Republic of the Rio Grande
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The Republic of the Rio Grande existed briefly in North America between the Republic of Texas and Mexico, from January 17 to November 6, 1840.
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[edit] Background
After two decades of strife, Mexico won its independence from the Kingdom of Spain in 1821. After a failed attempt at a monarchy, Mexico adopted a new constitution, the 1824 Constitution. This new constitution established los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, or "the United Mexican States," as a federal republic, which is similar to the federal republic of the United States.
In 1833 General Antonio López de Santa Anna was elected to his first term as president and was, at the time of his election, in support of the federal republic. However, after some members of government angered Santa Anna's political allies by trying to rid Mexico of corruption,[neutrality disputed] Santa Anna decided that a centralized government was easier to control.[neutrality disputed] Santa Anna suspended the constitution, disbanded Congress and made himself the center of power in Mexico. Immediately Mexico became a dictatorship and the Republic of the Rio Grande announced secession from Mexico in order to preserve the individual states' rights that the federal republic provided.
The Republic of Texas and the Republic of Yucatán also seceded for the same reasons.
[edit] Declaration of independence
On January 17, 1840 a constitutional convention was held at the Oreveña Ranch near Laredo. Here it was decided that the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas would withdraw themselves from Mexico and would form their own federal republic with Laredo as the capital.
Government officials were elected at the constitutional convention. They were:
- Jesús de Cárdenas, president.
- Antonio Canales Rosillo, commander-in-chief of the army.
- Juan Nepomuceno Molano, council representative for Tamaulipas.
- Francisco Vidaurri y Villaseñor, council representative for Coahuila.
- Manuel María de Llano, council representative for Nuevo León.
- José María Jesús Carbajal, council secretary.
The Republic of the Rio Grande claimed the above areas, which are the previous boundaries for the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. While the Republic of Texas claimed that its southern border was the Rio Grande (which reflects the modern-day border), people living immediately north of the Rio Grande still thought of themselves as Mexicans. In the minds of those at the Constitutional Convention near Laredo, the northern border of Tamaulipas was with the Nueces River and the northern border of Coahuila was with the upper Medina River. This area of land south to the Rio Grande was already in dispute of ownership between the Republic of Texas and Mexico. And as of January 1840, the Republic of the Rio Grande was laying a third claim to the area.
After the constitutional convention, the government temporarily moved to Guerrero, Tamaulipas, for security reasons. After the Battle of Morales in March 1840, the government moved to Victoria in the Republic of Texas, where it remained until the Republic of the Rio Grande collapsed later that year.
[edit] The War for Independence
The respective armies of the Republic of the Rio Grande General Antonio Canales Rosillo and Mexican General Mariano Arista met at Morales, Coahuila, on March 24 and 25 1840. The Centralist (Mexican) forces defeated the Federal forces. Included in this defeat was the trial and execution of 23 members of the Republic’s cavalry, including Colonel Jose Antonio de Zapata, the commander of the cavalry, on March 29. General Canales and the members of the Republic of the Rio Grande's army that survived the Battle of Morales sought refuge in San Antonio, Republic of Texas.
The reasons that the Mexican state of Texas sought independence from Mexico were the same basic reasons that the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas were seeking independence. General Canales took advantage of being in a land of like-minded people by traveling throughout Texas to build awareness of the newly-formed republic for which he now fought. He also toured Texas to ask Texans to volunteer to fight for the Republic of the Rio Grande.
General Canales was in Austin the second half of April 1840, where he met with President Mirabeau B. Lamar. It is said that President Lamar privately supported the new republic’s actions, but felt that public endorsement would hamper Texas’ efforts to secure recognition of its own independence from Mexico. General Canales left Austin for Houston on May 2 to continue to build awareness and seek volunteers.
While official recognition from the Republic of Texas was not obtained, General Canales' tour was met with some success. On June 1, he arrived in San Patricio, where the Republic of the Rio Grande’s army had been reorganizing. In addition to 300 citizens of the Republic of the Rio Grande, the army had grown to include 140 Texan and 80 Native American volunteers. The Texan volunteers were led by Colonel Samuel W. Jordan.
General Canales sent Colonel Jordan and approximately 90 Texan volunteers south into disputed territory in late June; they crossed the Rio Grande, and took Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas, without any resistance. A few of those who were guiding Colonel Jordan were still loyal to the Centralist government of Mexico and were trying to lead the Texans towards San Luis Potosí, where a Mexican ambush awaited. Colonel Jordan suspected such and diverted his troops to Saltillo, Coahuila, where, on October 25, he was attacked by Mexican General Rafael Vásquez. Despite the fact that part of his troops deserted, Colonel Jordan was still able to defend himself and return to Texas.
[edit] A failed Republic
In November, representatives of Generals Canales and Arista met to discuss the war. During this meeting, the Mexican government offered General Canales the position of brigadier general in the Mexican army in exchange for his abandoning the cause of the Republic of the Rio Grande. General Canales accepted the offer on November 6. Upon this event, the Republic of the Rio Grande failed.
[edit] Flag of the Republic
[edit] The Republic today
Remnants of the republic's effect can be seen in:
- Zapata County, Texas, as well as the city of Zapata are named in honor of Republic of the Rio Grande cavalry commander, Colonel Jose Antonio de Zapata.
- Republic of the Rio Grande Capitol Building Museum is located in Laredo, Texas.
- In addition to the six flags, the Laredo (Texas) Morning Times newspaper adds a seventh flag to its banner: the flag for the Republic of the Rio Grande.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Antonio Canales Rosillo from the Handbook of Texas Online
- The Laredo Morning Times Online edition
- “Mexico – Filibustering: Republic of the Rio Grande,” Flags of the World.
- Republic of the Rio Grande from the Handbook of Texas Online
- The Republic of the Rio Grande Museum web site
- “The Republic of the Rio Grande: A Story of Its Rise and Fall,” Sons of DeWitt Colony Texas.
- Antonio López de Santa Anna from the Handbook of Texas Online
- Yahoo! News article mentioning Republic of the Rio Grande in a present-day context
