Our Catl,olic H mtag1 in T e~a.s
On June 22 a young and ambitious lieutenant of the United States Army resigned his commission to assume leadership in the organization of a force, which he styled "The Republican Anny of the North." He had caught the fever of adventure from men like Wilkinson, Claiborne, Davenport, and Gutierrez. He now cast his lot with the Mexican Revo- lution in a wild dream of conquest and glory. This spirited young man was Augustus Magee.» Shortly after his resignation he went to New Orleans to enlist men and obtain needed supplies. To prospective volunteers Magee held out the opportunity to fight for liberty, to crown themselves with glory, and to enjoy the thrill of unrestrained adventure. At the same time he offered them more substantial considerations: forty dollars a month and a league of land to be awarded by the grateful Mexican republic. Venturesome Americans, disgruntled Spaniards, and designing Frenchmen publicly en- listed in New Orleans and Natchez. In jolly comradeship this motley band of soldiers of fortune, in groups of tens and twenties, enlivened the night life of the frontier towns on their way to the Neutral Ground area. 39 Not all were rogues. Among them were to be found men of ability, character and distinction, such as Rueben Ross, Henry Perry, and Captain Lockett, Virginians; a Doctor Forsythe; Captain James Gaines, former sheriff of a Louisiana parish; Joseph Carr, a man of substance from Mis- sissippi; Warren Hall, a practicing lawyer from Natchitoches; and Samuel Kemper, brother of the two Kempers who had figured prominently in the West Florida revolution against Spain, which had prepared the way for annexation to the United States. 40 That Magee and Gutierrez were working in close cooperation there is no doubt. In July Gutierrez wrote General Wilkinson requesting his assis- tance in behalf of his agent, Magee. He frankly admitted that he was asking this favor because he knew of the General's interest in the inde- pendence of the Spanish provinces. The press did its part to encourage the filibusters in the enterprise and to keep the public informed of developments. The Natchez Chronic/, published frequent accounts of the activity of Gutierrez and others, always "For his early career see George W. Cullum (Major General), Biogra-jliical Register of lite Officers and Graduates of lite United States Afilitary Academy at Wes/ Point, 113: Garrett, Green Flag Over Tr.r:as, 140-141. ff James Gaines, "The Origin of the Revolution in Texas, 1812," Lamar Papers, I, 285. 41 For brief biographical sketches of some of these men see Foote, Teras and //,1 Te%ans, I. A sketch of Kemper is given herein, 186-187. For the part the Kemper brothen played in the West Florida affair see Cox, Tlie West Florida CtmJroversy, I.
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