The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933 Page: 132
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
be more natural than that he taught school during his first years
in Texas, before he threw himself into the heat of the revolutionary
struggle ?
The struggle for Texas independence reached the period of its
greatest intensity between June and October 2, 1835, when at Gon-
zales, the first conflict of the revolution took place.' During this
period the conservative party became cognizant of the true state of
affairs, and finally joined interests with those of the war party,
whom they had, at first, bitterly opposed.8 That Joseph Baker was
in the center of this struggle we have every reason to believe from
his moves during the next several months. In a letter from Mose-
ley Baker to General Sam Houston, dated October, 1844, we learn
that the interests of Joseph Baker were closely allied with those of
the war party:
The ball of the revolution, as you well know, was first put in
motion at San Felipe early in June, 1835, and . . . a feeling
of deep excitement pervaded the country from the Trinity west,
excitement of a highly alarming tendency, urging on to a civil war
among the inhabitants but quieted for a while by the peace party
gaining ascendency and issuing a declaration that no cause for
apprehension existed, that no change in the form of government
was intended by the Mexicans and that no necessity existed for the
meeting of delegates from the different portions of Texas to con-
sult on the political conditions of the times. This result was not
effected without a violent struggle on the part of the war party.
Meeting upon meeting was held, speech upon speech was made and
so long as hope cast its shadow before did the war party contend
for mastery at San Felipe. Had you been a participant in the
struggle then going on you would have witnessed the untiring
exertions of the Whartons, Archer, Travis, Williamson, Williams,
Johnson, McKinney, Jno. K. Allen, Bowie, Pettus, Money, Joseph
Baker, and a host of others, all clinging with patriotic ardor to a
cause over which for a while lengthened shadows of despair were
cast, and Sir, it was a contest not without its dangers, as you may
recollect that it produced an order from Gen. Cos to have arrested
Wm. B. Travis, Moseley Baker, F. W. Johnson, Samuel M.
Williams, Robert Williamson and Lorenzo de Zavalla to be sent to
Matamoras for military trial. This military order may justly be
regarded as the final success of the war party.9
'Moore, Wilma Harper, A History of San Felipe De Austin, 1824-1836
(M. A. Thesis, 1929), 152.
lbid., 145-146.
9General Moseley Baker to General Sam Houston, October, 1844, in the
Austin Papers. MS.132
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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/m1/146/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.