Texas Almanac, 1952-1953 Page: 48
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TEXAS ALMANAC.-1952-1953.
ganized an independent expedition under Col.
W. S. Fisher, crossed the Rio Grande and
attacked Mier, a place of considerable size
and strategic importance. After a bitter fight
they surrendered to a much larger force and
were started as prisoners of war toward
Mexico City. At Salado they escaped, were re-
captured later and every tenth man was
executed as the result of the famous drawing
of the black beans. Capt. Ewen Cameron
was also executed for having headed the
break for liberty. The others were marched
to Mexico City and imprisoned in the Castle
of Perote. Thirty-five of them were eventually
released.
The Archive War
The Mexican invasions resulted in one of
the comic opera incidents of Texas 'history-
one which might have had tragic results.
In 1839, following a careful investigation by
a government commission, the site of Austin
on the Colorado had been selected for the
capital and a city established there despite
its frontier position. When the first Mexican
invasion of 1842 took place the seat of govern-
ment was moved back to Houston by Presi-
dent Houston.
Fearing that Houston would be partial to
the city which bore his name, citizens of
Austin seized state papers and held them. In
December, 1842, Houston sent a small com-
pany to seize the archives, but this force was
driven from the city after partially loading
their wagons, pursued and forced to return
A few shots were fired during the encoun-
ter. Houston had ordered the archives sent
to Washington-on-the-Brazos and the seat of
government was maintained there briefly, but
returned to Austin under President Anson
Jones in 1844.
Regulators and Moderators
A serious disturbance broke out in Eastern
Texas in 1842, resulting from charges of land
fraud. Shelby County, which then included a
large portion of East Texas besides the pres-
ent Shelby County, became two armed camps
that were known as the "Regulators" and the
"Moderators." A vendetta prevailed for about
two years, during which time about fifty
men were slain and courts ceased to function
President Houston succeeded in quieting the
disturbance in 1844, but bitterness and ill
effects lasted for many years.
Snively Expedition
Another military project during the second
Houston administration was the Snively ex-
pedition in the early part of 1843, which
marched into New Mexico for the purpose of
capturing a Mexican wagon train on the
Santa Fe trail. The Texans were successful
but were captured in turn a few days later
by a United States detachment on the charge
that they were within the bounds of the
United States.
Anson Jones' Administration
The last national election held Sept. 2,
1844. resulted in the election of Anson Jones
as President, over Gen. Edward Burleson
Although Jones had generally opposed annex-
ation of Texas to the United States, his ad-
ministration was largely devoted to issues
involving annexation and the winding up of
the affairs of the little Republic. Although
Texas had increased rapidly in population
and had attained security in its independence.
partly through recognition by a number of
foreign powers, partly through the proven
ability of its volunteer forces and partly
through the confusion that prevailed in Mex-
ico. its financial difficulties had steadily
increased.
The Republic began its existence with a
public debt of more than $1,000,000 and saw
this grow to nearly $8.000,000 in its ten years
of life. Lamar's military policy greatly in-
creased the public debt. The paper money
issued by the new government depreciatedquickly and the money of the United States
was more acceptable than that of Texas.
After Texas had obtained recognition by a
number of the leading world powers, no
treaty with Mexico was ever signed, although
several attempts were made by the Texas
Government to reach an agreement. An armi-
stice was signed in 1844, but this was an-
nulled by Mexico in 1845 when annexation
was effected.
Annexation.
A majority of Texans were for annexation
to the United States from the beginning of
the Republic. At the first election the subject
of annexation was submitted and the vote
was almost unanimously favorable. In the
United States there was almost unanimous
favorable sentiment in the South, but there
was much opposition in antislave states.
The race between Polk (Democrat) and
Clay (Whig) in 1844 centered about the an-
nexation issue, Polk favoring annexation and
winning the race. Tyler, the incumbent, how-
ever had the resolution for annexation intro-
duced in Congress at the short session pre-
ceding Polk's inauguration and the action of
Congress was favorable. The provision of this
agreement which has been of greatest import
to Texans was that giving to the state the
entire public domain of the Republic. Another
provision which has occasioned much discus-
sion was that providing that Texas might at
its discretion divide itself into as many as
five states.
President Anson Jones called the Texas
Congress in special session and annexation
was given a favorable vote, following which
a convention called by the President ratified
annexation and wrote a State Constitution,
which the people approved Oct. 13. Jones re-
tired as President Feb. 19, 1846, succeeded
by J. Pinckney Henderson, first Governor of
Texas. On Dec. 29, 1845, the Congress of the
United States had accepted the new State
Constitution of Texas and this date has been
declared by the United States Supreme Court
as the legal date of annexation. While this
may be considered the de jure date of an-
nexation, the de facto date was Feb. 19. 1846
when the Lone Star flag was lowered and the
Stars and Stripes raised over the Capitol al
Austin, as President Jones retired in favoi
of Governor Henderson. Texas became the
twenty-eighth state in the Union.
STATEHOOD PRIOR TO CIVIL WAR
Events of Henderson's administration cen-
tered about the Mexican War. Mexico had
never relinquished its claim to Texas, al-
though internal dissension in that republic
had prevented it from military efforts to
resubjugate the territory north of the Rio
Grande, other than the two invasions in
March and September of 1842. Shortly after
annexation of Texas, Mexico brought the
issue to a crisis by breaking off diplomatic
relations with the United States.
Gen. Zachary Taylor was ordered to occupy
the disputed area between the Rio Grande
and the Nueces. Mexico maintained that the
Nueces was the boundary line between Texas
and Mexico, aside from its claim to the en-
tire area of Texas.
The first encounter was at Palo Alto, near
Brownsville, May 8, and the following day
another engagement was fought at Resaca
de la Palma, a short distance from the scene
of the first encounter. Thereafter Mexican
forces withdrew from Texas soil and no more
engagements were fought north of the Rio
Grande. Enlistment in the United States
Army from the new state of Texas was heavy
The progress of Generals Winfield Scott and
Taylor was rapid and Mexico City fell Sept.
14, 1847. By the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo,
Feb. 2, 1848, claim to Texas including the
area below the Nueces was relinquished and
that part of the present United States west
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Texas Almanac, 1952-1953, book, 1951; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117137/m1/50/: accessed April 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.