A Blazing Star Falls to Earth
At age 18, Houston left the Cherokees and spent two years teaching school to earn money. Then, adventure beckoned in the form of the outbreak of the War of 1812. Houston joined the U.S. Army as a private, quickly rising to the rank of third lieutenant. He was severely wounded at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. His courage in battle brought him to the attention of General Andrew Jackson, who became his mentor and surrogate father.
After the war, Houston was appointed a sub-agent to the Cherokees and assisted them in their move to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. He resigned from the army the next year and studied law. His rise in politics was meteoric. In quick succession, he became prosecuting attorney of Nashville, major general of the state militia, United States congressman, and governor of Tennessee. He was just 34 years old.
If Houston's life had seemed charmed, it now became a series of disasters. In January 1829, Houston married Eliza Allen, a local beauty. The marriage ended badly after only 11 weeks, with both parties evidently too traumatized to speak of it for the rest of their lives. Rumors flew around Nashville that Houston had abused the girl; others said that she was revolted by his war wounds, or in love with another man.
The reason for the break-up remains mysterious to history. Houston abruptly resigned as governor and fled to Indian Territory to rejoin the Cherokees. He rejected his previous success in the white world and lived as an Indian. He also drank so heavily that people began to say that his new Indian name was "Big Drunk." Though obviously in extreme emotional pain, Houston found time to become active in helping the tribe to keep peace with its neighbors in Indian Territory. Under Cherokee law, he married a Cherokee woman, Diana Rogers Gentry, and they opened a trading post on the Neosho River.
After three years, Houston began to gradually re-enter white society. He separated from Diana and traveled to Washington to represent the Cherokees, where he was involved in a much-publicized incident in which he caned a congressman whom he said had insulted him. Being back in the spotlight seemed to bring Houston back to himself. He turned his attention to the future.
In late 1832, Sam Houston moved to Texas. Although he was still drinking to excess, it was clear from the beginning that he was a revitalized man. He quickly became involved in the cause of rebellion against Mexico. Houston served as a delegate to a number of the conventions and mass meetings that led up to the Texas Revolution. During this time, he also moved on with his personal life, filing for divorce from Eliza Allen.