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Capt. William Grier’s Pursuit of the Jicarillas 1855

February 27, 2006

This report furnished courtesy of Gary Cozzens, Ft Stanton, Inc. Fort Stanton, N. M.June 21st 1855 Sir, For the information of the Commanding Officer, I have the honor to make the following report of detached service performed by my Company (—œI— 1st Dragoons) in connection with Captain Pino—™s Company of Mounted Mexican Volunteers of Blas [...]

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Captain Richard Ewell’s Report of Death of Captain Stanton

February 26, 2006

On January 18, 1855, Captain Henry W. Stanton was ambushed and killed by Apache warriors. Details of the life of Captain Stanton are found elsewhere in this blog. Here is the official report filed by Captain Richard Ewell, 1st Dragoons, of Stanton’s death and the engagement. Ewell’s report was graciously provided to this site by [...]

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Dragoons at Fort Tejon

October 11, 2005

THE DRAGOONS OF FORT TEJON c 2001 by George Stammerjohan and Will GorenfeldElements of the First Dragoons arrived in California in December of 1846. They were promptly mauled at the Battle of San Pasqual. This ragged affair, pitting weary Dragoons riding on jaded horses and restive mules against lance-wielding and well-mounted Californio vaqueros, was something [...]

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First Encounter

July 20, 2005

The first shots fired in battle by the 1st Dragoons took place on 12 November 1846 when a patrol from Company I. led by Captain William Grier, came into contact with Navajo tribesmen who had stolen some stock. Grier and Lt. Wilson were well-mounted and the enlisted men were riding mules. Consequently, they foolishly rode [...]

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Reports of Santa Cruz de Rosales

June 22, 2005

Headquarters, Army of the West,Chihuahua, March 31, 1848. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit a report of my operations from the period of adopting the intentions expressed in my communication to the war department, dated 6th February, 1848, to the present instant. After making such arrangements both military and civil, as I deemed essential [...]

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LOVE’S DEFEAT (Coon Creeks 1847)

June 2, 2005

LOVE—™S DEFEAT: The Battle of the Coon CreeksBy Will Gorenfeld and George StammerjohanCopyrighted December 8, 2003 First Lieutenant John Love, commanding Company B, 1st United States Dragoons, felt he was in a rut that winter of 1846-47. The year before, as a 2d Lieutenant, he was on recruiting duty in Dayton, Ohio. Hearing that the [...]

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Major Beall to John Love; 6 March 1854

May 10, 2005

Dear Love You will much oblige me by attending to the this matter [sale of brood mares] for Dr. Mills. You may probably know Dr. Mills and may have served with him. He is at present at this Post as Surgeon. Now my dear fellow give this matter your particular attention as the Doc is [...]

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Dragoon Recruitment Advertisement 1847

March 21, 2005

On the front page of the Indianapolis Indiana Journal for February 8, 1847, there appeared the following notice: UNITED STATES ARMY Recruiting Service: Wanted for the United States Army, able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 35 years, being above 5 feet 3 inches, of good character, and of respectable standing among their fellow [...]

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Horstmann 1851 Uniforms

March 13, 2005

This plate, taken from the Horstmann catalog, depicts the new French inspired uniforms that were authorized by the regulations of 1851. In theory, the Regulations of 1851 gave a neat picture of what a suitably uniformed, dashing Dragoon should look like: dark blue frock coat, “flower pot” shako, and gray-blue trousers. The nine-buttoned frock coat [...]

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Saltillo, Mexico 20 May 1848: Lt. Couts to Lt. Love

March 7, 2005

Dear Love, I have come this far with the Capts. Whiltsey and Adams–the orphans of Chihuahua. Through they leave for that forsaken community, I do not give them up until sufficient time shall have elapsed for them to pass Parral; for our Genl. is famous for countermanding orders. The old man Grier, however, will give [...]

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