Fredonian Rebellion facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fredonian Rebellion
Approximate location of the Republic of Fredonia
Date December 21, 1826 – January 31, 1827 Location Nacogdoches Result Mexican victory
Belligerents
Mexico	Texian rebels
Commanders and leaders
Guadalupe Victoria Stephen F. Austin	Haden Edwards Benjamin Edwards
Strength
375	Unknown
Casualties and losses
0	0

The Fredonian Rebellion was a short uprising in Mexican Texas. It happened from December 1826 to January 1827. This event was the first time American settlers in Texas tried to break away from Mexico.

The settlers were led by Empresario Haden Edwards. They declared their independence and created the Republic of Fredonia. This new republic was near Nacogdoches. It covered land the Mexican government had given to Edwards in 1825.

Edwards's actions upset the people already living there. Tensions grew between them and Edwards's new settlers. Because of this, the Mexican government canceled Edwards's land contract.

In late December 1826, Edwards's supporters took control of the area. They arrested local officials and declared independence. The nearby Cherokee tribe first agreed to help the new republic. This was because the Mexican government had not kept a promise to their chief, Richard Fields.

However, Mexican officials and a respected empresario, Stephen F. Austin, talked to the Cherokee leaders. They convinced the tribe to stop supporting the rebellion. On January 31, 1827, Mexican soldiers and Texian Militia marched into Nacogdoches. They came to bring back order.

Haden Edwards and his brother Benjamin Edwards escaped to the United States. Chief Fields was killed by his own tribe. A local merchant was arrested but later set free.

The rebellion made Mexican president Guadalupe Victoria send more soldiers to Texas. This helped stop raids by hostile tribes. The Comanche tribe kept their peace treaty for many years. Mexico worried that the United States wanted to take Texas. So, the Mexican government limited immigration from the U.S. This new law made colonists very unhappy. Some historians believe the Fredonian Rebellion was the start of the Texas Revolution.

Why the Rebellion Started

After gaining independence in 1821, several Spanish colonies formed a new country called Mexico. Mexico divided itself into states. The area known as Mexican Texas became part of the state of Coahuila y Tejas. To help manage this large area, the state created departments. All of Texas was in the Department of Béxar.

This department was split into smaller areas called municipalities. Each municipality was led by an alcalde, like a modern-day mayor. A large part of East Texas became the municipality of Nacogdoches. Most residents there were Spanish-speaking families. They had lived on their land for many generations. More English-speaking people had also moved there illegally. Many of these immigrants were adventurers. They had tried to create independent republics in Texas before.

Mexican Colonization Laws

To better control the empty border region, Mexico passed the General Colonization Law in 1824. This law allowed legal immigration into Texas. Each state could set its own rules for immigration. On March 24, 1825, Coahuila y Tejas allowed a system to grant land to empresarios. These empresarios would bring settlers to their colonies. For every 100 families an empresario settled, they would get 23,000 acres of land.

Many people wanted to be empresarios. One of them was Haden Edwards, an American land speculator. He was known for being quick-tempered. On April 14, he received a contract to settle 800 families in East Texas. His contract said he had to respect all old Spanish and Mexican land titles. He also had to form a militia to protect settlers.

Edwards's colony stretched from the Navasota River to the Sabine River. It also went from the Gulf Coast to north of Nacogdoches. To the west and north were lands held by Native tribes. These tribes had recently been forced out of the United States.

The southern border of Edwards's colony was a colony led by Stephen F. Austin. East of Edwards's land was the former Sabine Free State. This area had been without laws for many years. The borders of Edwards's colony and Nacogdoches municipality overlapped. This caused confusion about who was in charge. Most of the original settlers lived outside Edwards's colony.

Events Leading to the Conflict

Edwards arrived in Nacogdoches in August 1825. He wrongly believed he could decide who owned land. In September, he demanded written proof of ownership. If people could not show proof, their land would be taken and sold. Edwards showed prejudice against poorer people or those of different races. He wanted to remove less wealthy settlers. Then he could give their lands to rich planters from the Southern United States.

Few English-speaking residents had valid land titles. Many had been tricked by fake land sellers. Most Spanish-speaking landowners had lived on their family's land for 70 or more years. They could not produce any paperwork. The acting alcalde, Luis Procela, and the clerk, Jose Antonio Sepulveda, began checking old land titles. This was legally the job of the state land commissioner. Edwards accused them of faking deeds. This made the residents even angrier.

By December 1825, Edwards had brought 50 families from the United States. He formed a Texian Militia company, as his contract required. When the militia chose Sepulveda as their captain, Edwards canceled the election. He declared himself the head of the militia. After this, Edwards called for new elections for alcalde. This was outside his authority.

Two men ran for the position: Edwards's son-in-law, Chichester Chaplin, and Samuel Norris. Chaplin represented the new immigrants. Norris was an American who had married into a long-time resident family. He supported the older landowners. Chaplin won, but many settlers said the votes were rigged. They appealed to Juan Antonio Saucedo, the political chief. In March, Saucedo overturned the election. He declared Norris the winner. Edwards refused to accept Norris's authority.

Soon after Saucedo's decision, Edwards left to find more settlers. He left his younger brother, Benjamin, in charge. Benjamin could not keep order in the colony. The situation quickly got worse. A group of older settlers harassed many newcomers. Benjamin complained to state authorities. Mexican authorities were unhappy with the rising tension. They canceled Edwards's land grant in October. They told the Edwards brothers to leave Mexico.

Rumors said Haden Edwards had gone to the United States to raise an army. This likely influenced the government's decision. Haden Edwards had invested $50,000 (about $1.5 million today) in the colony. He did not want to lose it. He rejoined his brother in Nacogdoches in late October. They continued their business despite the contract cancellation.

The Rebellion Begins

In October, Norris ruled that Edwards had wrongly taken land from a settler. He had given it to a new immigrant. Norris made the immigrant leave, which angered many colonists. Later that month, another new immigrant was arrested. He was told to leave the country. This was because he traded with Indian tribes without a license.

On November 22, 1826, local Texian Militia colonel Martin Parmer and 39 other Edwards colonists entered Nacogdoches. They arrested Norris, Sepulveda, and the Mexican garrison commander. They accused them of unfair actions. Haden Edwards was also arrested for breaking his expulsion order. But he was quickly released. This might have been a trick to hide his involvement.

A quick trial found the other men guilty. They were removed from their positions. They were also banned from holding public office again. The court then appointed a temporary alcalde. These actions helped Parmer. Weeks earlier, Norris had issued an arrest warrant for Parmer. This was after Parmer was involved in a dispute where someone died. With Norris removed, the warrant was canceled.

Benjamin Edwards had tried to get support for an armed revolt. He had little success. So, he asked the nearby Cherokee tribe for help. Years earlier, the tribe had asked for title to their lands. Mexican authorities had promised them a deed but never gave it. Benjamin Edwards offered the tribe clear title to all of Texas north of Nacogdoches. In return, he wanted their armed support.

On December 16, the Edwards brothers entered Nacogdoches with only 30 settlers. They seized the Old Stone Fort. On December 21, they declared their colony a new republic, called Fredonia. Hours later, the Fredonians signed a peace treaty with the Cherokee. Chief Richard Fields and John Dunn Hunter represented the Cherokee. They claimed to represent 23 other tribes. They promised 400 warriors.

The Old Stone Fort was seized during the Fredonian Rebellion.

A new flag flew above the Old Stone Fort. It had two stripes, one red and one white, for the two races. The flag's motto was "Independence, Liberty, and Justice." Haden Edwards also sent messages to Louisiana. He asked the United States military for help, but they refused. Another messenger asked Stephen F. Austin and his colonists to join the rebellion. Austin replied, "You are tricking yourselves and this trick will ruin you."

Edwards's actions worried many of his colonists. Some were loyal to Mexico. Others feared his alliance with the Cherokee. Mexican authorities were also concerned about the Cherokee alliance. Both Peter Ellis Bean, the Mexican Indian agent, and Saucedo, the political chief, talked with Fields. They told the Cherokee that they had not followed the correct steps for a land grant. They promised that if they applied properly, Mexico would grant their land. These talks convinced many Cherokee to break their treaty with Edwards.

When the Mexican government heard about the arrests in November, they prepared to act. On December 11, Lieutenant Colonel Mateo Ahumada marched from San Antonio de Béxar. He had 110 soldiers. He first stopped in Austin's colony to check their loyalty. On January 1, Austin told his colonists that "crazy people at Nacogdoches have declared independence." Many of his colonists immediately volunteered to help stop the rebellion. When the Mexican army left for Nacogdoches on January 22, 250 Texian Militia from Austin's colony joined them.

Norris, impatient with the army, led 80 men to retake the Old Stone Fort. Parmer had fewer than 20 supporters. But his men defeated Norris's force quickly. On January 31, Bean, with 70 Texian Militia, rode into Nacogdoches. By then, Parmer and Edwards knew the Cherokee would not fight Mexico. No Cherokee warriors had arrived to help the revolt. Edwards and his supporters fled. Bean chased them to the Sabine River. Most, including both Edwards brothers, safely crossed into the United States. Ahumada and his soldiers, with political chief Saucedo, entered Nacogdoches on February 8 to restore order.

The Cherokee had not fought against Mexico. But their treaty with the Fredonian rebels made Mexican authorities question their loyalty. To show loyalty to Mexico, the Cherokee council ordered Fields and Hunter to be executed. Under tribal law, certain acts, like helping an enemy, were punishable by death. By sentencing Fields and Hunter to death, the Cherokee showed that Edwards and his group were their enemies. Both men tried to escape but were caught and executed. When Mexican authorities learned of the executions on February 28, the commandant general, Anastasio Bustamante, praised the Cherokee.

Bustamante offered forgiveness to all who took part in the conflict. But he excluded Haden and Benjamin Edwards, Parmer, and Adolphus Sterne. Sterne was a local merchant who had supplied the rebels. Like the Edwards brothers, Parmer escaped to Louisiana. Sterne stayed and was sentenced to death for treason. But he was set free if he promised loyalty to Mexico and never fought against the Mexican government again.

What Happened Next

The rebellion changed how settlers and local tribes interacted. Even though the Cherokee broke their treaty, their first support made many settlers distrust them. The rebellion also changed relationships with other tribes. Before this, the Tawakoni and Waco tribes, allied with some Comanche groups, often raided Texas settlements. Bustamante feared these tribes might join others against Mexican control. So, he prepared to attack them.

When the Towakoni and Waco learned of the coming invasion, they asked for peace in April 1827. In June, they signed a peace treaty with Mexico. They promised to stop all raids. The Towakoni then helped their allies, the Penateka Comanche, make a treaty with Mexico. When Bustamante's troops left Texas later that year, the Towakoni and Waco started raiding again. The Comanche tribe kept their treaty for many years. They often helped Mexican soldiers get back stolen livestock.

The failed rebellion also affected Mexico's relationship with the United States. Even before the revolt, many Mexican officials worried that the U.S. wanted to control Texas. After the rebellion, officials suspected Edwards was a U.S. agent. To protect the region, a new, larger army base was set up in Nacogdoches. Colonel Jose de las Piedras commanded it.

Because of Edwards's actions, the Mexican government sent General Manuel de Mier y Terán to inspect Texas settlements. He was to recommend what to do next. Mier y Teran's reports led to the Law of April 6, 1830. This law greatly limited immigration into Texas. In Texas, both new immigrants and native-born Mexicans strongly opposed these laws. This led to more armed conflicts between Mexican soldiers and Texas residents.

Some historians see the Fredonian Rebellion as the start of the Texas Revolution. Historian W.B. Bates said the revolt was "too early, but it lit the fuse for later success." The people of Nacogdoches played important roles in other Texas rebellions in the next few years. In 1832, they forced Piedras and his troops out of Nacogdoches. Many Nacogdoches residents also took part in the Texas Revolution.

Popular Culture

• The imaginary country of Freedonia, next to Sylvania, is in the Marx Brothers' 1933 movie Duck Soup. Since then, the name Freedonia has been used many times (see Freedonia).
• In the 2018 e-book Hail! Hail! by Harry Turtledove, the Marx Brothers travel back in time from 1934 to 1826. They then interfere with the rebellion.

Images for kids

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  Detail of an 1835 map by Auguste Henri Dufour showing the "Republic of Fredonia"

See also

In Spanish: Rebelión de Fredonia para niños