A Short, Offhand, Killing Affair: Soldiers and Social Conflict During the Mexican-American WarThe Mexican-American War (1846-48) found Americans on new terrain. A republic founded on the principle of armed defense of freedom was now going to war on behalf of Manifest Destiny, seeking to conquer an unfamiliar nation and people. Through an examination of rank-and-file soldiers, Paul Foos sheds new light on the war and its effect on attitudes toward other races and nationalities that stood in the way of American expansionism. Drawing on wartime diaries and letters not previously examined by scholars, Foos shows that the experience of soldiers in the war differed radically from the positive, patriotic image trumpeted by political and military leaders seeking recruits for a volunteer army. Promised access to land, economic opportunity, and political equality, the enlistees instead found themselves subjected to unusually harsh discipline and harrowing battle conditions. As a result, some soldiers adapted the rhetoric of Manifest Destiny to their own purposes, taking for themselves what had been promised, often by looting the Mexican countryside or committing racial and sexual atrocities. Others deserted the army to fight for the enemy or seek employment in the West. These acts, Foos argues, along with the government's tacit acceptance of them, translated into a more violent, damaging variety of Manifest Destiny. |
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Page 58
... slaves while they were awaiting departure for Mexico . The soldiers killed one and the other narrowly escaped death . The captain of the company defended his men at sword point and refused to give up the offenders.42 The paternalism of ...
... slaves while they were awaiting departure for Mexico . The soldiers killed one and the other narrowly escaped death . The captain of the company defended his men at sword point and refused to give up the offenders.42 The paternalism of ...
Page 97
... slaves had escaped to Mexico prior to the war , that nation having abolished slavery in 1829 , and in some cases were requisitioned as translators and guides for the army . The supposed benevolent conditions enjoyed by blacks in Mexico ...
... slaves had escaped to Mexico prior to the war , that nation having abolished slavery in 1829 , and in some cases were requisitioned as translators and guides for the army . The supposed benevolent conditions enjoyed by blacks in Mexico ...
Page 98
... slave for the killing of a Mexican was particularly galling to a southerner's sense of justice.34 The violence that Americans directed toward their slaves was easily di- verted upon Mexicans , and any progress that the latter country ...
... slave for the killing of a Mexican was particularly galling to a southerner's sense of justice.34 The violence that Americans directed toward their slaves was easily di- verted upon Mexicans , and any progress that the latter country ...
Contents
Volunteer Excitement among the Masses | 45 |
Discipline and Desertion in Mexico | 83 |
The Wage of Manifest Destiny | 113 |
Copyright | |
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A Short, Offhand, Killing Affair: Soldiers and Social Conflict During the ... Paul Foos Limited preview - 2002 |
A Short, Offhand, Killing Affair: Soldiers and Social Conflict during the ... Paul Foos Limited preview - 2003 |
A Short, Offhand, Killing Affair: Soldiers and Social Conflict During the ... Paul Foos Limited preview - 2002 |
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Ameri American soldiers antislavery Arkansas armed battle battle of Monterrey Boston Caleb Cushing California camp Campaign captain Catholic church Cincinnati citizens Civil Colonel Cushing Daniel Harvey Hill Delta New Orleans democracy Democratic deserters despite Diary discipline Dodd economic elite enlisted February fighting force Free-Soil Garesché guerrilla hacienda History Ibid immigrants January John Hodge labor land bounties Lieutenant Louisiana manifest destiny Mass Massachusetts ment Mexi Mexican Mexican War Mexico City Mike Walsh military militia months nativist North numbers occupied offi Ohio organized Orleans Papers Party patriotic peasant Philadelphia political politicians Polk Polk's population race racial Rangers recruiting regular army republic republican Saltillo San Patricio Scott Senate served slavery slaves social society Subterranean New York Taylor teer Texas Texas Ranger tion treaty troops U.S. Army United University Press unteer Veracruz violence volunteer companies volunteer officer volunteer regiments wages Whig Wislizenus Worcester workers York Regiment Yvarra