according to albert pike who overheard the chin comment, houston spoke of becoming president of a republic before he had even set foot in texas. houston consulted with his political mentor, andrew jackson, then president of the united states and an expansionist, who was at least aware of houston's intentions as early as 1832. houston wrote of enlisting indians in u.s. territory as auxiliaries in the event of a change. president jackson named houston his envoy to the pawnee and comanche tribes. and most compelling, houston wrote president jackson describing conditions inside mexican texas that could, if properly managed, promote the acquisition of texas by the government of the united states. he's no longer even trying to be coy. given the contents of these documents, there's no doubt that houston had committed himself to fomenting rebellion in texas, a rebellion which would culminate in texas becoming part of the united states. right. let's fast-forward four years. it's march 1836. houston's long-anticipated change had begun with the "come and take it" fight at gonzalez. early in december, a texan volunteer army forced the surrender of mexican general martin perfecto decost and