High Is the Eagle

The series of fierce nineteenth-century battles between the armies of the United States and Mexico, which historians aptly call the Mexican-American War, are sometimes dated April 1846 to February 1848. However, the majority of historians who have written on the subject agree that the war between the United States and Mexico that began in April of 1846 and extended until February of 1848 actually stemmed from the Mexican army's surrounding the fighting Texans and their Tennessee friends at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, on February 23, 1836, and launching the fierce attack on March 6. This attack, which was led by Mexico's president and chief military leader, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, was in retaliation against the Texans for declaring themselves independent of the Mexican government.In 1835, the people of Texas had formed their own government and issued a declaration of independence from Mexico at a large meeting in Washington-on-the-Brazos in southeastern Texas. David G. Burnet was chosen as president of the new Republic of Texas, and General Sam Houston was appointed to be its military leader. Thus, the majority of historians who have written of these events actually date the Mexican-American War from February 23, 1836, to February 2, 1848. A bit of history: The land known as Mexico was conquered in the 1540s by Spain. By the 1730s, Spain had sent several expeditions into the land called Texas and claimed it for their own since Mexico had claimed it before it was conquered by Spain. The city of San Antonio, Texas, which since 1758 had housed a military post and a Franciscan mission known as the Alamo, had become the administrative center. Anglo-American colonization gained impetus in Texas when the United States government purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 and claimed title to all the land from the Sabine River as far west as the Rio Grande. All of Texas was then claimed by the Anglo-Americans. Mexico had remained in Spain's control until 1821, when the Mexican people rose up in determination to be free. They declared their independence from Spain and adopted a federal constitution modeled after that of the United States of America. There was trouble between the Mexicans and the Spaniards because of this, but no blood was shed. The Spaniards quickly withdrew peaceably when a Mexican revolt in 1833 placed Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna in power. By military might, Santa Anna became the undisputed leader of Mexico. Thus on February 23, 1836, in retaliation against the Texans for declaring themselves free from Mexico in 1835, Santa Anna and his troops surrounded the Texans who were fortified at the Alamo defending their freedom. On March 6, Santa Anna's army attacked the Alamo and killed every man behind its walls. The Mexican-American War, then, actually extended from February 23, 1836, until a peace treaty was signed between the two countries on February 2, 1848. During the twelve-year period of 18361848, it was never the American government's desire to be at war with the Mexican government, but it seemed that the United States was caught in a web of destiny that forced them to fight Mexico, no matter how hard they tried to avoid it. Prologue In mid-1835, when the people of Texas declared themselves independent of Mexico and established their own republic, the government of Mexico was angry. As time passed the anger did not subside. On December 4, 1835, Mexican General Martin Perfecto de Cos brazenly led his fourteen hundred troops into San Antonio, Texas, and occupied the old Franciscan mission known as the Alamo. The townspeople were frightened and sent riders to the nearest Texas army outpost to inform the leading officers that General Cos and his troops had taken over the land and buildings of the Alamo. The riders madeLacy, Al is the author of 'High Is the Eagle', published 2008 under ISBN 9781590529263 and ISBN 159052926X.