Texas Archive War
Encyclopedia
The Texas Archive War was an 1842 dispute over an attempted move of the Republic of Texas
national archives from Austin
to Houston
and, more broadly, over then-president Sam Houston
's efforts to make Houston the capital of Texas.
formed in 1836. As the Texas Revolution
continued, the papers that documented the workings of the interim government accompanied government officials as they evacuated to various towns to stay in front of the Mexican Army. After the war ended in April, Columbia became the nation's capital city, and the archives were located there. The center of government and the archives were then moved to Houston.
In 1839, Mirabeau B. Lamar
became President of Texas. Under his influence, the Texas Congress authorized the establishment of a planned city to serve as the seat of government. The new city, Austin
, was at the edge of the frontier, near several hostile native tribes, with no easy way to get supplies. Proponents of the move predicted that when the rest of the nation was settled, Austin would be the population center. The opposition, led by former president Sam Houston
, wanted the government to remain near the current population center, along the Gulf Coast.
The nation's archives were moved to Austin between August 26 and October 14, 1839. Fifty wagons were used. Lamar and his cabinet arrived on October 17. Over the next several years, Comanche
s staged several raids near Austin. Citizens in the Houston area and the Houston Morning Star
editorial board used these as evidence to support their argument that the capital and the archives should be returned to Houston.
Sam Houston was elected president again in September 1841. His margin of victory was so large he assumed a mandate to implement his priorities, including moving the capital. Congress continued to reject proposals to move the archives.
Congress adjourned in February 1842. The following month, Mexican troops under General Rafael Vásquez
invaded Texas. By March 5, over 1,000 Mexican soldiers were camped in San Antonio
. Several days later, a committe of vigilance in Austin recommended martial law and ordered residents to evacuate. A small number of people remained. President Houston returned to the city that bore his name.
Vásquez retreated after a few days. Sam Houston may not have known of this; on March 10, he ordered George W. Hockley, Secretary of War, the move the archives to Houston. As justification, he cited part of the Constitution of Texas which stated "The president and heads of departments shall keep their offices at the seat of government, unless removed by the permission of Congress, or unless, in case of emergency in time of war, the public interest may require their removal."
Colonel Henry Jones, the military commander in Austin, convened a group of citizen to discuss Houston's order. Public sentiment was that Austin was safe, and that Houston's departure had created a lack of confidence in the city, which had resulted in devalued real estate. On March 16, the committe of vigilance resolved that removing the archives was against the law. They formed a patrol at Bastrop
to search every wagon and seize any government records found. Sam Houston's private secretary, W.D. Miller, wrote him that Austin residents "would much rather take their rifles to prevent a removal [of the archives] than to fight Mexicans". To resolve the issue, the president called a special session of Congress, which convened in Houston on June 27, 1842. Congress took no action to move the capital.
led another Mexican expedition into Texas and temporarily captured San Antonio. Sam Houston convened the Seventh Texas Congress convened at Washington-on-the-Brazos
. In his introductory remarks, Houston demanded that Congress support the removal of the archives, over the protests of the "seditious" citizens of Austin, asserting that "as to the propriety and necessity of the act no reasonable doubt could exist". On December 9, Senator Greer proposed "A Bill to provide for the safety of the National Archives". The vote to suspend the rules of order to allow the bill to pass quickly resulted in a tie; Senate president Edward Burleson
, who did not like Sam Houston, cast the deciding vote against the bill. Undeterred, on December 10 Greer introduced another bill to move the General Land Office. He left blank the name of the city to which the office should be moved, resulting in weeks of debate as to which city should be so honored.
On December 10, Houston privately tasked Colonel Thomas I. Smith and Captain Eli Chandler with moving the nation's archives to Washington-on-the-Brazos. Houston wrote that "The importance of removing the public archives and government stores from their present dangerous situation at the City of Austin to a place of security, is becoming daily more and more imperative. While they remain where they are, no one knows the hour when they may be utterly destroyed." The men were encouraged to raise a small troop on the premise of conducting an excursion against the native tribes, then quickly secure the archives and transport them.
Smith led over 20 men and 3 wagons into Austin the morning of December 30, 1842. The men were almost finished loading the wagons with papers when they were noticed by Angelina Eberly
, owner of a nearby boarding house. Eberly ran to Congress Avenue
, where a 6-pound howitzer
was situated. She turned the small cannon toward the Land Office, and Eberly fired it. Although some shot hit the Land Office, there was no real damage and no one was injured.
Smith and his men left quickly, headed northeast to avoid the men patrolling the road through Bastrop. They were accompanied by two clerks from the General Land Office (GLO), who were tasked with ensuring the GLO records were not harmed or modified. Their progress was slow; a downpour made roads almost impassible for the already slow-moving oxen. The group managed to travel 18 miles (29 km) before stopping for the night at Kinney's Fort along Bushy Creek.
In Austin, Captain Mark Lewis gathered a group of men to retrieve the archives. Some of the pursuers had no horses, and some had little or no weaponry. Lewis's men reached Smith's encampment in the middle of the night. They were undetected, as Smith had neglected to post guards. On the morning of December 31, the records were returned to Austin. It is uncertain as to whether Smith's men took them back or if the Austin group took custody of the records and transported them.
The Senate also issued a resolution encouraging Houston to move the governmental agencies back to Austin. Nevertheless, the legislature and government offices continued to run from Washington-on-the-Brazos. Former president Lamar received a letter in March 1843 that said the town of Austin was almost deserted; most businesses were closed, but the archives were still present.
On July 4, 1845, a convention met in Austin to consider the annexation of Texas to the United States. At that time, the governmental records created in Washington-on-the-Brazos were transferred to Austin, creating a single archive.
A statue of Angelina Eberly was erected in 2004 in downtown Austin.
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
national archives from Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
to Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
and, more broadly, over then-president Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
's efforts to make Houston the capital of Texas.
Background
The Republic of TexasRepublic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
formed in 1836. As the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
continued, the papers that documented the workings of the interim government accompanied government officials as they evacuated to various towns to stay in front of the Mexican Army. After the war ended in April, Columbia became the nation's capital city, and the archives were located there. The center of government and the archives were then moved to Houston.
In 1839, Mirabeau B. Lamar
Mirabeau B. Lamar
Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar was a Texas politician, diplomat and soldier who was a leading Texas political figure during the Texas Republic era. He was the second President of the Republic of Texas, after David G. Burnet and Sam Houston.-Early years:Lamar grew up at Fairfield, his father's...
became President of Texas. Under his influence, the Texas Congress authorized the establishment of a planned city to serve as the seat of government. The new city, Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, was at the edge of the frontier, near several hostile native tribes, with no easy way to get supplies. Proponents of the move predicted that when the rest of the nation was settled, Austin would be the population center. The opposition, led by former president Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
, wanted the government to remain near the current population center, along the Gulf Coast.
The nation's archives were moved to Austin between August 26 and October 14, 1839. Fifty wagons were used. Lamar and his cabinet arrived on October 17. Over the next several years, Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
s staged several raids near Austin. Citizens in the Houston area and the Houston Morning Star
Morning Star
Morning star is the name given to the planet Venus when it appears in the east before sunrise.*Phosphorus , in Greek and biblical mythology** Eosphorus, the "dawn-bearer" in Greek mythology**Lucifer, the Latin translation of Phosphorus...
editorial board used these as evidence to support their argument that the capital and the archives should be returned to Houston.
Sam Houston was elected president again in September 1841. His margin of victory was so large he assumed a mandate to implement his priorities, including moving the capital. Congress continued to reject proposals to move the archives.
Prelude
Rafael Vásquez
Rafael Vásquez Rodríguez is a Peruvian politician and a Congressman representing Lima for the 2006-2011 term. Vásquez belongs to the Union for Peru party.-External links:*...
invaded Texas. By March 5, over 1,000 Mexican soldiers were camped in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. Several days later, a committe of vigilance in Austin recommended martial law and ordered residents to evacuate. A small number of people remained. President Houston returned to the city that bore his name.
Vásquez retreated after a few days. Sam Houston may not have known of this; on March 10, he ordered George W. Hockley, Secretary of War, the move the archives to Houston. As justification, he cited part of the Constitution of Texas which stated "The president and heads of departments shall keep their offices at the seat of government, unless removed by the permission of Congress, or unless, in case of emergency in time of war, the public interest may require their removal."
Colonel Henry Jones, the military commander in Austin, convened a group of citizen to discuss Houston's order. Public sentiment was that Austin was safe, and that Houston's departure had created a lack of confidence in the city, which had resulted in devalued real estate. On March 16, the committe of vigilance resolved that removing the archives was against the law. They formed a patrol at Bastrop
Bastrop, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there are 5340 people in Bastrop, organized into 2034 households and 1336 families. The population density is 734.8 people per square mile . There are 2,239 housing units at an average density of 308.1 per square mile...
to search every wagon and seize any government records found. Sam Houston's private secretary, W.D. Miller, wrote him that Austin residents "would much rather take their rifles to prevent a removal [of the archives] than to fight Mexicans". To resolve the issue, the president called a special session of Congress, which convened in Houston on June 27, 1842. Congress took no action to move the capital.
Conflict
In September 1842, General Adrián WollAdrián Woll
Adrián Woll was a French soldier of fortune and mercenary who served as a general in the army of Mexico during the Texas Revolution and the Mexican-American War.-Biography:...
led another Mexican expedition into Texas and temporarily captured San Antonio. Sam Houston convened the Seventh Texas Congress convened at Washington-on-the-Brazos
Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas
Washington-on-the-Brazos is an unincorporated area along the Brazos River in Washington County, Texas, United States. It was founded when Texas was still a part of Mexico, and the settlement became the site of the Convention of 1836 and the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence...
. In his introductory remarks, Houston demanded that Congress support the removal of the archives, over the protests of the "seditious" citizens of Austin, asserting that "as to the propriety and necessity of the act no reasonable doubt could exist". On December 9, Senator Greer proposed "A Bill to provide for the safety of the National Archives". The vote to suspend the rules of order to allow the bill to pass quickly resulted in a tie; Senate president Edward Burleson
Edward Burleson
Edward Burleson was a soldier, general, and statesman in the state of Missouri, the Republic of Texas, and later the U.S. state of Texas....
, who did not like Sam Houston, cast the deciding vote against the bill. Undeterred, on December 10 Greer introduced another bill to move the General Land Office. He left blank the name of the city to which the office should be moved, resulting in weeks of debate as to which city should be so honored.
On December 10, Houston privately tasked Colonel Thomas I. Smith and Captain Eli Chandler with moving the nation's archives to Washington-on-the-Brazos. Houston wrote that "The importance of removing the public archives and government stores from their present dangerous situation at the City of Austin to a place of security, is becoming daily more and more imperative. While they remain where they are, no one knows the hour when they may be utterly destroyed." The men were encouraged to raise a small troop on the premise of conducting an excursion against the native tribes, then quickly secure the archives and transport them.
Smith led over 20 men and 3 wagons into Austin the morning of December 30, 1842. The men were almost finished loading the wagons with papers when they were noticed by Angelina Eberly
Angelina Eberly
Angelina Belle Peyton Eberly was an innkeeper and a hero of Austin, Texas in the Texas Archive War.Angelina was born to John and Margaret Peyton in Sumner County, Tennessee. In 1818 she married her first cousin, Jonathan C. Peyton, and moved with him to New Orleans, Louisiana...
, owner of a nearby boarding house. Eberly ran to Congress Avenue
Congress Avenue
Congress Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Austin, Texas. The street is a six-lane, tree lined avenue that cuts through the middle of the city from far south Austin and goes over Lady Bird Lake leading to the Texas State Capitol in the heart of downtown....
, where a 6-pound howitzer
Howitzer
A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
was situated. She turned the small cannon toward the Land Office, and Eberly fired it. Although some shot hit the Land Office, there was no real damage and no one was injured.
Smith and his men left quickly, headed northeast to avoid the men patrolling the road through Bastrop. They were accompanied by two clerks from the General Land Office (GLO), who were tasked with ensuring the GLO records were not harmed or modified. Their progress was slow; a downpour made roads almost impassible for the already slow-moving oxen. The group managed to travel 18 miles (29 km) before stopping for the night at Kinney's Fort along Bushy Creek.
In Austin, Captain Mark Lewis gathered a group of men to retrieve the archives. Some of the pursuers had no horses, and some had little or no weaponry. Lewis's men reached Smith's encampment in the middle of the night. They were undetected, as Smith had neglected to post guards. On the morning of December 31, the records were returned to Austin. It is uncertain as to whether Smith's men took them back or if the Austin group took custody of the records and transported them.
Aftermath
The Texas House of Representatives formed a committee to investigate the attempted transferral of the archives. The committee admonished President Houston for his actions in trying to move the capital from Austin without the approval of Congress. A Senate committee reported that they did not agree that Austin should be the capital, but without an immediate threat to the city, Houston had no legal reason to move the records. In 1843, the Senate voted that the archived should be moved if there was not peace with Mexico. The vote was again tied, but this time Burleson cast his deciding vote in favor of the bill. The Texas House rejected it.The Senate also issued a resolution encouraging Houston to move the governmental agencies back to Austin. Nevertheless, the legislature and government offices continued to run from Washington-on-the-Brazos. Former president Lamar received a letter in March 1843 that said the town of Austin was almost deserted; most businesses were closed, but the archives were still present.
On July 4, 1845, a convention met in Austin to consider the annexation of Texas to the United States. At that time, the governmental records created in Washington-on-the-Brazos were transferred to Austin, creating a single archive.
A statue of Angelina Eberly was erected in 2004 in downtown Austin.