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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Buena Vista, battle of. (search)
(Nov. 13. 1846) the armistice granted at Monterey was at an end. General Worth marched, with 900 men, for Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila, and was followed the next day by Taylor, who left Gen. W. O. Butler. with some troops, to hold the conquered city of Monterey. Saltillo was taken possession of on Nov. 15. After several minor movements, and having been deprived of a large number of his troops by an order of General Scott to send them to reinforce an American army that was to attack Vera Cruz, Taylor was forced to act on the defensive with about 5,000 men. Informed that General Santa Ana (who had entered Mexico from his exile in Cuba. and had been elected President of Mexico in December) was gathering an army of 20,000 men at San Luis Potosi, Taylor resolved to form a junction with General Wool (who had entered Mexico with about 3.000 troops, crossing the Rio Grande at Presidio), and fight the Mexicans. He reached Saltillo with his little army on Feb. 2, 1847, joining Wool's
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Burr, Aaron, 1716- (search)
e, and he (Swartwout) had hastened to Wilkinson's headquarters. He said Burr was supported by a numerous and powerful association, extending from New York to New Orleans; that several thousand men were prepared for an expedition against the Mexican provinces; that the Territory of Orleans would be revolutionized — for which the inhabitants were quite ready; that he supposed some seizing would be necessary at New Orleans, and a forced transfer of the bank; that an expedition was to land at Vera Cruz and march thence to the Mexican capital; that naval protection would be furnished by Great Britain; and that Truxton and other officers of the navy, disgusted with the conduct of the government, would join in the enterprise. After gathering all the information possible, Wilkinson sent, by express, two letters to President Jefferson--one official, the other confidential, in which, without mentioning any names, he gave a general outline of the proposed expedition; and then pushed forward
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Case, Augustus Ludlow 1813- (search)
Case, Augustus Ludlow 1813- Naval officer; born in Newburg, N. Y., Feb. 3, 1813; joined the navy in 1828; served in the Gulf of Mexico during the Mexican War, and took part in the engagements of Vera Cruz, Alvarado, and Tabasco. In 1861-63 he was fleet-captain of the North Atlantic blockading squadron, and was present at the capture of Forts Clark and Hatteras. Early in 1863 he was assigned to the Iroquois, and in that year directed the blockade of New Inlet, N. C. He became rear-admiral May 24, 1872. During the Virginius trouble with Spain in 1874 he was commander of the combined North Atlantic, South Atlantic, and European fleets at Key West. He died Feb. 17, 1893.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Cerro Gordo, battle of (search)
Cerro Gordo, battle of 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 ra Cruz (q. v.) was completed, General Scott prepared to march upon the Mexican capital, along the national road. He left General Worth as temporary governor of Vera Cruz, with a sufficient garrison for the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa, and moved forward (April 8, 1847) with about 8,000 men, the division of Gen. D. A. Twiggs in adve harness, he fled to the mountains, leaving behind him his wooden leg—a substitute for the real one which was amputated after a wound received in the defence of Vera Cruz in 1837. In the vehicle were found his papers, clothing and a pair of woman's satin slippers The victory of the Americans was com plete and decisive. The troph
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Cortez, Hernando 1485- (search)
er and colonize Mexico, portions of which Cordova and Grijalva had just discovered. Before he sailed Velasquez countermanded the order, but the ambitious Cortez, disobedient, sailed for Mexico, in 1519, with ten vessels, bearing 550 Spaniards, over 200 Indians, a few negroes and horses, and some brass cannon. He landed at Tobasco, where he fought the natives and heard of Montezuma, emperor of a vast domain, possessor of great treasures, and living in a city called Mexico. After founding Vera Cruz, Cortez set out for Montezuma's capital. Fighting his way, he made the conquered natives own their vassalage to Spain and become his followers, and in November, 1519, he entered the city of Mexico with a handful of Spaniards who had survived the battles, and 6,000 native followers. Montezuma received him kindly. Cortez took a strong position in the city and put on the airs of a conqueror instead of a guest. Some of the irritated Mexicans attacked the invaders, when Cortez, making that
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Drake, Sir Francis, -1595 (search)
Drake, Sir Francis, -1595 Navigator; born near Tavistock, Devonshire, England, between 1539 and 1546. Becoming a seaman in early youth, he was owner and master of a ship at the age of eighteen years. After making commercial voyages to Guinea, Africa, he sold her, and invested the proceeds in an expedition to Mexico, under Captain Hawkins, in 1567. The fleet was nearly destroyed in an attack by the Spaniards at San Juan de Ulloa (near Vera Cruz), and Drake returned to England stripped of all his property. The Spanish government refused to indemnify him for his losses, and he sought revenge and found it. Queen Elizabeth gave him a commission in the royal navy, and in 1572 he sailed from Plymouth with two ships for the avowed purpose of plundering the Spaniards. He did so successfully on the coasts of South America, and returned in 1573 with greater wealth than he ever possessed before. Drake was welcomed as a hero; he soon won the title honorably by circumnavigating the globe.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Drum, Richard Coulter, 1825- (search)
Drum, Richard Coulter, 1825- Military officer; born in Pennsylvania, May 28, 1825; joined the army in 1846, and served in the Mexican War, being present at the siege of Vera Cruz and the actions of Chapultepec and Mexico City. He was commissioned colonel and assistant adjutant-general, Feb. 22, 1869; promoted brigadier-general and adjutant-general, June 15, 1880; and retired May 28, 1889.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Florida, (search)
of the Fourteenth Amendment to the national Constitution, on June 14, Florida was recognized as a reorganized State of the Union. The government was transferred to the State officers on July 4. In 1899 the assessed (full cash value) valuation of taxable property was $93,527,353, and in 1900 the total bonded debt was $1,275,000, of which all excepting $322,500 was held in various. State funds. The population in 1890 was 391,422; in 1900, 528,542. Don Tristan de Luna sailed from Vera Cruz, Mexico, Aug. 14, 1559, with 1,500 soldiers, many zealous friars who wished to convert the heathen, and many women and children, families of the soldiers. He landed near the site of Pensacola, and a week afterwards a terrible storm destroyed all his vessels and strewed the shores with their fragments. He sent an exploring party into the interior. They travelled forty days through a barren and almost uninhabited country, and found a deserted Indian village, but not a trace of the wealth wi
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Gordon, George Henry 1825-1886 (search)
Gordon, George Henry 1825-1886 Military officer; born in Charlestown, Mass., July 19, 1825; graduated at the United States. Military Academy in 1846; served in the war with Mexico, participating in the siege of Vera Cruz, the actions of Cerro Gordo, Contreras, and Chapultepec, and the capture of the city of Mexico. During the Civil War his bravery was conspicuous in many battles. He received the brevet of major-general of volunteers in April, 1865. He was the author of The army of Virginia from Cedar Mountain to Alexandria; A War diary; and From. Brook to Cedar Mountain. He died in Framingham, Mass., Aug. 30, 1886.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Grant, Ulysses Simpson (search)
Grant, Ulysses Simpson Eighteenth President of the United States; named at birth Hiram Ulysses, but, through an error when he entered the Military Academy, he was given the Christian names which he afterwards adopted; born Ulysses Simpson Grant as Lieutenant in the Mexican War. in Point Pleasant, O., April 27, 1822; graduated at West Point in 1843. He served in the war with Mexico, first under General Taylor, and then under General Scott, taking part in every battle between Vera Cruz and the city of Mexico. He was made captain in 1853, and resigned the next year, when he settled in St. Louis. He was one of the first to offer his services to the national government when the Civil War broke out, but, as no notice was taken of him, became colonel of the 21st Illinois Infantry. In May, 1861, he was appointed a brigadier-general of volunteers, and placed in command at Cairo. He occupied Paducah, broke up the Confederate camp at Belmont, and in February, 1862, captured Forts He
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