Gonzales Flag and Map of the Republic of Texas

In 1835 the commander of the Mexican garrison at San Antonio sent a few men to Gonzales to recover a cannon that had been loaned to the town to fight off occasional Indian attacks. The citizens of Gonzales realized that the intent of the move was to disarm possible rebels, and so the request was denied. Dragoons under Captain Francisco Castaneda arrived to demand the cannon unconditionally. The cannon was so small that blacksmiths hammered iron scrap into cannonballs. As word of the conflict spread, the Texan force grew to over 200 armed men, and the town was fortified. Two ladies of the town, Cynthia Burns and Evaline DeWitt, painted a flag on cotton cloth, depicting the cannon, the Lone Star of Texas and a clear challenge to the enemy. The battle at Gonzales led the fight for independence to the Alamo and to the final Texas victory at San Jacinto. Texas has the distinction of being the only state that was an independent country for nine years.

Emory’s rare map, drawn by the United States Government, was the first to accurately depict the full extent of the Republic of Texas. The western border of Texas is accurately depicted as being the Rio Grande River to its source, a claim established by the treaty Santa Anna signed after his defeat at the battle of San Jacinto. Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos and the land where Aspen and Vail are now were all within the official borders of Texas. Many early towns as well as rivers and topographic details are marked.

This very important map of the Independent Republic of Texas not only reflected history but helped shape it. An insight into the early years of Texas, and the relative importance of different communities, is reflected by the population table at the lower left. Details include population statistics for the chief towns of the Republic of Texas. Austin is listed with a population of 200 and Houston a mere 4,500.