*TEXAN SANTA FE EXPEDITION*

The Texan Santa Fe Expedition, a politico-military-business undertaking of 1841, was occasioned by President Mirabeau B. Lamar's want to occupy to Texas no less than a piece of the exchange at that point continued the Santa Fe Trail and, if conceivable, to set up Texas locale over the Santa Fe territory, which the Republic of Texas guaranteed based on a demonstration of December 19, 1836. Texas required exchange, and the Santa Fe advertise obviously offered the best openings, yet no means had been taken to practice control over the New Mexican settlements until 1840, when William G. Dryden, a subject of Santa Fe, went to Austin and, on being drawn nearer by Lamar, consented to go about as magistrate for Texas with an end goal to impact the general population of New Mexico to support the adjustment in government. John Rowland and William Workman, two different residents of Santa Fe, were likewise delegated, officials. On his arrival to Santa Fe, Dryden took with him, notwithstanding the directions for the officials, a letter composed by Lamar to the general population of Santa Fe. In this letter, dated April 14, 1840, Lamar sketched out the advantages which would accumulate to the New Mexicans on their joining the Republic of Texas and guaranteed that officials would be conveyed as quickly as time permits to answer any inquiries and to consummate the foundation of association. Neglecting to get a Congressional endorsement, Lamar all alone activity proposed an endeavor to Santa Fe to build up an exchange course and also to offer the New Mexicans the chance of taking an interest in the Texas government. A call for volunteers was issued, and shippers were guaranteed transportation and assurance for their merchandise to Santa Fe. William G. Cooke, Richard F. Brenham, José Antonio Navarro, and George Van Nessqqv were named as common chiefs. The military power, to ensure the shippers, was going by Hugh McLeod with George Thomas Howard as second in order. The volunteers were composed of five organizations of infantry and one of the big guns. George Wilkins Kendall and Thomas Falconerqqv went with the campaign as visitors; these with the dealers, teamsters, and others brought the aggregate number to 321. Twenty-one bull drew wagons conveyed the provisions and also the stock of the merchants, which was esteemed at $200,000. 

On June 19, 1841, the gathering, authoritatively assigned the Santa Fe Pioneers, set out from Kenney's Fort on Brushy Creek, twenty miles north of Austin, and voyaged north, crossing the Brazos River just underneath Bee Mountain on July 8 and striking the Western Cross Timbers in the territory of present Parker County on July 21. The summon sought after a northwestern course through the Cross Timbers and proceeded toward that path to the present site of Wichita Falls, where the Wichita River was mixed up for Red River. The pioneers took after the valley of the Wichita from August 5 until August 17, when they were abandoned by their Mexican guide. They at long last understood their blunder and sent an organization out toward the north to scan for Red River. On August 20 a guide came back to lead the charge toward the northwest. Hassled by Indians and enduring due to lacking arrangements and shortage of water, the undertaking gradually advanced toward the northwest. On Quitaque Creek in the region of present northwestern Motley County, McLeod, unfit to discover a course by which the wagons could rise the Caprock, separated his order, sending a gathering of horsemen out to look for the New Mexican settlements while he held up with the wagons and the rest of the power at the foot of the Llano Estacado.

The propel party, in the wake of anguish numerous hardships and experiencing troublesome going in intersection Quitaque and Tule ravines, at long last met some Mexican merchants on September 12 and sent a guide back to lead the holding up drive on into the settlements. The Texans had anticipated that would be invited by the residents of New Mexico and positively had not foreseen equipped protection, but rather Governor Manuel Armijo of New Mexico had educated of the undertaking and had separations out anticipating the landing of the Texans. Capt. William G. Lewis, one of the first of the propel gathering to achieve the settlements, turned backstabber and induced his friends to set out their arms on September 17. The Texans, diminished in number and broken in wellbeing and soul, had been vanquished by the dry fields instead of by the power of Mexican arms. The Texas detainees were walked to Mexico City. They were subjected to numerous insults both on the way and after their detainment in Mexico. The undertaking turned into the subject of a warmed conciliatory debate between the United States and Mexico before a large portion of the detainees were at last discharged in April 1842. Albeit for the most part thought about a disappointment, the endeavor fortified a reestablishment of enthusiasm for Texas inside both the United States and Mexico and framed a reason for Texas' claim to a western domain.

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