Description:

MEXICAN WAR OFFICERS' LETTERS
A series of four rare, good content A.L.S.'s from Lt. Col. Francisco Herrara to Jesus de la Garza, two officers in the Mexican Army, written in Spanish between 1843-1844. In the first letter, 3pp., 8vo., Rio Grande, Aug. 29, 1843, Herrara complains about the army's ingratitude and its persistent financial distress, in part: "...We have worked in the most crucial of circumstances, you and all of us who belong to this luckless privilege...Friend, they are in a pinch and they need us, but it's over & they forget us...". He also writes that Antonio Perez "...just came in from the edge of Behar, where he had a small gun battle with ten Americans, officers, neither doing any damage...". In the second letter, 2pp., 8vo., Rio Grande, Jan. 5, 1844, Herrara writes about personal matters. The third, 3pp., 4to., Rio Grande, Oct. 24, 1843, discusses the deplorable financial state of servicemen and civilians, as well as offering a long political commentary, including comments on the truce between Mexico and Texas: "...it won't be long until nobody will want to serve...they are nothing but some Gachupines, who are now doing to us what the Gachupines did to them before. . .do not fail to keep posted any news from outside, particularly on what Santa Anna proposes with the 16,000 men...On the truce between Mexico and Texas, it is not known what is proposed by either side...From Bejar it is known that the Americans are not bothering anyone who goes there, no matter who it may be, as long as the truce lasts..." . Within the final A.L.S., 2 pp., 4to., Rio Grande, June 2, 1844, Herrera informs de la Garza about two former rebels, Antonio Canales, who had served as commander-in-chief of the Army of the Republic of the Rio Grande when it separated from Mexico in 1840 (by the time of Herrera's letter, Canales was once again wearing the uniform of the Mexican army), and Juan Seguin, who had fought with the Texans in the Texas Revolution and served in the Texas Senate. Forced from office in Texas, Seguin fled to Mexico in 1842 where he was forced to fight against Texas and the U.S. in the Mexican War. In part: "...[Canales] crossed to the other side of the river, and is holding a meeting; until now the object is not known. Seguin is under arrest at headquarters because it is suspected, or they may have proof, that it was he who gave warning to the attorney that he was going to be arrested...". Very good to fine.

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May 14, 2009 10:00 AM EDT
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