Rusk Countians In The War With Mexico

Permission by John Dulin

Mexico was both politically and militarily a weak adversary for the United States in 1846. But the Mexican government had never fully relinquished its claims to Texas and was determined to go to war with the United States should her former province decide to join the Union. Mexico offered to recognize Texas independence as late as 1844, providing that Texas remained a Republic and thus remain isolated from American influence. Texans, however saw through the ruse. Mexico still had aspirations of once again extending her influence and control over the vast territory that it had lost in 1836.

For reasons of economics, security and prestige, Texas was eager for annexation. U.S. President John Tyler was also eager to see the vast expanse of Texas joined with the Union, opening new wealth for the country and new lands for settlement.   President Tyler made offers to Mexico to buy Texas outright and thus solve the dispute over possessory ownership,but Mesico emphatically refused. When Texas was finally granted statehood on April 21, 1845, Mexico severed relations with the Unite States.

Formal hostilities came about as the result of alleged boundary disputes between Mexico and Texas as to the recognized borderline between the two hostile neighbors. Texas claimed the Rio Grande as its natural southern border. The Mexican government could not accept such a great loss of its domain and sent the Mexican army across the Rio Grande to protect its rights. President Tyler and Congress looked upon the presence of Mexican troops north of the Rio Grande as an act of invasion upon American soil and declared war on Mexico.

General Zachary Taylor was sent to Texas with Federal troops to expel the invading Mexican Army. Texas Governor James Pinkney Henderson called for the mobilization of the state militia, and asked for additional civilian volunteers to sign up for a three months tour of duty. He then temporarily resigned the governorship in order to assume command of the state troops.

Texans were as ready as ever to fight. The Texas Revolution was still engraved into the minds of many who had fought in it. It had been but ten short years since the massacres at the Alamo and Goliad, and the victory at San Jacinto. Also, the atrocities that the Mexican army had committed against victims of the ill-fated Mier Expedition just three years before, in 1842, had fired Texans with a thirst for revenge.

Rusk County had been in existence but three short years when the war with Mexico erupted. Approximately three hundred men from Rusk County were to eventually volunteer for military service in the four companies that were organized within its borders.

On June 1,1846, forty-four men were enrolled in Rusk County and chose among themselves the following officers: John McClarty as Captain, Jessie Kelly as First Lieutenant, and James Mabry as Second Lieutenant. The unit then marched to Buffalo Bayou, a distance of 230 miles. At Buffalo Bayou they boarded a boat and headed for the port of Galveston, arriving there sometime before the 20^th. By this time, Captain McClarty’s unit had grown to fifty-four men.

Besides the officers given above, the company was comprised of the following sergeants, corporals, and privates: 1^st Sgt. Marcus H. Chancellor; 2^nd Sgt. Isaac Langston; 3^rd Sgt. Moses M. McSpadden; 4^th Sgt. John K. Dorsett; 1^st Cpl. Burnett Colwell; 2^nd Cpl. Ira Grigsby; 3^rd Cpl. Elias Shumate; 4^th Cpl. Ephraim Stuart.

Privates: Thornton Barthelow; Andrew Berryhill; Thomas Boucher; Randolph Brooks; Hugh Brown; Frederick Brucklow; Samuel Clark; Stephen Cooper; Andrew Danley; Ira Danley; Jeptha I. Davis; Edward D. Davidson; Jehu Dodson; William D. Dodson; Ambrose W. Dorsett; Marion G. Fellows; William Goodwin; ~vi Hayden; Frederick C. Hilburn; Peter W. Holmes; Harvey Howeth; Meshack R. Jacobs; William Johnson; James A. Jones; Reps Jones; John R. ~ath; August Lindeman; Joseph Uoyd; William Magee; Jeptha Melton; Hardin Moss; Elisha McClure; Fountain Knight; Benjamin Pope; Francisco Rice; Zarael Stiffier; John Strieff; Waddy Thompson; Allen Tucker; William Turbeville; Matthew R. Wilkins; John Wilson; George W. Wolf.

On June 29^th, Captain McClarty’s men arrived at Fort Polk, and two days later were mustered into service as Company “I” of the First Regiment, First Brigade of Texas Foot Rifles, commanded by Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston.

The second company from Rusk County was organized on May 23,1846, at Sand Hill. Alston Ferguson was elected as its first captain, but was replaced by James H. Lyons on September 2^nd. Other officers in the company included: Samuel Monroe Hyde as 1^st Lieutenant, and James M. Barton as 2^nd Lieutenant. The muster roll lists the following sergeants, corporals and privates.

1^st Sgt. Robert C. Love; 2^nd Sgt. George W. Brown; 3rg Sgt. James B. Gaut; 4^th Sgt. Robert Wyatt; 1^st Cpl. Jonathan C. Barksdale; 1^st Cpl. Alfred Easton; 2^nd Cpl. James M. McVey; 2^nd Cpl. Ansel C. Hurd; 4^th Cpl. Reuben P. Barton; 1^st Mus. William Brown; 2^nd Mus. James B. Henson; 3^rd Mus. Reuben Burrough.

Privates: Henry Austin, Abraham Baggett, William Baggett, Henry T. Barclay, Stephen T. Barclay, William b. Barton, Thomas Benton, William Bickers, Campbell Burkheart, William W. Burrough, James Carson, Martin Chaddock, Andrew J. Crocket, Isaac Crow, Joseph Dell, John H. Durrett, George Eaton, Joel Eaton, John P. Esham, Warrie Ferguson, William J. Gardenhire, Samuel Gaut, Joshua Glenn, Eli F. Graham, Ira Grigsby, William E. Halton, Joel Hamilton, George W. Harris, John Harris, William J. Harris, Burrell Heath, John Hillin, Peter W. Holmes, George W. Jacobs, Andrew Jordan, Guion H. Lanier, Samuel McKay, James McWilliams, James H. Mabray, Jasper N. Mabray, John Manning, Daniel Martin, Peter Moore, Walter C. Nicholson, Jesse R. Nowlin, Benjamin Pope, Ambrose Powers, James Ramsay, Dennis T. Ray, James B. Reid, Isaac N. Smith, Robert W. Spradling, Zariel Stiffier, Greenberry M. Swoap, George W.S. Tipps, Ross S. Tolbert, Absalom K. Vansickle, Reuben Vansickle, John Williamson, Nelson Williamson, Lorenzo J. Wilson, Hardin D. Wilson, William H. Wyatt.

Lyon’s men were mustered in on July 17,1846, and designated as Company “G”, of the Second Texas Mounted Volunteers. In August between the 7^th and 8^th, the company was encamped at Matamoras, Mexico. Company muster rolls show that four men were given discharges from military service for being either sick or disabled. These were John P. Esham, Alexander C. McKay, Samuel McKay and Jesse R. Nowlin. From about August 15^th to September 11^th, the company was encamped at Camargo, on the Rio Grande. The climate at Camargo was unhealthy and death and sickness spread through the military camp. While at Camargo the ranks of the company were further depleted with the loss of fifteen men. Fourteen were either granted discharges for disabilities or sickness when the company moved on to Monterrey. The fifteenth man, James B. Henson, the company’s 2^nd musician, died.

On September 23^rd, Company “G” joined the engagement against the Mexican forces at Monterrey. In the course of the days of fighting, one corporal, James Martin McVay was killed. Two privates were also wounded. Pvt. William B. Barton was wounded in the neck and Pvt. Ira Grigsby received a wound in the arm.

General Ampudia, the Mexican commander at Monterrey, surrendered the town following a truce that was called on the next day. Company “G” was then mustered out of service on Friday October 2^nd.

May 6,1846, marked the date that Rusk County’s third military company was mustered into service. This company included seven men who had previously served in Company “G”. James Smith was elected captain. Other officers were: Alfred G. Walling, Eli F. Graham and John McClarty. Enrolled as the 9^th Company of the First Mounted Volunteers, Captain Smith’s unit of eighty-three men served only a total of twenty-nine days and apparently was mustered out of service without having a participated in any battles. Privates in this company were: John Atkinson, Abraham Baggett, Joel Baggett, Carroll Baner, George Barksdale, Elliot Barton, Samuel Beck, William Bergman, James Blythe, Frederick Bonner, James Bradley, George W. Brown, William Brumley, William I. Campbell, Abram Chancellor, Julius Creamer, William Criswell, Andrew I. Crockett, Moses M. Crow, John Dilliha, Jesse Emery, Samuel Groupe, John D. Hamilton, Young H. Hamilton, Allen J. Hart, George Harshaw, William Hicks, John Hinson, McKnight Hogue, Jacob Hohn, John W. Howeth, Rufus Jameson, Benjamin F. Killen, James A. King, William L. Magee, Martin Mahaffey, John Martin, Albert Maschaik, Francis McElroy, George Melton, William Morgan, Jacob Mushack, Walter C. Nicholson, Isaac G. Parker, George Pierce, Riley Pierce, William C. Pittman, Charles L. Price, Daniel I. Price, Stephen B. Price, Thomas B. Ragsdale, Dymont W. Reeves, James Ringo, Harmon Sehast, Jasper Smith, William Thalmair, George W. Tipps, John Timler, Samuel Timler, Preston M. Walling, Richard A. Wells, Newton Williams, Joseph Williamson, James W. Windle, Hiram Wood, John W. Wood, Washington Wyatt, William Wyatt and Willis M. Yates.

The remaining Company of officers and men of this Company were: Sgt. John Dorsett, Sgt. Thomas Heath, Sgt. William E. Lemmons, Sgt. James H. Nelms, Cpl. Benjamin K. Barton, Cpl. Andrew I. Smith, Cpl. John C. Walling, Cpl. William Windle, Eli Magee (bugler), Leopold Fink (blacksmith).

The last company organized in Rusk County was Captain Isaac Ferguson’s on May 25^th. Ferguson is credited with being the oldest company commander in the Mexican War. He was seventy years old when he took command. Ferguson died in Mexico on January 1,1848. He was succeeded by his second in command, First Lieutenant Ephraim M. Baggett. Other officers were 2^nd Lt. Charles Turner, 3^rd lt. John W. Willis, 1^st Sgt. Joseph Barnes, 2^nd Sgt. Hardy Jones, 3^rd Sgt. James M. Mays, 4^th Sgt. Logan L. Smith, 1^st Cpl. William W. Allen, 2^nd Cpl. John E. Martin, 3^rd Cpl. William B. Martin, 4^th Cpl. Joshua P. McDaniel, 1^st Bugler Charles B. Baggett, 2^nd Bugler Stoakly B. Choate, and Thomas D. Pullen as farrier and blacksmith.

Privates in Capt. Ferguson’s Company “I” First Mounted Volunteers were: Joseph S. Black, James J. Bond, Joshua Bond, Samuel Bond, John Borgas, James Boyd, James R. Brewster, John M. Burns, John W. Burns, Charles A.S. Campbell, James B. Cambern, James Carey, Andrew J. Carroll, Hiram C. Childress, Daniel Clark, Edward Cochran, Wilson W. Cochran, Mark A, Coleman, Reuben S. Corder, Andrew Danley, Benjamin S. Davis, Jeremiah G. Davis, John C. Davis, Harmon Decker, William Decker, Daniel Donahoo, Henry Duncan, James O. Easley, John W. Easley, William Evans, Charles W. Fairchild, James Fenton, Washington Ferguson, Morris Ferguson, Morris Ferris, Orren P. Forrest, William Fox, Hiram French, Granville Gage, Peter Gass, Thomas W. Gregory, Joseph Hairston, William E. Halton, James Halthouser, Thomas D. Hayden, James E. Higgs, Jeremiah D. Higgs, Edward Hutchings, Rufus Jimmerson, James A. Jewell, John R. Jewell, William L. Jones, James Kincannon, John J. Langley, Isaac Langston, James C. Learee, Robert B. Lewis, Daniel M. Manes, Richard P. Manning, John R. Martin, Daniel Mays, Matthew Mays, Thomas McLaughlin, James McWilliams, Joseph A. Merrill, John Miller, John Mitchell, Sr., John Mitchell, Elisha H. Moore, John M. Morris, Thomas Murray, Peter Nelson, William Nevils, Williams Nichols, Thomas O’Keefe, George W. Parrish, Samuel C. Parish, William K. Parker, Fletcher Parmer, John Parmer, Robert Farmer, Charles Richards, Lewis C. Rucker, William Rush, James M. Shields, Charles L. Slaven, Hardy P. Stockman, Reason P. Stockman, James Stone, Nathaniel M. Stokes, Jefferson Thomas, Robert Thomas, Henry Tucker, James J. Vick, William Wallace, Nelson D. Walling, William L. Weems, David P. Wheelock, Benjamin Williams, William Williams, William A. Wilson, Joseph P. Woods, George W. Wright, Joseph Yeargan, Francis Yoast.

Rusk County, with the exception of its volunteer fighting men, remained far removed from the conflict along the Texas-Mexico border. Still the county remained a crossing point for military troops entering into Texas. Then Captain Robert E. Lee crossed the Sabine River into Rusk County at the village of Camden enroute to join up with General Zachery Taylor’s forces along the Rio Grande. Other troops undoubtedly followed Trammel’s Trace on Rusk County’s eastern border, or cut across the county enroute to Nacogdoches and on down to Austin.

Evidence seems to indicate that only Captain Lyon’s Company “G” actually fought in any military engagements. Still each and every soldier from Rusk County contributed to the war effort by his presence in Mexico, as a member of an armed company of troops, poised and ready should ever the need have arisen to answer the call of General Taylor or Governor Henderson to go into battle.