The War With Mexico, Volume I

Justin Harvey Smith
3.5
6 ratings 1 reviews
As every one understands, our conflict with Mexico has been almost entirely eclipsed by the greater wars following it. But in the field of thought mere size does not count for much; and while the number of troops and the lists of casualties give the present subject little comparative importance, it has ample grounds for claiming attention. As a territorial stake New Mexico, Arizona and California were of immense value. National honor was involved, and not a few of the Mexicans thought their national existence imperilled. Some of the diplomatic questions were of the utmost difficulty and interest. The clash of North and South, American and Mexican, produced extraordinary lights and shades, and in both countries the politics that lay behind the military operations made a dramatic and continual by-play. The military conduct of the governments—especially our own—and the behavior of our troops on foreign soil afforded instruction worthy to be pondered. While vast concentrations of forces and complicated tactical operations on a great scale were out of the question, the handling of even small armies at a long distance from home and in a region that was not only foreign but strange, created problems of a peculiar interest and afforded lessons of a peculiar value, such as no earlier or later war of ours has provided; and the examples of courage, honor and heroism exhibited in a conflict not only against man but against nature merited correct appreciation and lasting remembrance.The warrant for offering another work on the subject rests primarily on the extent and results of the author’s investigations. His intention was to obtain substantially all the valuable information regarding it that is in existence, and no effort was spared to reach his end. The appendix of volume II gives a detailed account of the sources. By special authorization from the Presidents of the United States and Mexico it was possible to examine every pertinent document belonging to the two governments. The search extended to the archives of Great Britain, France, Spain, Cuba, Colombia and Peru, those of the American and Mexican states, and those of Mexican cities. The principal libraries here, in Mexico and in Europe, the collections of our historical societies, and papers belonging to many individuals in this country and elsewhere were sifted. It may safely be estimated that the author examined personally more than 100,000 manuscripts bearing upon the subject, more than 1200 books and pamphlets, and also more than 200 periodicals, the most important of which were studied, issue by issue, for the entire period.[B] Almost exclusively the book is based upon first-hand sources, printed matter having been found of little use except for the original material it contains or for data regarding biography, geography, customs, industries and other ancillary subjects.[CONTENTSMexico and the MexicansThe Political Education of MexicoThe Relations between the United States and Mexico, 1825–1843The Relations between the United States and Mexico, 1843–1846The Mexican Attitude on the Eve of WarThe American Attitude on the Eve of WarThe Preliminaries of the ConflictPalo Alto and Resaca de GuerreroThe United States Meets the CrisisThe Chosen Leaders AdvanceTaylor Sets out for SaltilloMontereySaltillo, Parras, and TampicoSanta FeChihuahuaThe California QuestionThe Conquest of CaliforniaThe Genesis of Two CampaignsSanta Anna Prepares to StrikeBuena Vista
Genres:
860 Pages

Community Reviews:

5 star
1 (17%)
4 star
1 (17%)
3 star
4 (67%)
2 star
0 (0%)
1 star
0 (0%)

Readers also enjoyed

Other books by Justin Harvey Smith

Lists with this book