First Texas Declaration of Independence and Discovery of Oregon Trail

"[Texas & Oregon Trail in] The Weekly Register ... From March to September 1813. - Vol. IV",

This is a complete volume of 26 issues of The Weekly Register, covering the period from March 6 through August 28, 1813. Of particular interest are articles describing the progress of the Mexican Revolution and the Republican Army in Texas as anti-Spanish Republicans joined by American adventurers rebelled against the Spanish Empire in Mexico. Early battle victories and the capture of many Texas cities led to the Declaration of Independence, which was printed in the July 17, 1813 issue. The rebellion came to an abrupt end in August, 1813 at the Battle of Medina south of San Antonio in what is usually called the bloodiest battle in Texas history. 1300 of the 1400 rebels were killed in battle or executed. The June 26, 1813 issue features a noteworthy article describing the discovery of the Oregon Trail by the first major expedition to the Pacific after Lewis & Clark: Hunt, Wilson Price, American Enterprize. Taken from the Missouri Gazette, the long article is the first account of the Hunt/Astor Expedition to the Columbia River. Hunt was Astor’s partner entrusted with the task of establishing a land route for supplies to the Pacific outpost Astor envisioned (Astoria). With no previous experience in the unexplored West country, Hunt was ill-equipped to lead the expedition which encountered many perils nicely documented in this vivid account. While the expedition made it to the Columbia River (barely), the War of 1812 delayed Astor’s plan. The lasting significance of the effort was the discovery by the group returning to St. Louis of the route that became the Oregon Trail used by tens of thousands of later settlers. A third article of note, issued on July 10, 1813, immortalized “Don’t Give up the Ship” as an American battle cry: Captain James Lawrence. The article reports Lawrence’s death along with a biography. After a brief description of the lost naval battle suggesting that the American vessel Chesapeake was inferior to the British Shannon, the text describes Lawrence as “a pride of the navy…[his] body was prostrate; but his spirit remained erect. He saw and felt the fortune of war was against him – yet cried out, ‘DON’T GIVE UP THE SHIP’ though the enemy was carrying everything before him.” Later the text continues, “May the expiring words of the illustrious Lawrence, ‘don’t give up the ship,’ be the eternal motto of every American.” Niles Weekly, the major national newspaper at the time, was credited with transforming a naval defeat into a heroic event with Lawrence’s quote a battle cry for the U.S. Navy that endures to this day. For a brief article on the impact of the quote in forging the nation’s character, click here. The volume also includes extensive coverage of the War of 1812, including Britain's declaration of war and weekly "Events of the War" updates, and a copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. 432 pages with supplement and appendix. Hardbound in full contemporary leather.

References: Wagner-Camp #11.

Condition: B

Contents have moderate toning and scattered foxing. Front cover is nearly detached and rear cover is starting. Spine is chipped at top and bottom and the boards have some scuffing and wear.