The area, known as the Sabine Free State or the Neutral Ground, developed into a lawless patch that neither country controlled.

Their differences date back to land frauds, cattle rustling, barn burners, and revenge killings.

The conflict began over fraud, cattle rustling, and land swindling in the Neutral Ground, the lawless area in Louisiana between the American border and Mexican Texas.

This conflict reached a boiling point after Charles W. Jackson, a former Mississippi riverboat captain and a fugitive from Louisiana justice, shot Joseph Goodbread at Shelbyville in 1840.

Republic of Texas president Sam Houston grew tired of the lawless fighting and attempted to settle the matter.

On 14 August 1844 Houston ordered Travis G. Broocks and Alexander Horton to lead 500 militia into East Texas and make peace between the factions.

Exasperated, Houston rode to East Texas and set up headquarters the last two weeks in August at San Augustine to take charge.

Though there was resistance between the two sides, through his diplomacy of fairness and even-handedness Houston was able to get the factions to sign a peace treaty.