Sam Houston and the American Southwest - the transformation he experienced in his attitudes towards and dealings with the so-called "war party".

Authors Avatar

Jonathan Bell

HIS 2053

Essay Two

Sam Houston and the American Southwest

        Sam Houston is an interesting figure to study, particularly in the span of Texas history leading up to the Mexican Revolution, primarily because of the transformation he experienced in his attitudes towards and dealings with the so-called “war party”.  While initially siding with those who favored tough resistance to Mexico City, Houston’s sentiments towards this bunch of rabble-rousers underwent a remarkable conversion throughout the 1830s, and by the time Texas teetered on the edge of revolution, Houston seemed to have acquired a greater sense of loyalty to Mexico and a distaste for outright rebellion.  In his book, Sam Houston and the American Southwest, Randolph B. Campbell details this intriguing conversion, suggesting possible causes and analyzing the change’s effects.

Join now!

        Upon returning to Nacogdoches in early 1933, Houston was a staunch supporter of the war party, “help[ing] William H. Wharton, a leader of the … party … in his successful effort to defeat Stephen F. Austin for the position of chairman” (53).  Likely influenced by his Tennessee roots, he also “supported the call for separate statehood” and helped propose a new state constitution (53).  A few short months later, Houston arrived at Fort Gibson for a meeting with US commissioners and Comanche Indian leaders.  Although neither showed up, Houston’s willingness to commit such an act when “[t]he Mexicans,” as he ...

This is a preview of the whole essay