Texian Iliad
A Military History of the Texas Revolution

by Stephen Hardin

T.R. Fehrenbach Book Award, Texas Historical Commission

Summerfield G. Roberts Award, Sons of the Republic of Texas

Certificate of Commendation,American Association for State and Local History

The Kate Broock Bates Award for Historical Research,

Texas State Historical Association.

Westerners International's Co-Founders Award for Best Non-Fiction Book of 1994.

Listed in AUSTIN CHRONICLE's "Top Ten Texas Books."

Alternate Selection, History Book Club.

 

"I look forward to consulting this book for the rest of my career!"

--David J. Weber, Robert and Nancy Dedman 
Professor of History, Southern Methodist University

 
"In Texian Iliad you smell the smoke of battle."

--Paula Mitchell Marks, Texas Monthly

"Hardin has succeeded admirably in writing a balanced military history of the revolution, making an important contribution to the extensive body of work on the struggle that eventually led to Texas' becoming part of the United States."

--Mike Cox, Austin American-Statesman

 

"Stephen Hardin's book is the finest work on the Texas Revolution in many, many years. I use it as one of my first line reference books. Hardin wrote it for his doctorial dissertation, so it has been reviewed by his doctorial panel and subjected to very close scrutiny before being published. Hardin writes in a very readable and clear style and it is a wonderful book to just sit and read. The price of the book is more than made up for by just the bibliography, alone. I've had my copy for over about two years and it's dog-eared and pretty sad looking from so much wear and tear. It is the one book I recommend to people who are just starting to learn about Texas History. Can't tell I like it, can you?"

--Charles M. Yates, Texian Heritage Society, Inc.

Hardly were the last shots fired at the Alamo before the Texas Revolution entered the realm of myth and controversy. French visitor Frederic Gaillardet called it a "Texian Iliad" in 1839 while American Theodore Sedgwick pronounced the war and its resulting legends "almost burlesque."

In this highly readable history, Stephen L. Hardin discovers more than a little truth in both of those views. Drawing on many original Texan and Mexican sources and on-site inspections of almost every battlefield, he offers the first complete military history of the Revolution. From the war's opening in the "Come and Take It" incident at Gonzales to the capture of General Santa Anna at San Jacinto, Hardin clearly describes the strategy and tactics of each side. His research yields new knowledge of the actions of famous Texan and Mexican leaders, as well as fascinating descriptions of battle and camp life from the ordinary soldier's point of view.

This in-depth coverage provides a balanced view of the Revolution that fairly assesses the conduct of both Texans and Mexicans. Texian Iliad belongs on the bookshelf of everyone interested in Texas or military history.

University of Texas Press, Austin, 1994.
ISBN 0292731027(Paper)

Stephen L. Hardin currently teaches history
at Victoria College in Victoria, Texas