Soldiers of Misfortune : The Somervell and Mier Expeditions

"Those interested in the Republic of Texas and the diplomatic history leading to annexation... will come away from this book with a new understanding of the human cost of the Texans' vainglorious attempt to attack Mexico." --Western Historical Quarterly "The author, perhaps for the first time in American published accounts of the Somervell/Mier fiasco, takes pains to honestly represent the Mexican point of view in this affair. All told, Soldiers of Misfortune emerges as an exceptionally well-informed, sensitive, and readable account of a pivotal series of events in Southwestern history." --Journal of the West "Sam W. Haynes has provided an excellent, well-written account of the ill-fated Texas expeditions against Mexico in the 1840s. Not only does the author cover these events in entertaining detail, he scrupulously places them in the context of the political and diplomatic realities of the Texas Republic. He also takes care to be even-handed in his treatment of Texans and Mexicans.... superb storytelling and penetrating analysis." --Password The Somervell and Mier Expeditions of 1842, culminating in the famous "black bean episode" in which Texas prisoners drew white or black beans to determine who would be executed by their Mexican captors, still capture the public imagination in Texas. But were the Texans really martyrs in a glorious cause, or undisciplined soldiers defying their own government? How did the Mier Expedition affect the border disputes between the Texas Republic and Mexico? What role did Texas President Sam Houston play? These are the questions that Sam Haynes addresses in this very readable book, which includes many dramatic excerpts from the diaries and letters of expedition participants.