Come and Take It

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In the beginning...American settlement in Texas began with the encouragement
of first the Spanish, and then Mexican governments. In the
summer of 1820 Moses Austin, a bankrupt 59-year-old
Missourian, asked Spanish authorities for a large Texas land
tract which he would promote an sell to American pioneers.

In 1821, the Spanish government gave him permission to
settle 300 families in Texas. Spain welcomed the Americans
for two reasons; to provide a buffer against illegal U.S. settlers,
who were creating problems in east Texas even before the grant
was made to Austin, and to help develop the land, since only
3,500 native Mexicans had settled in Texas.

Moses Austin did not live to see his dream realized. He died of
pneumonia, but before he passed, his son Stephen promised to carry
out the dream of colonizing Texas. By the end of 1824, young
Austin had attracted almost 300 colonists to Texas, and had
persuaded the newly independent Mexican government that the
best way to attract Americans was to give land agents land for every
200 families brought to Texas.

As the Anglo population swelled, Mexican authorities grew
increasingly suspicious of the growing American presence. Mexico
feared that the U.S. planned to use the Texas colonists to acquire the
province by revolution. Differences in language and culture had
produced bitter enmity between the colonists and native Mexicans.
The colonists refused to learn the Spanish language, maintained their
own separate schools, and conducted most of their traded with the U.S.

To reassert its authority over Texas, the Mexican government
reaffirmed its Constitutional prohibition against slavery,
established a chain of military posts occupied by convict
soldiers, restricted trade with the U.S., and decreed an end
to further American immigration.

These actions might have provoked Texans to revolution. But
in 1832, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, a Mexican
politician and soldier, became Mexico's president. Colonists
hoped that he would make Texas a self-governing state within
the Mexican republic. But once in power, Santa Anna proved
to be less liberal than many Texans had believed. In 1834, he
overthrew Mexico's constitutional government, abolished state
governments, and made himself dictator. When Stephen Austin
went to Mexico City to try to settle the Texans' grievances, Santa
Anna imprisoned him in a Mexican jail for a year.

On November 3, 1835, American colonists adopted a
constitution and organized a temporary government, but voted
overwhelmingly against declaring independence. A majority of
colonists hoped to attract the support of Mexican liberals in a
joint effort to depose Santa Anna and to restore power to the
state governments, hopefully including a separate state of Texas.

While holding out the possibility of compromise, the Texans
prepared for war by electing Sam Houston commander of
whatever military forces he could muster. Houston, one of the
larger-than-life figures who helped win Texas independence,
Houston had run away from home at the age of 15 and lived for
three years with the Cherokee Indians in eastern Tennessee.
During the War of 1812, he had fought in the Creek War under
Andrew Jackson. At 30 he was elected to the House of
Representatives and at 34 he was elected governor of Tennessee.

Then, suddenly, in 1829 scandal struck. Houston married a
woman 17 years younger than himself. Within three months,
the marriage was mysteriously annulled. Depressed and
humiliated, Houston resigned as governor. After wandering
about the country, he returned to live with the Cherokee in
present day Arkansas and Oklahoma.

During his stay with the tribe, Houston was instrumental in
forging peace treaties among several warring Indian nations. In
1832, Houston traveled to Washington to demand that President
Jackson live up to the terms of the removal treaty. Jackson did
not meet Houston's demands, but instead sent him unofficially to
Texas to keep an eye on the American settlers and the growing
anti-Mexican sentiment.

In the middle of 1835, scattered local outbursts erupted
against Mexican rule. Then, a band of 300-500 Texas
riflemen--who comprised the entire Texas army--
captured Mexico's military headquarters in San Antonio.
Revolution was underway.

Soon, the ominous news reached Texas that Santa Anna
himself was marching north with 7,000 soldiers to crush
the revolt. In actuality, Santa Anna's army was not
particularly impressive; it was filled with raw recruits,
and included many Indian troops who spoke and
understood little Spanish. When Houston learned that
Santa Anna's initial goal was to recapture San Antonio,
he ordered San Antonio abandoned. But, 150 Texas rebels
decided to defend the city and made their stand at an
abandoned Spanish mission, the Alamo. The Texans were
led by William Travis and Jim Bowie, and included the
frontier hero David Crockett.

For twelve days, Mexican forces lay siege to the
Alamo. Travis issued an appeal for reinforcements,
but only 32 men were able to cross Mexican lines.
Legend has it that on the evening of March 5, 1836,
Travis, realizing that defense of the Alamo was futile,
drew a line in the dirt with his sword. Only those
willing to die for Texas independence, Travis
announced to the garrison, should step across the
line and defend the Alamo. All but two men did.
One refused to cross the line, and another, Jim Bowie,
too sick to move from his cot, called over some
friends and had them carry him across Travis's line.

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