CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY: GENERAL E. STERLING C. ROBERTSON - Smith Co, TX

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Submitted by Doris Peirce - ginlu@charter.net
24 February 2002 
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TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson 
GENERAL E. STERLING C. ROBERTSON

General Robertson was born in Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 20, 1820.  
His father, Sterling C. Robertson, was major of the Tennessee 
troops in the war of 1812 to 15, was Empresario of Robertson's 
colony, a member of the senate of the first Congress of the 
Republic of Texas, a signer of the Texas Declaration of 
Independence (which was written by his nephew, Geoprge Campbell 
Childress), also a signer of the Constitution of the Republic 
of Texas, and commanded a company in the battle of San Jacinto.

At the age of 12 years Gen. Robertson came to Texas and entered 
school at San Antonio for the purpose of studying the Spanish 
language.  In 1834 he was appointed Clerk of the land office of 
Robertson's colony, where he remained until the office was closed 
by the revolution of 1835.  From this time until the spring of 
1836 he was on the frontier aiding in defense of the settlements 
against the Indians.  At the age of 15 he was a member of his 
father's ranging company, but at the end of four months he again 
went to the frontier in pursuit of the Indians.

In May, 1837, he returned to Tennessee to attend school, coming to 
Texas again at the end of two years.  May 13, of the same year he 
was appointed Clerk in the post office department of the Republic, 
and one month later was made chief clerk.  From Oct. 13, 1839, 
until January, 1840, he was acting post master general.  In the 
spring of that year he was elected first lieutenant of a company 
of volunteers against the Mexicans and in 1841, he was elected 
assistant secretary of the senate.  In the spring of 1842, when 
Vasquez took San Antonio he joined a company of volunteers and 
when the city was taken by Gen. Wall he commanded a company on an 
expedition to the Rio Grande.

In the campaign against Mexico in 1842, he was elected captain in 
the Southwestern army of the Republic of Texas.  He was commissioned 
colonel of the second regiment, first brigade of the Militia of 
the Republic of Texas, Aug. 5, 1844, by President Sam Houston.

In the fall of 1845, he was admitted to practice law in the courts 
of the Republic,  R.E. Baylor, Judge.  In 1848, he was appointed 
translator of Spanish deeds in the general land office.  He was 
elected chief justice of Bell county in 1858.  He was commissioned 
Brigadier General of the 27th Brigade, Texas State Troops, 
April 14, 1860, by Gov. Sam Houston, and was appointed aide de camp 
to Gen. Henry E. McCulloch in 1862, and served to the close of the 
war.

Gen. Robertson was a delegate to the Secession Convention of 1860, 
and the quill pen with which he signed the secession ordnance is 
still preserved by his family.  He was also a member of the 
Constitutional Convention of 1875.  He was a Royal Arch Mason, 
taking high degrees in Masonry.  As early as Feb. 1844, he was 
appointed Grand Master of the 3rd Vail of the grand chapter of 
he Republic of Texas.  He died at Salado, Texas, Oct. 8, 1879.

By preference, Gen. Robertson was a planter and merchant.  His 
friends have testified that "he was a man of fine physique, of 
great determination, keen foresight, genial and courteous and 
generous to a fault."  He was a member of the M.E. church South, 
and was an able, enthusiastic and generous advocate of the cause 
of education in Texas, founding and contributing largely to the 
support of the old Salado College, now known as the Thomas Arnold 
High School.  Sometime in the fifties Col. Robertson "donated and 
conveyed a tract of land, (the present town site of Salado) to a 
joint stock company, for the purpose of founding an institution of 
learning.  This land was surveyed into lots by him and with the 
proceeds of the sale of these lots, the joint stock company of 
Salado College erected the first college building, upon an eminence 
commanding a full view of the embryo village.  Ten years later 
additional buildings were erected and this school has had a 
continuous existence up to the present day, and is now affiliated 
with the University of Texas.  With every lot sold for this College 
fund a special provision was made that if at any time said lot 
should be used for saloon purposes, the deed to same should be 
rendered null and void and the property revert to his estate.  It 
was his idea to make Salado a great school town, and to put 
temptation forever from the young men who sojourned there.  Col. 
Robertson was a man who always saw the bright side of life, his 
time, means ability, nay his very life, was given to his beloved 
Texas.  He died as he had lived, universally loved and respected. 

In writing from Little Rock, Ark., in 1863, Gen. McCulloch, in a 
letter introducing Col. Robertson, has this to say of him:  "He 
has been of great service to me in every respect, while engaged 
in gathering up and fitting out of our Texas forces, performing 
much hard labour in collecting supplies from distant portions of 
the country, and while his labours have been arduous, his 
responsibilities have been great, being compelled to carry with 
him large sums of money for the purchase of supplies, and when 
his public funds have been insufficient to meet the demands of 
the country he has not hesitated to advance his own and to pledge 
his individual means for the payment of debts he was compelled to 
contract in purchasing articles that were indispensable to the 
army.  He has been a faithful, industrious, efficient officer, 
as well as an agreeable, social compation, and I recommend him 
to my friends and all good men as a man of mind and soul, worthy 
and capable to fill high positions in society or office.  God 
grant that he may live long for the good of our country and fellow 
men.

HENRY E. McCULLOCH,
Brig.Gen.C.S.P.A."
Gen H.P.Bee, Brigadier General, in a letter to Gen. Earl Van Dorn, 
in 1862, introducing Col. Robertson, wrote:  "Gen. Robertson is a 
gentleman of wealth and high standing amongst us.  As an officer 
of the state service he has sent all his soldiers into the 
Confederate service and although willing to serve in the humblest 
capacity, can be more useful in positions requiring honor, courage 
and capacity, as possessing all these."

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
Austin, Texas, June 19, 1862,
Gen. G.T.Beauregard, or any other general of the Confederate Army:
"The bearer of this letter, Gen. Sterling C. Robertson, an old 
Texan and friend of mine, I most respectfully recommend to your 
consideration.  He is brave and patriotic, anxious to serve the 
country, has large interests in the state of Texas, and a worthy 
citizen.  If an opportunity is given him he will strike some good 
blows in behalf of his country.
Very respectfully,
F.R.LUBBOCK."

Letters such as above indicates the esteem in which he was held by 
those who knew him, and show somewhat of his service in the 
Confederate Army.

In 1852, Col. Robertson was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Dickey,
 at Austin, Texas, who was descended from the distinguished Parker 
family, they having been formost most in civil and military life 
as well as in the literary life of this country and England.

At his death, Col. Robertson had twelve children, namely:
Sterling C. Robertson,  Waco, Texas.
Randolph, Salado, Texas.
Luella, (Mrs. Z.T.Fulmore), Austin, Texas.
Huling Parker, Temple, Texas
Marion, San Pedro, Mex.
Maclin; Salado, Texas.
Mary Sterling, (Mrs. R. H. Harrison), Waco, Texas.
Walter Lee deceased, March 4, 1907.
Birdie, (Mrs. Cone Johnson), Tyler, Texas.
Imogene, (Mrs. Arch Gamel), Saltillo, Mex.
Lela, (Mrs. Lela Robertson), Waco, Texas.
Celeta Teresa, (Mrs. James W. Durst), Mexico City, Missouri.