The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 13, July 1909 - April, 1910 Page: 177
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Recognition of the Republic of Texas by the U. S. 177
Another piece of enterprise on the part of the commissioners
during their stay in New Orleans deserves notice. This was the
designing of a flag for Texas, which was intended as an appeal both
to England and America for recognition. Austin first planned a
flag, a draft of which was sent to Gail Borden, January 18, 1836.1
This design was submitted to the commissioners and modified
In this form Professor Garrison describes it as follows: "It had
--or was meant to have--the thirteen stripes of the United States
flag, with the red changed to blue, and in the upper left-hand cor-
ner, instead of stars, was the British union with red stripes on a
white field. On the flag was a sun encircled by the motto Lux
Libertatis, and on the face of the sun was the head of Washing-
ton, underneath which were the words, 'In his example there is
safety.' "P The flag was not accepted by the Texas authorities, but
this "mute appeal . . . [of the Texans] to their near and
still nearer of kin which lay in joining the British Jack to the
stripes of the American Union was at once proud and pathetic."a
The rest of the work of the commissioners in New Orleans con-
sisted in supervising the purchase of supplies;4 providing for the
equipment of the schooner Ingham, late revenue cutter, for the
service of Texas; appointing William Bryan general agent of the
government at New Orleans, and Edward Hall purchasing agent;
authorizing T. D. Owings to raise troops for Texas in Kentucky;
and instructing A. J. Yates to go to New York to purchase a steam
vessel to defend the Texas coast.5 Wharton left on the 17th for
'Austin to Borden, January 18, 1836, Austin Papers. Professor Gar-
rison identifies as this design a drawing of a flag found some years ago
among the Nacogdoches Archives (in the Texas State Library). He also
shows that the flag presented to, Moseley Baker's company at San Felipe
in February, 1836, was in all probability made after this pattern. (Gar-
rison, "Another Texas Flag," in THE QUARTERLY, III, 170-176). There is
another draft of the flag in the Austin Papers, which, although now sep-
arated from the letter to Borden, was doubtless originally filed with it.
'Garrison, "First Stage of the Movement for the Annexation of Texas,"
in The American Historical Review, X, 73-74.
sGarrison, "Another Texas Flag," in THE QUARTERLY, III, 176.
*A. Houston, quartermaster-general, to commissioners, January 10, 1836,
Austin Papers.
"A. J. Yates to Austin, Archer, and Wharton, January 14, 1836; Aus-
tin and Archer to Henry Smith. January 26, 1836; Austin and Archer
to Yates, January 21, 1836; Austin and Archer to Colonel Owings, Jan-
uary 18, 1836; all in Austin Papers, the last two also in Garrison, Dip.
Cor. Tex., I, 59-62.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 13, July 1909 - April, 1910, periodical, 1910; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101051/m1/197/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.