Spain, Mexican Revolution to Texas Rebellion and The Alamo

This Power Point presentations contains a wealth of information and may
be thought of as a “picture book” to be read.
True!
Much reading with some questions within.
It might be what you are looking for or maybe you could pick and choose
the slides.
My goal was to create a discussion. Some of the slides did just that. I had
to prompt the class many times because the reading can be difficult and
boring.
112 slides
presented by
“Hoosier11”
at NCHS
736,000 Kb

The People, Locations,
Events, and Decisions
• Texas Territory
• Spain
• Mexico
• Louisiana
• San Antonio d’ Bexar
• The Alamo
• Sabine River
• Red River
• San Jacinto River
• Coahuila State
• Zacatecas State
• Fredonia
• Rio Grande River
• Gonzales
• Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana
• James Fannin
• James Bowie
• Davy Crocket
• William Travis
• President Andrew Jackson
• John Quincy Adams
• Ben Milam
• Colonel de Cos
• President Bustamante
• Hayden Edwards
• Sam Houston
• Juan Sequin
• Texians
• Tejanos
• Filibusters
• Empresarios
• Federalists
• Centralists
• Adams-Onis Treaty (1819)
• Fredonia Revolution
• Nacogdoches
• Texas Rangers
• Republic of Texas
• Louisiana Purchase
• Goliad
• Battle of the Alamo
• Battle of San Jacinto
• Mexican Revolution
• Texas Revolution
• Mexican Constitution 1824
• Missions
NO, you will not need to memorize this list.

To the instructor:
Do not preview in “edit” mode.
When a appears, a multiple choice
question is given.
When a appears in the lower right
portion, the next “click” will advance to
the next slide

The Alamo
Creative thinking
applied to the conflict
over Texas-Mexico

OutlineWho has controlled the Texas territory throughout history?
GoliadThe Alamo
Coahuila Province
Texas Province

Spain
Louisiana Purchase
Missions
Americans to Texas territory
Filibusters
Mexican Rebellion
Mexico
Empresarios
Santa Ana
Texas Rebellion
The Alamo
Battle of San Jacinto
Texas
OutlineWho has controlled the Texas territory throughout history?

Who would be at this meeting?
Who were the major players in the Louisiana Purchase?
The Louisiana Purchase is a separate unit of great interest in the history of the United
States. Study of which would be profitable.

1803 President Jefferson obtained the Louisiana Purchase from France.
The borders were confusing and debated.
Conflicts arose quickly with Spanish Texas.
Was their land within the borders of the Louisiana Purchase or in Spanish territory?

This latter
territorial
“settlement”
was never
accepted by
American
Southerners
in general or
Louisianans
in particular.
They later
migrated
from
Louisiana
territory
and
crossed
into
Spanish
Texas

The United States is anxious about
European influence in North America.
The British to the north…..the Spanish
to the south.
President John Quincy Adams’
representatives agreed to a treaty with
Spain that would reduce the tensions.

1819
Treaty between the United States and Spain
The USA received Florida Territory.
A boundary was set between the USA and
Spanish Mexico.
1819
The boundary dispute
was settled.
Note the Red River and
the Sabine River.
This is the new border.Red River
Sabine River

Mexican–American WarMexican–American War

Originally named Mission San Antonio de Valero, the Alamo served as home to missionaries
and their Indian converts for nearly seventy years.
Construction began on the present site in 1724.
Catholic missions were constructed throughout the Texas area in 17th and 18th Centuries.

What is the
meaning of
“secularized”……?
What was the effect upon
1. The Cherokee ?
2. The Catholic Church ?
3. Immigrants from Louisiana?
4. Native Mexicans in Texas ?
Spanish officials,1793,
secularized San
Antonio's five missions
distributing their lands
to the remaining
Indian residents.
Each of the four warrants a
discussion……
EACH ONE……..
start discussing.

Spanish Texas Territory
The two main trade routes through the
Mexican State of Texas to the United States.

Red River
(Troops present)
A Presidio is a fortified outpost ,
most with a Catholic Mission, of
the Spanish.
Sabine River

The Alamo was the location of a Spanish missionary
effort aimed at the native Indians.
The missionaries from Spain were of what religion?(a-e)
a. Catholic
b. Protestant- Lutheran
c. Protestant- Presbyterian
d. Indian Spiritist
e. Islam

This is an old 3-d slide. It might work for you in 2-d, just
look at the slide with your eyes crossed!

Who?….
Why?....
How?...
Families?

CriticalThinking:
“ShouldAmerica considerexpansioninto the Spanish
territories?”
List the factorsthat determinetheanswer. Argue.

The government of Spain
wanted people to move
into the Texas territory.

Before Mexican independence , Texas had failed to attract settlers from Spain
and subsequently proved difficult to secure against Indian raids.
Give the Spanish some ideas.
Since few Mexicans would settle in Texas, the Spanish government sought to
entice American colonists through generous land grants.
By 1831, 8,000 Texan-American farmers and their thousand slaves worked the
cotton fields of the Brazos and Colorado river valleys (near Houston).
After independence Mexico thought they could ensure that
Texas would become integrated into Mexico.

In the early 1800s, the Spanish military stationed a cavalry unit at the former mission.
The soldiers referred to the old mission as the Alamo.
The post's commander established the first recorded hospital in Texas in the Long Barrack.
The Alamo was home to both Revolutionaries and Royalists during Mexico's ten-year
struggle for independence.
The military — Spanish, rebel, and then Mexican — continued to occupy the Alamo
until the Texas Revolution.

“The Groups”
List every “group”
( see slide #2 but only
after we have tried)
If the media chose to create a racist situation, what
would be there headline?
1st as a pro-Texas independence writer
2nd as a pro- Mexican writer.

Citizens of the United States
• heading into Texas territory of Spain with the intent of
profiting.
• escaping US and the US law with the intent of avoiding
prosecution.
Former US citizen emigrants, now Spanish citizens.
Local Native Indians
Spanish citizens living in the Texas territory.
Native Mexicans now under Spanish control.
With Mexican Independence of 1821:
• Filibusters: armed US citizens looking for a fight,
volunteers
• Texians: Americans living in Texas territory
• Tejanos: Mexicans living in Texas territory
• Loyalists to Santa Ana: of Mexican descent
• Federalists-anti Santa Ana Mexicans
• Centralists-anti Santa Ana Mexicans
“An Amazing List”
Was it “amazing”? Explain.

But in 1800 the controversial Filibusters
began their rabble rousing.
They crossed the border as a para-
military organization taking
action against Spanish
territory even though
Mexico and the US were at
peace with each other.

A Filibuster was a private
citizen, armed, who was taking
military action against a country
at peace with the US.
Question:
What are your views of the
filibusters if you were
1. An American immigrant
living in the Texas
territory of Spain?
2. An official of the
Spanish government?
3. A Tejanos-born in
Spanish Mexico, living in
the Texas territory?

The Americans thought the filibusters to be
freedom-fighters whereas Spain called them
rabble-rousers.
Freedom-fighters
Rabble-rousers

In 1813 the American filibusters joined the
Spanish colonists (Tejanos) in opposing
the rule of Spain in Texas.
They had secretly negotiated with Secretary
of State James Monroe (later to become
the 5th President of US).
Question: What was Monroe’s plan?

Monroe believed these rebels
would deliver Texas Territory
to the US.
News reports surfaced in Mexico
and in the USA that the US was
supporting the filibusters and in
secret.
Money and supplies
were sent into East
Texas by the US
government.
What will the US
government do about
this situation?

When news of this government support of the filibusters got out,
the US government denied it.
A community of filibusters, to the
surprise of Monroe, declared their own
independence from Spain-
The Green Flag
Republic.
What was Monroe’s reaction?

That declaration ended all US support for the cause of the American
emigrants to Texas.
The Spanish government sent troops, ordered to
suppress the rebellion and show no quarter.
It was a slaughter. 400 POWs were executed.
Antonio y Lopez de Santa Ana was a young officer
during the event.
Historians believed this experience was big
influence on how he would treat the enemy
in future engagements.

The movement to independence
had been going on for many
years when finally the many
disparate insurgent groups were
united.
Plan of Iguala called for the
union of all insurgent factions
and it had the support of the
aristocracy and the clergy of
New Spain.
Finally, the independence of
Mexico was consummated on
September 27, 1821.

Constitution was based on the
constitution of the United States
America, but the Mexican
constitution made Roman
Catholicism the official, and only
religion of the country, and
outlawed slavery.
Mexican
independence
In 1821, the Mexican War for Independence severed the control that
Spain had exercised on its North American territories,
and the new country of Mexico was formed from much of the lands
that had comprised New Spain, including Spanish Texas.The following month the
citizens of San Antonio de
Bexar established a
governing committee for the
province of Texas.
The new Mexican
constitution was adopted
on October 4, 1824,
making the country a
federal republic with
nineteen states and four
territories.

Empresario System
The Mexican immigration policy was aimed at
making the filibusters loyal citizens of Mexico.
The Empresarios would be land agents, drawing immigrants into the Texas territory
by offering cheap and fertile land. They would be working for the Mexican
government.
They were looking for hard-working, industrious farmers, God-fearing men with
families. The industry of these farmers would benefit Mexico. They could
purchase a league (4000 acres) for $30 on credit.
In return they would become Mexican citizens and become Catholic.
The most successful of the Empresarios was Steven F Austin who worked well with
the government of Mexico. Most of the Empresarios practiced benevolent
leadership over their own colonies, in harmony with the government of Mexico.
Research
Steven F. Austin

Land and
freedom !
Cheap
Come to
the
Texas
TerritoryThe Mexican Government
welcomes you to the
Texas Territory
Become a Land Agent for
the Mexican Government .
We want Filibusters to
become Empresarios.
We are looking for Hard-
working, industrious
farmers, God-fearing
men with families.
See your local Empresario
and own your land,
fertile
soil,………..and…….cheap!
The “sale”!

The first Empresario grant
had been made under
Spanish control to Stephen
F. Austin, whose settlers,
known as the Old Three
Hundred, settled along the
Brazos River in 1822.
Austin advertised the opportunity in New Orleans, stating
that the land was available along the Brazos and Colorado
Rivers.
A family of a husband, wife and two children would receive
1,280 acres at twelve and a half cents per acre. Farmers could
get 177 acres and ranchers 4,428 acres .
In December 1821, the first U.S. colonists crossed into the
granted territory by land and sea, on the Brazos River in
present-day Brazoria County, Texas.

By late 1825, Austin had brought the first 300 families to his
settlement, the Austin Colony.
These 300 are now known in Texas history as
the Old Three Hundred.
Austin had obtained further contracts to settle an
additional 900 families between 1825 and 1829.
He had effective civil and military authority over the
settlers, but he was quick to introduce a
semblance of American law –
the Constitution of Coahuila y Tejas
was agreed on in November 1827.
Also, Austin organized small, informal armed groups to protect
the colonists, which evolved into the Texas Rangers.
Despite his hopes, Austin was making little money from his
endeavors.
The colonists were unwilling to pay for his services as Empresario and most of his
revenues were spent on the processes of government and other public services.
Comparisons: Austin’s plans to the Pilgrims plans. Give it a try.

One of the most
successful of the
Empresarios was
Hayden Edwards.
He united his land
owners and declared
their independence.
THE REPUBLIC OF FREDONIA
In 1928 the Mexican Government sent troops to
“Fredonia” quickly ending the rebellion and ending
the “Republic of Fredonia”Q: what was the reaction of the other
Empresarios to Edwards’ move to
independence?
a. They were in total sympathy with
Edwards.
b. They feared the Mexican use of force
against any other move toward
independence.
c. They were glad that Edwards’ republic
had been squashed, leaving more land
and wealth for them.
d. They were totally against Edwards’ move
to independence.

Supporters declared their independence from Mexico.
The nearby Cherokee tribe signed a treaty to support the new republic.
Overtures from Mexican authorities and respected Empresario Stephen F. Austin convinced
tribal leaders to repudiate the rebellion.
On January 31, 1827, a force of over 100 Mexican soldiers and 250 militiamen from Austin's
colony marched into Nacogdoches to restore order.
Many of the participants, including Edwards, fled to the United States.
WHY?

Q: Why were the other Empresarios against Edwards’ independence effort?
a. Edwards was such an unlikeable character that he could never have gained
the support of the others.
b. They felt a need to unite many of the colonies before any move toward
independence.
c. They were in support of the Mexican government and the Mexican
government supported them. It was a good deal for both sides.
d. Edwards had ruined the grand plan of the other colonies by going off on
his own instead of waiting for the unity movement by all.
The same year, Mexico enacted the General Colonization Law, which
enabled all heads of household, regardless of race or immigrant status, to
claim land in Mexico.

Mexican Texas is the name given by Texas history scholars to Texas
during the period between 1821 and 1836, when Texas was an
integral part of Mexico.
The period began
with Mexico's victory
over Spain in its war
of independence in
1821. For the first
several years of its
existence, Mexican
Texas operated
very similarly to
Spanish Texas.
The 1824
Constitution of
Mexico joined Texas
with Coahuila to
form the state of
Coahuila y Tejas

This troubled Mexico, fearing US military intervention.
The Mexican response in April,1830, was to pass an anti-immigration law.
But the Mexican government entered a chaotic period, internal squabbles
caused them to disregard the Texas question.
The Federalist Party was squabbling with the opposition party, the
Centralists. It was states’ rights versus a strong centralized government.
Santa Ana led the Federalists against the Centralists and their President
Bustemonte.
The Texians were against a strong centralized government and therefore
were backing the Federalists and thus, Santa Ana.
1833 The Federalist defeated the Centralists at the polls and Santa Ana
became President.
Reasoning……..what will Santa Ana do now that he is President?
States’ Rights versus Strong Centralized Government. Heard it before?
Compare to Civil War times, the Progressive period, post-WW II, Reaganism

President John Quincy Adams
offered Mexico $1m for Texas.
Q: What was the response of Mexico?
a. $1 m-no. $2 m- yes.
b. A flat “no.”
c. The Texas province of Mexico had been
nothing but trouble, the answer was “yes.”
d. The Texas province of Mexico had been nothing
but trouble, the answer was
“ you can have it for nothing.”
President Andrew Jackson
offered Mexico $5m for Texas.
Q: What was the response of Mexico?
a. $1 m-no. $2 m- yes.
b. A flat “no.”
c. The Texas province of Mexico had been nothing
but trouble, the answer was “yes.”
d. The Texas province of Mexico had been nothing
but trouble, the answer was
“ you can have it for nothing.”

His first move was to dump the
Constitution of 1824 and declare
himself dictator.
No longer a Federalist but now the
ultimate centralist.
“This information begs a question………” What does that mean
and when was this scenario repeated?
It means that he was a Federalist, a states’ right –ist,
but now he is a Centralist, a big government-ist.
As dictator he is bigger than “big Government”.
And……when
was it
repeated?
HITLER 1936

San Antonio and the Alamo played a
critical role in the Texas Revolution.
In December 1835, Ben Milam led Texian
and Tejanos volunteers against Mexican
troops quartered in the city.
After five days of house-to-house
fighting, they forced General Martín
Perfecto de Cós and his soldiers to
surrender.
The victorious volunteers then occupied the Alamo — already fortified prior to the battle by
Cós' men — and strengthened its defenses

Tejanos
Texians
Mexican soldiers
Spanish soldiers
Native Indian soldiers
Pro-Santa Ana soldiers
Pro-Bustamonte soldiers
?

Points to be remembered:
The Mexican Constitution made Roman Catholicism the official religion.
The Mexican Constitution outlawed slavery.
There were 19 states and 4 provinces. The Texas Territory was considered
one of those provinces.
Spain had encouraged American immigration to the Texas Territory.
Mexico continued to encourage settlement in the Texas Territory.
The Empresario system was a success.
A few rebels seeking independence from Mexico were crushed.
Identify:
Texians
Tejanos

William Travis was running from his
past; indebtedness, abandonment of his
family, hoping to start a new life in Texas.
He became a leader of the War Party, a militant
faction in Texas advocating armed conflict to break
away from Mexico.
Who do you think belonged to the War Party?
Open violent conflict occurred in Anawak against Mexican officials.
The Texas colonies refused to side with Travis and his War Party.
They told Travis to shut-up and stop causing trouble.
Travis was jailed for 2 months.
When Mexico combined their states of Coahuila and Texas, Austin objected strenuously
and was jailed for 18 months. This action spurred other Texians to consider rebellion.
Why would Austin be against the Coahuila-Texas State?

"The Salvation of Texas depends in keeping Bexar
out of the hands of the enemy.
It serves as the frontier piquet guard . . . Col. Neill &
Myself have come to the solemn
resolution that we will rather die in these ditches
than give it up to the enemy."
Bowie also spoke fluent Spanish and French. This
was one unusual dude.

A cholera epidemic struck Texas.
Fearing the disease would reach San Antonio,
Bowie sent his pregnant wife and
their daughter to the family estate in
Monclova in the company of her
parents and brother.
The cholera epidemic instead struck Monclova,
and between September 6 and
September 14, Ursula, their children,
her brother, and her parents all died
of the disease.

Spain
Mexico
Texas
United States
Texians
Tejanos
Filibusters
Santa Ana
William Travis
The AlamoMissions
Cherokee
Nation
The
Fight for
Mexican
Independence
from
Spain
The Fight for Texas Independence from Mexico

David Crocket arrived at the
Alamo on February 8th

The Tejanos, the people of Mexican descent but favoring Texas Independence,
were now in trouble with Santa Ana’s plans to stop the rebellion.
A rebellion occurred in Zacatecas State, the uprising was put down by Santa Ana- - -
- - -brutal murders, pillaging, rape.
The Texans believed they were next.
October 2nd, 1835, the city of Gonzales had a cannon, previously used
against warring Indians.
Santa Ana sent an army to get the cannon.
Santa Ana’s plan was to confiscate all weapons that might be used in a rebellion.
The local militia in Gonzales drove the Mexican army out and retained the cannon.
What is the “trouble”?
What is the mind-set of the Texians?
What is the mind-set of Santa Ana after the report
of failure by his army in Gonzales?

1835In San Antonio d Bexar Mexican troops fought the Texians house to house with
200 Mexican troops killed , only four Texians.
1836 When the Mexican troops surrendered the Texians took their weapons and sent
them home with a promise not to fight again.
Another loss for Santa Ana’s army. It is time for him to bring 1500 troops to the Texas
territory.
An amazing accomplishment-
Santa Ana’ leads 1500 men on
a forced march in winter over
mountains to the Texas
territory.
They arrive in San
Antonio de Bexar on
March 1st, 1836.

The American press printed all the
stories about the rebellion.
They made the rebellion like an
exciting adventure.
They encouraged many to go and
many headed to Texas to join
the rebellion.

Several months previously, Texians had driven all Mexican troops out of Mexican Texas.
Approximately 100 Texians were then garrisoned at the Alamo.
The Texian force grew slightly with the arrival of reinforcements led by eventual Alamo co-
commanders James Bowie and William B. Travis.
On February 23, approximately 1,500 Mexicans marched into San Antonio de Béxar as the
first step in a campaign to re-take Texas.
For the next 10 days the two armies engaged in several skirmishes with minimal
casualties.
Aware that his garrison could not withstand an attack by such a large force, Travis wrote
multiple letters pleading for more men and supplies, but fewer than 100
reinforcements arrived.

William B. Travis was disliked by the garrison.
Travis fares rather poorly in the popular media,
usually portrayed as a pompous martinet with
few friends.
In reality, Travis was outgoing, gregarious and
respected by his peers.
One fact that has helped create the notion that
the men of the Alamo disliked Travis was the
volunteers' refusal to take orders from him,
electing James Bowie as their leader instead.
The election of Bowie had more to do with the
ongoing philosophical dispute between regulars
and volunteers than it did the garrison's opinion
of Travis.
The volunteers simply did not want to take
orders from a regular officer, even someone
they respected such as Lieutenant Colonel
William B. Travis of the Texas Army.

Santa Anna marched north to bring Texas
back under Mexican control by a show of
brute merciless force.
His expedition posed challenges of
manpower, logistics, supply, and strategy
far beyond what he was prepared for.

The only Texans who rallied to the aid of the Alamo were 32 men from Gonzales.
One question frequently asked about the Battle of the Alamo is why did not more Texans
answer Travis' poignant pleas for help.
Much scorn has been heaped on Colonel James W. Fannin, whose 400-man battalion
remained at Goliad, only 100 miles away.
Fannin's detractors ignore the fact
that he also faced an advancing Mexican column
and could not leave his post unguarded.
Can you defend Colonel Fannin? Try.

Travis, Crocket, Bowie
From the movie “The Alamo”

YES! The hats were accurate for the time.

Travis’ speech before the battle
“…I fear no one is coming.”

The men of the Alamo could have left at any time because they
were volunteers.
Although the majority of the Alamo's garrison was composed
of volunteers, they were volunteers in the 19th century
military sense of the word.
These men had signed an oath of allegiance to the Provisional
Government of Texas, declaring
"I will serve her honestly and faithfully against all her enemies
and oppose whatsoever, and observe and obey the
orders of the Governor of Texas,
the orders and decrees of the present and future authorities and
the orders of the officers appointed over me according to the
rules and regulations for the government of Texas."
Citizen-soldiers, these men were bound to defend any post they
were assigned and were not free to leave on their own.

Mythical
views of the
battle
Are these
depictions
accurate
or not?

Death of Travis
Travis was seen to hesitate, but not about the death he would choose.
“He would take a few steps and stop, turning his proud face toward us to discharge his shots; he fought like
a true soldier. Finally he died, but he died after having traded his life very dearly.
None of his men died with greater heroism, and they all died.
Travis behaved as a hero; one must do him justice, for with a handful of men without discipline, he
resolved to face men used to war and much superior in numbers, without supplies, with scarce munitions,
and against the will of his subordinates.”
Quote-Mexican Colonel Jose Enrique de la Pena
How much
truth, how
much myth
is in this
paragraph?

On March 6 the Mexicans attacked before
dawn, and all 188 defenders of the
Alamo perished.
Santa Anna asked to see the corpses of Bowie,
Travis, and Crockett, and Bexar
mayor Francisco Ruiz identified the
bodies.
Bowie lay on his cot in a room on the south side.
He had been shot several times in the head.
During his lifetime he had been described by his
old friend Caiaphas K. Ham as "a clever,
polite gentleman...attentive to the
ladies on all occasions...a true,
constant, and generous friend...
….a foe no one dared to undervalue and many
feared."
Slave trader, gambler, land speculator, dreamer,
and hero, James Bowie in death became
immortal in the annals of Texas history.
Death of Bowie

There were no survivors.
It is true that nearly all of the Texans under arms inside the fort were killed in the
March 6, 1836, attack.
However, nearly twenty women and children, who experienced the twelve days of
siege leading to the final assault, were spared and allowed to return to their
homes.
The survivors also included Joe, the slave of William B. Travis.
The best known Alamo survivor, Susanna Dickinson, was sent to Gonzales by Santa
Anna with a warning to the Texans that the same fate awaited them if they
continued their revolt
The defeat at the Alamo however served its purpose buying time for General Sam
Houston and his Texas forces.
Houston and his soldiers defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto on 21 April
1836, with the Texan army shouting
"Remember Goliad, Remember the Alamo!“
The day after the battle, on 22 April, a small band of Texan forces led by James
Sylvester captured Santa Anna,
dressed in a dragoon private's uniform and hiding in a marsh.

More than 200 volunteers had
gathered at Gonzales in preparation to
march to the Alamo's relief when news
of its fall reached the town.
It was this collection of men that
formed the nucleus of Sam Houston's
army.
Sam Houston’s Army defeats Santa Ana’s
forces at the San Jacinto River.
Santa Ana, captured, is forced to sign the
document granting the Mexican state of Texas
their independence.
Battle of San Jacinto

Various notes and
comments to follow.
The End

The men at the Alamo died not knowing that Texas had declared its independence.
It is true that the Alamo garrison most likely died unaware that the delegates at the
constitutional convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos had adopted a
Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836.
Nevertheless, the Alamo garrison was in favor of independence and fully expected the
delegates to secede from Mexico.
The garrison had even sent its own delegates to the convention with instructions to vote
for independence.
Travis addressed the issue of independence in a letter sent from the Alamo on
March 3, 1836:
"Let the Convention go on and make a declaration of independence,
and we will then understand, and the world will understand,
what we are fighting for.
If independence is not declared, I shall lay down my arms, and so will the men under my
command.“
Thus, Texas' Declaration of Independence would not have surprised them - it was what
they desired and expected.

The Battle of the Alamo bought time for Sam Houston to build his army.
The notion that the men of the Alamo died buying time for Sam Houston to build an army is well-
entrenched in Alamo lore,
but a review of Houston's activities shows it to be unfounded.
On November 12, 1835, the Consultation (the provisional government of Texas) appointed Sam
Houston Commanding-General of the Texas Army.
His authority, however, extended over the regular army, leaving him unable to legally issue
orders to the volunteers already in the field.
Houston dispatched recruiters to raise the regular army as well as agents to acquire arms,
uniforms, and other supplies.
With no troops to command, Houston received a furlough on January 28 in order to take care of
personal business.
He spent part of his leave conducting negotiations with the Cherokee Indians.
With a treaty successfully concluded, Houston rode to Washington-on-the-Brazos, where he
served as a delegate to the constitutional convention, remaining there until March 6.
During his stay, the new government reconfirmed his appointment as commanding-general of the Texas
Army, giving him control over all troops - regulars and volunteers.
Houston arrived at Gonzales on March 11 to lead a relief expedition to San Antonio but by then the
Alamo had already fallen.
Thus, during the siege Houston was not building an army but engaged in other important business.
Sam Houston’s Army

Many of the Anglo-American settlers owned slaves. Texas was granted a one-year
exemption from Mexico's 1829 edict outlawing slavery but Mexican president
Anastasio Bustamante ordered that all slaves be freed in 1830. To circumvent the law,
many Anglo colonists converted their slaves into indentured servants for life. By 1836
there were 5,000 slaves in Texas.
The issue of slavery arose when it was instituted in the new colonies. Mexico had
outlawed slavery in 1829 but allowed those that had slaves to retain them. But, there
was no assurance that the Mexican government would keep that policy. The Mexican
government worked hard at eliminating slavery in Texas.
William Travis was a militant supporter of slavery, owning “Joe” as his personal property

Spain, Mexican Revolution to Texas Rebellion and The Alamo

Spain, Mexican Revolution to Texas Rebellion and The Alamo

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