12/19/1842: Somervell expedition disbands

[Craig Tx]

On this day in 1842, the Somervell expedition disbanded.

The Somervell expedition was a punitive expedition against Mexico in retaliation for three predatory raids made by Mexican armies upon Texas in 1842: Antonio Canales Rosillo's descent upon Lipantitlán and the captures of San Antonio by Rafael Vásquez and Adrián Woll. On October 3 President Sam Houston ordered Alexander Somervell to organize the militia and volunteers and invade Mexico. Numbering approximately 700 men, the expedition left San Antonio on November 25 and captured Laredo on December 8. Joseph L. Bennett and 185 men returned home on December 10. Somervell, with a little over 500 men, forced the capitulation of Guerrero, but on December 19, recognizing the failure of his expedition and fearing disaster, ordered his men to disband and return home by way of Gonzales. The Texans were so disappointed with the order to disband that only 189 men and officers obeyed; some 308 men under five captains and commanded by William S. Fisher continued to Mexico on the Mier expedition.

[Butler Ford 40]

 

I am truly enjoying your history briefs of south Texas!!  Hope you will continue! Maybe: "...some 308 men under five captains and commanded by William S. Fisher continued to Mexico on the Mier expedition."?
(Yes, I did look it up but like your versions better!)

[Craig Tx]

Thanks, I get these tidbits from the Texas State Historical Association.  They're delivered to my email every day.  I just pull some of the interesting, relative ones to share here.

Mier led to the Black Bean Incident after the Mier Expedition fell apart.  It was a expedition that wasn't fully resolved until just before the Mexican-American War.