Manuel Flores
Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In this vicinity, Manuel Flores, an emissary of the Mexican government, with a small group of men conveying ammunition to the Indians on the Lampasas River, was surprised by Rangers under Lieutenant J. O. Rice in May, 1839, and killed.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In May 1839, during the days of the Republic of Texas, Manuel Flores—an agent of the Mexican government—moved through this vicinity with a small party carrying ammunition intended for Native allies. Texas Rangers under Lieutenant J. O. Rice surprised the group and killed Flores in the ensuing fight. The episode reflects Mexico's efforts to enlist Indigenous peoples against the young Republic along its unsettled frontier.
Why it matters
The Flores fight captures the tangled frontier politics of the Texas Republic, where Mexican agents, Native nations, and Texas Rangers contended for the future of the borderlands.
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Related people
- · Manuel Flores
- · J. O. Rice
Related events
- · Flores fight, 1839
Themes & tags
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