As General Santa Ana marched north toward General Taylor's forces in February 1847, his army captured a number of scouting parties. These captives were marched back to Mexico City, where they would wait for exchange or sit out the war. In April 1847, Santa Ana clashed with General Winfield Scott at the Battle of Cerro Gordo. It was a tremendous defeat for the Mexicans, resulting in a large portion of the army being captured by the Americans. Not having the ability to house so many captives, the Americans gladly offered them in exchange for American captives.
In June 1847, a column of American POWs were marched toward Tampico as the soldiers to be exchanged. Upon reaching Huejutla, the march was halted. General Garay declared that the paperwork was wrong. In fact, Santa Ana didn't want any Americans returned. However, six of the prisoners escaped and successfully arrived at Tampico in July. Learning the story of these men, Colonel Gates - commander of the troops at Tampico - outfitted an expedition to retrieve the rest of the prisoners. He chose Colonel Lewis DeRussy to lead it.
DeRussy departed Tampico on the 8th of July, 1847, and marched without incident down the coast and then into the interior. He explained his mission to the various authorities he met along the way and was not harassed. The expedition arrived in Tantoyuca on the 11th. DeRussy had about 120 men in his command. There were 35 Maryland Dragoons under Captain James Boyd, 34 artillerymen of the 3rd Artillery under Captain Francis Wyse, 44 soldiers of the Louisiana Volunteers under Captains Russell Mace and Bornt Seguine, and a dozen citizens who styled themselves as the Tampico Rangers. The column had only one artillery piece, a six-pound cannon.
The Battle of Rio Calabozo
On the morning of the 12th, the column set out for Huejutla. DeRussy had Boyd's Dragoons in the van, about 200 yards ahead of the main party. During the march, an Indian revealed that there was an ambush awaiting them at the Calabozo River. DeRussy dispatched Lt. Lindenberger to warn Boyd but it was too late. Musket fire erupted from the other side of the Calabozo, killing Capt. Boyd and several others. Even on their side of the river, gunfire came from the trees on either side. The Americans counterattacked, the Louisiana Volunteers splitting to the right and left to the treeline while Captain Wyse's artillery pounded away at the Mexican troops on the otherside of the river. While the Americans were engaged, Mexican lancers fell upon the baggage train and rode off with most of the provisions. A bugle sounded and the Mexicans withdrew.
The Skirmish of Tantoyuca
Though DeRussy inflicted more casualties than he suffered, there was no question of continuing. Captain Wyse only had 3 rounds left for the cannon and most of the baggage was gone. The retreat proved to be a running skirmish. Upon returning to Tantoyuca - which had been quite friendly when they left that morning, they found Mexican lancers and soldiers standing ready for battle. DeRussy marched toward the waiting force then let Captain Wyse blast a hole in the Mexican line. The cannon proved decisive, and the Americans soon captured Tantoyuca. The men scoured the town for powder and ammunition, managing to assemble some makeshift cannister rounds for the cannon.
Sometime after dark, an officer from General Garay approached. He demanded the surrender of the American force, explaining how hopeless their situation was. DeRussy refused and had his men settle in for the night. It had not escaped his notice that many Mexican soldiers had headed north along the road the Americans had traveled from Tampico; clearly, there was another ambush being readied.
At 2 AM and during a heavy rainstorm, the Americans departed. Opting to avoid the presumed ambush, they took the road toward Panuco. As after his shipwreck, DeRussy had once again escaped an encircling force after dark. Though the column suffered further attacks along the way, the Mexican forces came to respect the devastating effects of the cannon and avoided open engagements. Once in Panuco, DeRussy sent for a relief column which Colonel Gates sent.
The expedition lost 11 killed and 6 missing and presumed dead. Lt. Tannehill, one of Boyd's Dragoons, had been mortally wounded and could not be transported. They left him in Tantoyuca; he died 2-weeks later in Huejutla.
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