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.

A Great Man Of Texas

Confederate Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch of Texas was killed during the Battle of Pea Ridge March 7^th 1862.

Benjamin McCulloch was born in Rutherford County Tennessee the son of Alexander and Frances Fisher (LeNoir) McCulloch.  The family was part of old Virginia planter stock, but McCulloch’s father moved the family west often.  They settled finally in Dyersburg, Tennessee were McCulloch’s neighbor was David Crockett.  In 1835 when Crockett went to Texas, McCulloch and his brother Henry head for the state.  Because of Ben contracting measles the brothers had to hold up for a few weeks, and were saved from being in the Alamo when it fell.

McCulloch fought for Texas under Sam Houston as part of the artillery.  He received 960 acres of land for his service.  He took up land surveying for the Republic of Texas, before joining the Texas Rangers as a lieutenant under Captain John Coffee Hays.  In 1839 McCulloch was elected to the Texas House of Representatives.  By 1842 McCulloch was back fighting Indians and Mexican with the Texas Rangers.  During the Mexican American War he was appointed Chief of Scouts under United States General Zachary Taylor with the rank of Major.  When gold fever struck in 1849 McCulloch traveled to California, where he would become a sheriff in Sacramento.  He was back in Texas by 1852.

With the coming of the Civil War, Texas seceded from the Union on February 1^st 1861 and on the 14^th McCulloch received a commission from Confederate President Jefferson Davis to Colonel.  McCulloch met with Union General David E Twiggs on the morning to February 16^th 1861 and demanded his surrender.  McCulloch was promoted to Brigadier General.  He put together the Confederate Army of the West with men from Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Indians from the Creek, Cherokee and Choctaw nations.  Their first action was at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek on August 10^th 1861, where they defeated Union General Nathaniel Lyon.

McCulloch was in command of the Confederate right wing at the Battle of Pea Ridge.  His troops, after much maneuvering over took a Union artillery battery on March 7^th 1862.  The fight continued through the morning and McCulloch who was riding out in front to scout positions was shot out of his saddle.  He died instantly.  He was buried on the field at Pea Ridge, but was later moved to the battle cemetery in Little Rock.  McCulloch’s remains would be moved finally to the State Cemetery in Austin, Texas.

Governor and Confederate Soldier

The ninth Governor of Texas, Francis Richard Lubbock was born on October 16th 1815 in South Carolina. He held the office during the Civil War.

Francis Richard Lubbock was born in Beaufort South Carolina, October 16th 1815, the oldest son of Dr Henry Thomas Willis and Susan Ann [Saltus] Lubbock. He moved to Texas in 1836, and was the Comptroller of the Republic of Texas under President Sam Houston. Lubbock a Democrat, was elected in 1857 to the office of Texas Lieutenant Governor, but was not reelected to the office. In 1861 with Texas joining the Confederacy Lubbock was elected Governor. He strongly supported the Confederate draft, including drafting aliens living in Texas. Lubbock made attempts to keep trade with Mexico open and established a foundry and percussion cap factory.

Lubbock’s term as Governor ended in 1863, and he joined the Confederate Army. He was appointed Lieutenant Colonel, serving under Major General John Bankhead Magruder. In August 1864 he was made the aide-de-camp for Jefferson Davis, whom he evacuated Richmond Virginia with at the end of the war. After being caught in Georgia by Union troops, he served eight months in solitary confinement in Fort Delaware.

After being paroled Lubbock returned to Texas, where he became a business man in the Houston and Galveston areas. He also served as the Texas State Treasure from 1878 to 1891, and on the Texas Board of Pardons under Governor James Hogg until he was eighty. Lubbock died in June 22nd 1905 in Austin Texas.

He Took Over For Houston

Edward Clark the Governor of Texas at the out break of the Civil war died May 4th 1880.

Clark was born in New Orleans LA April 1st 1815 the son of Elijah Clark Jr. He spent his childhood in Georgia and Montgomery AL. He moved in 1842 to Texas were he set up a law practice. Clark served the future state of Texas during the Annexation Convention and than for two terms as state representative in the Texas Legislation before he fought in the Mexican - American War. He served on the staff of General J Pinckney Henderson and received a citation for bravery at Monterrey.

After the conclusion of the war Clark served as secretary of state for Governor Elisha M Pease, and than as Lieutenant Governor under Sam Houston. When Houston refused to take the oath to allegiance to the Confederacy in 1861, Clark was declared Governor of Texas. He lost his bid for Governor by 124 votes to Francis Lubbock. So Clark became a Colonel in the 14th Texas Infantry, and after being wounded at Pleasant Hill LA as part of the Red River campaign, as Brigadier General. When the Civil War was over Edward fled for a time to Mexico, but would return to his home in Marshall TX.

Edward Clark died in Marshall on May 4th 1880. He is buried in the Marshall City Cemetery, and has a historical marker.

Texas Splits

Despite the wishes of Sam Houston, Texas became member of the Confederate States of America on March 2nd 1861.

Following a statewide election in which the people of Texas voted 3 to 1 to secede, Texas joined the rest of the Confederate States on March 2nd 1861. Governor Sam Houston called this act illegal. But the politicians that brought the vote about, were powerful enough to have Houston replaced by his Lieutenant Governor Edward Clark. Houston chose not to take the Oath of Loyalty to the Confederacy, and was evicted from his office on March 16th. President Abraham Lincoln sent United States Colonel Frederick W Lander to offer Fifty thousand troop in order to hold Texas, but Houston turned him down, saying "I love Texas too well to bring civil strife and bloodshed upon her. To avert this calamity, I shall make no endeavor to maintain my authority as Chief Executive of this State.”

[Interestingly to this date, Sam Houston was born on March 2 1793 on his families plantation near Timber Ridge Church, Lexington , Rockbridge, VA.]