PREFACE

One of the most interesting, but also one of the most neglected, phases of the history of Texas is that dealing with the southern and southwestern frontiers of the Republic. It is the story of Texas-Mexican relations along a thinly populated borderland between two contrasting civilizations -- one virile, aggressive, restless and frequently lawless; the other proud, traditional, militaristic, and often corrupt. Both civilizations were projected upon a third and older culture -- the Indian -- which played an important role in the contest between the two stronger parties. Here, on the southern and southwestern frontier of Texas, Mexican, Anglo-American, and Indian met, mingled, and fought either singly or in some form of alliance of one with another against the third. Plots and expeditions, as much as the peaceful extension of settlement and trade, are important phases of the history of this frontier. Here men of many nations, adventurers and soldiers of fortune, spies, vigilantes, rangers, "cow-boys," government agents, merchants, lawyers, restless politicians, farmers, ranchers, cutthroats, and freebooters rubbed elbows, fought, and died.

Because of the clandestine operations of many of the characters involved, secrecy was often their motto; yet, enough of the written record on both sides has come down to us to permit the story of this frontier to be told. This is as much the story of Mexican history as it is Texan. No serious effort has been made by scholars in the past to write the history of this phase of Texas-Mexican relations, although it was a phase which engendered deep and long-lasting bitterness on both sides. The full story is much too long and complicated to be told in a single volume; so, the current work is confined to the period between the battle of San Jacinto and the Mexican seizure of San Antonio in March 1842.