Mexican Army Units, 1835-36 « Thread Started on May 23, 2009, 6:54am »
MEXICAN ARMY, OUTLINE OF ORGANIZATION, 1835-36 Compiled by Tom Kailbourn, 2008
Note: This outline, in response to requests by several members, provides a list of units in the Mexican Army as a whole during the Texas Revolution. Subsequent documents may focus on lists of specific units that participated in the Texas Campaign, composition of different types of units, etc.
Corrections, additions, and/or specific suggestions on better ways to present this list are welcome. Thanks to Bruce Moses and Gregg Dimmick for their comments.
The dates in parentheses specify the year each unit was established, reconstituted, or renamed in the form in which it existed at the time of the Texas Revolution.
GENERAL STAFF (ESTADO MAYOR GENERAL)
INFANTRY (INFANTERÍA):
Regular Infantry (Infantería Permanente)
Batallón Permanente de Abasolo (1833) Batallón Permanente de Aldama (1833) Batallón Permanente de Allende (1833) Batallón Permanente de Galeana (1833) Batallón Permanente de Guerrero (1833) Batallón Permanente de Hidalgo (1833) Batallón Permanente de Jiménez (1833) Batallón Permanente de Landero (1833) Batallón Permanente de Matamoros (1833) Batallón Permanente de Morelos (1833)
Active Militia (Milicia Activa)
Batallón Activo de Celaya (1823; battalion in name only after its establishment) Batallón Activo de Chiapas (1823) Primer Batallón Activo de México (1823) Segundo Batallón Activo de México (1823) [Chartrand lists it as Batallón Activo de Cuautitlan; according to “Noticias Hístoricas” (1839), the Batallón de Cuautitlán was the name of the original battalion up to 1821) not listed in “Noticia Historica”] Batallón Activo de Guadalajara (1823) Batallón Activo de Guanajuato (1823) Primer Batallón Activo de México (1823) Segundo Batallón Activo de México (1823) Batallón Activo de Mextitlán (1823) Batallón Activo de Michoacan (1823) [Batallón Activo de Morelia listed in Chartrand didn’t come into being until 1840] Batallón Activo de Oaxaca (1823) Batallón Activo de Puebla (1823) Batallón Activo de Queretaro (1823) Batallón Activo de San Luis Potosi (1823) Batallón Activo del Sur (1823) Batallón Activo de Tlaxcala (1823) Batallón Activo de Toluca (1823) Batallón Activo de Tres Villas (1823) Primer Batallón Activo de Yucatán (1823) Segundo Batallón Activo de Yucatán (1823) Tercero Batallón Activo de Yucatán (1823) Batallón Activo de Zacatecas (1825)
Fixed Companies (Compañías Fijas) (1826) Acapulco (1 company) Tampico (1 company) San Blas (1 company) Isla del Carmen (1 company) Bacalar (2 companies) Tabasco (2 companies)
Civic Militia (Milicia Civica; also referred to as Milicia Local in the legislation of December 29, 1827, specifying its organization. Transformed into the National Guard [Guardia Nacional] in 1845.) Organized by each state; comprised infantry, cavalry, and artillery units, as well as: Federal District (Distrito Federal): Batallón del Comercio de la Ciudad Federal 2 other infantry battalions 1 cavalry squadron 1 artillery brigade
Coast Guard Companies (Guardacostas: with organizations as constituted when decreed on August 22, 1823)
Costa del Norte: Tampico: 1 company Tuxpan: 1 company Veracruz: 1 squadron Alvarado: 1 squadron Acayucan: 1 company Tabasco: 1 squadron Isla del Carmen: 1 company
Costa del Sur: San Blas: 2 companies Colima: 1 squadron Zacatula: 1 company Acapulco: 1 company Ometepec: 1 squadron Jamiltepec: 1 squadron Tehuantepec: 1 company
Light Cavalry Units: Light Regiment of Mexico (Regimento Ligero de México) (1835) Tabasco Permanent Cavalry Squadron (Escuadron Ligero de Puebla) (1829) Yucatan Squadron (Escuadron de Yucatán) (1826)
Active Militia (Milicia Activa) Regimiento Activo de México (1822) Activo de Querétaro (1835) Activo de Sierra Gorda (1835: formerly Activo de Guanajuato; incorporated into Zacatecas Squadron July 8, 1835) Escuadrón Activo de San Luis Potosí (1835) Primer Escuadrón de Comercio (1835) Segundo Escuadrón de Comercio (1835) Escuadrón de Cuernavaca (1835) Escuadrón de Oaxaca (1835) Escuadrón de Zacatecas (1835) Escuadrón Primero de Jalisco (1835) Escuadrón Secundo de Jalisco (1835) Escuadrón de Chiapas (1835) Regimiento Activo de Puebla (1822) Escuadrón de Tlaxcala (1835) Escuadrón de Durango (1835) Escuadrón de Michoacán (1835) Escuadrón de Huajuapan (1835) Escuadrón de Seguridad Pública (1826) Compañías de Aguascalientes (1835)
Presidial Troops (Presidiales) (35 companies created by laws of March 31 [21?] and December 20, 1826, and May 8, 1828):
Chihuaha: 7 companies: 1st: Chihuahua (city of) 2nd: San Buenaventura 3rd: Janos 4th: San Elzeario 5th: Del Norte 6th: Carrizal 7th: Principe
Coahuila y Texas: (8 companies: 1st: Monclova 2nd: Aguaverde 3rd: Babia (or Bavia) 4th: Rio Grande 5th: La Bahia 6th: Bejar 7th: Alamos 8th: Lampazos
Sonora and Sinaloa: 6 companies: 1st: Frontera 2nd: Tucson 3rd: Altar 4th: Santa Cruz 5th: Buenavista 6th: Pitié (Three additional, unnumbered companies of Indians: two of Ópatas in Bacuachi, and one of Pimas at Tubác)
Nuevo México: 3 companies: 1st: Santa Fe 2nd: Badó 3rd: Taos
Alta California and Baja California: 6 companies: 1st: San Francisco 2nd: Monterey 3rd: Santa Barbara 4th: San Diego 5th: Fronteras 6th: Loreto
CORPS OF ARTILLERY (Cuerpo de Artillería) (1824) As established: 2 foot brigades and 1 horse brigade; horse brigade disbanded 1833
National Militia of Artillery (Milicia Nacional de Artillería) (1823) [According to Chartrand, this consisted of companies stationed in major ports and cities, as well As a brigade in Mexico City. No mention of it in “Noticia Historica” (1839)]
CORPS OF ENGINEERS (Cuerpo de Ingenieros) (By law of November 5, 1827, consisted of five brigades distributed in five departments throughout the republic)
Sappers (Zapadores) 1 standing battalion (according to law of November 5, 1827, there was to be one “brigade de zapadores, minadores, [y] pontoneros” [brigade of sappers, miners, and pontoniers], composed of two veteran companies and three active militia companies)
MEDICAL CORPS (Cuerpo Médico Militar) (1823)
CORPS OF INVALIDS
_____________________
Sources:
René Chartrand, Santa Anna’s Mexican Army 1821–48 (Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2004).
Faustino Reynoso, compiler, Apendice al Tomo Primero de la Recopilacion de Leyes, Decretos, Circulares, Reglamentos y Disposiciones Expedidos por la Secretaria de Guerra y Marina (México, 1921): 1) “Relación Historica de los cuerpos de caballería de la Nación Mexicana….,” December 5, 1839, pp. 21-25. 2) “Noticia Historica de los cuerpos de infantería permanente y active que actualmente existen en la República….,” December 6, 1839, pp. 26-34. 3) “Noticia Histórica de todos los cuerpos del Ejército Nacional, que desde 1821 han existido y existen actualmente,” (n.d.: c. 1845), pp. 104–140. « Last Edit: Today at 6:49am by trk »
Re: Mexican Army Units, 1835-36 « Reply #1 on May 23, 2009, 6:58am »
[Wolfpack contributed the following on 9 November 2008:]
The following information is from Nofi (based on Filisola) [notes in whatever these things are, are mine].
MEXICAN ORDER OF BATTLE [15 Jan 1836]
COMMAND AND STAFF:
CinC: MG Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna 2IC: MG Vicente Filisola Chief of Staff: BG Juan Arago Aides-de-Camp: BG Manuel Fernandez Castrillon, BG Martin Perfecto Cos, BG Juan Valentin Amador, COL Juan Nepomuceno Almonte, COL Juan Bringas, COL Jose Bates Quartermaster: BG Adrian Woll Chief of Artillery: LTC Tomas Requena Chief of Engineers: LTC Ignacio Lastica Staff: 16 officers
VANGUARD BRIGADE: BG Joaquin Ramierez y Sesma [arrived San Antonio 23 Feb 1836]
Matamoros Battalion (272 men) Jimenez Battalion (274 men) [sent to reinforce Urrea 11 Mar] San Luis Potosi Battalion (452 men) [sent to reinforce Urrea 11 Mar] Dolores Cavalry Regiment (290 men) Artillery (8 pieces, 62 men)
1ST BRIGADE: BG Antonio Gaona [part of brigade under Cos arrived March 3d - marked with an * -the rest March 8th under Gaona]
Aldama Battalion (390 men) * Tolucca Battalion (320 men) * Quertetaro Battalion (370 men) [Sent to Urrea March 16] Guajanuato Battalion (390 men) Rio Grande Presidial Company (60 men) Zapadores Battalion (185 men) * Artillery (6 pieces 63 men)
2D BRIGADE: BG Eugenio Tolosa [arrived San Antonio March 16]
Morelos Battalion (300 men) Guerrero Battalion (400 men) 1st Mexico Battalion (350 Men) Guadalajara Battalion (420 men) Tres Villas Battalion (189 men) [sent to Urrea March 16] Artillery (6 pieces and 60 men)
Cavalry Brigade: BG Juan Jose Andrade [arrived San Antonio March 10th] Tampcio Regiment (250 men) Guanajauto Regimetn (180 men)
INDEPENDENT DIVISION: BG Jose Urrea Yucatan Battalion (300 men) Cuautla Regiment (180 men) San Luis Potosi Cavalry Troop (40 men) Bajio Cavalry Troop (30 men) Artillery (1 piece 8 men)
Note: there are some minor cavalry detachments unaccounted for, according to Nofi they were probably attached to the Dolores Regiment and/or Santa Anna's personal escort.
Re: Mexican Army Units, 1835-36 « Reply #2 on May 23, 2009, 7:01am »
[Wolfpack contributed the following additional data on 9 November 2008:]
The Alamo Assault Columns:
NORTH: Duque [316 men]
Tolucca [ 240 men] (320 men - 40 untrained men - Grenadier Co 40? men) 1/2 San Luis Potosi [76 men] (1/2 x (452 - 200 untrained men - Grenadier Co 50? men - Cazadore Co 50? men))
NORTHWEST: Cos [303 men]
Aldama [227 men] (390 men - 113 untrained men - Grenadier Co 50? men) 1/2 San Luis Potosi [76 men] (see above)
EAST: Romero [304 men]
Jimenez [180 men] (274 men - 24 untrained men - Grenadier Co 35? men - Cazadore Co 35? men) Matamoros [124 men] (272 men - 78 untrained men - Grenadier Co 35? men - Cazadore Company 35? men)
SOUTH: Morales [120 men] Cazadore Co's from Jimenez, Matamoros, and San Luis Potosi
RESERVE: Amat [345 men] Grenadier Co's from assault bns [160 men] Zapadores [185 men]
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