Importance of Texas in American Civil War

Antebellum Texas was a political, social and economical stronghold of the Southern states. Southern states were significantly supporting the slave-trade. Agriculture was the major profession of people in Texas and most of them were involved in subsistence farming and herding and hence they were dependent on crop production which is a cash crop. Being an agricultural base, Texas became the hot spot for ‘Peculiar Institution’ slavery. In 1846, around 30,000 black slaved were present in Texas. Because of the dependence of people of Texas on slaves, the politicians of Texas were also highly influenced by the Southern ideology of supporting slave trade (Antebellum Texas, Handbook of Texas online). By 1850, the growing conflicts of the Northern states with Southern states started troubling the state of Texas. Most of Texans were of the opinion to maintain the Union to which they had great affinity as they worked hard to join the Union in 1845. They were affected by the continuous criticism and attacks on Southern leaders by their Northern counterparts. While only about 25 percent of all Texan families owned slaves, almost all Texan were strongly favouring the opposition to any interference by the Union government and Northern leaders with the procedural institution of slavery.

Abraham Lincoln was chosen as the president of the Union in 1860 and that was no less than a threat for Texans and other Southern states. The then governor of Texas, Sam Houston was truly devoted for the welfare of Texas and he was very honest towards the Union too. Texans urged Sam Houston to call a common meeting of public to take a decision about the future course of action of Texas. However, being an honest supporter of the Union, Sam Houston tried his best to suppress any voice of secession from the Union. However, his attempts fell short when in December 1860; South Carolina made its announcement of secession from the Union. Secessionist leaders of Texas like William P. Roger, O.M. Roberts, George M. Flournoy and John S. (Rip) Ford forced the governor of Texas, Sam Houston to give way for the rising voice of secession (Civil War, Handbook of Texas Online)

On February 1, 1861, the representatives of the convention for secession voted for breaking the Texans ties with the Union and the Abraham Lincoln’s upcoming administration. On February 23rd, and on March 2nd, 1861, a large majority of Texans approved the decision of secession and the annexation of Texas as a state of the Union was reversed to declare Texans secession from the Union (Reid, 2005).

The governor of Texas, Sam Houston was adamantly devoted towards the Union and he strongly opposed the decision to secede from the Union. He not only refused to be with the Confederacy, but he also rebutted the decision of secession and revolt. Because of his actions in favour of the Union, he was ousted from the office and Lieutenant Governor Edward Clark was chosen to replace him in the Governor’s office of Texas. Volunteers were organized in Texas to capture all Federal Military Installations and supply depots at San Antonio. In April, 1861, Confederate forces attacked on the Fort Sumter. All of the Burnett’s Texas Mounted Volunteers were from East Texas counties. Later on, all of them were added in the 13th Texas Cavalry Regiment of the Confederate services Union (Reid, 2005).

The Texans were always full with nationalistic feelings and once the decision of secession from the Union and support for the Confederate was taken, citizens of Texas willingly gave away the identity of Texas as a part of the Union and quickly accepted the nationalistic identity of Confederate.

Harrison County and other Texas residencies made use of the old historical foundation of state in patriotic version while denouncing the fragile loyalty towards the Union. This helped Texans to adapt with the nationalistic feeling and loyalty towards the confederate. Right from the beginning stages of Civil War, people of Texas maintained their nationalistic approach and terms like ‘our nation’, ‘our country’ or the ‘South’ were used to represent them. The antebellum Texas thus, was a source of nationalistic will and feelings and Texans were determined to attain nationalistic identity while giving up the Union. The Texan women also took an eager role in helping the army of Confederate and in November 1861, a Lady’s Aid Society was assigned to work for the welfare of the new Confederate country. Texan women had strong desire to serve and provide relief for the confederate soldiers by stitching their cloths, hosting fund-raisers, supporting poor families and more similar activities. Every step by these women was taken for supporting the nationalistic cause for which their men were struggling against the army of the Union. It can be said that almost every Texan, including men, women, old and young were actively or emotionally involved with the nationalistic feeling of Confederate right after the secession from the Union (Lang, 2009).

By the end of 1861, 25,000 Texans joined the Confederate army; Texans majorly chose to serve in the branch of Cavalry. During the Civil War, almost 90,000 people from Texas were serving in the military services for the Confederate. Most of these Texan soldiers fought against the Union in the war at Southwest. While their main motive was to defend their state against Indian attacks and invasions by the Union, they also tried to expand their control over New Mexico Territory. Henry H. Sibley was a West point Graduate and a veteran soldier. He succeeded in convincing the leaders of the Confederate and President Davis that they could easily capture New Mexico and Arizona. However, the Defence of Texas coastlines gained more success than the aggressive invasion on New Mexico. (Civil War, Handbook of Texas Online)

Since most of the quality horse breeding regions were in the upper South, Texans and Southern in general suffered the lack of warhorses during the Civil War. The Federal forces of the Union captured Missouri, Kentucky, much of Tennessee and trans-Allegheny Virginia by mid 1862. This further caused the deficiency of warhorses as the supply of war horses for Texan soldiers was totally aborted. Every volunteer of the cavalry of Texas was expected to arrange a horse by his own. This lack of warhorses on both sides of the struggling parties forced the evolution of innovative ways of fighting to use weaponry even in absence of warhorses (Gervase Phillips, 2005).

Most of the large battles of Civil War were fought at long distances from Texas beyond the Mississippi river. Thousands of Texan soldiers moved towards the battle fields and took part in great battles of civil war. During the first half of the civil war, Francis R. Lubbock worked as the governor of Texas. He was an intelligent authoritarian and he used his diligence to recruit Texans in the military services. Almost all of Texas citizens offered proper support for all governors for supporting the Confederate. Majority of Mexican Americans of Texas voluntarily joined Confederate army. However, some Texans also joined Union army to respect the memories of the Texas Revolution and its aftermath. However, Texan Confederate harshly dealt with all those who tried to help the Union forces. Unlike other Confederate states, the Texas state suffered much less economic turmoil during the civil war in comparison. However, the civil war hugely affected the life of every common Texan.

Union forces staged blockades which caused shortage of many common usage commodities such as clothing, medicines, shoes, coffee and agricultural equipments. Even it was difficult to get salt at times. To overcome these conditions, people of Texas started using homespun cloths. However, since Texans were able to trade with Mexico, they were in better situations then people in other confederate states. Texans bought and arranged supplies of food, dry goods, liquor, tobacco, coffee, medicines and military supplies from Mexico. The economy of Texas was majorly dependent on agriculture. Since most of the farm men joined army, the remaining women and children were forced to take responsibility of looking after their agricultural land. The farmers adapted to the conditions of wartime and in place of growing commercial cotton, they preferred growing corns (Civil War, Handbook of Texas Online).

Thus, the history reveals that Texans were very adamant and devoted towards their nationalistic feelings and had full confidence in the motives of their leaders.

References:
Antebellum Texas, Handbook of Texas online: Available at: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/AA/npa1.html
Civil War, Handbook of Texas Online: Available at: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/CC/qdc2.html
Thomas Reid, 2005, “Spartan Band: Burnett's 13th Texas Cavalry in the Civil War”, University of North Texas Press, Denton, TX, available at: http://www.questia.com/read/116276454?title=Spartan%20Band%3a%20%20Burnett%27s%2013th%20Texas%20Cavalry%20in%20the%20Civil%20War
Andrew F. Lang, 2009, “Upon the Altar of Our Country": Confederate Identity, Nationalism, and Morale in Harrison County, Texas”, Civil War History. Volume: 55. Issue: 2, Kent State University Press, available at: http://www.questia.com/read/5034998594?title=%22Upon%20the%20Altar%20of%20Our%20Country%22%3a%20Confederate%20Identity%2c%20Nationalism%2c%20and%20Morale%20in%20Harrison%20County%2c%20Texas%2c%201860-1865
Gervase Phillips, December 2005, “Warhorses of the U.S. Civil War”, History Today. Volume: 55. Issue: 12, available at: http://www.questia.com/read/5011982822?title=Warhorses%20of%20the%20U.S.%20Civil%20War