Confederate Texas Legislatures

When Texas seceded, Feb. 1, 1861, the 8th Legislature was in Austin in a called session, adjourned Feb. 9. On March 18, the 8th came back for a second called session; the 9th and 10th Legislatures in turn were harassed with problems of the Civil War. They found it necessary to raise, equip and supply 90,000 Texas soldiers, who fought on all fronts; and to provide for defense against Indians, enemy troops and ships on 2000 miles of state coastline and frontiers. As naval blockade reduced imports, the Legislature established plants to make guns, powder, cloth, salt. Contracts, subsidies and land grants were provided to encourage private industry to help meet heavy wartime demands for arms, supplies, clothing, food. The lawmakers taxed property and business and made farmers turn in tithes of produce to feed citizen and soldier. Funds were voted to finance state barter in Mexico of cotton for factory goods; to aid soldiers' dependents; and to provide medical care and hospitals for Texas troops, in and out of state. Legislatures were in almost continuous sessions. Poor pay and inflated Confederate money caused many members to live in tents and covered wagons on the capitol grounds and cook over campfires. (1965)

Confederate Texas Legislatures is a historical marker in Austin, Travis County, dedicated in 1965. It is one of 336 historical markers documented in Travis County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 641 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 30.2732, -97.7411 near Austin. The nearest cataloged historic site is Texas State Capitol (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include African Americans in the Texas Revolution, Site of Second Travis County Courthouse and Walton Building, and The Woman Suffrage Movement in Texas.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5453012685. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.