Editing Sam Houston (section)

==Retirement and death==
[[File:Sam Houston Grave.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.3|Houston's grave in [[Huntsville, Texas]]]]

After leaving office, Houston returned to his home in [[Galveston]].{{sfn|Westwood|1984|p= 129}} He later settled in [[Huntsville, Texas]], where he lived in a structure known as the [[Steamboat House (Huntsville, Texas)|Steamboat House]]. In the midst of the Civil War, Houston was shunned by many Texas leaders, though he continued to correspond with Confederate officer [[Ashbel Smith]] and Texas governor [[Francis Lubbock]]. His son, Sam Houston Jr., served in the Confederate army during the Civil War, but returned home after being wounded at the [[Battle of Shiloh]].{{sfn|Haley|2002|pp=399–405}} Houston's health suffered a precipitous decline in April 1863, which contributed to his death on July 26, 1863, at 70 years of age.{{sfn|Haley|2002|pp=412–415}}

The inscription on Houston's tomb reads:

<blockquote><poem>
A Brave Soldier. A Fearless Statesman.
A Great Orator—A Pure Patriot.
A Faithful Friend, A Loyal Citizen.
A Devoted Husband and Father.
A Consistent Christian—An Honest Man.
</poem></blockquote>