United States Ambassador to Texas

For 300 years, from 1521 until 1821, the part of North America that is now the state of Texas was part of the Spanish possessions in the New World called New Spain. In 1821, after a long war with Spain, Mexico gained its independence from Spain and Texas became part of the Mexican Empire in North and Central America.

In 1824 Mexico adopted a new constitution and established the United Mexican States. Texas became the northern section of Coahuila y Tejas state. In 1823 American colonists led by Stephen F. Austin began to settle along the Brazos River on land that had been granted to them by Spanish Empire. The new Mexican government, however, refused to recognize the Spanish land grants. In 1825 the Mexican government made new land grants and more American families began to settle in Coahuila y Tejas.

However, with the colonists numbering over 11,000 by 1832 they were becoming less conducive to Austin’s cautious leadership, and the Mexican government was also becoming less cooperative—concerned with the growth of the colony and the efforts of the U.S. government to buy the state from them. The Mexican government had attempted to stop further U.S. immigration as early as April 1830, but the skills of Austin had gained an exemption for his colonies.

The continuing strife between the rebellious American settlers and the Mexican government eventually led the Mexican dictator Antonio López de Santa Anna to attempt to drive the Americans out of Texas. War began in earnest in October 1835 at Gonzales. The Republic of Texas, created by a new constitution on March 2, 1836, won independence following a string of defeats with the dramatic turnabout victory at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, and the capture of Santa Anna the following morning.

The United States recognized the new independent nation of Texas and commissioned its first representative, Alcee La Branche as the chargé d'affaires in 1837. The U.S. never sent a full ambassador to Texas, but a series of chargés represented the government in Austin until Texas joined the Union.

In 1845 Texas voted to join the United States.

Chargés d’Affaires

*Alcée Louis la Branche
**Title: Chargé d’Affaires
**Appointed: March 7, 1837
**Presented credentials: October 23–27, 1837
**Terminated mission: Left Texas soon after June 5, 1840
*George H. Flood
**Title: Chargé d’Affaires
**Appointed: March 16, 1840
**Presented credentials: June 21–22, 1840
**Terminated mission: Presented recall July 21, 1841
*Joseph EveEve was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on June 29, 1841.]
**Title: Chargé d’Affaires
**Appointed: April 15, 1841
**Presented credentials: July 21, 1841
**Terminated mission: Relinquished charge June 3, 1843
*William S. MurphyMurphy was commissioned during a recess of the Senate. His nomination of December 16, 1843, was rejected by the Senate.]
**Title: Chargé d’Affaires
**Appointed: April 10, 1843
**Presented credentials: June 16, 1843
**Terminated mission: Died at Galveston, Texas, July 13, 1844
*Tilghman A. Howard
**Title: Chargé d’Affaires
**Appointed: June 11, 1844
**Presented credentials: August 2, 1844
**Terminated mission: Died at Washington, Texas, August 16, 1844
*Andrew J. DonelsonDonelson was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 13, 1845.]
**Title: Chargé d’Affaires
**Appointed: September 16, 1844
**Presented credentials: November 29, 1844
**Terminated mission: Left Texas on or soon after August 9, 1845
*Note: Texas was annexed to the United States effective December 29, 1845.

Notes

ource

* [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/po/com/11318.htm U.S. Dep’t of State: Ambassadors to Texas]

ee also

*History of Texas
*Ambassadors from the United States