| 1861 |
| January |
| 5 | Destruction of the printing office of Die Union in Galveston by mob. |
| 21 | Convening of the State Legislature in Austin in compliance with Governor Houston’s proclamation of December 17, 1860. |
| 28 | Approval of the State Legislature of a joint resolution authorizing the impending state convention to act for the people of Texas on the question of secession. |
| Holding a Secession Convention in Austin by request of prominent citizens (O. M. Roberts, George Flournoy, Guy M. Bryan, W. S. Oldham and John Marshall) made on December 3, 1860. |
| 30 | Appointment of a Committee of Public Safety by the Secession Convention. |
| February |
| 1 | Approval of an ordinance of secession by the Secession Convention. |
| 2 | Committee of Public Safety directed to seize all Federal property in Texas. |
| 4 | Adjournment of the Secession Convention until March 2. |
| 6 | Address to the people of Texas by the opponents of secession (D. G. Burnett, E. M. Pease, E. J. Davis, A. J. Hamilton, J. W. Throckmorton, John and George Hancock). |
| 9 | Proclamation by Governor Houston ordering an election to be held February 23 for ratifying or rejecting the Ordinance of Secession. |
| Adjournment of the Called Session of the Legislature until March 18. |
| 16 | Seizure of the U.S. Army Military Post, San Antonio, by representatives and forces under orders of the Committee of Safety. |
| 18 | Surrender of U.S. Military posts in Texas by General David E. Twiggs. |
| 19 | Substitution of Colonel Carlos A. Waite for General Twiggs as U.S. Army Commander, Department of Texas. |
| 21 | Seizure of U.S. property at Brazos Santiago by Colonel “Rip” Ford’s Volunteers upon orders of the Committee of Safety. |
| 21 | Abandonment of Camp Cooper, Throckmorton County, by U.S. troops. |
| 23 | State election for ratifying or rejecting the Ordinance of Secession. |
| 26 | Abandonment of Camp Colorado, Coleman County, by U.S. troops. |
|
| March |
| 1 | Dismissal of General Twiggs from U.S. Army service. |
| 2 | Reassembly of the Secession Convention in Austin. |
| Seizure of U.S. revenU.S.hooner Henry Dodge by armed forces acting under orders of the Committee of Safety. |
| 4 | Votes canvassed on secession ordinance: for secession, 46,129; against, 14,697. |
| 7 | Abandonment of Ringgold Barracks, Starr County, and Camp Verde, Kerr County, by U.S. troops. |
| 12 | Abandonment of Camp McIntosh, Webb County, by U.S. troops. |
| 15 | Abandonment of Camp Wood, Real County, by U.S. troops. |
| 16 | Administering the Confederate oath of office to state officials in the presence of the Secession Convention; Governor Houston refused to take the oath. |
| 17 | Abandonment of Camp Hudson. Val Verde County, by U.S. troops. |
| 19 | Abandonment of Forts Clark, Kinney County; Inge, Uvalde County; and Lancaster, Crockett County, by U.S. troops. |
| Governor Sam Houston’s farewell address published in newspapers. |
| 20 | Abandonment of Fort Brown, Cameron County, and Fort Duncan, Maverick County, by U.S. troops. |
| 23 | Abandonment of Fort Chadbourne, Coke County, by U.S. troops. |
| Ratification of the permanent Constitution of the Confederate States by the Secession Convention. |
| 25 | Adjournment of the Secession Convention. |
| 29 | Abandonment of Fort Mason, Mason County, by U.S. troops. |
| 31 | Abandonment of Fort Bliss, El Paso County, by U.S. troops. |
| April |
| 5 | Abandonment of Fort Quitman, Hudspeth County, by U.S. troops. |
| 9 | Adjournment of the called session of the legislature. |
| 11 | Arrival in New York of Federal troops from Texas aboard U.S.S. Coatzacoalcos. |
| 12 | Fort Sumter fired upon. |
| 13 | Abandonment of Fort Davis, Jeff Davis County, by U.S. troops. |
| 17 | Texas Volunteers under Colonel Earl Van Dorn, C.S.A., capture Star Of The West off Texas coast near Indianola. |
| 20 | Seizure of U.S. Coast Guard schooner Twilight by W. A. Jones, Deputy Custom Collector, Aransas, Texas. |
| 21 | Assumption of Military Command of Texas by Colonel Earl Van Doren, C.S.A. |
| 23 | U.S. Army officers at San Antonio made prisoners of war; capture of 8th U.S. Infantry near San Antonio. |
| 25 | Surrender of U.S. forces at Indianola. |
| Abandonment of Fort Stockton, Pecos County, by U.S. troops. |
|
| May |
| 9 | Capture of U.S. troops near San Lucas Springs or Adams Hill, fifteen miles west of San Antonio. |
| 5 | Capture of Forts Arbuckle, Cobb and Washita, Indian Territory, by Texas state troops commanded by Colonel W. C. Young. |
| 13-14 | Burning of the Alamo Express office, San Antonio by the Knights of the Golden Circle |
| June |
| ? | Organization in Virginia of the First Texas Infantry Regiment. |
| 13 | Organization of the Third Regiment, Texas Cavalry. |
| July |
| 2 | Blockading of Galveston initiated by the U.S.S. South Carolina. |
| 4-12 | Destruction and capture of twelve vessels off Galveston by the U.S.S. South Carolina. |
| Taking the Oath of Allegiance to the State of Texas and the Confederacy by Live Oak County residents at a mass meeting in Oakville. |
| 8 | Ordering of Brigadier General H. H. Sibley of Texas to expel U.S. forces from New Mexico. |
| 27 | Fort Filmore near Mesilla, New Mexico, captured by Second Regiment Texas Mounted Rifles under Lieutenant Colonel John R. Baylor, C.S.A. |
| August |
| ? | Skirmishing near Fort Bliss; preparation of Confederate forces for the invasion of New Mexico. |
| 3 | Bombardment of Confederate batteries at Galveston by U.S.S. South Carolina. |
| 11 | Ambushing of Lieutenant May’s detachment of fourteen men, Company D, COVER DESIGN BY JAMES LEWIS WILKINS
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