The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 84, July 1980 - April, 1981 Page: 21
502 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The El Paso Area in the Mexican Period
capital of the state on February 8, 1847. A few days later Doniphan
organized the merchants into two infantry companies, in the hope that
they might become a military asset rather than just a liability.51
It was apparent to the Americans that the Mexicans were making
feverish preparations to resist, staking everything on a crushing defeat
over the invading army deep in the interior of Chihuahua. Measures
included the forcible enlistment of "volunteers," the casting and
mounting of cannon, the manufacturing of clothing and ammunition,
and the levying of a forced loan. The story was circulated that in the
event of an American victory, Doniphan had promised his soldiers
"two hours to ravish the women, two hours to sack the city, and two
hours to burn it." 52 The Mexican commander, Jose Heredia, ordered
a stand to be made at the Sacramento River, about fifteen miles north
of the capital, where he camped on February 27. Expecting the Ameri-
can army to arrive on the following day, Mexican soldiers celebrated
the coming encounter.
In every tent, in every friendly group, cheerful toasts were drunk to the
liberty of the country, the young men abandoning themselves to the illusive
delirium of expected triumph, and thinking more of their expedition to
New Mexico, to assist their brethren, and to cast off the American yoke,
than of the approaching encounter, which they looked upon as less im-
portant that it was.53
The battle of Sacramento began the next afternoon, lasted about
three hours, and resulted in a complete rout of Heredia's forces, many
of whom had never before "heard the whisperings of a cannon ball."
Mexican historians generally agreed that the defeat at the Sacramento
River was due to the lack of leadership, organization, discipline, and
experience. Bustamante adds that the demand for American merchan-
dise undermined the Mexican will to resist. The news of the defeat
caused such panic in Chihuahua, says Ponce de Le6n, that the people
fled to the countryside, preferring the ferocity of the Apaches to the
rapacity of the American soldiers.54
Doniphan's army entered Chihuahua on March 2, 1847. Feelings be-
l1Johnston, Edwards, and Ferguson, Matching with the Army of the West, 50; Moor-
head, New Mexico's Royal Road, 165-168; Connelley, Doniphan's Expedition, 395-398.
52Gibson, Journal of a Soldier, 99.
53Alcaraz, The Other Side, 173-174 (quotation).
54Glbson, Journal of a Soldzer, lot; Almada, Resumen, 224; Carlos Ma. de Bustamante,
El nuevo Bernal Diaz del Castillo; o sea, historia di la invasidn de los Anglo-Americanos
en Mdxico (Mexico City, 1949), 226; Ponce de Le6n, Reseias histdricas, 325.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 84, July 1980 - April, 1981, periodical, 1980/1981; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101225/m1/41/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.