HOUSTON
HOUSTON
district which inckided Nashville, 1820-22 ; rep-
resentative in the 18th and 19th congresses, 1823-
27, and wliile in congress fought a duel with Gen.
William White, severely wounding his antago-
nist, while he escaped untouched. This was his
only duel recorded, although he was repeatedly
challenged and no one questioned his courage.
He was elected governor of Tennessee in 1827 by
a majority of 12,000, and was a candidate for re-
election in 1829. Before the election he was
married to Eliza Allen, the daughter of a rich and
influential resident of Nashville. The young lady
had rejected a lover for the brilliant match with
the governor of Tennessee at the urgent request
of her parents, and the appearance of the lover
at the wedding betrayed her secret to Houston,
who noticed her agitation while holding her hand
during the ceremony. The same day he ques-
tioned her so earnestly that he forced from her the
confession that another had her love, and with-
out awaiting the explanation she was anxious
to make, the impetuous soldier at once released
her from her obligation as a wife and left the
presence of his bride. He placed his resignation
as governor in the hands of a friend, to be de-
livered to the proper authorities, and sought se-
clusion among his old friends, the Cherokees,
who had been removed through his influence
to a reservation beyond the Mississippi. He
never explained his conduct, and the narrative
here given the bride confided to a friend, and
it was not made public for seventy years. His
silence on the subject and his sudden depar-
ture did an injury to both the parties, but no
word of blame ever escaped from the lips of either.
Mrs. Houston long after secured a divorce on the
ground of desertion and was married to a Dr.
Douglass, Houston remained in seclusion with
the Cherokees till 1832, when he visited Wash-
ington, wearing the garb of an Indian, was re-
ceived by President Jackson, and had a street
fight with Representative Stanberry, of Ohio.
While with the Indians he attempted to forget
the world by debasing himself with drink, and
the Indians on account of his habits changed his
name Col-on-neh to the more expressive one of
" Big-Drunk." He married a half-breed woman
named Tyania Rodgers, according to the Indian
fashion. They had no children, and his sincere
attachment to her was evidenced by his sending
for her to join him at Nacogdoches, Texas, but
she refused to leave her people and a few years
afterward she died. Toward the close of 1832 he
went to Texas at the invitation of President
Jackson, who gave him a commission to arrange
treaties with the Comanches and other tribes of
Indians for the protection of American settlers on
the borders. He took up his residence at Nacog-
doches, and on the outbreak of the struggle for
independence he was elected commander-in-
chief of the forces of eastern Texas and organized
a volunteer force to aid the revolution. He also
helped to organize a civil government for the
republic at San Felipe de Austin, April 1, 1833.
He opposed the declaration of absolute independ-
ence and used his influence to conciliate the lib-
eral party in Mexico and to remove the impres-
sion that the movement was a conspiracy of
slaveholders. Under the provisional government
formed, Stephen S. Austin Avas made a commis-
sioner to the United States, and Sam Houston,
commander-in-chief of the army. The delay of
the council in passing ordinances providing for a
recruiting service paralyzed Houston's efforts and
he was unable to raise an adequate army to meet
the advance of Santa Anna. The capture of San
Antonio, the siege of the Alamo and the massacre
of Goliad followed. The fall of the fortress of the
Alamo, March 6, 1836, resulted in the destruction
of the entire garrison of 145 Texans. who had held
at bay 2500 Mexicans until the last defender was
THE ALAAAO.
killed, and at Goliad 220 prisoners-of-war were
murdered. A new convention met. March 2,
1836, a declaration of independence was adopted,
and Houston was unanimously re-elected com-
mander-in-chief. The inhuman warfare con-
ducted by Santa Anna aroused the people of
Texas to desperation and a large army was
quickly recruited. General Houston commanded
the troops at the battle of San Jacinto, April 21,
1836, where with 743 men with "Remember the
Alamo ! " as a battle-cry he engaged 1400 Mex-
icans, completely defeating the enemy, and cap-
tured their arms, baggage and camp equipments.
The Mexicans lost 630 killed, 208 wounded and
those not escaping by flight were made prisoners-
of-war. Santa Anna escaped to a swamp, wliere
he secured a disguise, but was captured and liis
life spared through the powerful influence of
Houston, who secured from him a cessation of
hostilities, an interchange of prisoners, and secret
agreement that the Mexican general would
procure the acknowledgment of the independence
of Texas. The Mexican congress, however, decreed
that all treaties and conventions subscribed by
Santa Anna while he was a prisoner should be
null and void. Houston was severely wounded
