Because Of An Oath Of Allegiance

Edward Clark became the Governor of Texas on March 18^th 1861, when Sam Houston refused to take an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy.

Edward Clark was born in New Orleans, Louisiana April 1^st 1815 the son of Elijah Clark Jr.  He spent his childhood in Georgia and Alabama.  He moved to Marshall, Texas in 1842 where he opened a law practice.  Clark served at the Texas Annexation Convention and two terms as a Texas State Representative.  He fought during the Mexican American War, and when that was over he was Secretary of State to Texas Governor Elisha M Pease and Lieutenant Governor to Sam Houston.

In 1861 Texas voted to secede, but then Governor Sam Houston refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederacy.  Clark was made the Governor of Texas March 18^th 1861.  Once in office Clark moved quickly to raise militia, and stabilize Texas’ finances.  When the next election for Governor took place in the autumn of 1861, Clark lost the race by 124 votes to Francis Richard Lubbock.  Clark joined the 14^th Texas Infantry as their Colonel.  He was wounded while leading an attack at the Battle of Pleasant Hill, and ended the war as a Brigadier General.

When the Civil War came to an end Clark fled to Mexico.  He would return to his home in Marshall, Texas, where he died May 4^th 1880.  Clark is buried in the Marshall City Cemetery.