April Timeline
April 1
1875 - Bill Longley shot the man who killed his cousin. Longley had claimed to have killed over 30 men and was eventually sentenced to hang for this murder in Bastrop county.
1911 - The Electra Oil Field boom began. Rancher W.T. Waggoner first discovered oil in 1904.
April 2
1536 - Cabeza de Vaca and three of his men reached San Miguel in what is now New Mexico after being stranded on the Texas coast for eight years.
1898 - William Cowper Brann, who created the magazine Iconoclast, died on this day after being shot in the back the day before.
April 3
1837 - Houston became the second capital of the Republic of Texas. It was the capital from April, 1837 to April, 1839.
April 4
1788 - David G. Burnet was born in New Jersey on this day. He was the ad interim president of Texas from March 17, 1836 to October 22, 1836.
April 5
1831 - Jose Maria Letona’s administration as governor began. Letona reopened the settlement of Texas.
April 6
1813 - American citizens issued a Declaration of Independence from Spain at Nacogdoches.
1830 - The eleventh article of the Law of 1830 was written by the government of Mexico to stop immigration into Texas. It became a contributing factor to the Texas Revolution.
April 7
1900 - The first great dam to be built in Texas was washed away, causing massive flooding in Austin. Seven people were killed and millions of dollars worth of damage was done.
April 8
1682 - LaSalle claimed for France all the land drained by the Mississippi River.
1822 = Dr. James E. Long, husband to the Mother of Texas Jane Long, was shot and killed in Mexico City.
1864 - The last attempt by the Union Army to invade Texas was on this day, known in history as the Battle of Mansfield.
April 9
1856 - Robert E. Lee came to his ’Texas home’, Camp Cooper.
1864 - Camp Ford, near Tyler, was established as a holding place for prisoners in the Battle of Mansfield.
April 10
1864 - On April 8, Confederate Gen. Richard Taylor attacked Major Gen. N.P. Banks in Louisiana. On April 9, Banks repulsed a second attack by Taylor, but Banks retreated into Mississippi on April 10 without entering Texas.
April 11
1836 - The ’Twin Sisters’, cannons that would later be used in the Battle of San Jacinto, were given to Texas as a gift from people in Cincinnati, Ohio.
1861 - The U.S.S. Coatzacoalcos arrived in New York with Federal troops from Texas.
1893 - The Sons of the Republic of Texas was organized in Richmond, Texas.
April 12
1861 - The first shot of the Civil War was fired at Fort Sumter on this day. Many Texans fought and gave their lives in the War.
April 13
1891 - The first Alien Land Law was passed by the Legislature to limit foreign ownership of Texas land.
1892 - Because the above law was declared unconstitutional, a new one was put into being.
April 14
1836 - Gale Borden’s newspaper, Telegraph and Texas Register, was moved to Harrisburg (now Houston) in March of 1836. However, Santa Anna’s men arrived in Harrisburg, seized the press and threw it into Buffalo Bayou.
April 15
1825 - Edwards Colony was established by colonists coming with Haden Edwards. A grant for Green C. DeWitt was also approved.
April 16
1862 - The first Confederate conscription law was passed. A conscription law establishes age limits for military service, eighteen through thirty-five for three years service. In September 1862, the law was changed to include males through forty-five years of age.
April 17
1871 - Texas A & M was created by the Texas Legislature. Two hundred thousand dollars was set aside for it.
April 18
1836 - Sam Houston reached Buffalo Bayou. He learned from Mexican prisoners that Santa Anna was near.
April 19
1787 - Erastus ’Deaf’ Smith was born in New York State. During the Texas Revolution, he was Sam Houston's chief scout.
1837 - Houston became the capital of Texas for awhile.
April 20
1836 - The Texas Army made camp near the San Jacinto River. A light skirmish was fought when Santa Anna discovered Houston's troops. Mirabeau B. Lamar was placed in charge of the cavalry for the next day during the Battle of San Jacinto.
April 21
Texas Independence Day.
1836 - Santa Anna and his army were captured on this day at San Jacinto, near Houston. The battle lasted eighteen minutes, but the results were timeless...Texas was now free from Mexican rule.
1900 - Washington State Park had its beginning at Washington-on-the-Brazos.
1933 - The flag of the Battle of San Jacinto was hung in the capitol behind the speaker’s desk.
April 22
1540 - The Coronado Expedition set out from Mexico during the early part of this year.
1836 - Santa Anna and his brother-in-law, Gen. Martin Cos, were captured by the Texas patrol. Santa Anna’s life was spared by Sam Houston.
April 23
1883 - San Antonio became responsible for the Alamo church property after it was purchased from the Roman Catholic Church. The city was to provide care and upkeep for the church.
April 24
1909 - Because it violated the anti-trust laws, a fine of over $1,800,000 was paid by the Waters-Pierce Oil Company. The property of the company was later sold at an auction.
April 25
1883 - Texas Ranger, John Coffee ’Jack’ Hayes died. He was a scout, surveyor, soldier in the War with Mexico, soldier in the Battle of Salado among other things. He served his state well.
April 26
1843 - The men found guilty of mutiny on the San Antonio, a Texas schooner, were hanged. The ship had docked at New Orleans to allow survivors of the shipwrecked Sylph to depart when the crew mutinied. One officer was killed and three others were wounded.
April 27
1843 - The men hanged for mutiny the day before were buried at sea. This was the first and last mutiny of the Texas Navy. The four had tried to escape in boats but were soon caught.
April 28
1898 - The United States declared war on Spain. During this war Teddy Roosevelt organized his Rough Riders at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio. Some have said they have even seen Teddy still at the hotel beckoning others to join.
April 29
1822 - Stephen F. Austin arrived in Mexico City to talk to the governmental leaders about colonizing Texas.
1856 - The experimental camels arrived at Indianola, TX, but they couldn't be unloaded until May 13 because of bad weather and docking conditions.
April 30
1675 - The Bosque-Larios Expedition set out for Texas from Mexico to Christianize the Indians.