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The war between the United States and Mexico was decades in the making. Although Texas was an independent republic from 1836 to 1845, Texans retained an affiliation with the United States that virtually assured annexation at some point. Mexico's reluctance to give up Texas put it on a collision course with the United States. The Mexican War receives scant treatment in books. Most historians approach the conflict as if it were a mere prelude to the Civil War. The Mexican cession of 1848, however, rivaled the Louisiana Purchase in importance for the sheer amount of territory acquired by the United States. The dispute over slavery-which had been rendered largely academic by the Missouri Comprom...
Drawing on numerous diaries, journals, and reminiscences, Richard Bruce Winders presents the daily life of soldiers at war; links the army to the society that produced it; shares his impressions of the soldiers he "met" along the way; and concludes that American participants in the Mexican War shared a common experience, no matter their rank or place of service. Taking a "new" military history approach, Mr. Polk's Army: The American Military Experience in the Mexican War examines the cultural, social, and political aspects of the regular and volunteer forces that made up the army of 1846-48, presents the organizational framework of the army, and introduces the different styles of leadership exhibited by Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott.
The Battle of the Alamo is one of the most compelling stories from American history. Students of the battle often wonder why William B. Travis and his small garrison were left alone to meet their fate at the hands of General Santa Anna. Author Richard B. Winders, the historian and curator at the Alamo, examines events that led to this epic struggle and concludes that in-fighting among the revolutionary leadership doomed the Alamo garrison. The Texan victories of 1835 created discord among rebel leaders as various factions strove to direct the revolution to meet their own specific goals. That bickering resulted in an almost total breakdown of Texan military forces as individual commands were swept into the political battle. The democratic fervor of the 1830s worked against building a cohesive Texan Army and was largely responsible for the twin tragedies of the Alamo and Goliad. Informative and provocative, Sacrificed at the Alamo will appeal to general readers as well as students of the classic battle and its important place in Texas history.
By 1850, the frontier settlement of San Antonio had seen more than its share of hardships, Indians attacks, rebellions, and repeated military occupations. These events all marked the towns recent past. In 1854, though, the editor of the Alamo Star felt confident enough in the town’s progress to announce that the embattled outpost would soon be known as the “Queen of the West.” The Star, of course, capitalized on the name of the town’s most famous landmark—the Alamo. Although historians have written about the battle and the town, no one has yet adequately explained how they are connected to each other. A deeper look at the development of San Antonio shows that it was not only the si...
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The Battle of the Alamo is one of the most compelling stories from American history. Students of the battle often wonder why William B. Travis and his small garrison were left alone to meet their fate at the hands of General Santa Anna. Author Richard B. Winders, the historian and curator at the Alamo, examines events that led to this epic struggle and concludes that in-fighting among the revolutionary leadership doomed the Alamo garrison. The Texan victories of 1835 created discord among rebel leaders as various factions strove to direct the revolution to meet their own specific goals. That bickering resulted in an almost total breakdown of Texan military forces as individual commands were swept into the political battle. The democratic fervor of the 1830s worked against building a cohesive Texan Army and was largely responsible for the twin tragedies of the Alamo and Goliad. Informative and provocative, Sacrificed at the Alamo will appeal to general readers as well as students of the classic battle and its important place in Texas history.
Armed with percussion rifles when most other US soldiers still carried flintlock muskets, the “Mississippi Rifles” served in the war against Mexico that followed the annexation of Texas in 1845. In Panting for Glory: The Mississippi Rifles in the Mexican War, Richard Bruce Winders skillfully uncovers the contrasting wartime experiences of two regiments, the 1st and 2nd Mississippi Rifles. The 1st Mississippi Rifles were lauded for their service and remain a familiar part of the history of the Mexican War. Under the leadership of Col. Jefferson Davis—later the President of the Confederate States of America—the 1st enjoyed significant victories at the Battle of Buena Vista and the Batt...
A reassessment of the military's role in developing the Western territories moves beyond combat stories and stereotypes to focus on more non-martial accomplishments such as exploration, gathering scientific data, and building towns.