A forgotten event in American History. Events from the Whiskey Rebellion to the Burr Conspiracy helped to shape the rebellion, which created The First Lone Star Republic, 25 years before the Texicans revolted against Mexico. You will meet heroes and scoundrels whose lives and ideas intertwined to create a free standing republic about which little is written, o r known.
The definitive account of the incomparable Lone Star state by the author of Fire & Blood: A History of Mexico. T. R. Fehrenbach is a native Texan, military historian and the author of several important books about the region, but none as significant as this work, arguably the best single volume about Texas ever published. His account of America's most turbulent state offers a view that only an insider could capture. From the native tribes who lived there to the Spanish and French soldiers who wrested the territory for themselves, then to the dramatic ascension of the republic of Texas and the saga of the Civil War years. Fehrenbach describes the changes that disturbed the state as it forged its unique character. Most compelling is the one quality that would remain forever unchanged through centuries of upheaval: the courage of the men and women who struggled to realize their dreams in The Lone Star State.
The official nonfiction companion to HISTORY’s dramatic series Texas Rising (created by the same team that made the ratings record-breaker Hatfields & McCoys): a thrilling new narrative history of the Texas Revolution and the rise of the legendary Texas Rangers who patrolled the violent western frontier March 1836: The Republic of Texas, just weeks old, is already near collapse. William Barret Travis and his brave defenders of the Alamo in San Antonio have been slaughtered. Hundreds more Texan soldiers have surrendered at Goliad, only to be marched outside the fortress and executed by order of the ruthless Mexican general Santa Anna, a dictator denying Texans their freedom and liberty. General Sam Houston—a hard-drinking, hot-tempered opportunist—remains in command of a small band of volunteer colonists, mercenaries, and the newly organized Texas Rangers. They are the last hope for Texas to challenge the relentless advance of Santa Anna’s much larger Mexican Army—yet many of them curse Houston, enraged by his decision to retreat across Texas before the advancing enemy. The exhausted, outnumbered rebels will meet their destiny on an empty plain near the Gulf Coast next to the San Jacinto River—and make a stand that determines the fate of the young nation. “Remember the Alamo!” and “Remember Goliad!” will be the battle cries, and the order of the day will echo Travis’s at the Alamo: Victory or death. Acclaimed Texas historian Stephen L. Moore’s new narrative history tells the full, thrilling story of the Texas Revolution from its humble beginnings to its dramatic conclusion, and reveals the contributions of the fabled Texas Rangers—both during the revolution and in the frontier Indian wars that followed.
Award-winning Texas historian Stephen L. Hardin provides an excellent overview of the Republic of Texas. In 1836, when Texas won its independence from Mexico, many expected the Republic of Texas to join the Union immediately. Four American presidents and a decade later, the Texas Lone Star flag was lowered and the Stars and Stripes raised. The annexation resulted in concessions to Texas not made to other states. Diary entries, letters, political speeches, and congressional resolutions give insight into this period of Texas and American history.
The idea of Texas was forged in the crucible of frontier warfare between 1822 and 1865, when Anglo-Americans adapted to mounted combat north of the Rio Grande. This cavalry-centric arena, which had long been the domain of Plains Indians and the Spanish Empire, compelled an adaptive martial tradition that shaped early Lone Star society. Beginning with initial tactical innovation in Spanish Tejas and culminating with massive mobilization for the Civil War, Texas society developed a distinctive way of war defined by armed horsemanship, volunteer militancy, and short-term mobilization as it grappled with both tribal and international opponents. Drawing upon military reports, participants' memoirs, and government documents, cavalry officer Nathan A. Jennings analyzes the evolution of Texan militarism from tribal clashes of colonial Tejas, territorial wars of the Texas Republic, the Mexican-American War, border conflicts of antebellum Texas, and the cataclysmic Civil War. In each conflict Texan volunteers answered the call to arms with marked enthusiasm for mounted combat. Riding for the Lone Star explores this societal passion--with emphasis on the historic rise of the Texas Rangers--through unflinching examination of territorial competition with Comanches, Mexicans, and Unionists. Even as statesmen Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston emerged as influential strategic leaders, captains like Edward Burleson, John Coffee Hays, and John Salmon Ford attained fame for tactical success.
Now in its 11th edition, Texas: The Lone Star State offers a balanced, scholarly overview of the second largest state in the United States, spanning from prehistory to the twenty-first century. Organized chronologically, this comprehensive survey introduces undergraduates to the varied history of Texas with an accessible narrative and over 100 illustrations and maps. This new edition broadens the discussion of postwar social and political dynamics within the state, including the development of key industries and changing demographics. Other new features include: New maps reflecting county by county results for the most recent presidential elections Expanded discussions on immigration and border security The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas and a look to the future Updated bibliographies to reflect the most recent scholarship This textbook is essential reading for students of American history.
Captain Bliven Putnam returns in an exhilarating new adventure, embedding himself within a top-secret mission during the Texas Revolution that puts everything at risk. Having spent the past few years on missions in the Caribbean, Captain Bliven Putnam is all but ready to retire and settle down at home in Connecticut with his wife, Clarity. But as the Texas Revolution ignites and tensions in the Gulf of Mexico rise, Putnam is sent orders for a secret cruise that could decide the fate of their rebellion. American settlers in Texas have revolted against an increasingly tyrannical Mexican government. While the Texians have a small army under the command of Sam Houston, their navy is practically nonexistent, an insurmountable and dangerous disadvantage as the Mexican invasion is supplied by sea. Unable to risk American neutrality, United States President Andrew Jackson hand-selects Putnam to lead a secret mission that might turn the tide: In Putnam's aging sloop-of-war Rappahannock, disguised with the Republic of Texas flag, he must venture into the waters of the Gulf and intercept the Mexican armaments, not just fighting the Mexican Navy but incurring the wrath of the American shippers and insurance companies who favor Mexico. Reunited with his old friend Sam Bandy, Putnam teams up with Sam Houston to run the operation, all while the bloodiest battles of the Revolution rage.
