Come and Take It

Many memorable characters emerged from the Texas Revolution, but few can claim to be as hard-working as Erastus 'Deaf' Smith, the legendary scout and spy who worked tirelessly from the Siege of Bexar to well after the Battle of San Jacinto in service to the Republic of Texas.

The son of a Comanche war chief and a captured white girl, Quanah Parker grew to possibly be the last great leader of his father’s people. Though he fought the encroachment of his lands for years, struggling to retain independence for his people, he proved himself remarkably adaptable once there was no other choice for his tribe.

A freed slave who became the first black American to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Henry Flipper fought Apaches in West Texas and later settled in El Paso. He was an engineer, interpreter, translator, historian, inventor, newspaper editor, and high ranking government official at a time when African-Americans still faced extreme discrimination.

The gift of the people of Cincinnati to the Texas revolutionaries, two identical cannon became famed Twin Sisters and played a critical role in the Battle of San Jacinto. How they got here and the mystery of their ultimate fate have become a Texas legend.

The Mission Ysleta del Sur Pueblo is more than just a pretty church in Texas' westernmost city. It was the oldest European settlement in the territory and remains the longest continually-operating Catholic mission in Texas. Its long history and rich contributions to the culture are great examples of the deep roots that the Spanish and Native Americans have in the Lone Star State.

While folklore has lifted The Yellow Rose of Texas to an exalted position, who is the real person behind the story and the classic song?

While he only spent a few weeks of his life in Texas, he's remembered as one of the state's iconic legends, one of the bravest of the brave to die defending the Alamo. This week we conclude our series on the life of Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.

We continue our discussion of the History presentation of Texas Rising. This week we talk about the fifth installment: The Rise of the Republic.

We continue our discussion of the History presentation of Texas Rising. This week we talk about the third installment, entitled Vengeance is Mine.

We continue our discussion of the History presentation of Texas Rising. This week we talk about the third installment, entitled Blood for Blood.