GREEN FLAG OVER TEXAS ~ Story of the c(,ast Years of Spain in cr'exas 'By JULIA KATHRYN GARRETT, PH. D. Chairman of the Social Science Department P~chal High School, Fort Worth, Texas THE CORDOVA PRESS INC. New York and Dallas 1939 Copyright 1939 by THE CORDOVA PRESS INC. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in any part or parts, in any form what­ ever, without written permission from the publisher, except that brief passages may be quoted in reviews of it intended to be printed in a news­ paper or magazine. PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA To my mother LILLIE LONGINOTTI GARRETT FOREWORD Dr. Garrett has turned a veritable flood of new light on a dramatic episode in Southwestern history. Her book admir­ ably illustrates the fact that the story of the early develop­ ment of the area now constituting the United States cannot be confined within present-day boundaries. Many currents of Western Hemisphere history have been common to all parts of the continent, not stopping suddenly at the geogra­ phic lines which now make up the political map. The Rio Grande and the forty-ninth parallel did not become interna­ tional boundary lines until the nineteenth century was well on its course. Numerous Borderland areas have shifted back and forth from one allegiance to another, and their history consequently reflects the unmistakable impress of various streams of influence and culture. This is notably true of Texas, which in itself was long a shifting and uncertain territorial entity. Until 1822 the region now included under that impressive name consisted of various fragments of the Spanish-American empire. Always a borderland, its early history is inextricably interwoven on the one hand with that of Mexico and on the other with that of Greater Louisiana, an area which in turn belonged to France, then to Spain, and later to the United States. This complex and therefore intriguing character of early Texas history is nowhere better illustrated than in the story of the struggle for Texan independence from Spain between 1810 and 1813. vu VIII FOREWORD The American Revolution was not confined to thirteen English colonies, nor did it end in 1783. It spread in the­ early nineteenth century to Hispanic America, and ended with the liberation of all the mainland colonies of Portugal and Spain. Washington freed from European rule the eastern third of the territory now comprised within the United States, that is to say, the region east of the Mississippi River. The middle third was given its independence from European control by Napoleon Bonaparte, when in 1803 he "tossed into the lap of the United States" the western half of the Mississippi Basin. All the rest of America from Cape Horn to Oregon was freed by revolution in the years between 1810 and 1826. Brazil was separated from Portugal almost with­ out bloodshed. Miranda, Bolivar, and San Martin led the :fierce and protracted struggle for the independence of Span­ ish South America. Hidalgo, Morelos, and Iturbide played the most conspicuous parts in the movement which liberated from Spain all the country between Panama on the south and Oregon on the north. It was the Mexicans who liberated from European domination the southwestern third of the United States. Texas, as a Spanish province, was inevitably involved in these revolutionary movements begun in Mexico by Hidalgo in 1810. In that province the struggle was greatly compli­ cated by proximity to the United States. The government in Washington welcomed the revolution in Spanish-America through interest in the spread of democracy, the expansion of commerce, and the enlargement of national b.oundaries. Government interest was warmly seconded by restless border men who embraced the opportunity for adventure a-nd pro­ fit at the same time that they promoted these ambitions of the government. Dr. Garrett graphically portrays this kaleodoscopic and colorful story-the spread of the revolutionary struggle from central Mexico into the nQrther.n border provinces1 the speedy FOREWORD TX crushing of the Casas uprising in Texas, the capture of Hidalgo and 4is associates at the Wells of Bajan and their execution at Chihuahua, the appeal of the border revolu­ tionists for help in the United States, the eager interest in the movement manifested by the government in Washington, the organizing of the Gutierrez-Magee expedition in No­ Man,s-Land, and its crushing defeat near San Antonio in 1813 by the royal forces of Spain led by Arredondo. The author's exhaustive research in the archives of Texas, Mexico, Washington, and elsewhere was in itself a personal adventure not lacking in those thrills known only to the historical discoverer, and it gave her command of a large, varied, and illuminating body of fresh materials from which to weave her vivacious narrative. She has given us the only account in English which carries the story of the War of Independence northward to and across the Rio Grande. She has made vivid the details of the Casas uprising, its suppres­ sion at San Antonio, and the assembling and operations of the Anglo-American forces. She has shed new light on the agents interested in giving a "French direction" to the re­ volution in the Spanish provinces; and even more on the etf orts of Anglo-American agents working in the interest of the United States to give "proper direction" to the struggle in Texas. As a result Qf her excellent work numerou.s :figures in Southwestern history now stand out in bolder relief: Casas, the two Salcedos, Elizondo, Arredondo, Gutierrez, Toledo, Magee, Claiborne, Sibley, Wilkinson, Davenport, and me,st especially, William Shaler. Her :findings illuminate Madi­ son's policy as exemplified by his interest in the revolutionary movements in Texas and the Floridas. She has brought out of the fog of obscurity a hitherto little-known emblem, the "Green Flag over Texas." HERBERT E. BOLTON The University of California, Berkeley, September 11, 1939. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page FOREWORD VII ACKNOWLEDGMENT XIIl SPAIN STRUGGLES TO FORTIFY TEXAS AGAINST INVASION AND REVOLT I. "TEXAS, THE KEY TO ALL NEW SPAIN" 3 II. BUFFER-BUILDING 11 III. AN IMPERILED BULWARK 18 IV. AN INCOMPLETED TASK 23 REVOLUTION TRIUMPHS AND FAILS V. MEXICO ASSERTS HER MATURITY 31 VI. SPARKS 36 VII. FIRE 40 VIII. A PRECARIOUS SITUATION 46 IX. MEXICAN ENVOYS 50 X. DUPLICITY SUCCEEDS 55 XI. SCHEMES 61 XII. THE WELLS OF BAJAN 67 XIII. THE PENALTY OF DEFEAT 71 XIV. DISCOURAGEMENT 76 REVOLUTIONISTS RENEW THEIR STRENGTH xv. GUTIERREZ 83 XVI. A JOURNEY INTO A STRANGE COUNTRY 89 XVII. DUBIOUS DIPLOMACY 92 XVIII. TOLEDO 97 XIX. SHALER 104 xx. NEWCOMERS TO NATCHITOCHES 109 XI XII TABLE OF CONTENTS Page XXI. EXPLANATIONS 113 XXII. ENTICING PROPOSALS 117 XXIII. INSUPERABLE DIFFICU1. TIES 121 XXIV. LIBERTY PROPAGANDA 126 XXV. l\ RIDDLE 133 XXVI. A. YOUTH AND A REBEL 140 REVOLUTION REOPENS IN TEXAS ;"::XVII. SEIZURE OF THE GATEWAY 149 XXVIII. FIN AL PREENING 156 XXIX. DELAY 163 XXX. A CRY FoR HELP 170 XXXI. THE FuLFILLMENT OF SALCEDo's PROPHECY 175 XXXII. TEXAS A REPUBLIC 180 XXXIII. A MAN OF TALENT 187 XXXIV. MALICIOUS FORCES 192 XXXV. INTRIGUE AND A PRINTING PRESS 198 A SHADOW OF SPANISH POWER RETURNS XXXVI. A MAN OF ACTION 205 XXXVII. ELIZONDO BLUNDERS 211 xv-x·vTTI~ • J.l . SHALER ENTHRONES A LEADER 217 XXXIX. THE GREEN FLAG VANISHES 222 XL. PESSIMISTIC PROPHECIES 230 XLI. A HOWLING WILDERNESS 233 EPILOGUE 236 NOTES 241 BIBLIOGRAPHY 261 ACKNOWLEDGMENT The world is so full of books-books born of one or more of the many feelings which drive men. This story was born of a sentiment kindled by Doctor Herbert Eugene Bolton, master teacher, eminent American historian, ex­ plorer, and cartographer, but most of all an artist in the un­ derstanding and appreciation of men. The search fQr the material for this book was a fruitful adventure, starting in Mexico, D. F. Diligent weeks were spent in the former palace of the viceroys of Mexico, which now houses the national archives, Archivo General Publico de la Nacion de MexicQ-a mine of documents, chiefly of the history of the western half of North America from the days of Cortes to the middle nineteenth century. The di­ rector, Senor Rafael Lopez, extended many courtesies and valuable aid in the gallant manner of a Latin gentleman. Then many days of exploration were spent in the national library, Biblioteca Nacional de Mexico. There it was my privilege to use many rare books, among them the first his­ tory to be published on the revolution for Mexican inde­ pendence, Historia de la Revolucion de Nueva Espaiill Antiguamente Anahuac, 0 V erdadero Orig en y Causas de ella con la relacion de sus progresos has ta el presente ano de 1813. This history in two volumes was written by Jose Servando Teresa de Guerra y Noriega Mier, a clerical fugitive from Mexico, and published in London in 1813. It contained an account of the revolution in Texas from which were pub- XIII XIV ACKNOWLEDGMENT lished articles in the London papers. It is said that there are fewer than six copies in existence. Adventure did not end, however, in Mexico. Like the characters in this story, I found a trip to Washington, D. C., was necessary. In the Library of Congress, an architectural jewel and historical storehouse of our nation, an abundance of material was made accessible by the kind attention of the di­ rector of the Manuscript Division, Doctor J. Franklin Jame­ son. Acknowledgment is also due to my Mother, who at the same time ably and thoroughly searched the Periodical Divi­ sion of the Library of Congress.