Sam Houston

Sam Houston is the subject of the biography. He was an impatient youth who yearned for adventure and so he spent several years in Cherokee country. He then joined the army and was gravely injured in a battle with the Creek Indians.

Recovering back in Tennessee, Houston became a diplomat for the Indians, and later joined Andrew Jackson's successful presidential campaign. A charming man and powerful orator, Houston rose in politics, becoming U.S. Representative and then Governor of Tennessee. He married Eliza Allen, a woman many years younger than him who did not really love him. This became apparent when Eliza left him and fled to her family home. The resulting scandal forced Houston to resign from office.

Sam's true political fortunes were made after a move to Texas, where he joined the other Anglo-Americans fighting for independence from Mexico. He was elected commander of the...