Sam Houston and the American Southwest (Library of American Biography)

Houston was a restless man from early boyhood to old age. He moved about as his family had, unable to strike roots anywhere, unwilling to accept conditions as they were. He envied the wild liberty of the red men among whom he sometimes lived and remained a homeless exile for much of his life. His life exemplified an American type that had long fascinated Europeans. The place in which he would untimately make his mark was all but empty when he first arrived. The great Southwest had abundant space, few people - much potential and little actuality. Populated by only scattered bands of roving Indians, it developed slowly. It existed under teh nominal sovereignty of Spain and later of Mexico before obtaining its independence. But is had neither enjoyed the benefits nor suffered from the hardships of tight governmental control. Remote from the centers of power, population, and authority, Texas lingered on largely undeveloped. It was therefore open to incursions from the United States by restless settlers like Houston. An influx of settlers from the United States, whether authorized or not, created significant friction that sometimes erupted into violence. Disputes sprang up from differences in language, religious belief, outlook and interests. A clash of cultures between the remote Mexican government and the heedless, headstrong American settlers culminated in revolt and Texan independence. Houston played a pivotal role in the events that unfolded and Campbell tells his story.