The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933 Page: 93
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The Alabama Indians of Texas
about three hundred and fifty Coshattis with some eighty warriors
living on the Trinity; and of the Alabamas, sixty warriors and two
hundred and fifty others, all living on the Neches.50
Notwithstanding Houston's conciliatory Indian policy, the East
Texas Indians were restless and discontented during the early years
of the Republic, and there were constant alarms and depredations
along the frontier. People returning after the "runaway scrape"
and new settlers in search of lands often encroached upon the
Indian territory. The treaty made with the Cherokees and their
associate bands in 1836 failed of ratification, which added to the
general unrest. Many of the Indians were incited by secret agents
to join the Mexicans and involve Texas in a general Indian war.
The crisis was reached in what is known as Cordova's rebellion,
which was crushed with the defeat of the Indians and Mexicans
at the battle of Kickapoo Village, October 16, 1838; and in the
Cherokee war which resulted from Lamar's policy of removing
the immigrant tribes who had no claim to the soil. The Ala-
bamas and Coshattis were among the associate bands of the Chero-
kees, but they lived quietly in their villages while this turmoil was
raging without, although some of the Coshattis were in the battle
of Kickapoo Village.61 With the Alabamas at this time were a
few Biloxies and Muscogies (Creeks), who had been in Texas only
two or three years."2
Lamar, whose Indian policy was not conciliatory, was opposed
to removing the Alabamas and Coshattis. In his message of
November 12, 1839, he states:
To the Coshattis and Alabamas, who seem to have some equitable
claims upon the country for the protection of their property and
persons, the hand of friendship has been extended, with a promise
that they shall not be interrupted in the peaceful enjoyment of
their possessions, so long as they continue the same amicable rela-
tions towards the Govt. which they have hitherto preserved.53
"Senate Document, 24 Cong., 2 Sess., No. 20, 13-4.
5Brown, John Henry, History of Texas, 1685-1892, II, 56; also Rusk to
Bowles, October 20, 1838, in Gulick and Elliott, eds., The Papers of
Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Austin, II, 255.
"Report of Committee on Indian Affairs, October 12, 1837, in MS.,
Indian Papers, Texas State Library.
"Smither, ed., Journals of the Fourth Congress of the Republic of Texas,
1839-40, Austin, I, 11-2.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933, periodical, 1933; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101093/m1/107/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.