Moses Fisk Roberts by Lamar Denby Moses Fisk Roberts and his family arrived in Texas on February 19, 1836. He joined Capt. James Chesser's Jasper Volunteer Company at San Augustine and was elected second lieutenant on March 23, 1836. His company arrived at San Jacinto moments after the battle was fought and assisted in the capture of Santa Anna's army. He lost his right eye skirmishing with Mexican troops. After the victory at San Jacinto, he agreed to travel back to Maury County and raise a company of Tennessee volunteers to protect the citizens of the new republic. Here is a copy of his letter to General Sam Houston: Dec. 15th 1836 San Augustine, Texas Dear Sir, I was taken sick in a few days after I saw you in this place which prevented me from returning to the Army as I expected to do on going to Tennessee after volunteering as Gen. Rusk wished me to do and when I recovered every thing seemed to be at rest therefore I have done nothing But I shall start to Tennessee in the morning and would be extremely rejoiced to receive an order from you at Columbia, Muary County, Tennessee to bring a company of volunteers as I hear that the Mexicans are preparing to march into San Jacinty again. Please write me at Columbia (word not clear) and if we need volunteers on what terms they will be received. There is nothing that would gratify me so much as to lead a company of high minded young men such as I can bring from Tennessee in defense of the Territory of Texas. I expect to return in six or seven weeks. Moses F. Roberts In 1838 he held the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Republic of Texas Army. He is mentioned in the papers of President Mirabeau B. Lamar as the acting Judge Advocate in the trial of two army privates in Nacogdoches. After his military service, Roberts settled in Shelby County where he was elected to the House of the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Texas congresses (1839-42). During his first term in Congress, his wife died, and in December of 1841 he married Nancy Murray in Travis County. Upon leaving Congress he returned to Shelby County and remained until 1853, when he was elected to the House of the Fifth Legislature. He also represented Shelby County in the Seventh Legislature (1857-58). In may 1860, Sam Houston appointed him brigadier general as Houston was giving thought to stopping Texas from seceding from the Union. This of course did not happen and Houston was removed from office when he refused to take an oath to the Confederacy. In my grandfather's (Moses F. Roberts) letter to Houston, he accepted the appointment but firmly stated he would stand with Texas and requested a private letter from him stating his intentions. To my knowledge the letter never came. On October 10, 1861, he enlisted in the 27th Regiment, Texas Cavalry (Whitfield's Legion) (1st Texas Legion) at San Augustine. Little is known of his service in the Confederate Army other than the military records of his regiment. After the war between the states, he came back to Shelby County and lived out his life as a farmer and hunted his fox hounds. To all he was known as Senator Roberts. He died on April 7, 1888, and is buried in my hometown of Shelbyville. Just recently I received a Texas Flag from Sen. Robert Nichols. It flew over the capitol building at Austin in honor of my great-great grandfather. It is proudly displayed in my office with the certificate. Many stories are still told today of his contributions to Texas, as well as his courage to put an end to the Regulator-Moderator War of Shelby County. While in congress he appealed to President Lamar to set a bounty in accordance with the law on certain notorious characters who had murdered innocent citizens at Shelbyville in cold blood. Texas was a hard land back then. It took Tennessee blood and courage proven in battles past to tame a new nation, the Republic of Texas.