The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 7, July 1903 - April, 1904 Page: 4
xvi, 340 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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4 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
The foregoing summary furnishes an outline of Mexican history
from 1830 to 1832, and also gives the cause for the declaration of
the plan of Vera Cruz and, hence, the ultimate reason, as we shall
see forthwith, for the Mejia expedition. This brings us to the
next phase of our subject, which is the true starting point of this
paper.
I. THE EXPEDITION AGAINST MATAMOROS.
Col. Josh Antonio Mejia, of the Mexican army, had, some time
during the spring of 1832, placed himself and his entire force
under Moctezuma's orders. Laboring under the impression that
Tampico would be assailed, as noted above, General Moctezuma
ordered this officer to sail against Soto la Marina and Matamoros,
which strongholds were defended by the "ministerial" troops, in
order to attract Terin's attention thither.' In accordance with
these instructions, Mejia passed out of the harbor of Tampico on
the 22d of June, 1832,2 with a fleet "composed of a brig, two
schooners, and two other small ships,"" having on board some three
hundred soldiers.4 Mejia's first point of assault was Soto la
Marina, but Sergeant Major Micheltorena had thrown up fortifi-
cations along the strand, and, in this way, baffled the commander
of the expedition. Thus the squadron was compelled to proceed to
Matamoros, or rather, Brazos de Santiago,5 where it anchored at
1Filisola, Memorias para la Historia de la Guerra de Tejas (ed. 1848,
cited in further notes as Memorias), I 254-255; Suarez y Navarro, Historia
de Mexico, 314. Filisola mentions only Soto la Marina, but Suarez y
Navarro adds Matamoros. From the account of what followed we may be
sure that Mejia's intention was to fall upon both places. See further the
Texas Gazette (published at Brazoria), July 23, 1832.
'Texas Gazette, July 23, 1832.
"Guerra to principal Commandant of Coahuila and Texas, July 16, 1832.
Nacogdoches Archives. These five vessels were "the Brig of War Santa
Anna, and the armed schooners Moctezuma of Vera Cruz, Moctezuma of
Tampico, Adela, and Ameria." See translated extract from the Matamoros
Boletin in Texas Gazette, July 23, 1832.
4Austin to Perry, June 29, 1832, and Austin to Ugartechea, July 2, 1832,
Austin Papers. Filisola says: "two hundred and fifty or three hundred
infantry of the citizen soldiery and some regulars." Memorias, I 225.
5Filisola, Memorias, I 226.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 7, July 1903 - April, 1904, periodical, 1904; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101030/m1/8/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.