Chapter 6

Alliance FilibusterLiberationRepublicVaqueroLariat

Section 1

After the Seven Year’s War (1756-1763), the Treaty of Paris was signed. Spain received New Orleans and all French land

west of the Mississippi (Louisiana). The boundary between the Spanish territory and

foreign territory was the Mississippi River.

Since Spain controlled the land west of present-day Texas, they felt that there was no need to have missions and presidios in East Texas.

The Spanish government sent the Marqués de Rubì, a Spanish officer, to investigate the need for missions. After traveling through New Spain, he realized that there

was a great difference between what Spain claimed and what it controlled.

He suggested that Spain abandon all its missions in Texas except those at San Antonio and Goliad.

He recommended that Spanish settlers in East Texas should move closer to San Antonio for protection.

He asked for a line of 15 forts stretching across northern Mexico from near Laredo to the Gulf of California.

In 1773, the new Spanish governor of Texas, the Baron de Ripperda closed the missions and ordered the 500 settlers to move to San Antonio.

Rubì wanted Spain to create an alliance, or working agreement, with the Comanche so that they could both fight against the Apaches.

The leader of the East Texans, Gil Ybarbo (HEEL ee BAHR boh), pleaded for permission for all the families to return to their former homes. Governor de Ripperda refused, but allowed them to

settle along the Trinity River.In 1774, they settled near present-day

Madisonville. They named their town Bucareli after a Spanish lieutenant general and viceroy.

The small colony did well for four years.Then crop failure, a smallpox epidemic, and conflict

with the Comanche forced the colonists to move. In 1779, Ybarbo led the settlers back into the

East Texas area where they built the town of Nacogdoches near the abandoned Mission Guadalupe.

Spain tried to colonize Texas throughout the late 1700s, but conflict with the Apaches and Comanche interfered.

Spain did not have enough troops to safeguard the area and therefore, Spain was losing its hold on Texas. In the 1790s, Spain stopped funding the Texas

missions and insisted that the churches support themselves.

Governor Domingo Cabello said:“There is not an instant by day or night when

reports do not arrive from all these ranches of barbarities and disorders falling on us. Totally unprotected as we are, they will result in the absolute destruction and loss of this province.”

At the same time that the Spanish were struggling, Americans east of the Mississippi River were fighting for independence from Great Britain. During this time, both France and Spain supported

the colonists. Bernardo de Galvez, governor of Spanish-held

Louisiana, opened the port of New Orleans.Here, American ships were supplied weapons,

clothing, money, and medical supplies. Spain entered the war in 1779 and raised an

army of soldiers from Spain, Mexico, and Cuba. This army kept New Orleans and the lower

Mississippi Valley out of British hands.

After the American Revolution, British and American leaders signed a peace treaty. Great Britain recognized the U.S. as an

independent nation.The new nation’s boundaries were set at Canada in

the North, the Mississippi River in the West, and Florida in the South.

Spain’s claim to Florida was reconfirmed, and both the U.S. and Great Britain were granted trading rights on the Mississippi.

In 1800, Spain was forced to give Louisiana back to France. Three years later, in 1803, the U.S. purchased the

Louisiana Territory from France for about $15 million.

The territory doubled the size of the U.S. This is known as the infamous Louisiana Purchase.

The Americans, previously colonists in 1760, had began moving westward to the Appalachian Mountains.

During the Revolution they migrated over the mountains into Tennessee and Kentucky.

With the purchase of Louisiana, Anglos pushed across the Mississippi toward Spanish-held Texas.

U.S. claimed that the boundary between Spanish Texas and Louisiana extended at least to the Sabine River and possibly include Texas.

Spain claimed that the eastern boundary was a line from the Arroyo Hondo to the Calcasieu (KAL kuh shoo) River in Louisiana.

Finally James Wilkinson, the commander of United States forces in Louisiana, and Colonel Simon de Herrera, the commander of Spanish troops in East Texas compromised. Neither Spain nor the U.S. would occupy the area between

the Sabine River and the Arroyo Hondo-Calcasieu line. This territory became the Neutral Ground.

In 1819, the U.S. and Spain signed the Adams-Onis Treaty.Spain transferred Florida to the U.S. and agreed to

the Sabine River as the eastern boundary.The U.S. surrendered all claims to Texas.The Neutral Ground was now in U.S. territory.

Section 2

Mexicans were unhappy under Spanish rule. The best jobs were reserved for men sent from

Spain.Spain increased Mexican taxes to help pay for wars

in Europe. September 16, 1810 – Father Miguel Hidalgo y

Costilla issued a call for freedom from Spain (grito). For a while, he tried capturing Mexico City.In 1811, he was captured and executed.

Juan Bautista de las Casas seized San Antonio and other Texas towns.

Juan Zambrano caputured Casas on March 2, 1811 and the Spanish regained control over Texas.

Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara was sent to the U.S. for money and supplies. His plan was to invade Texas and free it from Spanish

rule. He recruited soldiers to help in the liberation, or freeing,

of Texas. Augustus Magee, an American lieutenant, resigned

and joined Gutiérrez. Their goal was to form a republic – a government in

which the people voted for who would represent them. The army was called the Republican Army of the

North. August 1812 – the army (Gutiérrez, Magee, Tejanos,

Native Americans, and Anglo Americans) crossed the Sabine River and captured Nacogdoches.

The army – 300 strong – captured Goliad in NovemberSpanish fought back and Magee died – Samuel Kemper

replaced him.

By February, the Spanish troops suffered heavy losses.They retreated from Goliad toward San Antonio. Kemper and his men chased the retreating Spanish

troops. Spanish troops were defeated on March 29, 1813.

Spanish officials surrendered San Antonio. The leaders of the Republican army issued a

declaration of independence for Texas. August 1813 – Spanish forces led by General

Joaquìn de Arredondo fought the Republican army near the Medina River (20 miles south of S.A.).The Spanish won.Goliad and Nacogdoches were now deserted.

Some revolutionaries found safe ground on Galveston Island.

They secured the aid of the French pirate Louis Michael Aury (OH ree).For several months Aury captured Spanish vessels

along the coast of Texas. Aury sailed on to Florida where he joined British

adventurers trying to seize that area from the Spanish.

Pirate Jean Laffite took over Galveston Island. He pretended to support Mexican troops, but he

really wanted the valuable cargo on Spanish ships. He fled south to the Caribbean Islands.

Legend has it that he buried a treasure of gold and silver on one of the islands along the Gulf Coast, but the treasure has never been found.

A group of French colonists led by Charles François Lallemand (frahn SWAH lahl leh MAHN) settled on the Trinity River near present-day Liberty. With 120 men and women, Lallemand buitl two

small forts. The Spanish governor in Texas sent troops to

remove the colonists. Fearing this threat, the French colonists abandoned

the colony in July 1818.

James Long of Natchez, Mississippi, was angry with the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819. In the Summer of 1819, Long led a force into Texas and

captured the nearly-deserted town of Nacogdoches. He declared Texas free and independent and was

elected president. Long traveled to Galveston to ask Laffite for help, but

he refused. During this trip, Long’s men were attacked and

defeated in East Texas.Long returned to New Orleans for more recruits and

invaded Texas by sea. Long and his army captured Goliad, but were

surrounded by Spanish troops and forced to surrender. Long was taken to Mexico City, where he was killed by

a guard.

Section 3

In September 1821, Mexico became independent from Spain.

Texas had been under Spanish rule for over 300 years, but not much growth occurred. Settlements included: San Antonio, Goliad,

Nacogdoches, Laredo (not considered part of Texas), and Ysleta (considered part of New Mexico).

Reasons why settler were not attracted to Texas:No gold or silver to lure fortune hunters.Mexico City was already developed into a

sophisticated city (universities, artist, physicians, etc.).

Politicians knew they needed Mexico City if they wanted to get ahead.

Farmers and cattle ranchers preferred more fertile areas of Mexico and the Pacific slopes of California.

There was still plenty of room in the well-established regions of Mexico.

Native Americans in Texas were unfriendly, whereas Native Americans in Mexico were friendly.

The Spanish left their mark in Texas. How?Many places in Texas have Spanish names.

Amarillo, El Paso, San Antonio, Llano, Del Rio Ganado, Laredo, etc.

The Spaniards laid out the first roads. El Camino Real, a.k.a. the Royal Highway, ran through

Nacogdoches and San Antonio where it branched to San Juan Bautista and Laredo before meeting up in Saltillo.

Atascocita oad in 1760 was used for military purposes. It runs through present-day Beaumont, Liberty, and Houston. It connected Texas to Louisiana. Today, HW 90 follows a similar path.

Horses, cattle, sheep, and pig were brought into Texas.Along with these came lariats and chaps. Vaqueros created the first long cattle drives from South Texas

to markets in Louisiana. Spanish customs were adapted.

This helped create the Tejano culture that we still know today.

Nearly six million Texans today have Spanish names. Many more speak, read, and write Spanish.