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Posted on 02/02/2005 2:03:08 AM PST by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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In the 1840s, westward expansion proceeded at a rapid pace. Promises of wide-open spaces and inexpensive land with rich soil enticed many people in the East to pack up their possessions and head West. As the population of Americans on the West Coast increased, so too did the nation's desire to actually own the land that these Americans were settling. The phrase "Manifest Destiny" was coined to describe the philosophy shared by many that the United States had a divine right to become a transcontinental nation. To that end, the 1840s became a decade of rapid territorial acquisition and expansion.  Dragoon soldiers from Fort Scott participated in many activities that contributed to westward expansion. They provided armed escorts for parties on the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails, surveyed unmapped country, and maintained contact with Plains Indians. Each summer, from 1843-45, several companies of dragoons, including Company A, 1st U.S. Dragoons, from Fort Scott, participated in military expeditions along the overland trails. The purpose of these expeditions was to protect travel and trade along the trails and to keep the Plains Indians at peace. The first of these expeditions took place along the Santa Fe Trail - a trade route between Missouri and Santa Fe - then part of Mexico. The United States Dragoons, organized in 1833, had been charged with protecting the traders along the trail from Indian attacks.  In 1843, trouble erupted along the Santa Fe Trail, not from Indian attacks but from Texans. Ill will existed between Texas and Mexico even before the Texan Revolution of 1836. Prejudice and hatred on both sides, border squabbles and violence continued into the 1840s. In 1843, Texas "freebooters" began attacking Mexican caravans along the trail. One group of Texans murdered Antonio Chavez, a Mexican trader, on American soil. The army apprehended and punished the killers but traders were fearful of further attacks and asked the War Department to furnish a military escort that year from Missouri to Santa Fe. Captain Philip St. George Cooke led five companies of dragoons along the Santa Fe Trail to protect the trade. In route, the dragoons encountered Jacob Snively, who held a commission from Texas to raid Mexican caravans on Mexican soil. Two days prior to their meeting with Cooke, Snively's men had attacked Mexican soldiers, killing several of them and taking their weapons.  Upon their initial encounter, Snively's men and the dragoons were across the Arkansas River from each other. The land north of the river clearly belonged to the United States, but south of the river, U.S. territory only extended west to the 100th meridian. Snively claimed that he was forty miles west of the boundary, but Cooke contended that Snively was on American soil. Therefore, he ordered Fort Scott's dragoons under Captain Terrett, to cross the river and disarm the freebooters. The dragoons left the freebooters only ten guns for defense on their way back to Texas. A rumor persists that the Texans had hidden their own guns and surrendered the previously confiscated Mexican weapons to the dragoons.  The 1843 expedition earned Captain Cooke the undying hatred of the Texans but was successful because it discouraged any further attacks along the Santa Fe Trail that year.
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A rule I can live by.
Something I've always wanted to know, what is a musketoon?
This is an 1858 Enfield Artillery Musketoon, in .577 calibre. It was made chiefly at the government armory in Enfield, England. The musketoon was sighted to 800 yards. The Musketoon was considerably smaller than its sister, the Enfield rifle, measuring about 40 inches long.
I guess it was the equivalent of the carbine in it's day.
We grow and learn.
We also go to bed.
WHAT GREAT IDEA!
Goodnight Valin.
If you insist..then I guess I have no choice. :-)
To the officers and men of the Dragoons, the outbreak of hostilities with Mexico was a relief from the tedium of post life. Trained in the art of war, they were eager to test their mettle. War came soon enough. Preparations for the invasion of Mexican territory at several points began.General Kearny was placed in command of the "Army of the West," which consisted of Companies B, C, G, I, and K of the 1st Dragoons, two companies of Artillery, two of Infantry and nine companies of Missouri Volunteer Cavalry. The latter were independent, under the command of Col. Alexander W. Doniphan. General Kearny chose the Quartermaster at Fort Scott, Capt. Thomas Swords to be his Quartermaster for the expedition.
The immediate objective of this army was to capture Santa Fe and push on into Upper California. Kearny's advance met only token resistance and soon occupied Las Vegas and Santa Fe without conflict. Leaving Doniphan in Santa Fe, Kearny took up the march to California on September 25, 1846. By early December, Kearny had almost reached San Diego.
On December 6, his command met and was nearly decimated by a body of Mexican soldiers under Gen. Andres Pico at San Pasqual, about 40 miles from San Diego. In the engagement Kearny had 300 men, composed of Volunteers and Companies B and C of the 1st Dragoons. The enemy was charged by Capt. Abraham Johnston with the advance guard. Captain Johnston was shot fatally at the commencement of the action. Captain Moore pursued the retreating Mexicans but his horses were tiring. Seeing the lagging mounts, the Mexicans turned and charged with lances. Forced back, Moore was killed just before the final retreat. Lieutenant Hammond, two sergeants, two corporals and ten dragoons died also. The flagging mules of the rest of the men finally caught up with the battle and Kearny routed the enemy.
The price was high. In the action the Dragoons lost three officers: Capt. Benjamin Moore, who had arrived at Fort Scott with the first contingent of Dragoons and commanded until October, 1842; Capt. Abraham Johnston, a close friend of Swords and frequent visitor to Fort Scott; and Lt. Thomas C. Hammond, who was assigned to Fort Scott in 1843. Fourteen dragoons were killed and almost all with lance thrusts. General Kearny and two other officers were wounded in the engagement. By the end of December, General Kearny with Company C of the Dragoons had occupied Los Angeles.
Company A of the 1st Dragoons marched with General John E. Wool from Texas into northern Mexico. Wool joined General Taylor southwest of Monterrey, and dragoons played an important role in stopping the attack of General Santa Ana at the Battle of Buena Vista. Four former Fort Scott dragoon officers, Capt. William Eustis, Capt. James Carleton, 1st Lt. Richard Ewell, and 2nd Lt. Joseph Whittlesey participated in the battle. Ewell was brevetted in later battles. Lt. John Love, who kept the sawmill running at Fort Scott, also was brevetted for hi actions at Santa Cruz de Rosales.
Dragoons had distinguished themselves well during the war. The war over, headquarters remained at Fort Leavenworth during 1847, but most of the men were away. Companies A and E were with Taylor in Mexico; Company B was reorganized at Jefferson Barracks and sent to Albuquerque. En route the company was attacked by the Comanche Indians at Grand Prairie, Arkansas, and lost five men killed and six wounded. Company F escorted General Scott from Vera Cruz to Mexico City and was present at the battles in and around the city. Companies D and K, as well as F, saw service in Scott's line in Mexico; and it was not until 1848 that the three companies were returned to the United States. Company F was sent to Fort Scott.
Our president gave an excellent State of the Union address, timed to the hour perfectly.
He was followed by a pair of American gothic waxed figures horrible in countenance and awful to hear--
Speed had a great race of vintage machines.
It included this very nice 1955 D type Jaguar.
My older brother had a 1965 D Jaguar, a roadster sans that finned headrest, still, considerably more attractive than Harry Reid and Nancy Belalugosi.
In other news, the kidnapped GI proved to be a hoax, not immediately apparent from the video shown on our AM station.
That particular Albuquerque KKOB 770AM news hack Pat Allen had earlier mentioned his son was a volunteer for Kerry.
Should have factored that data into the use of "militants", Aljazeera, and 72 hours.
I can send you a file of the Blue and Vets stars or the Vets Seal, if you fwd your e-mail address to me. I cant attach it here....I have tried.
you can fwd it through the website if you want.
Looks like you are al lhaving some fun here tonight...always good to have some smiles to go around.
"Never stand when you can sit
Never sit when you can lay down
As long as you're laying down might as well take a nap."
That is about the most military thing I have ever read or heard. Folks, the unvarnished and absolute truth!
Still believe in that basic rule of conduct. Of course, can't always practice it!!!
BTTT!!!!!!
Morning Phil Dragoo.
Thanks for the info on the Dragoons in the Mexican War.
I see the latest "talking point" for every Lib is "Bush needs to come clean", makes me wonder what they'll use next when this one doesn't work, just like all the others have failed for the last 4 years.
Check your FR-Mail.
free dixie NOW,sw
Thanks .... hmmm.....hope I am on your daily ping list...Love the History here.....
don't forget that Dragoons had swords. LOL
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