Bosque River Crossing of the 1841 Texan Santa Fe Expedition
China Spring, McLennan County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Sent by Republic of Texas president Mirabeau B. Lamar to establish trade and expand Texas' legal boundaries, the members of the 1841 Texan Santa Fe Expedition met with a number of hardships endeavoring to carry out their mission. On July 6, 1841, the expedition crossed the Bosque River near this site with great difficulty due to the steep river banks. Finally reaching New Mexico in September after enduring Indian attacks and a lack of food and supplies, the travelers were captured by Mexican troops and marched to prison in Mexico City. (1992)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1841 Republic of Texas president Mirabeau B. Lamar dispatched an expedition to open trade with Santa Fe and press Texas' claims to New Mexico. Struggling with steep banks, the party crossed the Bosque River near here on July 6, 1841, early in a journey plagued by hunger and Indian attacks. When they finally reached New Mexico that September, Mexican troops captured them and marched them off to prison in Mexico City.
Why it matters
The ill-fated expedition marks the ambition and limits of the young Texas Republic, whose reach toward Santa Fe helped inflame the tensions that led to the Mexican-American War.
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Related people
- · Mirabeau B. Lamar
Related events
- · 1841 Texan Santa Fe Expedition
Themes & tags
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