Texas In Reconstruction Era 1865-1874

The Reconstruction Era (1865–1874) was a period of intense social, political, and economic upheaval as Texas struggled to define the rights of formerly enslaved people and transition back into the United States.

1865

Juneteenth and Military Rule: On June 19, General Gordon Granger arrives in Galveston to issue General Order No. 3, announcing that all slaves are free. While many Anglo-Texans react with hostility, Spanish-Texans in the south find the military presence stabilizing. Federal oversight begins as the state attempts to transition from a slave economy to free labor.

1866

The "Presidential Reconstruction" Constitution: Texas drafts a new constitution that formally abolishes slavery but denies Black Texans the right to vote. The legislature passes "Black Codes," which many Anglo-Texans use to maintain economic control over the newly freed population through forced labor contracts.

1867

Congressional Reconstruction: The U.S. Congress places Texas under military rule in the Fifth Military District. General Philip Sheridan removes "unreconstructed" Anglo-Texan officials from office. This shift emboldens Spanish-Texan leaders in San Antonio to push for more inclusion in the new Republican-led political order.

1868

The Constitutional Convention: Delegates meet to draft a new state constitution. For the first time, Black Texans and Anglo-Texan Unionists dominate the proceedings. Meanwhile, on the western frontier, Native Nations like the Comanche take advantage of the political chaos in Austin to increase raids on outlying settlements.

1869

The Rise of Edmund J. Davis: The Radical Republican constitution is ratified, centralizing power to combat the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. Edmund J. Davis is elected Governor. Spanish-Texan voters in South Texas become a key part of the Republican coalition, seeking protection from the lawlessness that followed the Civil War.

1870

Readmission to the Union: Texas is readmitted to the U.S. on March 30. While Black Texans celebrate their first representatives in the legislature, many former Confederate Anglo-Texans feel disenfranchised and begin organizing a "Redeemer" movement to take back the state.

1871

The State Police and Frontier Defense: Governor Davis creates the State Police, a move many Anglo-Texans view as tyrannical. After a near-fatal ambush of General Sherman by Kiowa warriors at Salt Creek, the U.S. Army launches a total-war offensive against Native Nations, signaling the beginning of the end for Indigenous sovereignty in North Texas.

1872

The Democratic Comeback: "Redeemer" Democrats win control of the legislature. They immediately begin dismantling the centralized government, specifically targeting the State Police and public schools, which they associate with Republican and "foreign" influence.

1873

The Disputed Election: Democrat Richard Coke defeats Davis. In a tense standoff known as the "Semicolon Court" crisis, Davis barricades himself in the Capitol with his State Police (composed of Anglo-Texan Unionists, Black Texans, and Spanish-Texans), while Coke’s armed supporters occupy the floor above.

1874

The End of Reconstruction: President Grant refuses to intervene, and Davis yields the governorship to Coke. This marks the total return of Anglo-Texan Democratic control. As the state turns toward the "Wild West" era, the final military campaigns are launched to drive the remaining Native Nations out of the Panhandle and onto reservations.

Click here for Texas During Wild West Era