The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 42, July 1938 - April, 1939 Page: 19
446 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Origin of General Mina's Invasion of Mexico
by the Ellen Tooker, Captain Pond, a swift schooner bound from
New York with a cargo of munitions for Nautla. The port was
found to be in the power of royalists when the Ellen Tooker ar-
rived there on March 23, and after a vain attempt to communicate
with the insurgents, the schooner continued to Galveston and
found Mina's fleet there on April 5. Mina made arrangements
to purchase the cargo, so the Ellen Tooker joined the fleet on its
voyage to the Santander River.90 Mina already had enough sup-
plies for his army of about three hundred fifty men,91 so this cargo
was probably to be given to insurgent leaders in Mexico.
Contrary winds impeded the progress of the fleet so much that
a stop was made on April 11 or 12 at the mouth of the Rio Grande
to take on fresh water. Information about the location of royalist
forces was obtained from a guard which had been stationed there.
This detachment, seeing the Spanish flags on Mina's fleet, aided
the rebels to round up some wild cattle for fresh meat and to
replenish their water casks.92 Mina took advantage of the occasion
to issue an uninspiring proclamation to his men on April 12.93 A
storm scattered the vessels when they set sail again, but they
were all together off the bar of the Santander River about a week
later, and on April 21 Mina gave the order to disembark.94 One
February. The other was probably the Dorado (Deposition of Don Bias
Muros [Mufnoz?], New Orleans, June 13, 1817, encl. in Fatio to Cien-
fuegos, New Orleans, June 14, 1817, AGI PC, leg. 1900). The frigate
Cleopatra, the brig Calypso, the schooner Dolphin, the sloop August, and
the frigate Neptune were the other vessels (Webb, "Account of Mina's
Expedition," AGI PE AM, leg. 14). The Calypso was then known as the
Congreso Mewicano, and Robinson states that it was in New Orleans
(Memoirs, I, 152). Perhaps Webb was confused. Of this fleet, only the
Cleopatra and the Neptune fell into Spanish hands at Soto la Marina.
90Smith et al. v. Universal Insurance Company, U. S. Reports, 6 Wheaton,
176-79.
91Jean Lafitte's Diary, encl. no. 1 in Fatio to Cienfuegos, New Orleans,
May 24, 1817, AGI PC, leg. 1900; Deposition of Don Blas Muros, New
Orleans, June 13, 1817, encl. in Fatio to Cienfuegos, New Orleans, June 14,
1817, ibid.; Robinson, Memoirs, I, 135.
92Mina, "BoletIn," AGI PC, leg. 1900. Lieutenant Dallares, a Spaniard
who accompanied Mina from London, and an American officer were drowned
(Mier's Declaration, October 9, 1817, in Hernandez, Documentos, VI, 808).
Robinson is the authority for the statement regarding the Spanish flags
(Memoirs, I, 136). Mariano Torrente states that Mina was unable to carry
out his intention of landing at the RIo Grande, so he continued to Soto la
Marina (Historia de la Revol.ueidn Hispano-Americana, Madrid, 1829-1830,
II, 373).
93Mina, "Boletfn," AGI PC, leg. 1900.
94Robinson, Memoirs, I, 137-38; Mina, "Boletin," AGI PC, leg. 1900.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 42, July 1938 - April, 1939, periodical, 1939; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101107/m1/27/?rotate=90: accessed March 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.