New Spain appeared the most attractive country for the movement, and thither Mina proposed to sail direct, believing that able officers and arms were alone needed to give it impulse. At the last moment, however, came news of reverses in Vera Cruz, which induced him to change his course to the United States, There he bought or chartered three smaller vessels, prepared supplies, and enrolled, mainly at Baltimore, a number of recruits, including a large proportion of officers, with whom he sailed in September[1] for Galveston, in Texas, by way of Port au Prince. Commodore Aury, a French freebooter who had received an insurgent commission as governor of Texas, and was preparing to invade it, gave him assistance; and after spending some time in refitting, he continued his course, in seven vessels, to Soto la Marina, in Tamaulipas, the only available landing place on the gulf coast.[2] He disembarked in the middle of April, and took possession of the town, issuing proclamations in favor of independence under the title of General of the Relief Army of the Mexican Republic.[3]
- ↑ The Spanish minister was informed by deserters of the project and sought to stay the departure, but clearance papers were taken for the Antilles, and 200 men embarked quietly near Ft McHenry under Colonel Count de Ruuth, at the close of August. Mina followed Sept. 27th. Storms and desertion played some havoc among his men, and subsequently yellow fever; but the president of Hayti gave him aid, and French sailors filled the gaps. Rivera, Hist. Jalapa, ii. 67, and Zamacois, Hist. Méj., x., point at the indifference of the U. S. to Spanish remonstrances.
- ↑ A despatch boat sent with letters to Victoria had found all the ports in Vera Cruz occupied by royalists. Arrangoiz, Méj., i. 348, even declares that Mina secretly visited Vera Cruz, but this is doubtful. Although Aury aided the expedition with vessels and supplies, he at one time threatened to attack it because his subordinate, Col Perry, chose to transfer himself and 100 Americans to Mina's party. Aury had received his commission, including the rank of general, from the congress envoy Herrera. Toledo, who had formerly invaded Texas, sought also to assert his claims to the command, and a Spaniard named Correa is said, in Robinson, i. 121-5, to have tried to seduce the men; but this is doubtful. Meanwhile Mina had gone to New Orleans for additional aid, and was there tempted with a project to seize Pensacola; but it savored too much of a freebooter scheme for his taste. He left Galveston March 27th, and after watering at the Rio Bravo, landed on April 15th at the mouth of the Rio Santander, or Marina, the former site of the town of Soto la Marina, now situated 18 leagues above on the left bank of the river. This landing was suggested by Hinojosa, who knew this region. Mier, Vida, 34.
- ↑ A proclamation to the Spaniards had been issued already at Galveston and sent to New Spain for distribution; and now were issued others to royalist
