| The primary objective of this biography is to portray General Hugh McLeod in the larger perspective of a lifetime of leadership and service to his country. It is not intended as a defense of his reputation. Rather, the exploration of his many contributions should broaden the knowledge of both the man and his times.;The secondary objective is to recount the Texan Santa Fe Expedition of 1841. It is the definitive description of this chapter in Texas history. It will show the few triumphs and many foibles of the trek across Texas in 1841, the relationships of those who led and followed on this march, and the consequences that befell McLeod and others in the months and years that followed. These chapters are more deliberate and detailed than the remainder of the biographical material.;The biography of Hugh McLeod also contributes the most complete account in writing of the 1840 Council House Fight, the 1852 State Fair in Corpus Christi, and the early years of the Adjutant General's office in the Republic of Texas.;Hugh McLeod (1814-1862) entered the history books as "the commander of the ill-fated Santa Fe Expedition." The 1841 fiasco led to a renewal of conflict between Mexico and the Republic of Texas that lingered into the Mexican War (1846-48). McLeod himself spent much of the remainder of his life seeking vindication of his reputation as a military leader. However, McLeod's contributions to his era prove much more significant than this one failed expedition. Born in New York City, raised in Georgia, a West Point graduate, and a participant in the last weeks of the 1836 Texas Revolution, McLeod served Texas well throughout his years as public servant. He gained respect and a prominent position as Adjutant General, congressman, and soldier. His name was listed with the most famous voices of his time: Houston, Lamar, Rusk, Johnston, and so on. He and his wife Rebecca moved in the elite social circles of Galveston and Houston in the 1850s. He commanded expeditions against the Caddoes and Kickapoos in the late 1830s, fought valiantly in the East Texas Indian Wars and at the 1840 Council House Fight. He served briefly in the Mexican War and died in Virginia in the opening months of the Civil War.;Hugh McLeod was a principal political opponent of Sam Houston from 1840 to 1862. The two men clashed on nearly every major issue of their day. This biography will highlight that antagonism and show McLeod's significance in the political arena of the Texas Republic. In addition, the research reveals the causes McLeod supported throughout his life, most of which failed. These failures ultimately reflected on his life and his place in Texas history. |
