Let us raise a standard to which the Wise and the Honest can repair. — George Washington, Constitutional Convention, 1787

Texas Constitutional Militia

The militia activities conscious of themselves as the Texas Constitutional Militia are organized by county, and, because of the large size of the state, at the time of this writing the counties are divided into regions that approximately coincide with telephone area codes. There are also militia training activities that are not county-based, such as the Texas Light Infantry (TLI), which provide training for the county-based units. The modern activation of the Texas Constitutional Militia began with the muster called by Jon Roland, for April 19, 1994, at 6:00 AM, on the unfinished portion of Hwy 151, in front of Sea World, in San Antonio, Bexar County. From that beginning it spread rapidly to the rest of the state. For more information see the Texas Militia Papers.

Militia Contacts by County

A link-free version of the above Texas Counties Table is available here.

Regions

Southern Region (AC 210, 512)

The first of the Texas regions, the Southern Region also established the model for militia governance above the county level. In March, 1995, for the first time, public elections were conducted by militia volunteers in each of the counties in the region having a properly-organized militia unit for a Committee of Safety, which is the governing and policymaking body for the region. These elections were held in response to public notices in each of those counties, and all citizens of each county qualified to vote in any other public election were qualified to vote in the militia election. Although the turnout was not high, it was higher than that for elections for some public offices like members of Water District Boards. In most cases, the public notices were published in the local newspapers of record. This procedure establishes the militia and its Committee of Safety as a legitimate public body, albeit not sanctioned by other established organs of government.

Northern Region (AC 214, 972, 817)

Gulf Coast (Eastern) Region (AC 713, 281, 409, 936)

Northeast Region (AC 903)

Western Region (AC 915)

Panhandle Region (AC 806)

Statewide Activities

Texas Militia Correspondence Committee

Serves as a clearinghouse for the exchange of information among Texas militia units and between Texas and other states.

Address: 2900 W Anderson Ln, C-200-322, Austin, TX 78757, 512/299-5001.
Email: jon.roland@constitution.org.

• Texas State Guard — Not the National Guard, but an officially sanctioned state militia organization.
• Texas Militia Currently organizing musters.
• Dallas City Troop Militia — Email. Currently organizing musters.
• Texas State Militia  Currently organizing musters.
• Texas Militia Currently organizing musters.
• Lone Star Watchmen Currently organizing musters.
• Texas Militia of Houston and Harris County
• Texas Militia, 20th Infantry

Historical Notes

The most important previous activity of the Texas Militia was the Texas Revolution in 1836. The original purpose of that effort was to bring the government of Mexico into compliance with its 1824 Constitution, and that is the purpose for which the defenders of the Alamo died. Texas declared independence while the Alamo was under attack during March, 1836, and on April 21, 1836, led by Sam Houston, it defeated the Army of Mexico under the command of Gen. Santa Ana, dictator of Mexico, at the Battle of San Jacinto, near the present city of Houston. This overwhelming victory, and the capture of Gen. Santa Ana, won independence for Texas.

Following the War of Independence, some militia units reorganized into what was later to be known as the Texas Rangers, which was a private, volunteer effort for several years before becoming an official organization.

After Texas joined the Union in 1845, Texas militia units distinguished themselves in the War with Mexico, which led to defining the Rio Grande River the agreed border with Mexico, and the cession of most of what was to become California, Arizona, and New Mexico, from Mexico to the United States.

In 1861 Texas joined the other Confederate States in seceding from the Union, and Texas militias played a role in the Civil War, until it ended in 1865.

Texas militiamen joined Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders, a volunteer militia, and fought with him during the Spanish-American War in 1898. Some of the training of the Rough Riders took place in San Pedro Park, in the north central part of San Antonio, near the present site of San Antonio College. When a muster of the Militia proposed to train there on April 19, 1994, they were threatened with arrest, even though the charter of San Pedro Park forbids exclusion of activities of that kind. This threat led to a change of the meeting site to Highway 151.

Purposes

...to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions; — U.S. Constitution, Art. I, Sec. 8, Clause 16.

Events

Reports

• Statewide muster near Teague, Texas, December 20, 2008.
• Statewide muster near Teague, Texas, November 15, 2008.

Legal Matters

• The so-called Texas "anti-paramilitary law". It's not what some think.
bosonic matter

Other Texas Patriot Groups

1. Citizens for Legal Reform — Meets in Dallas, but worth spreading to other cities across the country and world. Included is essay, "The Essence of Government", by Alfred Adask.
2. Committee for Waco Justice
   1. 96/05/09 - Waco Update
   2. 96/05/09 - Waco Anniversary

Adversaries

Reformers are known by their adversaries, and it is appropriate that those adversaries be identified and what is known about them be told. They include corrupt and abusive officials, corporations, groups, and individuals.

Adversaries common to all militias everywhere

These are some based in the state:

State of Texas

• Texas Constitution
• Texas Web Site

Constitution Research Home Page

Militias Page

National Militia Directory