hide Matching Documents

The documents where this entity occurs most often are shown below. Click on a document to open it.

Document Max. Freq Min. Freq
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing) 89 1 Browse Search
View all matching documents...

Your search returned 89 results in 19 document sections:

Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Alamo, Fort, (search)
illiam Barrett Davis, retired into the fort early in 1836, upon the dismantling of San Antonio by Sam Houston, and then Santa Ana, with a large force, invested the fort Feb. 23. The Texans numbered only 140 men, while the Mexican army was 4,000 str famous Davy Crockett. who. with the others, surrendered, under promise of protection; but when they were taken before Santa Ana were, upon his command. instantly cut to pieces, Crockett having been stabbed by a dozen swords. Other barbarities welating the remains, burning them. Only three persons, a woman, a child, and a servant, were spared. A few weeks after Santa Ana was routed with immense loss, and himself captured in the battle of San Jacinto, where the Texans raised the war cry, R indeed until the close of the Mexican War, the Texans only needed to be roused to deeds of valor by the recollection of the massacre at the Alamo, and dearly did the neighboring republic pay for the butchery by Santa Ana and his forces. Alaska
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Arista, Mariano, 1802- (search)
d from Mexico, and came to the United States. In 1835 he returned, and was restored to his rank in the army, and made Judge of the Supreme Tribunal of War. He was taken prisoner by the French at Vera Cruz (Dec. 5, 1838), but was soon released on parole. In 1839 he became general-in-chief of the northern division of the army, and received the Cross of honor for defeating insurgents. Though only a military commander, he was for some time the real ruler of Mexico when Herrera was President in 1844. Commanding at the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca De La Palma (q. v.) in May, 1848, he was appointed Minister of War a month later. Within two years he suppressed seventeen revolts in Mexico; and in 1850 he was elected President of his native country. He resigned the government in July, 1853. Banished from his country by his enemies, he made a voyage to Europe; and died there on the day when Santa Ana, who had usurped his seat, was compelled to fly from the city of Mexico, Aug. 7, 1855.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Atlixco, battle at. (search)
Atlixco, battle at. General Lee marched from Puebla (Mexico) in October, 1847, to attack the Mexican General Rea, of Santa Ana's army, at Atlixco, 30 miles from that place. Lane's cavalry first encountered Rea's advanced guard, and skirmished until the arrival of his infantry, when the Mexicans fell back towards Atlixco, keeping up a running fight. Less than 2 miles from that place their main body was discovered (Oct. 18, 1847). Lane's cavalry dashed in among them and drove them into a thick chaparral, which the horses could not enter. The cavalry dismounted, entered the thicket, and there a long and fierce hand-to-hand encounter ensued. The rest of the Americans coming up, the Mexicans were forced into the town, when Lane's artillery, posted on a hill, cannonaded the place most severely by the light of the moon. The Mexicans were driven away with much loss. At Atlixco Santa Ana's troops finally deserted him, and he fled alone towards the coast. So ended the active hostili
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Buena Vista, battle of. (search)
army on Feb. 2, 1847, joining Wool's forces there, and encamped at Aqua Nueva, 20 niles south of that place, on the San Luis road. On hearing of the approach of Santa Ana with his host, Taylor and Wool fell back to Angostura, a narrow defile in the mountains facing the fine estate of Buena Vista, and there encamped, in battle order, to await the coming of their foe. Santa Ana and his army were within two miles of Taylor's camp on the morning of Feb. 22, when the Mexican chief sent a note to Taylor telling him he was surrounded by 20,000 men, and could not, in all probability, avoid being cut to pieces; but as he held the American commander in special esteemght closed the battle. Expecting it would be resumed in the morning, the Americans again slept on their arms, but when the day dawned no enemy was to be seen. Santa Ana had fallen back, and in a few days his utterly dispirited army was almost dissolved. In their flight the Mexicans had left about 500 of their comrades, dead or
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Cerro Gordo, battle of (search)
Cerro Gordo is a difficult mountain pass, at the foot of the eastern slope of the Cordilleras, on the great national road from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico. Santa Ana, by extraordinary efforts after the battle of Buena Vista (q. v.), had gathered a force of about 12,000 men from among the sierras of Orizaba, concentrated them lloa, and moved forward (April 8, 1847) with about 8,000 men, the division of Gen. D. A. Twiggs in advance. Twiggs approached Cerro Gordo on the 13th, and found Santa Ana in his path. Scott arrived the next morning and prepared to attack the stronghold. On the 17th he issued a remarkable general order, directing, in detail, the xican standard was hauled down by Serg. Thomas Henry. Santa Ana with Almonte and other generals, and 8,000 troops, escaped; the remainder were made prisoners. Santa Ana attempted to fly with his carriage, which contained a large amount of specie; but it was over turned, when, mounting a mule take from the carriage harness, he fl
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Churubusco, battle of (search)
e stores and artillery saved from the wreck of Contreras were gathered at Churubusco, with much sent from the city, for Santa Ana had resolved to make a stand at this place. He was at the city with 12,000 troops. When the Americans began to move f where a fierce battle raged for some time. There the able Mexican General Rincon commanded, and there three masses of Santa Ana's men opposed General Shields. The veterans of Gen. Persifer F. Smith, who had captured Contreras, were conspicuous inured. Meanwhile Generals Shields and Pierce (afterwards President of the United States) were battling furiously with Santa Ana's men, partly in the rear of the defences of Churubusco. The Mexicans were there 7,000 strong—4,000 infantry and 3,000hat memorable 20th of August, 1847—Contreras, San Antonio, the redoubt at the bridge, the Church of San Pablo, and with Santa Ana's troops. In fact, the combined events of that day formed one great contest over a considerable extent of territory, a
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Contreras, battle of (search)
fications finished and unfinished, and manned by several thousand Mexicans; and not far off was the strongly fortified camp of Contreras, on a rugged height, containing between 6,000 and 7,000 men under General Valencia. In the rear of it was Santa Ana with 12,000 men as a reserve. In the afternoon of Aug. 19, Generals Twiggs and Pillow, assisted by Gens. Persifer F. Smith and Cadwallader, attacked the camp of Contreras, and a sharp conflict ensued, with almost continual skirmishing around. rning (Aug. 20) from St. Augustine for Contreras, and were met on the way by a courier with the good news that the enemy's camp was captured. The battle had been begun at sunrise by Smith's division. While Generals Shields and Pierce had kept Santa Ana's reserve at bay, Smith's troops had marched towards the works in the darkness and gained a position, unobserved, behind the crest of a hill near the Mexican works. Springing up suddenly from their hiding-place, they delivered deadly volleys i
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Crockett, David 1786- (search)
Crockett, David 1786- Pioneer; born in Limestone, Greene co., Tenn., Aug. 17, 1786. With little education, he became a noted hunter in his early life; served under Jackson in the Creek War; was a member of Congress from 1828 to 1834, and removed to Texas in the latter year, where he became zealously engaged in the war for Texan independence. While fighting for the defence of the Alamo (q. v.) he was captured and put to death by order of Santa Ana, March 6, 1836.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), El Molino del Rey, capture of. (search)
that was covered with a thick forest. At the foot of the hill was a stone building, with thick high walls, and towers at the end, known as El Battle of El Molino Del Rey. Molino del Rey— The King's Mill. About 400 yards from this was another massive stone building, known as Casa de Mata. The former was used (1847) as a cannon foundry by the Mexicans, and the latter was a depository of gunpowder. Both were armed and strongly garrisoned. General Scott, at Tacubaya, ascertained that Santa Ana, while negotiations for peace were going on, had sent church-bells out of the city to be cast into cannon, and he determined to seize both of these strong buildings and deprive the Mexicans of those sources of strength. He proposed to first attack El Molino del Rey, which was commanded by General Leon. The Mexican forces at these defences were about 14,000 strong, their left wing resting on El Molino del Rey, their centre forming a connecting line with Casa de Mata and supported by a fie
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Fannin, James W. 1800- (search)
Fannin, James W. 1800- Military officer; born in North Carolina in 1800; took part in the struggle between Texas and Mexico, serving as captain; associated with Captain Bowie; at the head of ninety men he defeated a much greater force of Mexicans at San Antonio. On March 19, 1836, he was attacked by a Mexican force under General Urrea. He succeeded in driving off the Mexicans, but they returned the next day with a reinforcement of 500 men, together with artillery. Resistance being practically useless, they surrendered upon condition that they be treated as prisoners of war. After being disarmed they were sent to Goliad, Tex., where by order of General Santa Ana all American prisoners, 357 in number, were marched out in squads under various pretexts, and were fired upon by the Mexicans. All of the prisoners were killed with the exception of twenty-seven, who escaped, and four physicians, whose professional services were required by Santa Ana.