The Archive War

THE ARCHIVE WAR

IN 1839 AUSTIN BECAME THE CAPITAL OF THE REPUBLIC

OF TEXAS. THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES-STATE PAPERS AND

LAND TITLES-WERE HOUSED ON CONGRESS AVENUE. IN

1842 AFTER MEXICAN ARMIES SEIZED SAN ANTONIO AND

SEEMED LIKELY TO CAPTURE AUSTIN, MANY RESIDENTS FLED

IN WHAT WAS CALLED THE BREAKUP FROM HIS HOME IN

GALVESTON, PRESIDENT SAM HOUSTON ORDERED REMOVAL OF

THE GOVERNMENT PAPERS. A LOCAL ARCHIVE COMMITTEE

RESPONDED BY BURYING THEM. THE PRESIDENT THEN TRIED

UNSUCCESSFULLY TO HAVE CONGRESS CREATE A NEW CAPITAL

NEAR THE COAST. LATER HIS MEN CAME SECRETLY TO HAUL

THE PAPERS TO THE INTERIM CAPITAL, WASHINGTON-ON-THE

BRAZOS LOADING THEM BEFORE DAWN ON DEC.30,1842.

MRS. ANGELINA EBERLY, A NOTED INNKEEPER AND ONE OF

THE FEW WOMEN IN AUSTIN DURING THE BREAKUP, FOUND

THE MEN LOADING THE ARCHIVES IN DARKNESS. RUNNING

TO THE CITY CANNON ON CONGRESS AVENUE AT PECAN (6TH)

STREET SHE FIRED AT THE WAGONS.THE 26 MEN DEPARTED

WITH THE RECORDS. ABOUT 68 CITIZENS RODE AFTER THEM,

HAULING ALONG THE CITY CANNON SOME 20 MILES FROM

AUSTIN THEY RETRIEVED THE ARCHIVES WITHOUT BLOODSHED.

BECAUSE THE ARCHIVES REMAINED HERE, THE PRESIDENT

AND THE CONGRESS RETURNED IN 1845, PRESERVING AUSTIN

AS THE CAPITAL OF THE REPUBLIC AND (LATER) THE STATE

(1978)

Submitted by Chi C.