Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar

Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar (1798-1859), U.S. soldier and statesman, born in Warren County, Georgia. He edited and published a journal in defense of states' rights until 1835, when he moved to Texas. There he joined the revolutionary forces of the Texan commander in chief, Samuel Houston, in their struggle against Mexico; commanding the cavalry at the Battle of San Jacinto, Lamar contributed greatly to the Texan victory. In 1838 he succeeded Houston to become the second president of the Republic of Texas. During his 3-year tenure of office Lamar obtained formal recognition of the republic by the major powers of Europe and established the basis for the current public school system in Texas and for what is now the University of Texas. He served with the U.S. forces during the Mexican War (1846-48) and subsequently defended the Texan border near Laredo against the Comanche. From 1858 until his death he served as U.S. minister to Nicaragua and Costa Rica. He was the author of Verse Memorials (1857).