Felix Huston

Felix Huston (1800–1857) was a lawyer, soldier, military opportunist and the first commanding general of the Army of the Republic of Texas under the Constitution of 1836.

Houston was born in Kentucky. He was a slave trader, planter and Whig politician and attorney in Natchez, Mississippi. Receiving news of the Texas Revolution, he raised and equipped troops (often at his own expense) and money throughout Mississippi and Kentucky.

He left Natchez on May 5, 1836, with 500 to 700 volunteers to join the Texian army, but arrived well after the Battle of San Jacinto in which Mexican President General Santa Anna ceded defeat and, in effect, granted Texas her independence.

On June 25, Texas President David G. Burnet appointed Major General Mirabeau B. Lamar as secretary of war, to succeed the resigning Thomas J. Rusk. Texas received word that Mexico had rejected the Treaty of Velasco and had sent General José de Urrea to attack Goliad, Rusk immediately rescinded his resignation. Huston and Thomas Jefferson Green teamed up to get the army to oppose Lamar, and Rusk resumed command. However, the Mexican attack failed to materialize, and Rusk retired. The Texan army picked Huston to replace him. Discontent continued and army officers openly defied the government and threatened to impose a military dictatorship.

...
Wikipedia