On November 24, 1835, the Texas Provincial Government (Permanent Council) authorized the creation of a mounted para-military police force to enforce laws throughout The Republic of Texas and protect its borders.
Digging Deeper
Stephen Austin had first formed the unit under the command of Captain Morris as an unofficial call for volunteers in 1823, while Texas was still the property of Mexico. Texas became an independent republic in 1836, and was admitted as a state in the United States in 1845. Although Mexico had welcomed American settlers to Texas, the Americans insisted on violating Mexican law by keeping slaves. Fed up with the flaunting of Mexican law, Mexico decided to end immigration of Americans to Texas in 1830, triggering a war for independence from Mexico from 1832 to 1836 when Texas became an independent country.
