Editing Republic of Texas (section)

==History==
===Spanish Texas===
{{Main|Spanish Texas}}
{{More citations needed section|date=April 2020}}
[[File:Spanish Missions in Texas.JPG|thumb]]
During the [[New Spain|late Spanish colonial era]], Texas had been one of the ''[[Provincias Internas]]'', and the region is known in the [[historiography]] as [[Spanish Texas]]. Though claimed by Spain, it was not formally colonized by the empire until competing [[French colonization of Texas|French interests at Fort St. Louis]] were a catalyst for Spain to establish permanent settlements in the area.<ref>{{citation|last=Weber|first=David J.|author-link=David J. Weber|title=The Spanish Frontier in North America|publisher=Yale University Press|location=New Haven, Connecticut|series=Yale Western Americana Series|year=1992 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MUCmD15yEAYC |isbn=0-300-05198-0|page=149}}</ref>

The region was long occupied and claimed by the existing indigenous groups of Native Americans. During the period from the 1690s–1710s, sporadic missionary expeditions took place before the Spanish established [[San Antonio]] as a permanent civilian settlement.<ref>{{citation|last=Chipman|first=Donald E.|title=Spanish Texas, 1519–1821|publisher=University of Texas Press|location=Austin |date=2010 |orig-year=1992 |edition=revised |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tzAB5n6p5UQC|isbn=978-0-292-77659-3|page=126}}</ref>

Spanish colonization in Texas was a slow process. Nevertheless, Spain tried to establish missions and presidios to spread Catholicism. They encountered challenges, however, because these lands were heavily populated with indigenous people/populations. Despite this, the Spanish influence has left a long-lasting mark on Texas, shaping its cultural landscape and laying the foundation for future settlements.

Following defeats by the British in North America and Europe, in 1762 Bourbon France ceded to Bourbon Spain most of its claims to the interior of North America, including its claim to Texas, as well as the vast interior west of the Mississippi River, which became [[Spanish Louisiana]].<ref>Weber (1992), p. 198.</ref> During the years 1799 to 1803, the height of the [[Napoleonic Empire]] in France, Spain returned Louisiana to France.

Following the loss of numerous troops and failure to suppress the revolution by slaves and free people of color in Saint-Domingue, Napoleon decided to abandon North America; he sold what became known as the [[Louisiana Purchase]] to the United States. The status of Texas during these transfers was unclear and was not resolved until 1819, when the [[Adams–Onís Treaty]] between Spain and the United States ceded [[Spanish Florida]] to the United States, and established a clear boundary between Texas and Louisiana.<ref>{{citation|last=Lewis|first=James E.|title=The American Union and the Problem of Neighborhood: The United States and the Collapse of the Spanish Empire, 1783–1829|publisher=University of North Carolina Press|location=Chapel Hill |year=1998 |page=124 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KpHdBwAAQBAJ |isbn=0-8078-2429-1}}</ref>

Starting in 1810 with the outbreak of the [[Mexican War of Independence]], New Spain sought a different relationship with the Spanish crown. Some Anglo Americans fought on the side of Mexico against Spain in [[Filibuster (military)|filibustering]] expeditions. One of these, the [[Gutiérrez–Magee Expedition]] (also known as the Republican Army of the North), consisted of a group of about 130 Anglo Americans under the leadership of [[Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara]]. Gutiérrez de Lara initiated Mexico's secession from Spain with efforts contributed by [[Augustus Magee]]. Bolstered by new recruits, and led by [[Samuel Kemper]] (who succeeded Magee after his death in battle in 1813), the expedition gained a series of victories against soldiers led by the Spanish governor, [[Manuel María de Salcedo]].

Their victory at the [[Battle of Rosillo Creek]] convinced Salcedo to surrender on April 1, 1813; he was executed two days later. On April 6, 1813, the victorious Republican Army of the North drafted a constitution and declared the independent Republic of Texas, with Gutiérrez as its president.<ref>Weber (1992), p. 299.</ref> Soon disillusioned with the Mexican leadership, the Anglo Americans under Kemper returned to the United States.

The ephemeral Republic of Texas came to an end on August 18, 1813, with the [[Battle of Medina]], where the Spanish Army crushed the Republican Army of the North. The harsh reprisals against the Texas rebels created a deep distrust of the Royal Spanish authorities. Veterans of the Battle of Medina became leaders of the [[Texas Revolution]] and signatories of the [[Texas Declaration of Independence]] from Mexico 20 years later.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

After the failure of the expedition, there would be no serious push for a "Republic of Texas" for another six years, until 1819. That year Virginian filibuster [[James Long (filibuster)|James Long]] invaded Spanish Texas in an attempt to liberate the region. The Americans were eager to gain territory where they could extend slavery for agricultural and other development.

[[Eli Harris]] led 120 men across the Sabine River to Nacogdoches. Long followed two weeks later with an additional 75 men. On June 22, the combined force declared a new government, with Long as president and a 21-member Supreme Council. The following day, they issued a declaration of independence, modeled on the [[United States Declaration of Independence]]. The document cited several grievances, including "Spanish rapacity" and "odious tyranny" and promised religious freedom, freedom of the press, and free trade. The council allocated 10 square miles of land to each member of the expedition, and authorized the sale of additional land to raise cash for the fledgling government. Within a month, the expedition had grown to 300 members.

The new government established trading outposts near Anahuac along the [[Trinity River (Texas)|Trinity River]] and the [[Brazos River]]. Long's Republic of Texas also established the first English-language newspaper ever published in Texas, named the ''Texas Republican''. It operated only for the month of August 1819.

Long contacted [[Jean Lafitte]], a French pirate who ran a large smuggling operation on [[Galveston Island]]. His letter suggested that the new government establish an admiralty court at Galveston, and offered to appoint Lafitte governor of Galveston. Unbeknownst to Long, Lafitte was serving as a Spanish spy. While making numerous promises – and excuses – to Long, Lafitte gathered information about the expedition and passed it on to Spanish authorities. By July 16, the Spanish Consul in New Orleans had warned the viceroy in Mexico City that "I am fully persuaded that the present is the most serious expedition that has threatened the Kingdom".

Lafitte failed to assist the expedition, which soon ran low on provisions. Long dispersed his men to forage for food. Discipline began to break down, and many men, including [[James Bowie]], returned home. In early October, Lafitte reached an agreement with Long to make Galveston an official port for the new country and name Lafitte as governor. Within weeks, 500 Spanish troops arrived in Texas and marched on Nacogdoches. Long and his men withdrew. Over 40 of his men were captured. Long escaped to [[Natchitoches, Louisiana]]. Others fled to Galveston and settled along Bolivar Peninsula.

Undeterred in defeat, Long returned again in 1820. He joined the refugees at Bolivar Peninsula on April 6, 1820, leading more reinforcements. He continued to raise money to equip a second expedition. Fifty men attempted to join him from the United States, but they were arrested by American authorities as they tried to cross into Texas. The men who had joined Long were disappointed they were paid in scrip, and they gradually began to desert. By December 1820, Long commanded only 50 men.

With the aid of Ben Milam and others, Long revitalized the Supreme Council. He later broke with Milam. The expedition led an uncertain existence until September 19, 1821, when Long and 52 men marched inland to capture Presidio La Bahía. The town fell easily on October 4, but four days later Long was forced to surrender by Spanish troops. He was taken prisoner and sent to Mexico City; about six months later he was shot and killed by a guard, who reportedly was bribed to do so by [[José Félix Trespalacios]]. The Long Expeditions were ended.

===Mexican Texas===
{{Main|Mexican Texas}}
These colonies were limited in quotas and to specific locations.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.glo.texas.gov/history/archives/collections/resource-page/Austins-Colony-Records.html |title=Austin's Colony Records |work=The Texas General Land Office, Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D. |access-date=November 20, 2022 |archive-date=December 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202132926/https://www.glo.texas.gov/history/archives/collections/resource-page/Austins-Colony-Records.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Since Mexican independence had been ratified by Spain shortly thereafter, Austin later traveled to Mexico City to secure the support of the new country for his right to colonize.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Edmondson|first=J.R.|title=The Alamo Story-From History to Current Conflicts|publisher=Republic of Texas Press|place=[[Plano, TX]]|isbn=1-55622-678-0|year=2000|page=63}}</ref> The establishment of [[Mexican Texas]] coincided with the Austin-led colonization, leading to animosity between Mexican authorities and the acceleration of American immigration to Texas. The [[First Mexican Empire]] was short-lived, being replaced by a republican form of government in 1823. In 1824, the sparsely populated territories of Texas and [[Coahuila]] were joined to form the state of [[Coahuila y Tejas]]. The capital was controversially located in southern Coahuila, the part farthest from Texas.

Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821, had Texas become part of the newly formed Mexican state. During this period, Stephen F. Austin led a group of American settlers, known as the Old Three Hundred, who were granted permission to establish colonies in Texas. However, tensions between the Mexican government and these American settlers grew, fueled by cultural differences, economic disparities, and the issue of slavery. The Mexican government's attempts to restrict American immigration and enforce its laws led to increased resentment among the settlers, culminating in the Texas Revolution.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Reyes |first=Stefan Roel |date=July 2024 |title="Our Citizens": Mirabeau B. Lamar's Sentiments toward Mexicans during the Republic of Texas |url=https://doi.org/10.1353/swh.2024.a936678 |journal=Southwestern Historical Quarterly |volume=128 |issue=1 |pages=25–39 |doi=10.1353/swh.2024.a936678 |issn=1558-9560}}</ref>

Following Austin's lead, additional groups of immigrants, known as [[Empresario]]s, continued to colonize Mexican Texas from the United States. A spike in the price of cotton, and the success of plantations in Mississippi encouraged large numbers of white Americans to migrate to Texas and obtain slaves to try to replicate the plantation business model.<ref name="seeds" /> In the [[Law of April 6, 1830]], Mexican President [[Anastasio Bustamante]] outlawed American immigration to Texas, following several conflicts with the Empresarios over the status of slavery, which had been abolished in Mexico in 1829, but which the Texians refused to end.<ref>Robert A. Calvert, Arnoldo De Leon, and Gregg Cantrell, ''The history of Texas'' (2014) pp. 64–74.</ref> Texians replaced slavery with long-term [[indentured servitude]] contracts signed by "liberated" slaves in the United States to work around the abolition of slavery. Angered at the interference of the Mexican government, the Empresarios held the [[Convention of 1832]], which was the first formal step in what became the [[Texas Revolution]].<ref>Eugene C. Barker, ''The Life of Stephen F. Austin, Founder of Texas'' (2010) pp. 348–350.</ref>

===Texas Revolution===
{{Main|Texas Revolution}}
By 1834, American immigrants in the area greatly outnumbered Mexicans.<ref>Manchaca (2001), pp. 172, 201.</ref> Following a [[Anahuac disturbances|series of minor skirmishes]] between Mexican authorities and the immigrants, the Mexican government increased its military presence in Texas throughout 1834 and early 1835. Mexico created a new constitution formalized under President Antonio Santa Anna, called [[Siete Leyes]], and began to strengthen the central government. American immigrants described it as restoring pre-enlightened forms of governance, depriving them of their rights and liberties. They objected to mandatory Catholicism and when Santa Anna began enforcing anti-slavery laws, many feared religious coercion could be next.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Roel Reyes |first=Stefan |date=2023-05-19 |title="A Commission from Heaven": The Legacy of Lorenzo de Zavala's Enlightenment Discourse on Texas |journal=Comparative American Studies |volume=20 |issue=2 |language=en |pages=176–197 |doi=10.1080/14775700.2023.2214075 |s2cid=258818142 |issn=1477-5700|doi-access=free }}</ref>

In 1835, the central government split [[Coahuila y Tejas]] into two separate departments. The Texian leadership under Austin began to organize its own military, and hostilities broke out on October 2, 1835, at the [[Battle of Gonzales]], the first engagement of the [[Texas Revolution]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Hardin|first=Stephen L.|author-link= Stephen L. Hardin|title=Texian Iliad|location=Austin, TX|publisher=University of Texas Press|year=1994|isbn=0-292-73086-1|page=12}}</ref> In November 1835, a provisional government known as the [[Consultation (Texas)|Consultation]] was established to oppose the Santa Anna regime (but stopped short of declaring independence from Mexico). On March 1, 1836, the [[Convention of 1836]] came to order, and the next day declared independence from Mexico, establishing the Republic of Texas.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lack|first=Paul D.|title=The Texas Revolutionary Experience: A Political and Social History 1835–1836|publisher=Texas A&M University Press|location=College Station, TX|year=1992|isbn=0-89096-497-1|pages=86–87}}</ref> The influences of English, Mexican, and American revolutionary traditions were embedded into the Texas Declaration of Independence.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Roel Reyes |first=Stefan |date=August 2024 |title=The Ideological Origins of the Texas Revolution |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/932552 |journal=Journal of Southern History |language=en |volume=90 |issue=3 |pages=479–502 |doi=10.1353/soh.2024.a932552 |issn=2325-6893 |hdl=1871.1/35a3b1fc-6a4b-4af7-9789-10dc00cf60cc}}</ref> 

===Independent republic===
====Politics====
[[File:Lizars Mexico & Guatimala 1836 UTA (detail of Texas).jpg|thumb|Detail of a map showing the Republic of Texas by [[William Home Lizars]], 1836]]
[[File:Bradford Texas 1838 (Boston) UTA.jpg|thumb|Map of the Republic of Texas by [[Thomas Gamaliel Bradford]], 1838]]
[[File:Map of the Republic of Texas and the Adjacent Territories, 1841.jpg|thumb|Map of the Republic of Texas and the Adjacent Territories by [[Charles Cheffins|C.F. Cheffins]], 1841]]
Sam Houston was [[1836 Republic of Texas presidential election|elected]] as the new President of the Republic of Texas on September 5, 1836.<ref>{{Cite web|title=TSHA {{!}} Republic of Texas|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/republic-of-texas|access-date=September 2, 2020|website=www.tshaonline.org}}</ref> The second [[Congress of the Republic of Texas]] convened a month later, in October 1836, at [[Columbia, Texas|Columbia (now West Columbia)]]. [[Stephen F. Austin]], known as the ''Father of Texas'', died December 27, 1836, after serving two months as [[Secretary of State of Texas|Secretary of State]] for the new Republic.

In 1836, five sites served as temporary capitals of Texas ([[Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas|Washington-on-the-Brazos]], [[Harrisburg, Houston|Harrisburg]], [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]], [[Velasco, Texas|Velasco]] and [[Columbia, Texas|Columbia]]), before [[President of the Republic of Texas|President]] [[Sam Houston]] moved the capital to [[Houston]] in 1837. The next president, [[Mirabeau B. Lamar]], moved the capital to the new town of [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] in 1839.

The first flag of the republic was the "[[Burnet Flag]]" (a single gold star on an azure field), followed in 1839 by official adoption of the Lone Star Flag.

Internal politics of the Republic were focused on two factions. The nationalist faction, led by Lamar, advocated the continued independence of Texas, the expulsion of the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]], and the expansion of Texas to the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Their opponents, led by Houston, advocated the annexation of Texas to the United States and peaceful coexistence with the Native Americans where possible. The [[Congress of the Republic of Texas]] even passed a resolution over Houston's [[veto]], claiming [[The Californias]] for Texas.<ref>
[[#Fehrenbach]], [https://books.google.com/books?id=z4x4xEZZ_xsC&pg=PA263 p. 263]
</ref> The [[1844 Republic of Texas presidential election]] split the electorate dramatically, with the newer western regions of the Republic preferring the nationalist candidate [[Edward Burleson]], while the cotton country, particularly east of the [[Trinity River (Texas)|Trinity River]], went for [[Anson Jones]].<ref>[[#Fehrenbach]], [https://books.google.com/books?id=z4x4xEZZ_xsC&pg=PA265 p. 265]</ref>

====Armed conflicts====
{{Main|Comanche Wars|Texas–Indian wars}}
The [[Comanche]] Indians, whose territory included northwest Texas,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wallace |first1=Ernest |last2=Hoebel |first2=E. Adamson |title=The Comanches: Lords of the South Plains |date=2013 |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |isbn=978-0-8061-5020-8 |page=20 |language=en}}</ref> furnished the main tribal opposition to the Republic, manifested in multiple raids on Mexican, indigenous, and European settlements.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gwinnett|first=S.C.|title=Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History|isbn=978-1-4165-9106-1|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/empireofsummermo00gwyn|year=2010|publisher=Simon and Schuster }}</ref> In the late 1830s, Sam Houston negotiated peace between Texas and the Comanches. When Lamar ascended to presidency in 1838 he reversed the Houston administration's policy towards the Native Americans. War soon resumed with the Comanches and Lamar ordered an invasion of [[Comancheria]] itself. In retaliation, the Comanches attacked Texas in a series of raids. After [[Council House Fight|peace talks]] in 1840 ended with the massacre of 34 Comanche leaders in [[San Antonio]], the Comanches launched a major attack deep into Texas, known as the [[Great Raid of 1840]]. Under command of Potsanaquahip ([[Buffalo Hump]]), 500 to 700 Comanche cavalry warriors swept down the [[Guadalupe River (Texas)|Guadalupe River]] valley, killing and plundering all the way to the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, where they sacked the towns of [[Victoria, Texas|Victoria]] and [[Linnville, Calhoun County, Texas|Linnville]]. The Comanches retreated after being pursued by 186 rangers and were caught at the [[Battle of Plum Creek]], in which they lost the plunder they had taken.<ref>{{cite web |title=Texas Military Forces Museum |url=http://texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/tnghist8.htm |access-date=July 30, 2019}}</ref> Houston became president again in 1841 and, with both Texians and Comanches exhausted by war, a new peace was established.<ref>
{{Harvnb|Hämäläinen|2008|pp=215–217}}.</ref>

Although Texas achieved self-government, Mexico refused to recognize its independence.<ref>[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qem02 Jack W. Gunn, "Mexican Invasions of 1842," Handbook of Texas Online], accessed May 24, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.</ref> On March 5, 1842, a Mexican force of over 500 men, led by [[Ráfael Vásquez (Mexican general)|Ráfael Vásquez]], invaded Texas for the first time since the revolution. They soon headed back to the Rio Grande after briefly occupying [[San Antonio]]. About 1,400 Mexican troops, led by the French mercenary general [[Adrián Woll]], launched a second attack and captured San Antonio on September 11, 1842. A Texas militia retaliated at the [[Battle of Salado Creek (1842)|Battle of Salado Creek]] while simultaneously, a mile and a half away, Mexican soldiers [[Dawson Massacre|massacred]] a militia of fifty-three Texas volunteers who had surrendered after a skirmish.<ref>[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qfs01 Thomas W. Cutrer, "Salado Creek, Battle of," Handbook of Texas Online] accessed May 24, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.</ref><ref>[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qfd01 "Dawson Massacre". ''Handbook of Texas Online''.] Retrieved September 24, 2006.</ref> That night, upon their defeat, the Mexican Army retreated from San Antonio, back to Mexico, while being pursued by Texas soldiers. The Texas Army took the city of Laredo, at which point they were given official orders from [[Sam Houston]] to return to San Antonio. Several soldiers ignored this order, and launched a failed battle to retake [[Ciudad Mier]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ivey |first1=Darren L. |title=The Ranger Ideal Volume 1: Texas Rangers in the Hall of Fame, 1823–1861 |date=2017 |publisher=University of North Texas Press |isbn=978-1-57441-701-2 |pages=134–142 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wlw6DwAAQBAJ&dq=Ivey+battle+of+salado+creek&pg=PA137 |language=en}}</ref>

The '''Naval Battle of Campeche''' took place on April 30, 1843, and May 16, 1843. The battle featured the most advanced warships of its day, including the [[Mexico|Mexican]] [[Steamship|steamer]] ''[[ARM Guadaloupe|Guadalupe]]'' and the equally formidable ''[[ARM Montezuma|Montezuma]]'' which engaged a squadron of vessels from the [[Republic of Yucatan]] and the Republic of Texas. The latter force consisted of the Texas Navy flagship sloop-of-war ''[[Texan sloop-of-war Austin|Austin]]'', commanded by [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] [[Edwin Ward Moore]], the [[brig]] ''[[Texan brig Wharton|Wharton]]'', and several [[schooner]]s and five [[gunboat]]s from the Republic of Yucatán, commanded by former [[Texas Navy]] [[Captain (naval)|Captain]] James D. Boylan. Texas had declared its independence in 1836, but by 1843, Mexico had refused to recognize it. In Yucatán, a similar rebellion had begun and was fought off-and-on from 1836 to 1846. The battle ended in a combined Yucatecan and Texian victory. A scene from this battle is engraved on the cylinder of every [[Colt 1851 Navy Revolver|Colt 1851 Navy]], 1860 Army, and [[Colt 1861 Navy Revolver|1861 Navy]] revolver.

The Republic of Texas's relationship with Native American tribes was marked by persistent conflict. Tribes such as the Comanche and the Cherokee occupied much of the territory claimed by the Republic, leading to significant controversy. Although some treaties were signed to establish peace, the terms were frequently violated, resulting in ongoing violence. The Republic struggled to maintain a strong military presence to defend its borders against these tribes due to limited resources. To resolve these tensions, Tehuacana Creek Councils, with the absence of the Comanches, led to a treaty. The negotiated treaty is known as the [[Treaty of Tehuacana Creek]], which was signed in 1844. The agreement led to the effective dismantilation of the Tehuacana Creek Council, which included tribes such as, the Cherokees, Wacos, Caddos, Anadarkos, Hainas, Delawares, Shawnees, Tawakonis,Lipan Apaches, and southern Comanches.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Association |first=Texas State Historical |title=The Last Indian Treaty of the Republic of Texas: A Historical Overview |url=https://www.tshaonline.org/texas-day-by-day/entry/980 |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=Texas State Historical Association |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Cabinet Card of Comanche Chief Tosawa by W. S. Soule, edit.jpg|thumb|Penateka Comanche Chief, [[Tosahwi]].]]
The [[Treaty of Tehuacana Creek]], while significant in its attempt to establish lasting peace, faced considerable challenges in implementation. The diverse tribal groups involved held varying levels of commitment to the agreement, and the [[Republic of Texas]] lacked the resources and manpower to consistently enforce its terms. Furthermore, ongoing disputes over land and resources, coupled with the continued encroachment of settlers, fueled tensions and undermined the treaty's effectiveness. The fragile peace established by the treaty ultimately proved short-lived, as conflicts between the Republic and various [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] tribes persisted throughout the remainder of the Republic's existence.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wharton |first=Clarence Ray |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.republicoftexasb00whar/?sp=11&st=image |title=The republic of Texas: a brief history of Texas from the first American colonies in 1821 to annexation in 1846 |date=1922 |publisher=C. C. Young printing company |location=Houston, Tex |language=english}}</ref>

Mexico's attacks on Texas intensified conflicts between political factions, including an incident known as the [[Texas Archive War]]. To "protect" the Texas national archives, President Sam Houston ordered them removed from Austin. The archives were eventually returned to Austin, albeit at gunpoint. The Texas Congress admonished Houston for the incident, and this episode in Texas history solidified Austin as Texas's seat of government for the Republic and the future state.<ref name="archivewar">{{cite web | title = The Archives War | work = Texas Treasures – The Republic | publisher = The Texas State Library and Archives Commission | date = November 2, 2005 | url = http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/treasures/republic/archwar/archwar.html | access-date = January 3, 2009}}</ref>

There were also domestic disturbances. The [[Regulator–Moderator War]] involved a land feud in Harrison and Shelby Counties in [[East Texas]] from 1839 to 1844. The feud eventually involved [[Nacogdoches, Texas|Nacogdoches]], San Augustine, and other East Texas counties. Harrison County Sheriff [[John J. Kennedy (Republic of Texas politician)|John J. Kennedy]] and county judge Joseph U. Fields helped end the conflict, siding with the law-and-order party. Sam Houston ordered 500 militia to help end the feud.