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Is Houston going to be capital of Texas
Read this to find out what the cause was for the Archives war
On Houston's first attempt to obtain the papers peaceably, several of the Austin's men showed their contempt by shaving the mains and tails of the horses of Houston's messengers. Undeterred, Houston sent an armed force of thirty men on a follow-up attempt to retrieve the records.
When Houston's men arrived on the morning of December 29, 1842, they drove their wagons directly to the Land Office building where the records were kept. Austin's Men quickly assembled a retaliatory force, charged a cannon, and aimed it at Houston's men. Mrs. Angelina Eberly, proprietress of a local boarding house, is credited as the one who touched off the cannon. Aside from some damage to the building, the cannon had little effect and no one was hurt. Houston's men managed to finish loading their wagons and leave town with their cargo.
Austin citizens were as determined as Houston. They pursued and surrounded Houston's forces that night some eighteen miles east of town. After considerable threats and verbal exchanges, the archives were returned to Austin the following morning. Thus ended the Archive War, decisive though bloodless. "We were accused of Firing a cannon".