The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 62, July 1958 - April, 1959 Page: 18

A Zcaeas ExpeditioH iuto
Siexkico, 1840
DAVID M. VIGNESS
HIS is an account of certain Texas adventurers who, at-
tracted to Texas by the turbulent and gallant days of the
Revolution, became restive under the comparative peace
of the post-revolutionary period and sought outlet for their ener-
gies in daring deeds. Persons of this category were to undertake
the filibustering expedition against Mier in 1842 and to invade
the trans-Nueces territory during the period of the Republic to
challenge Mexican claims in the area, if not even Texan authority.
From this general species of latter-day Texan came the cowboys of
Ewen Cameron fame, and the beginnings, perchance, of the adven-
tureros who made the early days of the cattle industry ring. But
this particular story is staged against the background of Mexican
revolutionary politics and the effort of certain persons of Coa-
huila, Nuevo Le6n, and Tamaulipas to cast off the centralist form
of government formalized in the Mexican Constitution of 1836
and to re-establish the federalistic Constitution of 1824.
Texans had long been interested in the activities of the federal-
ists of northern Mexico, as witnessed by Stephen F. Austin's ef-
forts to keep Texas politics attuned to that point of view before
the Texans were forced to strike for independence. Furthermore,
after the battle of San Jacinto, and with the continuance of fed-
eralist activity in northern Mexico, Texans were invited to par-
ticipate in the movements against the Mexican central govern-
ment. The Republic's government could not officially sanction
such a move, but unofficially it was most cordial to the activities
of these revolutionaries.' Texans did join the cause, and many
were involved in the campaigns of 1839 in northern Mexico, par-
'For a discussion of this subject, see David M. Vigness, "Relations of the Republic
of Texas and the Republic of the Rio Grande," Southwestern Historical Quarterly,
LVII, 312-321.