First Regiment of Texas Mounted Rifle Volunteers

First Regiment of Texas Mounted Rifle Volunteers, unofficially known as Hay's Texas Rangers, was a United States Volunteer regiment raised in June 1846, with a core of Texas Rangers, for service in the Mexican–American War. The regiment distinguished itself at the Battle of Monterrey. It was disbanded with the end of active operations in September the same year.

First Regiment of Texas
Mounted Rifle Volunteers
ActiveJune 1846 – October 1846
Country United States
Allegiance United States Army
BranchCavalry
TypeLight Cavalry
RoleReconnaissance
Counterinsurgency
Field Intelligence
Size10 companies
EngagementsMexican–American War
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Colonel John Coffee Hays

Formation

At the commencement of hostilities between United States and Mexican forces, General Zachary Taylor asked the Texas government to mobilize troops for the war. The Adjutant General of Texas, William G. Cooke, called for two regiments of cavalry to serve for six months, furnishing their own weapons and horses. The first regiment to be completed came from the western part of the state, and had a core of leaders that already was serving in the Texas Rangers.[1]

First to enlist was a quickly organized company of 26 men from Corpus Christi, under Texas Ranger Captain Samuel Walker, that mustered into federal service in April, 1846. Texas Ranger Captain John C. Hays began to mobilize the newly reorganized Texas frontier militia companies, recruiting them up to strength, to fill the requirements for a mounted regiment. It was mustered into federal service, in June, 1846, as First Regiment of Texas Mounted Rifle Volunteers, with Hays as colonel and Walker as lieutenant colonel, and attached to Zachary Taylor's Army of Occupation.[2]

Organization

Table of organization
Staff
Companies

Ten companies, each with:

Field officers and captains
  • Colonel: John C. Hays
  • Lieutenant Colonel: Samuel H. Walker
  • Major: Michael H. Chevallie
  • Captains: Christopher B. Acklen, James Gillespie, Claiborne C. Herbert, Frank S. Early, Thomas Green, Jerome B. McCown, Robert Addison Gillespie (KIA Monterrey), Henry E. McCulloch, Samuel L.S. Ballow, Joseph P. Wells.[4] [5]

Operations

Zachary Taylor's army had a shortage of cavalry; it had only four companies from the 2nd U.S. Dragoons, of which two soon were captured by the Mexicans. Walker's company began its service patrolling the army's line of communications and gathering intelligence about enemy forces. During the Battle of Palo Alto, it also had to act as a standard cavalry force, fighting enemy battle cavalry. When Hay's Texas Rangers joined Taylor's army, Walker's company was included in its organization, with Walker as lieutenant colonel. The full regiment was ordered to protect and screen the army during its advance.[6]

Captain Ben McCulloch's Gonzales Company, had entered federal service. This experienced Texas Ranger frontier company, and James Gillespie's company from Hay's Texas Rangers, were detached as a long-range reconnaissance and intelligence unit (Spy Companies), under McCulloch, promoted to major, technically in the Quartermaster Department, but functioning as Taylor's chief of intelligence (Chief of Spies). During the forward march the two companies were to gather intelligence concerning the enemy, the roads and the country in the line of advance.[7] [8]

The two Texas mounted regiments, Hay's Texas Rangers and the Second Texas Mounted Volunteers, both being fully organized, were formed into a division under the command of the governor of Texas, James Pinckney Henderson, serving as major general of volunteers. Before reaching Monterrey, Taylor gave definite missions to the units of the Texas division. McCulloch's and Gillespie's companies came under his personal control, as intelligence gatherer. Hay's Texas Rangers were to operate well in advance of the main army, while the Second Texas was to act as force protectors for the marching army.[9] [10]

General Zachary Taylor decided to attack western Monterrey using William J. Worth's Division in a giant north and west "hook" movement while simultaneously attacking with his main body from the east. Worth started on 20 September along with Hay's Texas Rangers screening the advance, but they camped for the night three miles from the Saltillo road.[11]

On 23 September, Worth sent Hay's Texas Rangers and the 4th and 8th U.S. Infantry, under Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Childs, to take Fort Libertad which they did by daybreak. With the help of James Duncan's battery, they soon took the Obispado and had control of western Monterrey. By then, the Mexicans had abandoned their outer defenses on the east side of Monterrey, concentrating in the Plaza Mayor, and John A. Quitman's brigade held eastern Monterrey.[12]

Disbandment

When General Taylor after the Battle of Monterrey entered into an agreement of cease fire with the Mexican forces, he found it most convenient to discharge the Texas units in order to avoid confrontation with the local population during the occupation of Monterrey.[13]

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References

Citations
  1. Kreneck 1974, p. 22.
  2. Lyles 2003, pp. 16–17.
  3. Lyles 2003, p. 17.
  4. Gardner 1860, p. 540.
  5. Robarts 1887, pp. 74–75.
  6. Lyle 2003, pp. 26–30.
  7. Lyle 2003, p. 23.
  8. Gardner 1860, p. 293.
  9. Lyle 2003, pp. 34–35.
  10. Gardner 1860, pp. 539–540.
  11. Bauer 1974, pp. 93–94.
  12. Bauer 1974, pp. 97, 99.
  13. Kreneck 1974, p. 27.

Cited literature
  • Bauer, K.J. (1974). The Mexican War, 1846–1848. Macmillan.
  • Gardner, Charles K. (1860). A dictionary of all officers, who have been commissioned, or have been appointed and served, in the army of the United States, since the inauguration of their first president, in 1789, to the first January, 1853. D. Van Nostrand.
  • Kreneck, Thomas H. (1974). "The Neglected Regiment: East Texas Horsemen with Zachary Taylor." East Texas Historical Journal 12 (2): 22–31.
  • Lyles, Ian B. (2003). Mixed blessing: The role of the Texas Rangers in the Mexican War. 1846–1848. U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
  • Robarts, William Hugh (1887). Mexican War Veterans. Washington, DC.
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