The Texian Army, also known as the Revolutionary Army and Army of the People, was the

land warfare Land warfare or ground warfare is the process of military operations eventuating in combat that takes place predominantly on the battlespace land surface of the planet. Land warfare is categorized by the use of large numbers of combat personne ...

branch of the

Texian Texians were Anglo-American residents of Mexican Texas and, later, the Republic of Texas. Today, the term is used to identify early settlers of Texas, especially those who supported the Texas Revolution. Mexican settlers of that era are referr ...

armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

during the Texas Revolution. It spontaneously formed from the

Texian Militia The Texian Militia was the militia forces of Texian colonists in the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas from 1823 to 1835 and the inaugurate force of the Texas Military. It was established by Stephen F. Austin on August 5, 1823 for defense of the ...

in October 1835 following the

Battle of Gonzales The Battle of Gonzales was the first military engagement of the Texas Revolution. It was fought near Gonzales, Texas, on October 2, 1835, between rebellious Texian settlers and a detachment of Mexican army soldiers. In 1831, Mexican authoriti ...

. Along with the

Texian Navy The Texian Navy, also known as the Revolutionary Navy and First Texas Navy, was the naval warfare branch of the Texian armed forces during the Texas Revolution. It was established by the Consultation of the Republic of Texas on November 25, 18 ...

, it helped the

Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...

win independence from the

Centralist Republic of Mexico The Centralist Republic of Mexico ( es, República Centralista de México), or in the anglophone scholarship, the Central Republic, officially the Mexican Republic ( es, República Mexicana), was a unitary political regime established in Mexico ...

on May 14, 1836 at the

Treaties of Velasco A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal perso ...

. Although the

Texas Army The Texas Army, officially the Army of the Republic of Texas, was the land warfare branch of the Texas Military Forces during the Republic of Texas. It descended from the Texian Army, which was established in October 1835 to fight for independe ...

was officially established by the Consultation of the Republic of Texas on November 13, 1835, it did not replace the Texian Army until after the

Battle of San Jacinto The Battle of San Jacinto ( es, Batalla de San Jacinto), fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day La Porte and Pasadena, Texas, was the final and decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Samuel Houston, the Texan Army engaged ...

Organization

When Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821, the former Spanish province of Texas became part of the Mexican state

Coahuila y Tejas Coahuila y Tejas, officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila y Tejas (), was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution. It had two capitals: first Saltillo (1822–1825) for ...

. Many of the people who lived in Texas, which had included the land north of the

Medina Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...

and the

Nueces River The Nueces River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas, about long. It drains a region in central and southern Texas southeastward into the Gulf of Mexico. It is the southernmost major river in Texas northeast of the Rio Grande. ''Nueces'' ...

s, northeast of the

Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...

,Edmondson (2000), p. 6. west of

San Antonio de Bexar ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

, and east of the Sabine River,Edmondson (2000), p. 6.Edmondson (2000), p. 10.Manchaca (2001), p. 162. wished to be a separate state again. For the first time, the government of Texas encouraged immigrants from the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

to settle its lands.Manchaca (2001), p. 164. By 1834, an estimated 30,000 English speakers lived in Texas,Manchaca (2001), p. 201. compared to only 7,800 of Spanish heritage.Manchaca (2001), p. 172. The bankrupt Mexican government was unable to offer Texas much military support.Edmondson (2000), p. 75. Many of the settlements had created small militias to protect themselves against raids by Indian tribes. Stephen f austin

Under President

Antonio López de Santa Anna Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (; 21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876),Callcott, Wilfred H., "Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez De,''Handbook of Texas Online'' Retrieved 18 April 2017. usually known as Santa Ann ...

the government of

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

began to drift towards a more

centralist Centralisation or centralization (see spelling differences) is the process by which the activities of an organisation, particularly those regarding planning and decision-making, framing strategy and policies become concentrated within a particu ...

form.Barr (1990), p. 2. In 1835 Santa Anna revoked the

Constitution of 1824 The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824 ( es, Constitución Federal de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos de 1824) was enacted on October 4 of 1824, after the overthrow of the Mexican Empire of Agustin de Iturbide. In the new Fr ...

and began reigning as a dictator. In various parts of the country

federalists The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of de ...

revolted.Hardin (1994), p. 6. In September 1835, Colonel

Domingo Ugartechea Domingo de Ugartechea (c. 1794 – 24 May 1839) was a 19th-century Mexican Army officer for the Republic of Mexico. Biography Early years Domingo de Ugartechea served for José Joaquín de Arredondo in 1813. Ugartechea as well as Antoni ...

, the military commander of the Mexican forces at

set troops to recover a small cannon that had been given to the

Gonzales Gonzales may refer to: Places * Gonzales, California, U.S. * Gonzales, Louisiana, U.S. * Gonzales, Texas, U.S. * Gonzales County, Texas Other uses * Battle of Gonzales, 1835 * Gonzales (horse) (1977 – after 1996), an American-bred Thoroughbred ...

for protection. When the Mexican troops, under Lieutenant

Francisco de Castañeda Francisco de Castañeda, also spelled Castonado, was a lieutenant in the Mexican army stationed in San Antonio, in the 1830s. He was the commander of the troops involved in the first battle of the Texas Revolution. Career in Texas Castañeda was ...

, reached Gonzales, Texian commander Captain Albert Martin convinced the troops to wait for several days.Hardin (1994), p. 7. Martin then sent messengers to other English-speaking settlements, asking for reinforcements to help protect the cannon.Hardin (1994), p. 8. Within several days,

militias A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

from Fayette County and

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

arrived. In Gonzales, the Texian Militias combined to form the Texian Army and chose John Henry Moore as their captain, Joseph Washington Elliot Wallace as a lieutenant colonel, and

Edward Burleson Edward Burleson (December 15, 1798 – December 26, 1851) was the third vice president of the Republic of Texas. After Texas was annexed to the United States, he served in the State Senate. Prior to his government service in Texas, he was a com ...

as major. The first military action taken by the new army was the

on October 2, 1835. After a skirmish, the Mexican troops withdrew to San Antonio, leaving the cannon with the Texians.Todish ''et al.'' (1998), p. 8. After the battle ended, disgruntled colonists continued to assemble in Gonzales, eager to put a decisive end to Mexican control over the area. The Committee of Safety at San Felipe named the gathering "The Army of the People."Lack (1992), p. 111. Sam Houston Army of Texas recruitment proclamation Dec 12, 1835

Sam Houston Army of Texas recruitment proclamation Dec 12, 1835

Within a week, the men had taken the Mexican post at

Goliad Goliad ( ) is a city in Goliad County, Texas, United States. It is known for the 1836 Goliad massacre during the Texas Revolution. It had a population of 1,620 at the 2020 census. Founded on the San Antonio River, it is the county seat of Gol ...

. On October 11, the disorganized volunteers elected

Stephen F. Austin Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas,Hatch (1999), p. 43. he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization ...

, who had settled Texas's first English-speaking colonists in 1821, as their commander-in-chief.Barr (1990), p. 6. Austin had only two months of military experience in the

Missouri First Regiment of Mounted Militia Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas to th ...

under Colonel

Alexander McNair Alexander McNair (May 5, 1775 – March 18, 1826) was an American frontiersman and politician. He was the first Governor of Missouri from prior to its entry as a state in 1820, until 1824. Early life Alexander McNair was born in Lancaster ...

, where he earned the rank of quartermaster sergeant, but he saw no combat.

Demographics

In 1836, Texas had a population of 40,000 people. Approximately 2,000 of the citizens, around 5% of the population, served in the army at some point between October 1835 and April 1846. Still, Historian Paul Lack argues that "for a people of such fabled militance, the Texians turned out for army duty in the period of crisis at a low rate of participation". The army was augmented with volunteers from the United States. Overall, 3,685 men served in the Army of the People between October 1, 1835 and April 21, 1836. Forty percent of them had emigrated after October 1. Of the Texians, 57.8% were residents of the Department of the Brazos, 10.4% of the Department of Bexar, and 31.7% from the Department of Nacogdoches.Lack (1992), p. 133. Of the men who arrived in Texas after October 1, 1835, not all of these additions were American citizens; many were recent immigrants from Europe who were seeking adventure and potential riches in Texas. Through the course of the Texas Revolution, one in seven of the English-speaking settlers in Texas joined the army. One in three adult male

Tejano Tejanos (, ; singular: ''Tejano/a''; Spanish for "Texan", originally borrowed from the Caddo ''tayshas'') are the residents of the state of Texas who are culturally descended from the Mexican population of Tejas and Coahuila that lived in the ...

s, that is, Spanish-speaking settlers in Texas, joined the army.Todish ''et al.'' (1998), p. 13. The composition of the army changed dramatically over time, with four distinct waves: *the army of OctoberDecember 1835, which participated in the battles of

and the

Siege of Bexar A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characterize ...

*the army from January through March 1836 *the army of mid-March through April, 1836, which participated in the

*the army of MaySeptember 1836 The early army was composed predominantly of Texas residents, with every municipality represented. Over 1,300 men volunteered for the army in October and November 1835. Of these, approximately 1,1001,500 were residents of Texas, with an average date of emigration of 1830.Lack (1992), pp. 114–5.If the recent arrivals from the United States are considered, the average date of emigration rises to 1832. Lack (1992), pp. 114–5. Half of the men were married. Roughly 51% of them came from the Department of the Brazos, an area in central Texas which consisted of the colonies established by

and

Green DeWitt Green DeWitt (February 12, 1787 – May 18, 1835) was an empresario in Mexican Texas. He brought families from the United States to what is now South-central Texas and founded the DeWitt Colony. Missouri Green Dewitt was elected as the first Ralls ...

, as well as some of the area granted to Sterling C. Robertson. An additional 15% of the volunteers were from the Department of Bexar, where most citizens were

, and which was partially occupied by Mexican troops. Thirty-four percent of the volunteers came from the Nacogdoches district of far East Texas, an area where homes and families were not under threat. After the Texas victory in Bexar in early December, men began leaving the army and returning home. By the end of February 1836, fewer than 600 men remained in the army.Lack (1992), p. 121. A total of 917 men served in the army for varying lengths of time in JanuaryMarch 1836. In a sharp contrast from the army of a few months prior, these men were predominantly newcomers to Texas. The overwhelming majority—78%—had arrived from the United States since the outbreak of hostilities in October. They had an average age of 27, and almost two-thirds were single. Of the Texians who continued to participate, 57% were from the areas most at risk of Mexican attempts to reassert control over its national territory—Bexar, Gonzales, Matagorda and

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Q ...

—despite the small population of these areas. When examined in the context of the political districts, 59% of the Texians were from the Brazos department and 23% from Bexar.Lack (1992), pp. 122–3. The army suffered significant losses at the battles of

the Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Anto ...

and

Coleto The coleto (''Sarcops calvus'') is a starling species (family Sturnidae) in the monotypic genus ''Sarcops''. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland for ...

. The provisional government passed conscription laws,Lack (1992), p. 124. which should have resulted in about 4,000 men joining the army.Lack (1992), p. 125. The laws were impossible to enforce due to the fact that most citizens had fled as part of the

Runaway Scrape The Runaway Scrape events took place mainly between September 1835 and April 1836 and were the evacuations by Texas residents fleeing the Mexican Army of Operations during the Texas Revolution, from the Battle of the Alamo through the decisive Ba ...

. By the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, new commander Sam Houston had a total of 1,282 recruits in the army. Of these, about 250 were ill, at camp, or on scouting missions at the time of the battle. The average date of emigration was 1835; 21% of the men had arrived in Texas after October 1, 1835, and almost 18% had arrived between January 1 and October 1, 1835.Lack (1992), pp. 128–9. Approximately 60% of the soldiers were single, and their average age was 28. In many families, the younger sons joined the army while the fathers escorted the women and younger children east, away from the advancing Mexican army.Lack (1992), pp. 126–7. 67% of the Texians who volunteered were from the Brazos Department, an impressive number considering the heavy losses many of these areas had sustained in the March fighting. 25% were from the Nacogdoches district, fewer than had served in 1835. Only 5% of the Texians were from the Bexar District. This number was low both because many of the volunteers had perished at the Alamo or Coleto and because the area was now occupied by the Mexican army. It was not only difficult for men to leave the area, but it was unwise to leave their families. The majority of the men from Bexar who served in April were cavalry officers under the command of Colonel

Juan Seguin ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, t ...

. An additional 623 men served in April outside of Houston's army. Less is known about these men, who had no central command or location. It is estimated that 31% were recent arrivals from the United States. They were older, with an average age of 34, and over 41% of them came from the Nacogdoches district. Historian Paul Lack described these men as a home guard, a "last line of defense" for the Texians. 398 men served in both 1835 and April 1836. Of these, 58% were single, with an average age of 30, and 26% had arrived in Texas after the war began. Of the Texians, 63% were from the Brazos district, 11% from Bexar, and 26% from Nacogdoches.Lack (1992), p. 130. Lack posits that many of those who chose not to re-enlist in April 1836 believed that they had done their duty. For the most part, they were older and, as they had been in Texas longer, they had more to protect.Lack (1992), p. 132. Believing the hostilities were over, by the end of May, most of the Texas residents had left the army, which shrank to 400 men. With fears of a Mexican counterattack spreading, more volunteers arrived from the United States. By June, the ranks had increased to 1300–1700 men, and by September to 2,500 men, spread across 53 companies. Of those in the army in September, 1,800 had come to Texas after the Battle of San Jacinto.Lack (1992), p. 134.

Formation and structure

The structure of the

Army was relatively fluid. Originally, it was composed entirely

who came and went at will. To become an officer, a man must simply have had enough money or charisma to convince others to serve under him. In the first half of the Texas Revolution, many of the units and individual volunteers came from the

. The United States volunteer units in the Army represented ten states; from

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

the

New Orleans Greys The New Orleans Greys was a Military volunteer unit of two militia companies that totaled about 120, formed in the city of that name for service in the Texas War of Independence. Its name came from its soldiers' grey military fatigues. Companie ...

, from

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

the

Red Rovers The Red Rovers, commonly referred to as the Alabama Red Rovers, was a military volunteer company organized in Courtland, Alabama to support the Texas Revolution. Raised by doctor and planter Jack Shackelford in November 1835, the unit took its na ...

, Huntsville Rovers, and

Mobile Greys Mobile may refer to: Places * Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city * Mobile County, Alabama * Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S. * Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Mobile (b ...

, from

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

the Mississippi Guards and Natchez Mustangs, from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

the 1st New York Battalion and 2nd New York Battalion and from other states the

Georgia Volunteers Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

Kentucky Mustangs Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to ...

, Missouri Invincibles,

North Carolina Volunteers North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...

, and

Tennessee Mounted Volunteers Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

, and Union Guards By the end of the war, the army had grown to include three distinct divisions. Members of the regular army enlisted for two years and were subject to army discipline and the army's chain of command. A squad of permanent volunteers enlisted for the duration of the war. This group was permitted to elect its own officers, outside the oversight of the army commander-in-chief. Most of the men who joined the permanent volunteers had settled in Texas before the war had begun, both

and

Texians Texians were Anglo-American residents of Mexican Texas and, later, the Republic of Texas. Today, the term is used to identify early settlers of Texas, especially those who supported the Texas Revolution. Mexican settlers of that era are refer ...

. The last unit was the volunteer auxiliary corps, comprising primarily recent arrivals from the United States who officially enlisted for a six-month term. On November 24, 1835, the Texas provisional government authorized the creation of ranging companies of rifleman. Robert "Three-legged Willie" Williamson was asked to raise three of these companies with 56 men each.Todish ''et al.'' (1998), p. 15. Rangers were to be paid $1.25 per day.

Republic Army

Texian regular army and permanent volunteer units

*Texas Rangers (

paramilitary unit A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carr ...

) *Infantry (militia) *Mounted Volunteers (militia) *Mounted Gunmen (militia) *Mounted Riflemen (militia) *Spies (militia) *Ranging Corps. (militia) *Mounted Rangers (militia) *Army *Minute Men (militia) *

Juan Seguín Juan Nepomuceno Seguín (October 27, 1806 – August 27, 1890) was a Spanish- Tejano political and military figure of the Texas Revolution who helped to establish the independence of Texas. Numerous places and institutions are named in his hon ...

's Mexican Tejano Volunteers (militia)

United States volunteer auxiliary corps units

*Alabama Red Rovers (Alabama Volunteers) (

Courtland, Alabama Courtland is a town in Lawrence County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The population was 609 at the 2010 census, down from 769 in 2000. Hi ...

) *Georgia Battalion (Georgia Volunteers) (

Macon, Georgia Macon ( ), officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in the U.S. state of Georgia. Situated near the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is located southeast of Atlanta and lies near the geographic center of the state of Geo ...

) *Huntsville Rovers (

Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in t ...

) *Kentucky Mustangs *Mississippi Guards *Missouri Invincibles *Mobile Greys (Alabama Volunteers) (

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...

) *Natchez Mustangs (

Natchez, Mississippi Natchez ( ) is the county seat of and only city in Adams County, Mississippi, United States. Natchez has a total population of 14,520 (as of the 2020 census). Located on the Mississippi River across from Vidalia in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, N ...

) *

(

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

) *1st New York Battalion *2nd New York Battalion *North Carolina Volunteers *Tennessee Mounted Volunteers (Tennessee Volunteers) *Union Guards (?)

Texian Army flags

File:Texas Flag Come and Take It.svg, Come and Take It Flag
This flag design made reference to the cannon used by Texian Army troops under the command of John Henry Moore at the

on October 2, 1835. The

cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...

on the flag with motto "

Come and Take It "Come and take it" is a historic slogan, first used in 480 BC in the Battle of Thermopylae as "Molon labe" by Spartan King Leonidas I as a defiant answer and last stand to the surrender demanded by the Persian Army, and later in 1778 at Fort Mo ...

" was used during the battle to antagonize the

Mexican Army The Mexican Army ( es, Ejército Mexicano) is the combined land and air branch and is the largest part of the Mexican Armed Forces; it is also known as the National Defense Army. The Army is under the authority of the Secretariat of National De ...

to try and capture the cannon. File:Brown's Flag of Independence.svg, Brown's Independence Flag
This flag had a "Bloody Arm" design and was supposedly used by Captain William S. Brown during the

from October 12 - December 11, 1835. File:Captain Scott's Flag.svg, Scott's Liberals Flag
This flag was used by the "Liberals" under the command of Captain William Scott at the

Battle of Concepcion A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

on October 28, 1835. File:Red Rover's Flag.svg, Red Rovers Flag
This flag had a solid red field design and was used by the Red Rovers of Alabama under the command of Captain

Jack Shackelford Jack Shackelford (March 20, 1790 – January 22, 1857) was an American doctor, politician and soldier. He raised and led a unit in Courtland, Alabama called the Red Rovers or the Alabama Red Rovers to fight in the Texas Revolution. He was on ...

at the

Battle of Coleto The Battle of Coleto, also known as the Battle of Coleto Creek, the Battle of the Prairie, and the Batalla del Encinal del Perdido, was fought on March 19–20, 1836, during the Goliad campaign of the Texas Revolution. In February, General Jos ...

from March 19–20, 1836 and the

Battle of Goliad The Battle of Goliad was the second skirmish of the Texas Revolution. In the early-morning hours of October 9, 1835, Texas settlers attacked the Mexican Army soldiers garrisoned at Presidio La Bahía, a fort near the Mexican Texas settlem ...

on October 9, 1835. After the

battle the Red Rovers and James Fannin's troops were captured and killed in the Goliad Massacre File:Flag of the New Orleans Grays.svg, New Orleans Greys Flag
This flag emblazoned with the American

bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...

was used by the First Company of

volunteers under the commands of Captain Thomas H. Breece and Robert C. Morris participated in driving the

from

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

and many were captured and later killed in the Goliad Massacre. Elements of the New Orleans Grays fought in the

on April 21, 1836. File:Flag of Georgia Battalion.svg, Troutman Flag
This flag designed by

Joanna Troutman Joanna Troutman also Johanna Troutman (19 February 1818 – 23 July 1879) sewed a flag for a battalion of Georgia volunteers who were leaving to fight in the Texas Revolution, which became known as the Troutman flag, consisting of a five-p ...

was used by the Georgia Battalion under the command of William Ward which marched from

to participate in the fight against

and were killed in the

Battle of the Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Ant ...

in 1836 File:1824 Flag.svg, Alamo Flag
This flag made reference to the

Mexican Constitution of 1824 The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824 ( es, Constitución Federal de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos de 1824) was enacted on October 4 of 1824, after the overthrow of the Mexican Empire of Agustin de Iturbide. In the new Fr ...

and to the original design of the 1821 Mexican tri-color flag following independence from

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. The flag was allegedly used by the co-commanders of the

Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Ant ...

William Barret Travis William Barret "Buck" Travis (August 1, 1809 – March 6, 1836) was a 19th-century American lawyer and soldier. At the age of 26, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army. He died at the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Tr ...

and

James Bowie James Bowie ( ) ( – March 6, 1836) was a 19th-century American pioneer, slave smuggler and trader, and soldier who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He was among the Americans who died at the Battle of the Alamo. Stories of h ...

who the flew flag during the

Siege of the Alamo The siege of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was the first thirteen days of the Battle of the Alamo. On February 23, Mexican troops under General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna entered San Antonio de Bexar, Texas, and surrounded the ...

from March–April 1836. File:Flag of Coahuila y Tejas.svg, Coahuila y Tejas Flag
This flag was originally designed to be used jointly as an independence flag by the former Mexican states of

Coahuila Coahuila (), formally Coahuila de Zaragoza (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza), is one of the 32 states of Mexico. Coahuila borders the Mexican states of N ...

and Tejas from 1824–1835 with the tri-color field of the 1824 national flag of

and the two yellow stars representing the sovereign nations of

. The flag was allegedly raised by the Texian Army in 1836 inside the

in defiance of the besieging

. File:Texas Dodson Flag.svg, Dodson Flag
This flag was the first "Lone Star flag" of Texas and was used as a military flag created by Sarah Dodson for her husband, Archelaus who was a member of the Texas Volunteers. It was used during the siege of San Antonio and the capture of the Alamo. File:Baker's San Felipe Flag.svg, San Felipe Flag
This flag was allegedly designed by

Gail Borden Gail Borden Jr. (November 9, 1801 – January 11, 1874) was a native New Yorker who settled in Texas in 1829 (then still Mexico), where he worked as a land surveyor, newspaper publisher, and inventor. He created a process in 1853 to make sweet ...

condensed milk Condensed milk is cow's milk from which water has been removed (roughly 60% of it). It is most often found with sugar added, in the form of ''sweetened condensed milk'' (SCM), to the extent that the terms "condensed milk" and "sweetened condens ...

fame. The flag was used by the San Felipe Militia of the Texian Army under the command of Captain

Moseley Baker Moseley Baker (September 20, 1802 – November 8, 1848) was an American lawyer, politician, and military officer who served as the speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives and served two terms in the Congress of the Republic of Texas, where ...

and First Lieutenant John P. Borden, brother of Gail Borden supposedly flown at the

on April 21, 1836. File:Captain Burroughs' Flag From Ohio.svg, Burroughs' Ohio Flag
This flag emblazoned with the American

and the white Texas star on a blue field of the Zavala Flag imposed in the background design was used by Captain George H. Burroughs and his

Zanesville, Ohio Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. It is located east of Columbus and had a population of 24,765 as of the 2020 census, down from 25,487 as of the 2010 census. Historically the state capita ...

militia company flew at the

on April 21, 1836. File:San Jacinto Flag.svg, San Jacinto Liberty Flag
This flag had a "Lady Liberty" design and was used by the Second Regiment of the Texian Army under the command of Colonel

Sidney Sherman Sidney Sherman (July 23, 1805 – August 1, 1873) was a Texian general and a key leader in the Army of Texas, Texas Army during the Texas Revolution and afterwards. Early life Sherman was born in Marlboro, Massachusetts, a son of Michah and Sus ...

at the

on April 21, 1836. File:De Zavala Flag.svg, Zavala Flag
This flag was the first official flag of the

Lorenzo de Zavala Manuel Lorenzo Justiniano de Zavala y Sanchez (October 3, 1788 - November 15, 1836), known simply as Lorenzo de Zavala, was a Mexican and later Tejano physician, politician, diplomat and author. Born in Yucatán under Spanish rule, he was clo ...

, being in use as early as March 1836 which would have been the last official flag of the Texian Army.

Notable Texian Army commanders and officers

File:Houston-sam-by-wb-cooper.jpg, Commander-In-Chief Major General

Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...

File:Edburleson.jpg, Commander Major General

File:Frank W Johnson.JPG, Adjutant and Inspector General

Frank W. Johnson Francis White "Frank" Johnson (October 3, 1799 – April 8, 1884) was a leader of the Texian Army from December 1835 through February 1836, during the Texas Revolution. Johnson arrived in Texas in 1826 and worked as a surveyor for several empr ...

File:ThomasJeffersonRusk.jpg, Inspector General

Thomas Jefferson Rusk Thomas Jefferson Rusk (December 5, 1803July 29, 1857) was an early political and military leader of the Republic of Texas, serving as its first Secretary of War as well as a general at the Battle of San Jacinto. He was later a US politician and ...

File:Sidney sherman.jpg, Colonel

File:Jimbowie.jpg, Colonel

File:JamesWFannin.jpg, Colonel

James Fannin James Walker Fannin Jr. (1804 or 1805 – March 27, 1836) was an American military figure and slave trader in the Texas Army and leader during the Texas Revolution (1835-1836) against Mexico. After being outnumbered and surrendering to Mexi ...

File:Ben milam.jpg, Colonel

Benjamin Milam Benjamin Rush "Ben" Milam (October 20, 1788 – December 7, 1835) was an American colonist of Mexican Texas and a military leader and hero of the Texas Revolution. A native of what is now Kentucky, Milam fought beside American interests during t ...

File:William B. Travis by Wiley Martin.JPG, Lieutenant Colonel

William B. Travis William Barret "Buck" Travis (August 1, 1809 – March 6, 1836) was a 19th-century American lawyer and soldier. At the age of 26, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army. He died at the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Tr ...

File:Juan seguin.jpg, Lieutenant Colonel

File:David Crockett.jpg, Colonel

Davy Crockett David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He is often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of Re ...

File:ESC robertson.jpg, Major

Elijah Sterling Clack Robertson Elijah Sterling Clack Robertson (1820–1879) was an early white settler in Robertson's Colony in Texas. His father was the colony's founder Sterling C. Robertson. Brought to Texas to learn the Spanish language, he translated for both Robertson' ...

File:Dr. 'Jack' Shackelford.jpg, Captain

File:Deaf smith.jpg, Captain Erastus "Deaf" Smith File:McCullochBenjamin.jpg, First Lieutenant

Benjamin McCulloch Brigadier-General Benjamin McCulloch (November 11, 1811 – March 7, 1862) was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, a major-general in the Texas militia and thereafter a major in the United States Army (United States Volunteers) ...

Notable soldiers

John M. Allen (soldier) John M. Allen (? – February 12, 1847) was a soldier and the first mayor of Galveston. He was born in Kentucky. He fought in support of the Greek independence from Turkey as a volunteer in the United States Navy. Lord Byron died in Missolonghi ...

, first mayor of Galveston *

, member of Alabama Congress; member of the Republic of Texas Congress *

, inventor of process for condensed milk and namesake of Borden's Milk *

Andrew Briscoe Andrew Briscoe (November 25, 1810 – October 4, 1849) was a merchant, revolutionary, soldier, and jurist. He was an organizer of the Texas Revolution, attending the Convention of 1836 and signing the Texas Declaration of Independence. He foug ...

, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, first judge of

Harris County, Texas Harris County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas; as of the 2020 census, the population was 4,731,145, making it the most populous county in Texas and the third most populous county in the United States. Its county seat is Houston, ...

Benjamin F. Bryant Benjamin Franklin Bryant (15 March 1800 – 4 March 1857) was a military officer noted for his service to in the Texian Army at the Battle of San Jacinto, and later in the Army of the Republic of Texas. Bryant founded the frontier fort Bryant ...

, founder of the Bryant Station frontier fort and Texas Ranger *

Henry Eustace McCulloch Henry Eustace McCulloch (December 6, 1816 – March 12, 1895) was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, and a brigadier general in the army of the Confederate States during the American Civil War. Early life McCulloch was born i ...

, Texas Ranger; brigadier general Confederate States of America *

William Whitaker Reed William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Eng ...

, empresario, postmaster of the Republic of Texas *

Joel Walter Robison Joel or Yoel is a name meaning "Yahweh Is God" and may refer to: * Joel (given name), origin of the name including a list of people with the first name. * Joel (surname), a surname * Joel (footballer, born 1904), Joel de Oliveira Monteiro, Brazili ...

, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, namesake of

Seguin, Texas Seguin ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Guadalupe County, Texas, United States; as of the 2020 census, its population was 29,433. Its economy is primarily supported by a regional hospital, as well as the Schertz-Seguin Local Government C ...

Deaf Smith Erastus "Deaf" Smith (April 19, 1787 – November 30, 1837), who earned his nickname due to hearing loss in childhood, was an American frontiersman noted for his part in the Texas Revolution and the Army of the Republic of Texas. He fought in ...

, headed company of Texas Rangers, namesake of

Deaf Smith County, Texas Deaf Smith County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,583. The county seat is Hereford, which is known as the "Beef Capital of the World". The county was created in 1876 and later organi ...

Martin Varner Martin Varner (March 3, 1785 – February 14, 1844) was one of the original American settlers in Mexican Texas, known as the Old Three Hundred, and was a veteran of the Texas Revolution. Early life Born in German Township, Fayette County, Pe ...

Uniforms, weapons, and equipment

Neither the regular nor volunteer components of the Texian Army were issued specific uniforms. Several of the companies that formed in the United States, including the

, purchased

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

surplus uniforms before they arrived.Hardin (1994), p. 60. Other companies had more loosely defined "uniforms", such as wearing matching hunting shirts.Todish ''et al.'' (1998), p. 14. Texian volunteer

Noah Smithwick Noah Smithwick (January 01, 1808October 21, 1899) was a colonist who lived in Texas from 1827 and until the Civil War began. A gunsmith and blacksmith, he fought in the Texas Revolution and served as a Texas Ranger. Late in life he dictated his r ...

wrote a description of the volunteer army as it looked in October 1835:

Words are inadequate to convey an impression of the appearance of the first Texas army as it formed in marching order. ... Buckskin breeches were the nearest approach to uniform and there was wide diversity even there, some of them being new and soft and yellow, while others, from long familiarity with rain and grease and dirt, had become hard and black and shiny. ... Boots being an unknown quantity, some wore shoes and some moccasins. Here a broad brimmed sombrero overshadowed the military cap at its side; there, a tall "beegum" rode familiarly beside a coonskin cap, with the tail hanging down behind, as all well regulated tails should do ... here a bulky roll of bed quilts jostled a pair of "store " blankets; there the shaggy brown buffalo robe contrasted with a gaily colored checkered counterpane on which the manufacturer had lavished all the skill of dye and weave known to art ... in lieu of a canteen, each man carried a Spanish gourd.... Here a big American horse loomed above the nimble Spanish pony, there a half-broke mustang pranced beside a sober methodical mule. A fantastic military array to a casual observer, but the one great purpose animating every heart clothed us in a uniform more perfect in our eyes than was ever donned by regulars on dress parade.

History

Offensive maneuvers (October – December 1835)

Several days after Austin took command, the army marched towards Bexar to confront General

Martin Perfecto de Cos Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austral ...

, who had recently arrived to command the remaining Mexican troops in Texas. Come And Take It Mural

Restructuring (December 1835 – February 1836)

The regular division of the Army was officially established on December 12. Any man who enlisted in the regular division would receive $24 in cash, the rights to of land, and instant Texas citizenship. Those who joined the volunteer auxiliary corps would receive of land if they served two years, while those who served 1 year would receive .Todish ''et al.'' (1998), p. 28. A month later the establishment of a Legion of Cavalry would be authorized. The commander of the regular forces,

, called for 5,000 men to enlist in the regular army but had difficulty convincing men to join. Many of the arrivals from the United States did not want to be under a more strict military control, and instead informally joined the volunteer units that had gathered in other parts of Texas. These volunteer soldiers were in many cases more impassioned than the Texas settlers. Although the provisional Texas government was still debating whether the troops were fighting for independence or for separate statehood, on December 20, 1835, the Texian garrison at Goliad voted unanimously to issue a proclamation of independence, stating "that the former province and department of Texas is, and of right ought to be, a free, sovereign and independent state". The provisional government had originally placed Houston in charge of the regular forces, but in December the council gave secret orders to

, and Dr. James Grant to prepare forces to invade Mexico. Houston was then ordered to travel to

East Texas East Texas is a broadly defined cultural, geographic, and ecological region in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas that comprises most of 41 counties. It is primarily divided into Northeast and Southeast Texas. Most of the region consi ...

to broker a treaty that would allow the

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

to remain neutral in the conflict. Johnson and Grant gathered 300 of the 400 men garrisoned in Bexar and left to prepare for the invasion.Todish ''et al.'' (1998), p. 29. The government was woefully short of funds. On January 6, 1836, Colonel James C. Neill, commander of the remaining 100 troops in Bexar, wrote to the council: " there has ever been a dollar here I have no knowledge of it. The clothing sent here by the aid and patriotic exertions of the honorable Council, was taken from us by arbitrary measures of Johnson and Grant, taken from men who endured all the hardships of winter and who were not even sufficiently clad for summer, many of them having but one blanket and one shirt, and what was intended for them given away to men some of whom had not been in the army more than four days, and many not exceeding two weeks." For the next several months it was unclear who was in charge of the Texian army—Fannin, Johnson, Grant, or Houston.Todish ''et al.'' (1998), p. 30. On January 10, Johnson issued a call to form a Federal Volunteer Army of Texas which would march on Matamoros during the

Matamoros Expedition The Matamoros Expedition was a planned 1836 invasion of the Mexican port town of Matamoros by rebellious Texians. As the Mexican government transitioned from federalism to a centralized government in 1835, many federalists offered armed oppositio ...

Defensive maneuvers (March – April 1836)

The Mexican army returned to Texas in February and initiated a siege of the garrison in San Antonio on February 23.Todish ''et al.'' (1998), p. 40. The commander at the Alamo,

, sent numerous letters to the Texas settlements, begging for reinforcements.Edmondson (2000), pp. 302, 312, 345. Men began to gather in Gonzales to prepare to reinforce the garrison.Edmondson (2000), p. 375. Before they left, the Mexican army launched the

, and all of the Texian soldiers who had been stationed in Bexar were killed.Nofi (1992), p. 133. This left two branches of the Texian Army: Fannin's 400 men at GoliadEdmondson (2000), p. 377. and Neill's 400 men at Gonzales,Lindley (2003), p. 310. who soon reported to Houston. On hearing the news of the massacre at the Alamo, Houston ordered his army to retreat and burned the town of Gonzales as they left. He ordered Fannin to bring his men and join the rest of the army.Todish ''et al.'' (1998), p. 67. Fannin's force was defeated at the Battle of Coleto Creek, and on March 27 Fannin and his men were executed at the Goliad Massacre. A few soldiers escaped, and 80 soldiers who had just arrived from the United States and had no weapons were spared.Todish ''et al.'' (1998), p. 68. As news spread of the defeats at the Alamo and Goliad, men flocked to the Texian army. By early April, Houston commanded about 800 men.Todish ''et al.'' (1998), p. 69. The Texas Revolution essentially ended on April 21, when the Texian Army routed a Mexican force and captured Santa Anna at the

. For six months

David G. Burnet David Gouverneur Burnet (April 14, 1788 – December 5, 1870) was an early politician within the Republic of Texas, serving as interim President of Texas (1836 and again in 1841), Vice President of the Republic of Texas (1839–1841), and Se ...

, ad interim President of the Republic, had diligently maintained the army laws set forth by the Consultation in December 1835. The 1835–36 Regular Army of Texas would never consist of more than 100 soldiers and would never approach the Consultation's number goal of 560 infantry, 560 artillery and 384 cavalry, in the permanent "Regular Army" of Texas. However, the goal of independence was achieved, nonetheless.

Retention as permanent defensive force for the Republic of Texas (1836–1845)

In media

* 1960: ''

The Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Anto ...

'', a feature film based on the

. Depicts Texas Rangers and Texian Army. * 2004: ''