Mexico and Texas

The Fall of the Royal Government in Mexico City, by Timothy E. Anna, pub. University of Nebraska Press, 1978, pp.273, not really a good military book more of a political and social record that helps one understand how the early revolts in 1810-15 were defeated by Spaniard and Creole forces, while the Plan of Iguala created an acceptable alternative to the Royal Regime to the wealthy Creoles of Mexico that allowed a compromise between the rebels and the upper classes, in the face of which the Royal Regime quickly collapsed, gives the reader a greater depth of understanding of the problems that befell both sides of this struggle.

The Mexican Empire of Iturbide, by Timothy E. Anna, pub. University of Nebraska Press, 1990, pp.280, in the same format as the previous title, mainly political but worth the read to get to know the roots of the various fractions and contemporary attitudes.

The Mexican National Army, 1822-1852, by William A DePalo Jr., pub. Texas A & M University Press, 1997, pp.268, 4 maps, not illustrated, what a great title! But for me a bit of a let down, this is a general history of the Army and it's wars, mainly in Texas and against the U.S.A., no organizational data or battalion / regimental lineage charts, no orders of battle, it has 3 Appendices No.1. Status of Mexican Military Forces in 1826, No.2. Status of Mexican Forces in 1850, No.3. Prominent Mexican Generals, Nos 2 & 3 are helpful, the first one is not. The text is 162 pages, there are 70 pages of notes that relate mainly to sources, although there are some helpful details in them, as you may guess I was disappointed by this book, I do hope that I am being over critical and that you find it of help.

Episodios Militares Mexicanos, by Heriberto Frío, pub. Liberia de la Vde de Ch. Bouret, Paris & Mexico, 1901, in two volumes, Vol. I "Guerra de Independencia" pp.289, 4 maps, Vol. II "Invasión Norteamericana" pp.277, 10 maps, these two volumes should be re-published, but also translated into English, are there any U.S. Universities out there willing to do this?

With Santa Anna in Texas: A Personal Narrative of the Revolution, by José Enrique de la Pena, translated and edited by Carman Perry with an introduction by James E. Crisp, pub. Texas A & M University Press, 1st pub. English Lang.1975, this is the 7th printing but it is an expanded edition, which means that it has an extra chapter on the last week from la Peña's journal, price softback $16.95, add 15% for Europe, a number of people have thought this journal to be a 1950's forgery by Jesús Sánchez Garza who printed the journal in Mexico in 1955 included was a front page of a 1836 edition of the journal which was never published, the text of the journal includes references to other works which were published in 1838. La Pena died in 1841-2, leaving his papers and journal to be published after his death, he had expanded his original diary with notes that were to be included into the text from contemporary accounts, making the first publication of the journal in 1955 in it's entirety a mixture of data from 1836 through to 1839, but by including a front page for 1836 plus a small inaccurate translation into English by Walter Lord's friend and translator Carlos Eduardo Castañeda an eminent librarian and scholar, created the fuel for the non-believers to cry fake. Most people interested in this War should already know about this journal, I have an earlier edition, but this new edition is worth having just for the introduction by James E. Crisp who, in my mind, details the history of the production of this journal and it's after-effects extremely well, not many Mexican versions of this war are in English and this one is amongst the best.

The Mexican War Journal & Letters of Ralph W. Kirkham, edited by Robert Ryal Miller, pub. Texas A & M University Press, 1st pub. 1991, this is the 2nd edition, 1993, pp.136, illus. 2 maps, price $13.95 paperback, add 15% for Europe, a regular army 2nd Lieutenant with the 6th Infantry he ended the war as a Captain having held the position of assistant adjutant general to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division (Maj. Gen. Worth's), a good view of the campaign by Gen. Scott from Vera Cruz to the capture of Mexico City as it happened and of his stay in Mexico until July 1848, he also names a number of the officers killed and wounded in the various battles which I find very helpful, a very pleasing contemporary account.

Essays on the Mexican War, edited by Douglas W. Richmond, pub. Texas A & M University Press, 1986, pp.99, illus., price $17.50 but add 15% for Europe, 4 chapters and an introduction, these chapters vary on theme, 1. President Polk's New England Tour; North for the Union, 2. Polk and his Generals, 3. The Monarchist Conspiracy and the Mexican War, 4. Andrew Trussell in Mexico: A Soldier's Wartime Impressions, 1847-8, the third chapter was the most interesting for me.

The Irish Soldiers of Mexico, by Michael Hogan, pub. Fondo Editorial Universitario, Guadalajara, Mexico 1997, pp.262, illus. softbound, to find a Mexican published book in English about military history is indeed a boon and this one tells the story of the San Patricio Battalion during the U.S. - Mexican War. Having read it I feel that although the text is helpful and adds some Mexican details that have not been utilised before, there is a strong undercurrent of anti- U.S. feeling, in relation to the sentences awarded to the captured members of the Battalion who were found to have deserted from the U.S. Army during and before the war. While also noting on the amount of desertions that there were during the war but not relating to the amount or percentage who deserted in the three years prior to the war on a yearly basis so that we could see how drastic it really was or was not, initially I did not notice these details but when a friend pointed them out and we began to look further into these details it did seem rather strange why these details were left out, other than to assist in the authors viewpoint used in the text, the book is still worth having, but have an open mind to some of it's statements. ( I understand that a film is being made about this battalion, let us hope that it is a fair rendition of the facts, and not a Hollywood profit making enterprise targeted towards the U.S. Catholic population.)

La Guerra de Tres Años, by Manuel Cambre, pub. Jose Cabrena, Guadalajara, 1904, pp.605, a book on the Reform Wars 1857-60, another book that needs to be translated into English, this is the only work I have which is entirely on this war, I do not know of an English work that covers the military campaigns, do you?

Episodios Historicos de la Guerra de la Intervención y el Segundo Imperio, by Victoriano D. Báez, pub. Talleres Tipográficos de Julian S. Soto, Oaxaca, Mexico 1907, pp.181, the Mexican view of fighting the French, someday this could be translated for a better understanding of the Mexican viewpoint of this episode.

The French Experience in Mexico, 1821-1861, by Nancy N. Barker, pub. University of North Carolina Press, 1979, pp.249, illus., a well researched work that will help anybody understand how France was involved in Mexico during this period and why the Pastry War and the Maximilian Adventure happened, recommended.

La Intervención Francesa en Mexico segun el archivo del Mariscal Bazaine, pub. Liberia de la Viuda de Ch. Bouret, Mexico, 1908, 2 Vols. there's bound to be some helpful data in here some where it's just a case of finding it.

Our First War in Mexico, by Farnham Bishop, pub. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1916, pp.218, illus., a good account for the time of printing, a handy reference work.

The Life and Wars of Gideon J. Pillow, by Nathanial Cheairs Hughes Jr., and Roy P. Stonesifer Jr., pub. University of North Carolina Press, 1993, pp.439, illus. the chapters 3-6 pp.39-121, cover the Mexican War and it's interesting reading about the internal undercurrent of bad feeling between Regulars & Volunteers and Whigs & Democrats.

Huerta: A Political Portrait, by Michael C. Meyer, pub. University of Nebraska Press, 1972, pp.255, it is a pity that there was no photographs included with the text, there is a line drawing to begin each chapter, this is one of the few books in English on this Mexican Revolutionary General and luckily this one is the best, a well researched work that brings Huerta and his government into perspective rather than say that they were anti-Madero and therefore anti-revolutionists, for anyone interested in the Mexican Revolution this book will be a great help in understanding the early years, up to 1914.

Dream of Empire: A History of the Republic of Texas 1836-1846, by John Edward Weems, pub. Barnes & Noble, New York 1995, 1st published 1971, pp.349, 1 map, through the events of twelve individuals and sometimes using their own words this book captures the feel of what living in Texas during this period was actually like, with constant threat of invasion from Mexico and Indian raids creating a none to stable environment, an easily readable account.

Sam Houston, by John Hoyt Williams, pub. Simon & Schuster, New York 1994, paperback, pp.433, illus., 1 map, follows the life of this famous American through to his death on 26th June 1863, a good biography plus many interesting details such as when, in 1839, Acting Secretary of War George Hockley rejected the new colt repeating pistols and rifles as too complex for any but cool veteran troops, although he did want screeching, British made Congreve rockets to "excite terror and probable confusion" among the Indians, a well documented work.

Brazil

Amazon Frontier: The Defeat of the Brazilian Indians, by John Hemming, pub. Macmillan, London 1987, pp.621, illus., maps, as most members will his previous work includes "Red Gold: The Conquest of the Brazilian Indians", this work starts in the year 1755 and carries on from the earlier title, and ends in 1910, I must admit that I do like (1) this author and (2) this subject which I know very little about, so I might take it on holiday with me to read, as it would appear to be the definitive account of this topic in English.

Book List

Pre-Columbian & Conquest, Colonial Period, Latin American
Mexico and Texas, Brazil
Central America and West Indies, Miscellaneous