoria in de Leon's grant - tension as boundaries of that grant loosely set, and conflict with US empresarios

pp 14-15 land speculation , ppl settling in forbidden coastal zones, more fighting amongst empresarios

p 15 war and peace parties both wanted TX to be more ind - differing methods peace party "Tories" not violent, emphasized loyalty - settled ppl, led by SFA War more forceful - mainly recent immigrants, led by Wm and John Wharton

p 17 in 1835, "committees of safety emerged slowly and without a consensus as to the direction Texas should take " - convention spoken of to figure out how to get everyone on same page mid-Aug, amid rumors that Texas about to be invaded, Consultation called for mid-Oct

p 18 only Zacatecas and Coahuila took up arms against centralist measures after Const thrown out - both suppressed easily Coahuila state govts in Monclova and Saltillo in 1834; Salt one supported centralism, Cos sent to subdue Monclova legislature

still, Monclova legis, with Texas rep., tried to govern; several laws benefitted individual; incl controversial measure to give large land grants to those who raised troops of Monvloca side

speculation/corruption or good way for bankrupt govt to get support?

p 19 more spec. measures in favor of particular empresarios and against interests of others

Mex officials in Tx in 1835 worried - reports that large numbers of Anglos moving in, many illegally

p 20 little to no respect for small Mexican garrisons Apr 9, 1835 - Antonio Tenorio, commander at Anahuac, told his superiors that he needed more men to enforce customs duties and said he thought revolt coming soon

April 6, Cos had written to Tornel that at least 600 men needed for Texas; Tornel said Zacatecas first, then Texas

Cost told Tornel afte rreply that they should let "those ungrateful strangers know that the Govno. has sufficient power to repress them"

Tx organized no support for Viesca govt before mid-May May 12, Cos publicly praised Tx "who from inclination as well as interest, have always remained faithful to the Supreme government." after he told Tornel that they's use excuse that now soldiers to guard the frontier

p 21 May, Texas reps to Monclova - Sam M. Williams and Frnak Johnson, wrote that SA going to destory political/social order in TX l; both said TX should sent troops to help state govt

many TX blamed land speculators only help for Monclova came from Seguin, who raised 100 militia and left Bexar May 16

Ugartechea ordered Pol chief Angel Navarro to bring them back; Navarro said no, feds can't control state militia

p 22 next morning U sent out force of 40 troops Navarro gave in after meetings with town council and told militia to return on difft route so as not to run into U's forces all but 25 of militia returned May 17 Navarooa apologized in a letter to state govt May 20, in fave of centralist force, Viesca ordered militias to disband and Seguin's group went home after this, resistance to centralists largely in Anglo colonies

p 23 "Texas did not enter militarily into the Coahuila conflict partly because General Cos arrested Viesca in Monclova before he could leave for Texas."

others in TX wary that this was pretext for independence

p 24 All Tex communities divided to some extent in early summer 1835 along coast, tariffs again being collection - ppl angry when schooner Montezuma captured several trade ships in Galveston Bay

tension high around Anahuac, by May 1 Tenorio's superior described the situation as desparate

May 5, antitax protestors in Anahuac gathered and signed petition to pay no more taxes few weeks later, (June 1) ayuntamiento head in Liberty gave public appeal that Mex had a right to collect revenue

he said resistance was "unwise...illtimed...criminal"

June 4, group met and said Anahuac officials were illegally collecting taxes and they would form a militia against it - some who signed this quickly changed their minds

p 25 leader Andrew Briscoe "lured Mexican officials into a scuffle on June 12, but failed to bring on a crisis, due to the calming influence of judge Wm A Duncan"

Travis and a few others went to San Felipe for a meeting on June 22 - Travis recruited others "with the apparent compliance of Political Chief Miller"

next week they took Anahuac - 50 men, 2 cannon, on boat from Harrisburg Tenorio and his men left the fort next day negotiated with Travis June 30 garrison surrendered in return for safe passage to interior

local civil authorities made - they had still been trying to figure out what to do

lots of pol. squabbles in Texas "The moves by Travis and the other radicals provoked a far different reaction among their fellow Texans than had been intended."

p 26 most of resistance had been in Austin's colong July 4 Mina issued declaration of support for legal authorities and, days later, scolded the "misconduct" of the Anahuac actions

Gonzales went so far as to accept SA's regime

pp 26-27 in Goliad, ayuntamiento denounced those who wanted to provoke conflict

p 27 July 11, Columbia ayuntamiento criticized rebellion saying that "the citizens of this jurisdictions hold themselves to be true, faithful, loyal, and unoffending Mexican citizens."

Ugartechea passes all this on to the federal govt, along with analysis from some that "the entrance of troops will alarm them and provoke them to revolution" but U said to send troops

p 28 Mex plan was to build troops so that they could arrest those who were seditious

"both in private and public correspondence the MExicna officials denied that they intended any harm to the peaceful, loyal, and law-abiding citizens"

Cos and U ordered Brazos and Nac political chiefs to arrest TX delegates to Monclova and leaders of Anahuac exp and others like Lorenzo de Zavala - this would prove their loyalty, according to their orders

p 29 Brazos political chief, J.B. Miller, had helped with planning for Anahuac but had recently called for peace - he resigned July 19 for illness, or so he said Wylie Martin succeeded him - ordered that arms from Anahuac garrison should be returned and ordered arrests but never followed up

in Nac, political chief Henry Ruez urged that militias should be formed, but ayuntamiento didn't activate them Cos wrote to him in English - "you will employe your best exertions to calm the general excitement and to prevent any subversive measure" or become a traito

loyal Tejano had written to state officials complaining of Ruez's effects to get militia going

p 30 "Throughout Texas between mid-July and mid-August the established political machinery of both appointed and elected officials, apparently reflecting more than leading the popular will, beat a retreat from the path of the rebellion"

in late Jul, Travis acknowledged that peace party in charge at the moment

p 31 Pol chief miller called for a general council on Augu 1 at urging of ayuntamiento of Columbia reps from each municipality in Brazos dept - only 4 of 7 had delegates show up; Martin told them no agenda, and they left without doing anything

this "contributed to waning public confidence in the established government - from the beginning of the crisis the political chiefs had adopted such zigzag courses that neither side placed much faith in them."

early Aug, Mexican reinforcements began to arrive in small numbers - more public meetings, now spawned by committees of safety new strategy - call for a convention to resolve issues but begin defensive measures -consultation 1st proposed in early June by Mina Comm for Public Safety at the time to destablisize "rash and precipitate measures" from San Felipe

endorsed quickly by ayuntamiento of Columbia and by a San Felipe town meeting

p 32 some worried that this would scare Mex - next step in Rev; another group endorsed it - figoure out what majority wanted and check the radicals

support slow to develop until 2nd week in August, after troop arrival and San Felipe non-starter

Aug 9 - Brazoria public meeting sugested procedures Aug 15 - Columbia public meeting told their Com of PS to organize one 15 - idea approved by Nac residents; council said no, so CPS began steps for setting up election

p 33 Aug 26 - San Felipe public cits endorsed it 30 - Liberty said ok Mina also approved Columbia took lead (C of PS) with plan and procedures for electing delegates; date for Consultation set for Oct 15

p 34 Austin released on Sep 8 he endorsed Consultation - this "help[ed - me] solidify support"

news from Bexar was that U. would personally arrest those on the list Sep 18 - more troops at Copano San Felipe C for PS on Sep 12-13 asserted that it had "full and unlimited power, to organize a local Government, under the constitution of 1824"

p 35 San Felipe Comm also issued broadsides with news and propaganda Brazoria and Colubmia C of PS began organizing militias San Augustine C of PS gave Consultation "unlimited powers" - their words in Matagorda, endorsed Columbia and San Felipe measures

by end of Sep, "meatures of military preparedness" in SanFelipe, Columbia, Brazoria, Matagorda, Harrisburg, Nacogdoches, Gonzales

by late Sep, now propaganda that this was a struggle for peace, not liberty, and blames MExico's frequent rebellions and political instability

p 36 per this thought, "events in the interior had dissolved the social company, leaving Texans in a state of nature and free to choose from a number of political arrangements"

still unclear whether independence or federalism - repeatedly mentioned similarities with American Revolution

this ideology in newspapers, broadsides, published addresses to the people also relied on fear - Mex military might overturn land titles, est. customs houses, free slaves, who would then cause harm to whites, may drive out squatters

p 38 Oct 2, SFA wrote to Matagorda C of PS that "There is now but one spirit, one mind, one object - to drive the military out of Texas and organize a government for this country"

p 39 Tex compared Gonzales to Lexington and Concord

p 40 in early Oct, CPSs trying to serve as political authority - worked together to share info, raise money, men and arms

p 41 most expected the Bexar siege to be over quickly, hence Consultation postponement

those elcted officers of new army at Gonzales told the delegates to instead join military and postpone Consultation until Nov 1

up to 20 delegates came to San Felipe and sat on a "Permanent Council" - 7 districts represented, with over half of delegates from Liberty, Harrisburg, and Viesca

4 of delegates weren't elected - 2 had been active in CPS most of these 20 were more unknown - had not played leadership role on either side yet - "thus operated under a shadow of uncertainty regarding its claim as a gathering authorized by the people"

p 42 at times, this council more like Austin's representatives - he gave advice that sounded like orders in answers to their questions

Oct 16, 31 delegates assembled and gave council authority until Nov 1 (it was led by R.R. Royall)

Council hesitant to levy taxes for fear their legitimacy would be questioned lots of propaganda - appealing for men, money, armys; 2 appeals to US pledged to compensate those from US w/land - no authority to grant such

p 43 veiled threats against those who didn't join "he who does not now protect Texas - Texas will not protect hereafter .... punishment and disgrace alone for those who are secretly or silently its enemies."

potential "treasounous" activity reported to Austin; didn't investigate on their own

Oct 27, council closed all land offices - volunteers afraid speculators would come in and grab land while settlers off fighting

"when this interim government ceased its meager functions on Nov 1, it did so amidst a din of criticism and charges that the council had become as abusive toward individual rights as the military usurpers of mexico"

pp 43-44 none of Consultation members from Bexar, Goliad, Refugio, Victoria, San Patricio - all in war area

p 44 less than half of the delegates from Bevil, Mina, Matagorda appeared many of these absent stayed in army or stayed to defend homes

58 of the 98 elected delegates attended; most stayed for whole 2 weeks

most of 58 delegates had previously held public office "usually repeatedly"

20 of the 58 had been active that year in CPS or public meetings - including heads of the CPF of San Felipe (Williamson), Harrisburg (John W. Moore), San Augustine (Jacob Garrett), Gonzales (Wm Fisher), Mina (Don carlos Barrett), and Columbia (Branch Archer) 24 had been in "positions of influence" in 1832-1833 on average, the 98 delegates had been in TX more than 7 years

p 45 avg of of all 98 delegates was 38 of the 98, more had been in the province for 10+ years than had emigrated since 1832 these #s exclude 2 delegates about whom nothing can be found

"clearly, the traditional ruling elite had quickly reclaimed its dominant position in the wakes of the Anahuac upheaval"

p 46 most of the Monclova land speculators excluded, as were most who had advocated most strongly to reconcile with Mexico a few of Monclova speculators were select - James Grant and Ben F Smith - but stayed with the army

allegations of improprieties in Columbia election

most elected where moderates

p 47

war had broken out, now had to determine what fighting for about 1/3 of those who appeared were strong Austin faction - 1824 const about 1/3 were strong War party rest unaligned

Branch T Archer elected president; urged others "to divest yourselves of all party feelings, to discard every selfish motive, and look alone to the true interest of your country."

most major decisions had to be compromises

p 48 differences over purpose of Constulation - act as legislator or just make recommendation for people?

latter view said Consultation could form a very limited civil govt for defense

Nov 4 -first full day with quorum John Wharton moved for a committee to craft resolution as to purpose of war; he became chair; Archer appointed members - 1/2 were Peace Party

3 days of deliberation in committee with no result - impatient delegates began to debate on floor

Williamson and Barrett put forth drafts saying this for 1824 Barrett's version called on those in MExican interior and dept of Bexar to rally to cause

p 49 "in the third day of its own debate and with the committee still deadlocked, the Consultation itself voted ont he question of a 'provisional government upon the principles of the Constitution of 1824'."

33-14 vote next day, Nov 7, committee produced document to this effect and signed by all

didn't declare independence, but "asserted only a most qualified loyalty to the Mexican republic" - Texas would rejoin union if federalism reinstated

Henry Smith chaired committee for provision government design - Article 1 a copy of US Const preamble almost; Article 2 said Tx a "sovereign state"

p 50 this unacceptable to some, and in a vote of full body, sent back to new committee of all Peace Party ppl approved on Nov 13 Nov 11, at Houston's urging, pol chief job axed

this new govt structure "reflected the spirit of compromise, balance, and hesitation"

"structurally [it] suffered from an unsound political concept in assuming an unrealistic level of cooperation between the governor and the council."

"similar to executive and cabinet, but not means for one to influence the other"

p 51 No checks and balances - supposed to share powers Henry Smith elected over SFA 30-22 "Smith had always displayed flamboyant, controversial, and partisan tendencies as a politician." Council originally balanced opinions

Nov 13, militia org plus regular army Houston unanimously elected as major general committee recommended that they not try to now exert control over current army, since they predated consultation

p 52 soldiers to be advised and supplied by civil authorities, but could still elect officers

adjourned Nov 14

p 53 After the siege of Bexar ended Dec 10, there were no Mexican troops in the region for almost 3 months this gave "ample time to concentrate military command, organize and drill soldiers, and lay plans for the future."

also gave govt time to form and address issues that the convention didn't HOWEVER, in reality, "affairs steadily deteriorated into political and military chaos"

-people didn't want to surrender personal autonomy -old factional splits -divisions based on economic and class lines

"Those who attempted to lead Texas struggled with problems carried over from the indecisive Consultation, and they did so from within an unwieldy governmental structure."

governor and General Council fought a lot.

p 54 little actually got done, and the two sides spent more time fighting each other than working on the country Governor Smith encouraged the council to act decisively but they didn't

rather than pay for supplies, the Council authorized that that supplies be impressed "led to scarcities and suffering among both civilians and troops, to an excessive burden on people in the war zones" - led to almost everyone being mad at the government

Austin, Archer, and Wharton - agents sent by Consultation to the US - raised a $250,000 loan in New Orleans, but not until mid-Jan

p 55 Smith's first official action - order to the commander of the army of the people the council, however, expressly said that it wasn't going to interfere with the army that was already in existance instead, the council passed ordinances to form other forces - regular army, militia, volunteer corps - that would be overseen by the govt

trouble convincing people to join the govt armies the volunteer army splintered

after Cos surrendered, many went home, "hoping that the war was over." those recently arrived from the US wanted more action

"even though the prudent course seemed to dictate settling into winter quarters, leaders arose proclaiming a new objective: on to Matamoros"

near end of Dec, Francis W. Johnson led 200 men to Goliad to stage an assault about 100 men stayed beind

3 people struggled to get command over the troops going to Matamoros; one voted on by the soldiers, one appointed by Gov Smith, one by the council

"paralysis of irresolution" in Jan and Feb

overall issue of war reason also not settled. for the federal constitution or for independence?

p 56 Dec 11 - Council indicated that it intended to "sustain the federal compact"

many in Texas advocated supporting Mexia in his expedition to Tamaulipas, hopefully causing another civil war with fighting in the interior instead of in Texas council would not give money to this cause

Wharton, Smith, Houston, and a large part of the army all advocated independence, but the council wasn't ready for that

public meetings in Texana and Goliad demanded independence army issued a declaration Dec 22 from Goliad insisted Texas was already "a free, sovereign" state

council didn't want to take that step, so instead authorized new elections for a delgation to meet March 1

p 57 the Council's resolution gave the right to vote for delegates ro all free white males, regardless of whether they had lived in Texas, plus "Mexicans, opposed to a central government"

in December, Austin said that independence was really something supported by recent US volunteers but not by those who lived in Texas. By January, however, Austin endorsed independence "as a financial and diplomatic necessity"

p 58 lots of distrust for each side those who wanted federalism accused the other side of wanting personal profit/power those who wanted independence said the others were dishonest land speculators who wanted to keep their own power

"The Goliad declaration of December 22 provided the most complete statement of the independence ideology. It emphasized council ineptitude, hatred of Mexicans (including Texas "creoles"), the evils of deceitful, office-seeking speculators, and a kind of class rhetoric not uncommon in the Jacksonian era."

Smith favored independence and wanted a regular army the council ("which became steadily more partisan in make-up during December") was the opposite

p 59 although the quarrel took on pettiness, there were real issues behind it Smith had little real power original council was a slight majority for the Austin-Barrett faction, by Dec it was more decidely in that camp

most of those who retired after Nov were Wharton-Smith element or those who were more neutral

Newbies were Austin supporters like James Kerr, John J. Linn, Randall Jones, and Juan A. Padilla also empesarios John McMullen and John Malone (surrogate for James Power) others had little or no political experience and were thought to be easily swayed by the majority already on the council

governor fond of vetoing, but by Dec 13 the council was "routinely and unanimously" overriding them; all his appointment rejected military mad about Smith's attempts to bring military under civilian control - Francis W. Johnson was the commander at this time

Dec 17 Smith called a "Secret session" of the council. He presented charges of forgery, corruption in the NC bar, counterfeiting, embezzlement, and "universal lying and deception" against D.C. Barrett and ordered him suspended week later "the council asserted its exclusive power over judging official misconduct and making appointments" Smith very mad, left lots of rambling letters

p 60 Jan 9, 1836 - Smith gave a really nasty speech and then suspended the council and assumed responsibility of army and navy

2 days later the Council voted to impeach the governor

Jan 12, Smith asked for harmony between the two branches, but too late Robinson became acting governor

ex-governor thought the impeachment was invalid - said Council didn't properly represent all the jurisdictions

p 61 Smith refused to surrender official executive documents

p 62 Smith believed he'd be acquitted in the March convention

"Over a month before the appearance of Santa Anna, Texas surrendered to the impulses of anarchy"

per Travis, "Our affairs are gloomy indeed. The people are cold and indifferent. They are worn down and exhausted with the war, and in consequence of dissensions between contending and rival chieftains, they have lost all confidence in their own government and officers."

both Smith and Robinson claimed to be in charge - to each other, to the public, to Texas agents in the US

p 63 each side more determined "to first exterminate our internal enemies, who are far more to be dreaded than our external ones."

by end of Jan a very small portion of the council supported Robinson Smith tried to get some of the troops to arrest his opponents and bring them up on military trial

localism was strong - people really didn't care what was going on in San Felipe

p 64 only real authority, sort of, was the army - "disunity characterized this phase of the Revolution because no force had yet emerged strong enough to hold Texas together" further a town was from San Felipe, the less they felt bound by the govt there

Council provided no actual support for its people out in the cities trying to enforce the new rules (which many communities just ignored)

p 69 Dimitt was mostly in charge of the troops in Goliad, which exerted what little authority there was between Victoria and San Patricio this region center of Tory activity - hard to know who was disloyal and who was acting in self-defence troops had strong anti-Mexican attitudes - this made many locals unhappy with the Texas cause

Dimitt distrusted the Mexican troops - sent troops under Juan A Padilla and Placido Benavides to Austin and refused to take more Mexian soldiers more troops came there for the proposed Matamoros uprising, and Dimitt appropriated private property for supplies - many angry

p 70 Dimitt issued orders rather than working with civil authorities to get cooperation the Goliad proclamation in December said that Mexicans were ignorant

army thought many of the actions, though harsh, were necessary. There were some soldiers still in the area, and they had support of settlers in San Patricio

p 71 Austin sent a new commander to Goliad but the troops refused to accept the change

Dec 12 additions

p 71

in Bexar, the army "enjoyed virtual autonomy" no efforts to re-establish a local government

Neill assumed command in Bexar at end of the year and restored more traditional civilian rule (he said army wasn't in charge) Neill, though, left in Feb

size of the force in Bexar kept shrinking, but those who stayed were more and more militant for independence

p 72

"virtually all areas other than San Felipe drifting off in apathy, bitter silence, political conflict, or armed revolt"

protests against the provisional government - "land policy, taxation, inadequate support for the volunteers, and allegedly self-interested appointments"

some proposed holding the convention earlier to replace the governor and the Council

some plotted to overthrow the govt Nov 25, Smith proposed a bill to make it treason to make threats or be "menacing" toward the provisional govt council ignored that "given the governor's addiction to exaggerated and inflammatory rhetoric"

Dec 19 - "'Mexican faction'" of politicians called a meeting in San Felipe. Led by Mosely Baker, Wylie Martin, William Pettus plotting to "disorganize" the govt

they argued that the provisional govt was moving too far toward independence/away from the 1824 constitution

Houston and a few others gave speeches against it

p 73

tactic failed, but some officials wanted to move the govt to Washington, "a more congenial place"

Houston thought the disorganizing meeting was pushed by land speculators - they would be helped by going back under the constitution; Houston also admitted that "'many honest and clever men'" didn't like the govt's direction

rumors of a supposed plot to assassinate Houston and D.C. Barrett on New Year's Day nothing actually happened

by Feb 1836, the govt "had virtually disintegrated of its own weight"

none of the instigators had any consequences against them

"Certainly, the Texas government failed to command the kind of respect that comes from fear."

Council members just stopped showing up by Feb. Acting governor wanted them there. All that was left was an advisory committee, first of 4 members, then down to 2

p 74 All the advisory committee did was prepare impeachment docs against Smith

basically govt ended in late Jan

impacted the military - "armies had melted away, commanders flayed at each other and dissipated their energies on the Matamoros madness, and civilians refused to volunteer despite the imminence of a formidable invasion."

there was a draft, but could not be enforced, and few enlisted no organization to supply the needs for those who did volunteer - arms, good, clothing

San Felipe Telegraph put it this way: "some are not willing, under the present government, to do any duty...That our government is bad, all acknowledge, and no one will deny."

p 75

after Nov 1835, "Texas armies split into ever-smaller contending units or otherwise eroded"

no consensus on what the convention in March should accomplish Some wanted a govt Some wanted to preserve the constitution scheduled for Mar 1 in Washington

R.R. Royall, a Consultation delegate, wrote to Houston that "I sincerely hope the Convention will remedy the existing evils and calm the Public since if not Texas must be lost."

p 76

Dec 10 was the resolution of the provisional govt to call the Convention voting took place on Feb 1

elections were subject to the local political traditions Mina elected Sterling C. Robertson and his nephew, George C. Childress; no controversy and no other candidates ran

Jasper district - lots of candidates many districts, the candidates spoke about the issues, primarily the question of independence

in some districts, like Jackson, this discussion happened early = they had a meeting in January (by citizens) where they agreed they wanted independence. So then the candidate selection was based on personalities

Brazoria and Austin, always plagued by partisan politics, continued that trend. two distinct "tickets", although not everyone voted for the full party inconsistent results in Austin - Thomas Barnett and Randall Jones won easily; both opposed independence. Charles B. Stewart, proindependence, got the 3rd slot (over Patrick C. Jack)

In some areas, people elected established leaders. Not everywhere

p 77

voting rights an issue suffrage issue - can Tejanos vote and can recent arrivals from the US who had joined the army vote

procedures outlined by the council on Dec 13. Said Tejanos "opposed to a Central Government" could vote volunteers could vote by proxy in their home districts

Gov Smith vetoed this measure - he didn't want Tejanos to get to vote at all over the next 2 months, army makeup changed - Texas settlers went home. US recruits took their place Telegraph and Texas Register said about the new recruits: they "cannot be acquainted either with the state of the country or the character and pretensions of the candidates" volunteers wanted independence NOW paper advocated a residence requirement per Lack, "the geographic concentration of the troops gave them a decisive voice in the local balance of power"

3 consistent patterns in the soldiers' vote: 1) they voted regardless of how long they had been in Texas 2) supported candidates who wanted independence 3) lots of controversies over their votes- in Matagorda, some troops voted after they had been discharged and were on their way back to the US. In Goliad, the volunteers set up their own election to elect 2 delegates - excluded the Hispanic residents in the empresario areas, more fairness. In San Patricio, the election judges turned away volunteers - the locals elected John McMullen, but the convention reversed the results

at Refugio, locals turned away the soldiers too. Troops refused to be denied. They held their own election and chose 2 enlisted men

as more US soldiers arrived, the Revolution "became more openly anti-Mexican" before this, the prejudice kept in check because of "political prudence" - they wanted to convince others to take the war to the interior and keep it out of Texas. When that didn't pan out, Anglos began to speak more with more hostility about Tejanos and more positively about independence

Tejanos only dominate in a few areas; in areas where they were - Bexar and Nacogdoches - issues arose soldiers in Bexar unanimous for independence

p 79 the soldiers in Bexar said they had been made citizens by the Consultation bc of their military service but had no place to vote except in Bexar. They also thought there should be military representatives in the convention to look out for military intrests their memorial said that Mexicans not able to represent Anglos because of cultural and linguistic differences

Neill and other officers worked out a compromise in January with the locals. garrison would hold their own election for 2 representatives. Tejanos who took an oath of allegiance to the provisional govt would elect 4 more delegates garrison elected Samuel B. Maverick and Jesse B. Badgett - almost unanimous for both of them; both very staunch for independence

citizens voted for 3 locals, although 4 soldiers received some votes in the general election some volunteers unhappy that locals did not elect soldiers, with Amos Pollard threatening that if the local voted against independence they might face reprisal when they came back

p 80 Nacogdoches had about 20 candidates Nac had already had issues with land policies, and factions favoring different things. This carried over to the Convention election in Nac, Sidney Sherman's 40 KY volunteers turned back when they tried to vote; the soldiers drew their weapons Col Sherman said "'he had come to Texas to fight for it and had as soon commence in the town of Nacogdoches as elsewhere'"

the election judge held a vote on whether the troops should vote 30 more votes against allowing them to vote volunteers very mad - rumors that women dressed as men had taken part in this vote about voting many speeches from those wanting to start the fighting now and those advocating for peace

p 81

Rusk - a candidate - intervened with the judges and they relented, so the troops did get to vote Rusk (independence) got the most votes, then John S. Roberts and Charles S. Taylor (the latter 2 supported the 1824 const), then Robert Potter

KY volunteers left the next day upheaval in Nac for another week with rumors that the election judge, who supported some of the losers, would set aside the results

p 82 more and more influential leaders, including SFA, advocated putting aside past factional issues and forming a unified govt, especially as more rumors of impending Mexican attack

army kept growing, and kept growing more and more disorganized

bet feb 6 and 13, Travis and Fannin both sent work that Mexican army rumored to be in Texas

p 83 neither the governor or the acting gov were elected as delegates

at the convention, delegates refused to talk about the impeachment issue - told the two men that their duties were over, go away

Convention delegated were new - only 13 of the 59 elected men had been part of the Consultation in Nov; only 7 had been in the General Council since. Those men were "the least active in partisan politics"

absent from the Convention - Austin (on a diplomatic mission to the US), D. C. Barrett, R.M. Williamson, Wylie Martin, R.R. Royall, W H Wharton (diplomat), John Wharton, Henry Millard.

7 of the delegates had been to 1832 or 1833 conventions 8 total people had held office during Mexican rule = from ayuntamiento member to alcade, to congressman (Jose Antonio Navarro), with one former governor (Lorenzo de Zavala)

less than 20% of the delegates were members of the committees of safety in 1835

the makeup changed in large part because the General Council's resolution in Dec had reorganized the voting from the districts used to elect members of the Consulatation = San Augustine, Hasrrisburg, and Gonzales each received 4 fewer votes than before, and Milan (Viesca) had 3 fewer votes San Augustine and San Felipe each had one delegate not show

Red River and Refugio had a total of 5 extra delegates than were supposed to attend (per the resolution) - extra elections by the volunteers

some communities didn't send delegates to the Consultation but did to the Convention

at the Convention, 1/3 of the delegates came from extreme east or west Texas - those districts not represented at the Consultation; so east Tx got 5 more delegates, west got 11, and central region had 14 fewer

avg age of Convention delegate was 37.4 (avg age of consultaton was 39) - most of the delegates hadn't been in Texas long (avg of 4 yrs) - although Navarro and Jose Francisco Ruiz were native born Consultation delegates had been in Tx avg of 6 years 25% of Convention delegates had been there less than a year, 42% for <= 2 years 40% of them (24) were in the army, most in the Bexar siege included Sam Maverick, Andrew Briscoe, John S. Roberts, James G. Swisher, Rusk, and Thomas, all of whom were officers during the siege Matthew Caldwell, who had helped raise troops for Gonzales

p 85 10 of the delegates to Convention had been elected directly by soldiers 2 of them (Colin McKinney and Elijah Stepp) were too old to fight but had sons in the army

Nac, Austin, Matagorda, and Mina districts replaced Consultation 1824-defenders with Convention pro-independence delegates

28 total were in the military, elected by the military, or related to someone in the military. This was just 2 shy of a majority, which meant delegates had to pay more attention to what the military requested

5 delegates from Red River district, which is essentially Arkansas - many thought it was a US territory and not part of TX. Those delegates didn't care so much about Mexico but were trying to protect their property

"virtually a foregone conclusion" that the first vote - whether to adopt independence - would be successful

p 86

Telegraph and Texas Register and other papers had made many analogies between Texas and the American Revolution...the Texas resoltuion similar to the US Declaration of Independence, Mexico had unjust policies, Mexico wanted military rule, Mexico ignored the constitution, so there was no choice but to fight

in US, the revolution between people of same blood, language, and traditions, in Texas not so much - different color, language, culture

"Santa Anna's long-rumored advance transformed the issue irrevocably into an Anglo defense of property and freedom against Mexican religious and military despotism." was essentially framed as race war; Houston, Burnett both described what they claimed was the view of most Texans (at least the army), which was that Mexicans were 'indolent' (Houston), a 'mongrel race of degenerate Spaniards and Indians more depraved than they' (Burnett)

George C. Childress - in Texas for only a few weeks - had already written a declaration of independence before he got to the convention

p 87

Childress claimed that the defense of the 1824 const. was a pretense from the start, which Lack says is a misinterpretation

within an hour of the convention opening a committee of 5 (incl Childress) submitted a declaration the draft included aspersions on character of Mexicans

the draft said Mexico had dissolved the "compact of government", that "'self-preservation'" required separation

declaration adopted March 2nd

March 3, they started working on the new govt delegates getting along well and reaching decisions without a lot of dissension

no single figure to dominate debate nightly drinking contests with Houston, Rusk, and a few others - some people got irritated

March 6 Houston appointed commander in chief, and he left

p 88

some delegates had political experience outside Texas - Potter, Childress, Zavala, Navarro, Ellis, Carson

other delegates had legal or political training

Travis's letter arrived March 6 - military urgency now; calls for adjournment before govt established

took 2 weeks to get the govt formed; first draft proposed March 7; 5 more days to correct some of the problems

on the 12th, another draft resubmitted to committee some left, but on the 17th, it was approved some questions outstanding - left to the interim govt to figure out

"The Convention's struggles and shortcomings in constructing a constitution resulted from the press of time and inadequacies of talent rather than crippling conflicts of ideological or party alignments."

p 89

Tx Constitution "reflected very little experimentation; instead, it reproduced the basic features of the U.S. system, modified but slightly by some of the democratic innovations incorporated into many state governments during the first third of the nineteenth century and by the Spanish-Mexican legal tradition."

3 branches, incl bi-cameral legislature scope of authority near identical to US shorter terms of office (1 yr for reps, 3 for senators/president) nonconsecutive terms for the pres pres couldn't command troops unless congress said so altogether, the changes limited govt Tx Const made education system a "duty" of Congress and said House only based on vote of whites denied office to any minister weren't able to get approval to lower the voting age to 18

Decl of Rights similar to US "in ideas, if not exact language" prohibited primogeniture, entail, and monopolies abolition of debtor's prison - this was lots of debate

Dec of Rights said that govt authority derived from people

p 90

acknowledged right of revolution ommitted 3rd amendment to the Const (prohibition on quartering troops in homes) and went further to specifically authorize impressment of property with just recompense said that anyone who left Texas, refused to participate, or gave aid to the enemy immediately lost citizenship and all property

proslavery amendments - citizenship to whites only, prohibition on international slave trade (to appease US abolitionists) -no member opposed these

LOTS of debates on land about 1/3 of the delegates had "solid grounding in land policies" - competing claims of natives, settlers, army volunteers, and colonizers

p 91

some fraud with empresarios - Zavala and Burnett had each illegally assigned their contracts to a company Oct 1835 there had been a moratorium on land transactions - until the cits came back from war - but some had issued titles after that day (incl Nac delegate Taylor); others had committed fraud by pre-dating lots of procrastination on land - every single proposal on land defeated or sent to committee until the last day "the land policy represented a triumph of democratic and patriotic impulses"

p 92

land policy most benefitted settlers and army volunteers all residents to ge tthe land promised when they emigrated surveys before Nov 1835 validated - didn't have to live there aliens could not hold land except through inheritence or future legislation veterans to received special protection claims from when the land office was closed were negated - and nothing culd be done until Congress est a new land office most of the disagreement was on the illegal grants 3 sets of land grants to speculators were invalidated as illegal - one granted by Coahuila legislature in 1834, andother in March 1835, and all grants within 20 leagues of US border (which was against Mexico's general colonization laws)

Constitution adopted "while in a state of panic" resolution instead of part of the constitution for land bounties to volunteers

p 93 rewards of 320 - 1820 acres, depending on length of service

Convention was also emergency govt, so had work besides the formation of a Constitution - state was in a crisis Robinson had written a letter on March 4 to the delegates, which said "your honorable body, so to organize, constitute and remodel the provisional Government, as to restore harmony, promote union, provide for the common defense and general welfare; and that the public interest may not be prejudiced or injured by the present unhappy state of dissention and siunion.'"

created office of Commander in chief of all TX forces, regardless of where they came from based on the emergency Major General authorized on March 4

March 12, military law to fill the army

p 94

all men between 17 and 50 who weren't Indians or slaves were subject to military service. each district to have a registration, and 2/3 of those who qualified would serve at any one time punishment to those who refused to serve or tried to hire a sub - loss of citizenship and forfeit half of property

separate corp for "natives" 0 meaning Tejanos - in Nac; originalaly supposed to apply to Bexar, Refugio, San Patricio also, but not in the final resolution, so unclear what would happen with Tejanos there

The Convention "not only bowed to the directions being taken by the Revolution but also added to its momentum."

p 96

Convention delegates also needed to figure out what would happen/who would govern between now and when elections could take place ofr the newly set-out govt Asa Brigham recommended that a committee of 3 in each county be a police force for the duration of war - nope Const said all laws "not inconsistent'" with the Const should remain in power until repealed and all current officials keep their position until elections until then, interim govt, chosen by convention, to follow the new constitution until the elections could be help proposal adopted March 16 and added 5 offices to make a cabinet, decisions to be by majority

p 97

Burnett was not a delegate but got himself elected as interim president; he was generally considered honest and smart, but didn't come to independence cause until late - didn't go to Consultation; he was an empresario/speculator "Future events would also prove him to be a quarrelsome, if not irascible, person, and a poor politician." He was by a margin of 7 over Samuel P. Carson, who had only been in Tx a few months Carson became Sec of State - lots of political service (NC sentate, US House of Rep), but a reputation for hot-headedness (killed a man in a duel)

Zavala unopposed as vice president Rusk for Sec of War over Potter Potter got to be Sec of the Nacy

David Thomas - a vet - AG; Bailey Hardeman - a vet - treasurer

delegates to Convention refused to consider issue of past loans from the US - explicitly delegated to interim govt

p 98

"The cabinet never really had the opportunity of functioning as a unit, as military collapse and near-unanimous hysteria soon gripped all of Texas."

March 11, Houston arrived Gonzales, learned Alamo had fallen, ordered Fannin to retreat Houston started moving East on March 13

Urrea defeated San Patricio and Rfugio groups and moved to Goliad; Coleto on March 20 Houston cont to retreat; he knew his troops were not well trained and thought they prob only had one battle in them. lots of pressure on him to stand and fight, but he kept moving

citizens fled - Runaway Scrape

"month of panic" executives moved from Washington to Harrisburg Apr 19 moved to Galveston Island Rusk and Thomas rejoined army in April little got done between mid-Apr and mid-May but they tried to do the conscription, impressment duties

Burnett's first official act - inaugural address with appeals for sacrifice

p 99

Mar 25, Burnett declared martial law - 3-man vigilance committee, appointed by cabinet, in each district, with power to impress personal property and do the military census also required to help families that were suffering with public provisions named the men for 10 districts east of the Colorado river

the army did grow - but also kept contracting retreat very unpopular 50-60 enrolled from Harrisburg hard to put the draft into place because people already displaced

p 100

still some confusion; in Nac the people re-established the committees of safety in some places n east Texas, like Shelby, kept doing land transactions

p 101

several people were charged with trason; most managed to leave the country a few were arrested

Burnett urged caution - only charge thos ewho made actual acts of treason, not those fleeing with their families (those should be subject to civil law when it got calmer)

p 102

so basically no coherent policy on traitors/people not participating

"the government did too little to spread its revolutionary authority but enough to alienate the less zealous. It ultimely succeeded only in losing the respect of almost everyone."

p 103

"essentially, the problems of the cabinet stemmed from its half-hearted allegiance to revolutionary policies."

Houston andothers blamed the govt for causing the runaway scrape - if they hadn't run away from Washington, maybe people wouldn't have done the same

p 104

dissension within th ecabinet for a month after San Jacinto Thomas killed at San Jac - VP Zavala, Sec of War Lamar and Sec of Treasurery Hardemon all at San Jac

Santa Anna had negotiated an armistice with Houston and Rusk on the battlefield Santa Anna ordered his tropps to retreat south of the Rio Grande in exchange for his own safety

the May 14 Treaty of Velasco had provisions for prisoner exchanges, return of property captured, and release of Santa Anna, who said he was get Mexico to recognize Texas independence Santa Anna's release was supposed to be secret - LOTS of people mad about it, many wanted S.A. executed

p 105 Velasco was now the temporary seat of govt Jun 1, Santa Anna sent to a ship in preparation for release; for the next 2 days crowds gathered demanding that he be executed

Lamar spoke to them and said "Mobs must not intimidate the government. We want no French Revolution in Texas!" but didn't work - on Jun 4 soldiers seized Santa Anna and put him under military arrest lots of debate still - even among the cabinet

This "had lasting consequences in undermining the authority of the government"

Zavala resigned because he said the govt no longer had the respect of the people; president refused to accept the resignation, so Zavala just left Velasco on Jun 11

interim govt lasted 7 months; in that time 13 different men served in the 5 posts under Pres and VP; 2 offices permanently vacant by end of May

too many changes - confused the public

"the shock of havings its foreign policy overturned by popular rebellion had weakened the interim government irrevocably"

p 106

continued struggles with the army Burnett tried to contain the army by l"imiting the number of new volunteers from the US" people expected another invasion, so more recruits came under Gen Thomas J. Green, a group of soldiers attempted a coup in mid-July

military moderates and civilians stopped it

many issues with power struggle between established citizens and newcomers - economic interest by June, political situation about the same as Feb

p 107

Zavala advocated joining the US - he didn't think Texas would make it as an independent country June, a resolution in Nac unanimous in favor of annexation Austin began advocating the same thing

July, Burnett called for elections for September to ratify Const and elect a Congress

Burnett wrote that "the birth of a nation is usually painful, convulsive, and protracted"

Chapters 7-8 - The Army

p 110

"the army held a dominant plae in politics from the day that hostilities called it into being"

no single structure, composition, leadership of the army volunteers showed up ready to fight, then when hostilities ended, they went home US volunteers came either in previously organized group or randomly there were no specific terms of enlistment for any volunteer

no "regular system of numering" of units

p 111

the broadsides, etc, which called for volunteers framed the fight in terms of freedom, as early as Oct 1835 in a broadside by Wm H Wharton

San Felipe committee of safety named the gathering in Gonzales "The Army of the People"

army "never achieved genuine structural cohesion"

early volunteers organized themselves democratically; they were loyal to their particular unit and elected their own officers

2nd wk of October, the army was comprised of 2 main forces - a) Collingsworth had 49 volunteers from Victoria who went to Goliad. through the end of the year there were 40-120 at the presidio there. This was an undersized force; the presidio had responisiblity for the entire region of the lower Guadalupe, San Antonio, and Nueces rivers

p 112 the men at Goliad moved back and forth between there and Bexar

b) 160 had gathered at Gonzales and made their way to Bexar. This was the larger portion of the army army in Bexar organized from the bottom up -> political wrangling over who held ultimate command there Oct 11 they settled on Stephen F Austin

Austin tried to bring more order. His first order (Oct 11) about the need for obedience siege very loosely conducted -> disagreements within the ranks over strategy, troop strength required, etc

p 113

by Nov '35, 2 main army divisions in Bexar. a) 8 companies under Col John H Moore (later Edward Burleson) b) 4 companies under Col James Bowie

Seguin and Travis each led a scouting company and reported to Austin

composition changed. By Dec 5, divisions were led by Ben Milam (7 companies) and Francis W Johnson (8 companies) 11 other companies in reserve or scouting

size changes of the army one sign that "the army remained a managerial mnightmare". size changed DAILY, with new people arriving and others going home

Oct 21 and Nov 4, Austin said he had 450 men, but in that time frame, 150 had left about 1000 total people served in the siege and the storming

statistics on army size underestimate the number of Tejanos (few muster lists survive) and non-Texans who didn't stay to claim land'

pp 114-115

over 1300 men volunteered in Oct and Nov 1835 about 1100 - 1150 were residents of Texas WIDESPREAD participation - every municipality represented 50% were married avg date of emigration = 1830 if you exclude the US arrivals, 1832 when include them 75% of US arrivals (since Oct 1) originally came from the Southern US, which matched the proportion of residents from there -51% came from Brazos Dept (Austin, Brazoria, Colorado, Gonzales, Harrisburg, Jackson, Matagorda, Milam, Mina, Washington). These were the Austin and deWitt colonies, with some Robertson colony -15% from Bexar dept, an area heavily hispanic and partially occupied -34% from Nacogdoches district - far East Texas and well removed from hostilities "in short, the volunteers of 1835 represented a cross-section of the people of Texas"

p 116

recruits in Goliad kept leaving for Bexar despite orders from Austin and their local commanders to stay Dimmitt got fed up and declared martial law, which turned residents against him Austin fired Dimmitt, garrison said NO....commander-in-chief really not in charge of them

Nov 3 Austin wrote to provisional govt askin gthem to establish a regular army

p 117

Nov 13, Consultation created a reg army with a commander-in-chief to be appointed by the Consul. and under supervision of the Governor and Council

new army to follow rules like those of US army, although soldiers could elect company commanders Nov 14, Smith appointed Houston

"no immediate impact", b/c consultation said the volunteer army not under control of the new commander

Houston wanted to retreat from Bexar, furlough most of the men, hten recruit a new army under his command

recruits did not like that plan - they did not want to sign up for a long enlistment (2 yrs or duration of the war was the proposal) and didn't want to deal with stern discipline

p 118

in 1835, "Texas military fortunes rested in the hands of the raw, poorly drilled, virtually unmanageable Army of the People"

Smith called the army a "mob" they did fight hard

from Dec - Jan, govt didn't do much to bring order to the enlistment process, although they did appt commissioners to make US volunteers swear allegiance to the provisional govt

no provisions for feeding the army

p 119

mid-Dec election in Bexar replaced Burleson with Frank Johnson Dec 30, Johnson took 2/3 of the men (200 out of 300) and most of the animals and supplies to go south for an expedition to Matamors; Neill left in charge in bexar

p 120

Council also appointed Fannin to lead a force to Matamoros Smith told Houston to go to Goliad and "rob them of the army"

Houston arrived at Goliad on Jan 17. He gave a speech and all but 60-70 decided not to go with Johnson and Grant

"in late January about the only area of agreement among the contending elements was acknowledgement that discorganization and confuseion continued to prevail"

p 121

by late Feb, only about 600 men in the Texas army

pp 122-123

makeup of army in Jan -March: about 917 men. very difft composition from 1835 78% were US volunteers average age = 27 36% married most Texans who participated were from the areas at risk - 57% of the Texans from Bexar, Gonzales, Matagorda, and Jackson, even though combined these towns held a relatively small % of opulation of Texas overall, of the Texans 59% from Brazos, 23% from Bexar

p 124

"Evidently, the people of Texas became overconfident in their initial victories and quickly weary of war"

w/Santa Anna approaching, govt went into action -> Convention resolved to take control of all forces, with Houston in charge ['with all the rights privileges & powers due to a commander in chief in the U States of America']

impossible to enforce militia laws and conscription in March and April because everyone was fleeing

p 125

Houston unhappy. On April 19 he had only about 900 men plus a camp guard. He thought there should be at least 4k

Houston took over early March and brought some order, although he "did not achieve regimental organization until perilously close to battle." -Mosely Baker and Wylie Martin disagreed with Houston so their companies got special assignments

commonly believed that 900 fought for Texas at San Jacinto with 250 others ill, at camp, or with Baker and Martin. land grants and muster rolls, however, show 1,282 in the army on April 21.

pp 126-127

for April army, only 5% of Tx volunteers from Bexar. This number was low because a) many of the volunteers from there had died, b) the area was now occupied so hard to get to the TX army, c) people had fled with their families and/or made some peace with the Mexican army to protect their property the 5% who served were mostly with Seguin 67% of Tx volunteers from Brazos Dept (1/3 from the area drained by Brazos River - Brazoria, Austin, Washington); "the western municipalities of this department, given their heavy losses during the previous month, supplied impressive numbers of soldiers"

western districts like Mina and Milam had "impressive turnouts" compared to their overall poopulation %

25% were from Nac, less than in 1835 army

"This geographic pattern suggests that personal and familial concerns often triumphed over patriotic impulses - Texans volunteered wher ethe Mexican advance directly threatened their interests. In other places men waited warily at their homesites."

avg age only 28. 60% single/40% married in many families, the sons joined the army while the fathers escorted the women and younger children eastward

p 127

21% of this Apr army had arrived in Tx after Oct 1, 1835

pp 128-129

median date of emigration = 1834, 2 years later than in the fall 1/6 of the army men had emigrated between Jan and Oct 1835

623 other men served in Mar and April 1836 but not at San Jac. less is known about these men of there 623, 31% new to Texas (since Oct 1, 1835); of the rest, the avg date of emigration was 1834 54% single avg age = 34 41% from the Nac district. These men were more of a home guard, the "last line of defense" no common leader or location for them

of the April army, 398 men served in both Oct-Dec 1835 AND in Mar/Apr 1836

p 130

of those 398, 58% were single, 26% were from the US (arrived after Oct 1, 1835), 63% from Brazos, 11% from Bexar, 26% from Nac avg age = 29.9

p 132

"compared to the veterans who avoided military service [in Apr], thsoe who reenrolled were more likely to be young and single, with shallower Texas roots (over one-fourth being U.S. volunteers) and origins primarily in the Department of the Brazos, the area colonized by Austin."

likely many of the ones who chose not to re-enroll in Mar/Apr thought they had already done their duty most were older and had more to protect - families and possessions; most of these had been in Texas more than 5 years

total pop in Texas in 1836 about 40k

combined army of Texas (Oct 1835 - Apr 1836); 40% arrived after Oct 1 from the US probably about 2k were from Texas, which was 1 recruit for every 20 residents

"For a people of suchfabled militance, the Texans turned out for army duty in the period of crisis at a low rate of participation, and their equally fabled sensibilities on matters of individual liberty hampered the establishment of an effective military organization."

p 133

Total army profile (Oct 1 - Apr 21); total = 3685 men avg age = 29.4 55% were single 40% from the US 57.8% from Brazos, 10.4% from Bexas, 31.7% from Nac districts

if Texas residents had turned out in larger numbers, could have matched Mexican troop strength

p 134

Santa Anna had brought about 6k troops to Texas

"Houston's achievement in keeping his disputatious men together did not survive the battle of San Jacinto"

by mid-May most of TX residents left the army, leaving only about 400 men leaders of the army were afraid of a Mexican counterattack in June, the ranks increased again, primarily with Us volunteers 1300-1700 in early June, and by Sep there were up to 2,500 (spread actoss 53 companies) about 1800 of the 2500 arrived in Texas AFTER April 21. army was concentrated in one spot

p 136

army of summer 1836 "grew to an unprecedented size with centrality of location and a higher measure of united leadership than at any time in the war. This achievement occurred at precisely the time that Texas stood in the least need of such a force for its security. Instead, the army gained the power to pose a threat to civil order while also serving as a force for revolutionary action."

p 137

Army had "2 major behavorial characteristics: a penchant toward disorderly conduct, and a pattern of political activism"

"the army a force for revolution, contributing to the upheaval of the times and pushing the cause in more radical directions."

army "placed itself in the forefront of the movement for independence"

disorderly conduct from the very beginning and never really ended

"essentially, the Texas soldiers could not accept the premise that a war for freedom could require suppression of individual liberties"

p 138

recruits wanted a say in everything - electing leaders, military tactics, strategy Siege of Bexar "a mess of confusion" because no consensus on whether to attack

troops even voted on the treaty on Dec 11 after Mexicans surrendered

p 139

democratic tendencies fatal in Goliad. Fannin delayed his retreat when some argued not to abandon the fort. Then, after the battle of Coleto, soldiers voted not to abandon the wounded, so no retreat when they could

Houston, on the other hand, refused to hold councils of war until just before the battle of San Jacinto "Many believed that the army would have dissolved rather than retreat beyond the San Jacinto, and the desire of the men to bring on an engagement entered into Houston's decision to stand and fight."

solutions proposed by various people over time to fix the disorderliness a) Branch T. Archer (consultation president) wanted a military legal code b) others said it needed a new commander/staff c) some said it came "from the character of the troops and structure of the military" and advocated for a regular army

p 140

obediance depdended on confidence in the leadership no uniforms, weapons were " a variety of rifles and even shotguns"

p 141

Houston said "'no men are more patriotic or brave on God's earth, than what the boys of Texas are" this reputation stayed with Texas soldiers for a long time

of US volunteers, some came because running from the law or court-martial in the US; some wanted to avenge those who had died, some looking for wealth, some had a love of adventure

p 143

"one clearly debilitating feature of the Texas army was its irregularity of enlistment and propensity for desertion" less frequent desertion by US volunteers - they had no homes or families to protect

p 144

disorderly behavior included "promiscuous shooting" some ignored roll call to go hunting "riotous conduct" - rowdy, some fighting/brawls gambling

p 145

as always, worse with whiskey, and whiskey was common (as example, Bowie when he was elected commander at the Alamo" Austin wrote to council "In the name of Almighty God send no more ardent spirits to this camp - if any is on the road turn it back" many other commanders wrote similarly

p 146

Houston banned liquor within 10 miles of camp

p 147

lack of food for the army. this led to impressment by force Goliad garrison had seized the Mexican army supplies Nov 9, Consultation voted to pay for service - later (no money) winter came in late Nov - soldiers needed warm clothes

p 148

army morale plunged from late Dec to early Feb winter belief war was over boredom lack of supplies

"Most of those who persevered through the discontented winter and remained in the ranks up to March did not survive the battlefield failures of that month"

Houston's army had measles and other diseases

by May, supplies finally arriving from New Orleans

p 149

"The attittude of pervasive dissatisfaction with living conditions helped to make the army highly politicized and lent a sharpness to its views. Generally, the soldiers held immoderate positions which they presented in strident tones. They basically resented everyone who failed to share in their peril and suffering, with politicians at the head of the list."

p 150

no unanimity of belief among the soldiers - "the army to a certain extent resembled a debating society.

Chapter 9: Tories

p 156

conservatives, i.e. those who supported centralism, were called Tories mostly in the west (war zone) and in far east

fall of 1835 - "broad support for the war came from all sections of Texas" except the lower valleys of the Guadalupe, San Antonio, and Nueces Rivers (San Patricio)

p 157

San Patricio area citizens were Irish Catholics, so they shared religious ties with the Mexicans. They also lived with the fort at Lipantitlan most of the local govt were loyalists, and at the Battle of Lipantitlan, 15-20 San Patricio cits fought with the Mexican army, including all members of the ayntamiento

Texas soldiers returned to Goliad amlmost immediately after the battle of Lip., so Mexico got their little garrison back

p 158

When Urrea's army arrived at the Nueces River in late Feb, lots of local support for him

Irish were informants for Mexican army

p 159

in the West part of Texas, many factors in who became a loyalist/centralist ethnicity - most Tories were Tejanos or Irish not all of these groups were Tories, though; the Irish colony of Power and Hewetson and the Tejanos in De Leon's colony all supported independence

local issues were predominant - "leanings of established political leaders, strength of the centralist military power, and relationships with Anglo neighbors" influenced the Tejanos

p 160

There was LOTS of race-baiting by Anglo Texans. Many insisted that all Tejanos were Tories and were spies

politicians insisted all Tejanos were Tories and spies - many of those who held these views were people who weren't at the front

Some Tejanos did enlist in Mex. army in Bexar and retreated south with Cos after the siege

"soldier-civilian conflict developed very early in the war and became a key determinant of Tejano response"

Oct army in Goliad primarily Texians from Austin's colonies volunteers locally in Goliad and Victoria sent to Bear, so the army was more "outsiders" and an occupation

p 161

pretty much all Mexican colonists in de Leon's colony (which was mostly Tejano anyway) were federalists

they volunteered in high numbers early in the war but not later, because no Texan commander recruited them

lots of Tejanos and lots of Anglos were neutral; saw both armies as bad and demanding help

many of the Tejano centralists were decendants of former Mexican soldiers at Goliad

p 162

Nov 10 - some Tejanos did guerilla warfare against a Texas expedition from Goliad. 20 Tory casualties

Goliad-Refugio area in "genuine civil war"

mistrust on all sides; locals more centralist

most Tejanos fled to the ranches in more isolated areas a lot of this due to the behavior of Texas soldiers in the area, who impressed horses and harvests and did drunken binges terrorizing the locals

Fannin started an anti-guerilla program: "If anything, the tactics of his forces strengthened the Tory cause among the Tejanos - the antiguerilla tactics did too little to crush out opposition but quite enough to sway the uncommitted toward the centralists"

p 163

"most renowned [Tory] leader" was Carlos de la Garza, native of Goliad. His ranch was below Goliad on the San antonio River - it had a store, church, houses and was a key location on the road from Victoria to Refugio

Many raids on his supplies

other Tory leaders flocked there

Guadalupe de los Santos rendered aid to Urrea between Refugio and San Pat

tejanos were spies, scouts, advanced units for the main army

active aid to Mexico began before the Feb 28 victory at San Pat

Salvador Cuellar gave Urrea exact knowledge of the Texans at San Pat -> current strength and prob of reinforcement

after Urrea won at San Pat, he put Tejanos to watch for more Tx troops to arrive

"the resulting intelligence may explain why Urrea acted with such speed and confidence throughout his campaign in this region"

Tejano Tories knew of Mexican movements the day befor eSan Pat battle, the native who were left fled for ranches

p 164

same day as San Pat, Carlos de la Garza led a Tejano force - the Victoriana Guardes - and attacked Refugio

2-3 days of plundering; didn't hurt anyone

after finishing the raid, Garza went to Goliad and asked Fannin for troops to help the civilians evacuate

Fannin sent A.B. King to escort the families and another unit to look for Tejano spies

King clashed with up to 200 guerillas near Refugio on Mar 10 took refuge in town and sent for reinforcements; Wm Ward brought the reinforcements on Mar 13, so now a total of 128 Tex

King's men and the families he had gathered barricaded themselves in the old mission church

Mar 14, King took a few troops to retaliate at the ranch of Esteban Lopez - killed 8 Tejanos and took their stuff

when he got back to Refugio, Urrea had arrived with his army. The army included 30 locals led by Guadalupe de los Santos

presence of locals "shielded Urrea, who in early March methodically dispatched Grant's forces at the Agua Dulce battle"

guerillas "caused Fannin to divide ever further the already dispersed Texas forces which were defeated in detail by Urrea" [meaning battle of Refugio]

p 165

in Bexar, about 100 Tejanos joined the Tex army in 1835

in Bexar, some were centralists, because: a) Mexicans appeared to be winning b) afraid of changes if Anglos in power c) literally in defence of their homes (Siege of Bexar house to house) d) family ties and politics

Jose Antonio Navarro had business ties with the colonists and became a federalist; his brother Angel (political chief of Bexar) was a centralist

Oct 14, Angel issued an address to ppl saying rebellion was attack on Constitution and religion said Cos there to protect them

p 166

Angel Navarro created a militia company of locals to join Cos in Oct 1835

during the Siege of Bexar, Cos impressed 80 mules, 40 drivers

p 168

abt 600 Tejanos lived in Nac; viewed with suspicion from the beginning

p 169

In essence, Tejanos in Nac "agreed not to resist the Revolution, whose leaders in turn did not insist on Tejano participation in the war against other Mexicans"; very neutral in 1835

p 170

Fears in Nac that Cos was negotiating with the Cherokess to join the Mexican arm Houston addressed in Feb 1836

Mar 12, military draft said Tejanos in Nac to be put in a sep unit

Apr 9, alcalde David A Hoffman said every Mex cit in the area must join the militia if eligible or leave the district within 10 days

Anglos and US recruits also gathering in Nac

p 171

many cits scared to see Tejanos with weapons Anglo recruits set out to disarm Tejanos; cits fled toward Louisiana Tejanos worried their homes would be burnt "tinderbox" but wiser heads prevailed and no real fighting

p 172

Tejanos in Nac agreed to defend the town but didn't want to go the front (1836)

p 173

"Among non-Hispanics in Texas, defense of famiily and of personal interests was a powerful if not dominant impulse in the spring of 1836."

little active opposition by Anglos; many avoided military svs or hid their stuff from impressment for the most part, settlers fled before the Mexican army arrived

p 174

"advocacy of peace before the war or federalism in its early stages did not usually translate into loyalty to Mexico in the spring"

p 175

lots of centralist supporters in Liberty and Anahuac early, but no central leader

p 176

few in that area actually helped Mex army, most just spoke against the Rev

in Liberty, many did not flee in Runaway Scrape

p 177

many of Tories in this area had support centralists in 1832 Anahuac Disturbance - generally older, married, residence > 10 years many had arrived illegally from Louisiana, and thus were probably Catholic

p 178

after San Jac, "efforts to detect and punish collaborationists continued", especially in East Texas. No real luck

p 179 "anti-Tory militance in east Texas died down after mid-May"

p 180

when Urrea retreated S in mid-May, only a few Tejano families from Victoria went with them many families from San Pat went all the way to Matamoros

early Jun, Tx troops went to San Pat and found only 20 families, mostly women and kids most of non-Tejanos had fled before Urrea arrived in Mar "substantial" number of people fled to Mexico, but no precise numbers "noticeable depopulation" of the area in the Republic years

May 24, Andrade led troops out of Bexar

p 181

Bexar almost deserted - some families (Seguin and Antonio Menchaca) fled East, some went to Mexico, most went to ranches - rish Comanche attack instead of seeing what Texans would do

June 4 Seguin led 20 troops back to Bexar; he asked for reinforcements and 240 Anglos arrived

By Jun 20, only 40 families left in Bexar

Chapter 10 - Tejanos

p 183

about 4k Tejanos in Texas in 1835, mainly in 4 places: Nac = 600, DeLeon (Victoria) = 450 war zone: Bexar = 1600, Goliad = 1350

"Essentially, the Tejano experience centered around problems of military occupation, with the victorious side changing four times in less than a year"

reasony why Tejanos stopped volunteering for the Tx side: a) disillusionment from living in war zone b) political factors - the impetus changed from federalism to independence

p 184

Most Tejanos who served were from Bexar few muster rolls

Seguin led 37 men in Oct Salvador Flores and Manuel Leal got 41 14 locals deserted from Cos's army Placido Benavides got 28 from Victoria abt 40 more from Goliad

most Tejano volunteers in 1835 were young (avg=27.5, median = 25), 4-6 yrs younger than Anglo volunteers most were married; 85% born in Tx, the rest in Tx 7-15 years Seguin and his men joined Austin's army Oct 22

p 185

Nov 14, Salvador Flores sent to scout for Mex reinforcements south of the Nueces, and to burn gradd and capture horses so Cos couldn't use it

Tejanos very knowledgeable of the area they captured messengers meant for Cos

Seguin's men with Bowie at Concepcion

Tejanos fought in the siege of Bexar. Antonio Cruz got a commendation from Travis, who distrusted ALL Mexicans

a woman, Maria Jesusa de Garcia, on Dec 5 tried to bring water to Tx troops. She was wounded by Mexican fire and permanently disabled

Bexar had a reputation for opposition to centralism volunteers to Tex side despite Cos's martial law

p 186

no one supposed to leave Bexar without a pass from Cos or Angel Navarro

most ignored it

some Bexar residents collected used cannon balls during siege and brought them to Texans

Erasmo Seguin forced by Cos to swap the square and later expelled from town, on foot, without his family

p 187

Texas forces had no $

p 188

Seguin to work with ranch owners to buy food on credit

however, Tx soldiers took lots without payment or promise thereof (my words)

in fighting, some Tx treated all Bexar residents as traitors - on arrested 3 women and a priest and shot a boy trying to escape yet another group let ppl go

p 189

Bexar homes torn apart - after siege, "the city marked by heaps of ruins"

shortage of staples all over = hard on civilians

p 190

Dimmitt purged Mexicans from his force, only a few remained primarily Anglo and Irish in Goliad in fall 1835

Dimmitt impressed lots - cattle, horses, corn, rifles, wagon wheels - even 100 miles north

needed transport to move civs out of the way and supplies to Bexar

p 191

Dimmitt made cits do manual labor many fled

Gov Viesca arrived Nov 11; Dimmitt refused to recognize him

Tejanos protested Nov 12 -> 32 men signed a declaration, only 1 Anglo Dimmitt declared martial law

p 192 ppl complained to Austin

Benavides after siege of Bexar went on a scouting mission near Rio Grande back in early Feb with news that Mex. army advancing; Fannin ignored

p 193

in Feb/March, Goliad Campaign, more Tejanos fought for Mexico that Fannin - "the wonder is that any sided with Texas at all"

p 194

Fannin burned La Bahia before he left

p 195

Bexar economy exhausted by Jan

some Tejanos in Bexar volunteered supplies to Neill

ppl began fleeing in mid-Jan

p 196

locals only ones to take reports of Santa Anna's movements seriously

still some residents when Mex. army arrived Feb 22

Neill gave discharges to many Tejanos so they could evacuate their families

p 198

Ramon Musquiz and others established hospitals and helped with wounded after Alamo

after Tejanos got their families safe, many went to Colorado River to join a unit there

Seguin formed a new company with recruits from Gonzales, a rear guard for Houston's retreat, with about 22-24 men

32 Tejanos served at San Jac; young (abt 25 yrs), 60% single Houston sent Salvador Flores with 25-40 to defend civilians who stayed behind near Gonzales

abt 30 soldiers escorted families from Bexar to Nax

p 199

risks of fleeing: a) Indian attacks b) Mexican outlaws c) lack of equipment d) couldn't bring livestock, etc -> difficult to avoid starvation e) illness

in Nac, some Tejanos volunteered horses, etc, to new arrivals from US

p 201

May, centralist armies retreated to Rio Grand west remained insecure

fear Mex army would come back - ppl didn't want to go home Bexar under military rule for rest of 1836

treatment of Tejanos not great, so more left for Mexico

p 203

Mexicans raided Bexar in mid-Oct 1836

p 205

June, Rusk ordered all Tejanos in the region between Guadalupe and Nueces Rivers to leave (east Texas or Mexico) and either bring their livestock or leave it for the army

p 206

by now, no wagons to move proprety some resistedm, other, including Benavides, forcibly removed from the area

Tejano land soon taken over by Anglos Goliad and Refugio "largely destroyed"

p 207

Many Tejanos volunteered for army post-San Jac, hoping to get to stay unmolested

Chapter 11 - Anglos Texans

p 209

In 1835, most non-Hispanics lived outside of the war zone

Nac established a committee of safety on September 21 and canvassed for funds

p 210

They collected $3,551 - a large amount for the rest of 1835, these funds used to help recruits: paid for food, rifles and ammunition, blankets, clothes, saddles, etc. (horses generally impressed from the local population)

p 211 Nac committee of safety ran out of money by Feb 6, 1836

most other communities not this organized in other areas, individuals gave supplies or let soldiers stay in their homes

"from the very beginning of the war", hardships on the locals - food and supplies going to the army not enough manpower for the harvests, especially for those without slaves women and children tried to pick up the slack, but the harvests were not as good as they could have been

p 212

throughout the province, business stagnated new settlers not coming, judicial proceedings halted, land values fell

no renumeration for stuff taken by the soldiers until after the war

government moratorium on land sales - many angry speculators taking advantage

Sabine area always a border no-man's land

armed men terrorized settlers there

p 213

threatened some of the military volunteers passing through

increased lawlessnes throughout the region - more assaults and even murders

poor communication and misinformation so many "'rumors of doom'" (per Telegraph and Tx Reg) that people were skeptical political chaos confused people and eroded confidence

p 214

many Anglos, especially in the outer areas threatened by Comanche or Cherokee, refused to give up their horses or supplies for the army many in these areas (like Nac), said they needed to be home to protect their families from the Indians

in Dec - Feb, much public lethargy

late Feb and March, the conflict hit home more Santa Anna coming

"Mexican strategy did not operate from a clear-cut or uniform presence" Santa Anna had issued the edict about pirates, but also forbade his soldiers from doing indiscriminate looting or burning

p 215 Gaona's instructions were to assure the people of Nac that the government was going to protect their rights and liberties

Sesma called the burning of Gonzales by the Texans a "barbaric" strategy; worried that this would make the people of Tx more fanatical - they had burned their own homes, and would, per Lack, "not allow the rest of their countrymen to make accommodations with the enemy"

Houston didn't like the burning, but he didn't want the Mexican army getting their hands on useful goods, so they pretty much routinely burned whatever couldn't be carried away

many removed themselves east of the war zone

p 216

April 8, estimated that 1000 men east of the Brazos had refused military duty

a lot of wealthy men refused to serve in the army

John McMullen and James Power moved to New Orleans in Mar/Apr rather than serve

THomas Barnett, who was elected to Convention on promise to uphold the 1824 constitution, signed the Dec of Ind but did not join army until Jul 1

p 217

Samuel May Williams and Thomas F. McKinney both avoided military service by going to the US

p 218

in Austin colonies, a "broad pattern of non-participation by the wealthy"

many of the draft-dodgers gave property to the cause, including Jared Groce

p 219

"no enumeration of draft evaders exists for other districts"

"nowhere near a majority of the adult male populations enrolled in the army" - regardless of wealth, etc

about 1/3 of the men in the Dept of the Brazos served at some point

p 222

"in the central region, despite a larger army turnout, a majority fled their places of residence in panic at the approach of Santa Anna's army" which "the people came to call sardonically the Runaway Scrape"

included "men, women, children of every region, class, and condition"

flight was "so common that is could not popularly condemned or officially prosecuted" people who remained ran the risk of being accused of collaborating with the Mexican army

"Texas patriots tacitly tolerated what seemed to be cowardly conduct because they knew that in many cases cruel choices had been force on the people"

Houston's orders on Mar 21 said that "'families moving for safety will be entitled to one armed man for their protection'"

some of the soldiers left to help their families; some of these intended to come back

as the army retreated, more of the region left vulnerable, so more and more people fled

"great difficulty in locating any place that offered genuine security"

p 223

"some men volunteered, marched to gonzales in early March, and then almost immediately fled on hearing of the Alamo disaster. They carried not only this news but a general sense of panic with them"

Burnet started issuing lots of circulars to try to calm people down, but actions speak more than words

the Convention delegated left 'in all direction, with haste and in confusion', said a witness, and 'a general panic seems to have seized them'

Houston blamed the govt's fleeing for sparking the rest of the population to do so; political leaders blamed Houston for not making a stand against Mexican army

Santa Anna accused the Texas military of forcing people to leave

"The popular exodus was mostly spontaneous and usually hindered military movement"

some people fled faster and further to avoid the draft

Fannin, in Feb, had been sending letters to everyone telling them that...

p 224

...the Mexican army planned to 'expel or exterminate every white man' and to rapte 'the Fair daughters of chaste white women '

Fannin put a lot of effort into helping locals in his area to leave - he had already impressed all their wagons, so he knew they needed help

Irish cits moved slowly many Tories, and they wanted to stay

pretty much nobody moved out of Refugio until after battle of San Pat, then they sought refuge with the army King stuck the families in the church rather than leave immediately

Fannin finally evacuated Mar 15, and most of the nonmilitary people stayed behind Mexican army did show them mercy, although a few wounded when the fort bombarded

reports reaching the rest of Texas were inaccurate, sometimes deliberately to inspire men to volunteer; instead inspired everyone to flee reports said that Irish had fled in mass numbers, so they did the same

"Initial evacuations in the west took place under military supervision"

When Houston began retreating from Gonzales, he sent troops back to help per Lack "those left behind due to stubbornness, disability, or poor communications"

Mar 17, estimated that thousands moving across the Brazos, day and night

p 225

in Galveston on Mar 18, estimated that 5/6 of the population had left, after buying up all the supplies

not everyone left in Brazos bottm, some said they wanted to stay, and asked for some protection for the army

alarm had died down in Harrisburg, and in early April some people on east side of the Brazos were starting to plant corn

most still fleeing, and they clogged the rains many tried to bring most of the possessions and their livestock; the muddy roads and torrential rains meant that they abandoned a lot of this on the side of the road

rivers swollen, and giant traffic jams as the crossings. Estimated at one point that 5000 people waiting at Lynch's ferry

a few people not carrying a lot of goods managed to swim across the Brazos, but the ferries were slow

April 12, Harrisburg people learned that Mexican army had crossed the Brazos ahead of the Texas army - "worst-case scenario"

some of the settlers fleeing were planning to go all the way to Louisiana over land

others planning to go by water to New Orleans; 40 from Matagorda got a boat and went all the way to Mobile

Many of the ppl in the Brazoria region went to the Galveston Bay region Rusk told Houston that those people 'came here under the belief that they would be safe [but] are now exposed to the attack of the enemy'

rumors that Mexican army was killing women and children

mid-April, panic spread to east Texas

p 226

when Nac residents learned that Gaona headed toward them, they freaked out pretty quickly

April 10, Nac resident had urged the govt to come to Nac, where it was safe; on the 13th, the people were debating burning the town and whether the home guard there should escort people to the Sabine or make a stand

by the 15tj, almost all children and women were gone John A Quitman, a military commander from the US who had arrived that week in Nac, said that ;there is no immediate danger to this section. The panic, however, has done its work. The houses are all deserted. There are several thousands of women and children on both sides of the Sabine, without supplies or money. Everything was left in flight - the corn in the crib, the meat in the smoke-house, their poultry, cattle, and furniture'

San Augustine, 25 mi from the border, but their residents had also already fled

by Apr 17, it was somewhat calmer - people stopped worrying so much that the Indians were about to attack

one man reported to Houston that "every house on the road between the Trinity and the Sabine had been abandoned"

the Runaway Scrape "signified a breakdown in the national identity"

p 227

"the fading spirit of self-sacrifice turned into a cycle that spelled national collapse" women as well as men

innkeeper Pamelia Mann - she had lent her last 3 oxen to Houston's army in Apr. She was traveling with the army as she fled

when the army went to Harrisburg, she went after her oxen "indelicate language, threats, and brandishing of pistols" to get them back

in the beginning of the Runaway Scrape, people stayed in small groups with family and sometimes neighbors

"joined together when situation required mutual aid" after the river crossing were made, the groups kind of split up, and people kept going with just their small family

ferrymen accused of charging really high fees

p 228

some men would come up and tell groups that the Mexican army would be ther ein minutes, they should abandon their stuff and flee - and then those men would grab their property

when there was a military escort, they still couldn't manage to keep order

some officers tried to sieze and destroy the liquor in the area - they thought that the whiskey was making matters worse

Gail Borden Jr and others wanted the government to provide for the people Convention did not adopt a relief policy - they did debate it

late March the cabinet started buying provisions for 'the suffering women, and children of our country' per Sec of State Samuel P Carson

in San Bernardo, a group petitioned the govt, saying they'd submit to martial law if the govt could just keep order

full-scale refugee camp on Galveston Island - at the time little population, but was secure

Col James Morgan, a merchant, responsible for setting up the refugee camp helped transport families and procure food and materials to build shelters he impressed slaves for labor small group of troops to patrol

up to 1k people on the island soon - there wasn't enough supplies

Apr 25, after he had been there a week with the cabinet, Burnet ordered martial law in Galveston

p 229

by that order, all white men conscripted into the army and all blacks into fatigue duty units

govt left Galveston a few days later, and Morgan now in charge again - difficulty controlling his subordinates and the civilians

distribution issues and some corruption meant not everyone on Galveston getting their fair share

people slowly left for home, but a few people still there in late July

"That the refugees flocked to Galveston in such numbers offers proof not of the abundance it offered so much as of their desperation"

of the people in the Runaway Scrape, many walked, and some didn't even have shoes most had no tents, little bedding, at least by the end

periodic food shortages - most underestimated how long they would be gone, many had to abandon livestock so they could go faster

rain, rain, rain

lots of disease - many infants died

beg in May and through the rest of the summer, refugees began returning, only to find that their homes were damaged or destroyed, fences down, crops trampled, livestock gone, stuff ransacked

p 230

both armies confiscated supplies,from food to cottom, tobacco, and luxuries

many in the Mexican army thought the settlers had destroyed their own homes, so they helped out by smashing what little was left

Mexican units also burned Bastrop, Harrisburg, and New Washington

after Santa Anna, Texan army tried to start fixing things Santa Anna told to order Filisola to respect private property when he retreated - pillaging cont anyway

Tex civilians also plyndering

a few Texans hid in their own area, so they could start rounding up their cattle after the Mex army retreated

others buried their stuff or put up religious symbols in hope that would be respected

p 231

even some boats destroyed so they wouldn't help the Mexicans - despite the crews insisting they could just sail somewhere else

p 232

livestock and horses that were impressed generally never returned

some private cits pretended to be press agents and essentially stole goods - including president Burnet's pistols

p 233

after San Jac, "the war's impact continued to be felt for the remainder of the year" strong patriotic pressure - some men volunteered for the first time, or paid others to fight for them

p 234

Rusk said about 3k had refused to enlist

"recruitment might have been easier had the conditions of the people on the home front not remained so desperate" thieves, more Indian raids, threat of renewed invasion

"The timing of their return depended on economic and familial circumstance, location in Texas, and individualized variables like personal nerve" those with enough money or credit stayed away longest

East Texans mostly left last, went shorter distance, came home first

sometimes the head of the household came back, got stuff in order, then sent for family

Irish colonists tried to go home, but Rusk drove all livestock east of the Guadlupe - many forced to relocate

most of central Texas refugees headed for home in late April

p 234

return very similar to the leaving, but without the panic

clogged river crossing slow travel - on foot mostly

p 235

increased anxiety as they started seeing the ruins of towns and homes

as early as Apr 28, people asking Houston if they could go home - if they didn't go home soon, wouldn't have time to raise a crop that year some families formed partnerships to get the crops in

prices rose for things colonists usually grew themselves - shortages everywhere

Texas cabinet, individuals, and local govt tried to distribute food to those most at need - piecemeal policies

spring rains had been good for what few crops had managed to be planted before the exodus

less than half ppl west of the Brazos had managed to plant early

some people moved again

p 236

some left Texas, some moved to other parts of Texas

Rusk and others wanted to carry the fight down to Mexico, but lots of war weariness

Chapter 12 - Black Texans and slavery

p 239

Benjamin Lundy published The War In Texas in 1836 - said the Revolution was a proslavery conspiracy helped to make the antislavery movement also anti-Texas, "posing a threat to the otherwise favorable image that the Texas Revolution attained in United States public opinion"

Rev had lots of popular support in the US

in 1835, many were afraid that when more troops came to Texas, they would forcibly emancipate the slaves

p 240

many afraid US would enforce rules against international slave trade, so people in Tx wouldn't be able to get their slaves out of Texas

Texans feared that war would also bring a slave rebellion

p 241

rumors in summer 1835 that when the Mexican schooner Correo arrived in Galveston in late July, the captain would impress all the slaves and then free them

committees of safety also to keep an eye on the slaves

p 242

small slave revolt in Brazoria in Oct 1835; 100 slaves arrested, some hanged

no slave revolts or rumors of such after that until spring 1836

Mar 17, Brazoria committee, who had just learned of the fall of the Alamo, said that the Mexican army was planning to kill everyone, women and children too

p 243

committee also said the Mexicans were going to recruit slaves to fight

at the same time, the committee wanted to bring black men to build fortifications on the river - this scared people

this rhetoric likely contributed to the panic

in March in Galveston Bay, blacks along the Trinity had sought an alliance with the Coushatta Indians

diverted some of the Texas military, and gave excuses for others not join the army; needed to protect their homes

no white blood shed in this unrest

p 244

Mexico did not officially try to get the slaves to rise up the army had no official policy on slavery

the "contract" system used in Texas was illegal

there were black infantry in the Mexican army

Joe and Sam were the only Texas males to survive the Alamo (found inside) - they were black

p 245

many slaves ran away during the Runaway Scrape - often in small groups - and searched for the Mexican army Apr 3, 14 slaves and their families joined Urrea near Victoria

when the Mexican army retreated, many slaves went with them

in the Treaty of Velasco, Texas insisted on including an agreement that the slaves would be returned

a few were recovered from Filisola, Urrea refused

p 247

slaves did form an unofficial spying network for the Texans - letting them know the size, location, and disposition of Mexican forces Mexicans thought all the slaves would be pro-Mexican (to get freedom), so they spoke fairly freely in front of them

p 248

in the Revolution time, only about 150 free blacks in Texas

some came from the US as army volunteers

some enrolled in the Texas army - one died in Goliad massacre, several served in siege of Bexar

some slaves were conscripted into the army

p 250

TX convvention explicitly said blacks weren't free and weren't citizens

upheld slavery and said Congress couldn't stop US emigrants from bringing slaves and couldn't emancipate the slaves

individuals not allowed to free their slaves without congressional approval - and then the slaves would have to be sent out of Texas

p 251 also said that no free blacks could live in the country permanently without consent of Congress

"By changing the focus from emigration to residence the constitution threatened the very existence of all free blacks, and unequivocably the document denied them citizenship"

Conclusion

p 253

Texas pretty much anarchy for most of the revolution

p 254

"In social as well as political terms the Texans suffered from a kind of failed revolution"

Texans won because of "forces of geography, miscalculation by the enemy, aid from the United States, just enough volunteering, and incredibly good fortune"

p 255

just before the revolution, approximately 40k Anglos, 12k Indians, 5k blacks, and 3500 Tejanos

p 256

elections called for first Monday in September to ratify the March constitution and elect leaders - the 6th set of leaders for Texas in 12 months

p 257

differences of opinion in Texas after the war ended as to whether to make independence work or be annexed to the US