▁compr ised ▁ 2 2 % ▁of ▁the ▁Tex ian ▁Army ▁service ▁members ▁who ▁fought ▁until ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁San ▁Jac into , ▁helping ▁the ▁Tex ian ▁Government ▁win ▁independence ▁from ▁the ▁Central ist ▁Republic ▁of ▁Mexico ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 8 3 6 ▁at ▁the ▁Tre aties ▁of ▁Vel as co . ▁ ▁Author ity ▁▁ ▁The ▁Tex ian ▁Milit ia ▁was ▁first ▁author ized ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 8 2 3 ▁by ▁Ag ust ín ▁de ▁It urb ide ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Mexican ▁Empire ▁who ▁ordered ▁the ▁Em pres ario ▁Stephen ▁F . ▁Austin ▁to ▁" organ ize ▁the ▁colon ists ▁into ▁a ▁body ▁of ▁milit ia ▁to ▁preserve ▁tran qu ility ." ▁On ▁August ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 8 2 3 ▁Austin ▁officially ▁established ▁the ▁Tex ian ▁Milit ia :" Since ▁the ▁comm enc ement ▁of ▁this ▁Col ony ▁no ▁labor ▁or ▁exp ense ▁has ▁been ▁sp ared ▁on ▁my ▁part ▁towards ▁its ▁organization , ▁benefit ▁and ▁security — ▁And ▁I ▁shall ▁always ▁be ▁ready ▁and ▁willing ▁to ▁risk ▁my ▁health , ▁my ▁property ▁or ▁my ▁life ▁for ▁the ▁common ▁advantage ▁of ▁those ▁who ▁have ▁emb ark ed ▁with ▁me ▁in ▁this ▁enter prise . ▁As ▁proof ▁of ▁the ▁reality ▁of ▁this ▁declaration ▁I ▁have ▁determined ▁to ▁augment ▁at ▁my ▁own ▁private ▁exp ense ▁the ▁company ▁of ▁men ▁which ▁was ▁raised ▁by ▁order ▁of ▁the ▁late ▁Governor ▁José ▁F éli x ▁T resp ala cios ▁for ▁the ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁Col