Doniphan's Expedition

by Hughes, John Taylor; Dawson, Joseph G.

• ISBN13: 9780890967959
• ISBN10: 0890967954
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-10-01
• Publisher: Texas A & M Univ Pr

Summary

A teacher turned soldier, John T. Hughes like so many other volunteers saw in the outbreak of the Mexican War the possibilities for personal adventure and national glory. He joined the First Regiment of Missouri Mounted Volunteers and announced that he planned to write a history of his fighting unit commanded by Col. Alexander Doniphan, who would come to be regarded as among the finest volunteer officers of the war. The result of Hughes's efforts certainly is one of the most colorful personal accounts of the Mexican War ever written. Doniphan's Expedition follows the regiment on its grueling 850-mile march from Fort Leavenworth, present-day Kansas, down the Santa Fe Trail, to invade Mexico. Along the way, Hughes observes and describes in impressive detail the discipline, morale, and effectiveness of the citizen soldiers encountering hardships on the rough plains and deserts. He gives their impressions of Santa Fe and offers valuable insight into the military occupation of that city. As signicant cultural history, this account also chronicles the fears and prejudices of the soldiers meeting a seemingly strange people in a strange land. Furthermore, Hughes provides an excellent first-hand account of the two battles of the expedition: the Battle of Brazito, near El Paso, and the Battle of Sacramento, outside Chihuahua City.

Table of Contents

Memoir of Col. A. W. Doniphan	11	(4)
CHAPTER I. Origin of the War with Mexico--Hostilities begun--Act of Congress to raise troops--Plan of invasion--Causes which justify the war--Army of the West--Gov. Edwards's requisition--Troops rendezvous at Fort Leavenworth--Drill exercises--Election of field officers--Strength of the expedition--Ladies visit the fort--Presentation of flags--Two squadrons dispatched in pursuit of Speyres and Armijo--Departure of the expedition--March conducted by detachments--Scene at the Stranger--The Kansas-- Shawnees--Bewilderment--Bluff Hill--Santa Fe trail--Fiery steeds--Description of troops composing the army of the West__	15	(8)
CHAPTER II. View of the army on the prairies--Singular phenomenon--Attention to horses--Fourth of July--Council Grove--Its locale--Diamond Springs--Government trains--Interesting inquiry--Prairie fuel--Mosquitoes and the black gnat--Express from Col. Doniphan--Altercation between officers--Chavez--His tragical end--The mirage--Sand hills--The Big Arkansas--Buffalo--Pawnee Rock--Forces reunited at the Pawnee River--Difficult passage--The Infantry--Maj. Howard--Charge upon the buffalo--Reptiles and insects--Flowers--Prairle-dog villages--Death of Lesley--Attachment of men to their horses--Appearance of the Army--Fitzpatrick, the mountaineer--The report--Mexican spies taken--Army encamped in the Mexican territory	23	(10)
CHAPTER III. The estampeda--Fort Bent--Lieut. De Courcy--Arapaho chief--March resumed--The army passes the desert--An adventure--Spanish Peaks--Half rations--Return of De Courcy--Doniphan's speech--Arrival of Las Bagas--Priest of San Miguel--Mexican prisoners--The Pecos ruins--Traditions and legends--Anticipated battle of the canyon--Capture of Santa Fe--Gen. Kearney's speech--Camp rumors, etc	33	(13)
CHAPTER IV. Grazing detachment--American residents at Santa Fe--Herkins--Gen. Kearney's proclamation--New Mexico--Santa Fe--New Mexican women--The fandango--Lieut. Oldham--Deserters--The express--A Pueblo chief--Stamp paper	46	(8)
CHAPTER V. Excursion to San Tome--Supposed rebellion--Departure for Albuquerque--Arrival at Del Gardo--Gen. Kearney and Capt. Reid--Rights of Volunteers--Error common to Regular officers--Sham battle--The Rio del Norte--Irrigating canals--Algodones-- Bernalillo--Albuquerque--Peralta--Reception of the troops at San Tome--Lieut. Col. Ruff--Grand celebration--Return to the capital	54	(10)
CHAPTER VI. Territorial laws--Mexican printing press--Appointments to office--Disease--Fort Marcy--Battle of Los Llanos--The election--Detachments ordered to Abiquiu and Cebolleta--Gilpin's return--Col. Doniphan and Hall--Gen. Kearney and the Apache chief--Gen. Kearney's departure for California--Conduct of the soldiers	64	(6)
CHAPTER VII. Reinforcements--Organization of the force--The march begun--Mormon battalion--Death of Capt. Allen--Another estampeda--Col. Price's arrival at Santa Fe--Col. Daugherty's regiment--Disposition of the forces in New Mexico--Express from California--Preparations for the Chihuahua expedition	70	(5)
CHAPTER VIII. Doniphan ordered against the Navajos--Plan of the march--Condition of the troops--They take with them neither baggage, provision wagons, nor tents--Arrival at Albuquerque--A squadron sent to Valverde--Death of Adjt. Butler--War dance at Isleta--Express from the merchants--Valverde	75	(8)
CHAPTER IX. Col. Jackson's detachment--Don Chavez--Another war dance--Cebolleta--Jackson's mission--Capt. Reid's expedition--Navajo dance--Narbona--Capt. Reid's letter--Return of the party--Habits of the Navajos--Their wealth--Horses stolen by the Navajos--Their recovery	83	(7)
CHAPTER X. Maj. Gilpin and the Yutas--His march against the Navajos--His passage over the Cordilleras--Express to Col. Doniphan--The San Juan--Passage over the Tunicha Mountains--Deep snows--Maj. Gilpin departs for the Ojo Oso--Col. Doniphan passes the Sierra Madre--Immense snowstorm--Arrival at the Bear Spring--Doniphan's speech to the Navajos--Their chief's reply--Treaty concluded	90	(8)
CHAPTER XI. Return of the troops to the Del Norte--Doniphan visits Zuni--Treaty between the Zunis and the Navajos--Description of Zuni and the Zunians--The Moquis--Ancient ruins--Remarks on the Navajo campaign--The Navajos--Their state and condition	98	(6)
CHAPTER XII. Gen. Kearney's march to California--Passes the Del Norte at Albuquerque--Arrival at Socorro--The alcalde--Kit Carson--The express--Capt. Burgwin sent back--Lieut. Ingalls--Apaches--The copper mines--Red Sleeve--Sierra del Buso-- Difficulties--The Gilans--Lieut. Davidson--Hall of Montezuma--The Pimo villages	104	(9)
CHAPTER XIII. Barrebutt--Fable of the Pimos--Arrival at the Colorado--Mexican papers intercepted--The Jornada of 90 miles--Horseflesh--The Mulada--Capt. Gillespie--Battle of San Pascual--Gen. Kearney's official report	113	(4)
CHAPTER XIV. Col. Stevenson--Com. Sloat and Lieut. Col. Fremont--Gen. Castro--Com. Stockton--The revolution in California--Mr. Talbot--The insurgents under Flores and Pico--Gen. Kearney marches upon Angeles--Battles of San Gabriel and the Mesa--Capital recovered--The capitulation	117	(6)
CHAPTER XV. Gen. Kearney and W. P. Hall--Lieut. Col. Cooke--The Mormon battalion--Lieut. Abert--San Bernardino destroyed by Apaches--The glazed plain--Arrival in Teuson--The honest Pimo chief--Arrival at San Diego--Com. Shubrick--Gen. Kearney proceeds to Monterey--Governor Fremont--Gen. Kearney and Governor Fremont--California--Its present state--Gen. Kearney's return to the United States	123	(6)
CHAPTER XVI. Concentration of the forces at Valverde--Mitchell's escort--Passage of the great "Jornada del Muerto"--Arrival at Dona Ana--Frank Smith and the Mexicans--Battle of Brazito--The piratical flag--Doniphan's order--Burial of the dead--False alarm--Surrender of El Paso--Release of American prisoners	129	(8)
CHAPTER XVII. The commissioners--Assessment of property--Search for arms--Proclamation of Gov. Trias--The American merchants--Strength of the Pass--Capt. Kirker--Kind treatment of the Pasenos--Resources of the valley of El Paso--Wolves--The rebellion-- Ramond Ortiz--The Apache Indians	137	(7)
CHAPTER XVIII. Departure from El Paso--Doniphan's position--Ramond Ortiz--Two deserters--Battalion of merchants--Passage of the desert--The Ojo Caliente--Marksmanship--Lake of Encenillas--Dreadful conflagration--Capt. Reid's adventure--The reconnoissance--Plan of the march--Battle of Sacramento--Surrender of Chihuahua	144	(18)
CHAPTER XIX. Doniphan's proclamation--The American residents--The keys to the mint--Mexican morals--Chihuahua--Its attractions--Express to Gen. Wool--The 14--Arrival at Saltillo--Visit to the battle field of Buena Vista--Return of the express	162	(11)
CHAPTER XX. Departure of the army for Saltillo--Mexican girls--The merchants--Arrival at Santa Rosalia--Mitchell's advance--Guajuquilla--The Jornada--Palayo and Mapimi--Death of Lieut. Jackson--San Sebastian and San Lorenzo--Mrs. McGoffin--Battle of El Poso--Don Manuel Ybarro--Parras--Review of the army by Gen. Wool--Reception by Gen. Taylor	173	(11)
CHAPTER XXI. Departure for New Orieans--Execution of a guerrilla chief--Mier and Camargo--Death of Sergt. Swain--Arrival at Reynosa--Water transportation--The mouth--Brazos Santiago--The troops sail for New Orieans--The Balize--Chivalry of the South-- Reception in the Crescent City	184	(4)
CHAPTER XXII. Discharge of the troops--Their return to Missouri--Reception at St. Louis--Banquets and honors--Doniphan crowned with a laurel wreath--Conclusion	188	(4)
CHAPTER XXIII. Col. Price--Disposition of the troops--The conspiracy--Conspiracy detected--Second conspiracy--Massacre of Gov. Bent and retinue--Battles of Canada, Embudo, Pueblo de Taos, and the Mora--Death of Capts. Burgwin and Hendley--Restoration o tranquility	192	(6)
CHAPTER XXIV. Increased vigilance of the troops--Suspicion--Battle of the Red River Canyon--Murder of Lieut. Brown--Battle of Las Bagas--Six prisoners executed--Attack on the Cienega--Indian outrages--Robberies--Lieut. Love--Capt. Mann--The new levies	198