A Philosophy of Moderation and of Peace

Author Randolph B. Campbell stresses that many of Houston's personal beliefs and public actions were motivated by his practical, level-headed, and grounded nature. Some of this personality may have developed during Houston's formative years when he lived both with his family and with the Cherokee Indians under Chief Oo-loo-te-ka. Houston saw the effects of war and strife upon the Cherokee people, instilling in him a desire to pursue justice for Indians, and a desire to pursue peace.

These desires guided him as a leader of Texas. He feverishly argued against overt military action against Mexico, and certainly against ill-fated assaults like the Matamoros expedition. Houston's military strategy was guided by both a pacifist streak as well as a realist streak. He knew that Texas did not have the kind of military or manpower to survive a sustained offensive war; instead, he advocated...