U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

[Johnny Lloyd]

All:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25736798/

This one is interesting, even if it is prewar... Johnny

[AZReenactor]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

Johnny,
Thank s for sharing this, good information.

When it comes to the Mexican War keep in mind that it was a mere 15 years before the Civil War. A volunteer who was 18 in 1846 would just be 33 in 1861 and since many of us depict soldiers that were well over 33 it is a good idea to pay some attention to that war to round out ones impression, if no other reason. ;-)

[Busterbuttonboy]

US remains Found

Ok so its not 186x. But its 19th century and still pretty cool.

U.S. soldier remains from 1846 found in Mexico
Discoveries offer hope that casualties of a long-ago war may be repatriated
By Mark Stevenson
The Associated Press
updated 11:57 a.m. ET, Fri., July. 18, 2008
MEXICO CITY - Mexican archaeologists have found the remains of what appear to be four U.S. soldiers who died in 1846 during the Mexican-American war, the government announced on Thursday.

Experts said skull and bone measurements, as well as two half-dollar coins and other artifacts found at the site of the Battle of Monterrey in northern Mexico, indicate the bodies belong to U.S. war casualties.

Mexico's national archaeological agency said the skeletal remains were uncovered in digs between 1996 and April 2008 but were apparently not announced previously. The U.S. Embassy said it had no immediate information.

It has taken experts a long time to even tentatively identify the remains, in part because it had long been believed that the site contained the mass grave of Mexican casualties. No Mexican soldiers have been found at the site, said Rogelio Caballero, of the government's National Institute of Anthropology and History.

"There are plans on paper to perform DNA tests" on the remains, Caballero added. "Attempts are being made at identifying the soldiers' families and descendants."

He said many of the U.S. soldiers involved in the battle were from the states of Tennessee and Mississippi.

U.S. forces defeated Mexican troops in Monterrey, which was a fortified position at the time. The 1846-1848 war ended in a Mexican defeat that, along with Texas' independence struggle, cost Mexico half its territory.


The new discoveries offer hope that the casualties of a long-ago war — both Mexicans and Americans — may finally be repatriated.

"There are proposals ... to return the those individuals found so far to the United States, and for them to return those that they have from battles that took place in their country," the institute said in a press statement.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25736798/

[James A. Page]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

This story struck a chord with me. One of those rare cases where I might have a helpful piece of the puzzle.

Given the location on the Monterrey battlefield from which these remains were recovered, I believe they were members of Quitman's Brigade, composed of Campbell's 1st Tennessee and Davis' Mississippi Rifles. Since the uniforms of these units were so different, recovered items might simplify the identification of remains.

I have been researching Colonel William Bowen Campbell's 1st Regiment of Tennessee Volunteers (1846-1847) for several years. The Regiment was formed in Nashville in June, 1846 and figured prominantly in the 1846 Battle of Monterrey.

The 1st Tennessee was full of notable Civil War figures. Campbell became a Union Brigadier General during the Civil War. Its second in command was S.R. Anderson (later a Confederate general). Others include: Benjamin F. Cheatham (later a Confederate general) and George Maney (later a Confederate general). Its adjutant was Adolphus Heiman (later commanded the Confederate 10th Tennessee and was captured).

Thankfully the Nashville Female Academy prepared a detailed roster of 1st Tennessee men who were killed, or died, during the War. I have made that roster and other information available to Mexico's National Instutite of Anthropology and History. Who knows, maybe it'll help.

I am now in contact with Colonel Campbell's descendents, the U.S. Consolate in Monterrey, and the National Institute of Anthropology and History. I'll let you know what happens!

[CaptainPinson]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

didnt they just find some remains at the franklin battlefield?

shane

[avaltier]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

I agree all with you Jim, regarding the remains found on the Monterrey battlefield. Very probably the bones belong to U.S. soldiers from the Quitman's Brigade and the Campbell's Regiment (First Tennessee Volunteers).

I am from Monterrey, Mèxico and I helped the team of archaeologists who recovered the remains the last spring at Washington and Heroes del 47 Streets, the area where 162 years ago was raised La Teneria fort.

Today the sites of the battle of Monterrey are under the urban sprawl of the city.

Between 1996 and April 2008 several skeletal remains were uncovered in digs. Skulls and bones and some artefacts (like the nails from the coffins) were discovered; but not uniforms.

I want to tell you that there are some possibilities to identify one of the remains.

Next to the bones found in 1996 were two currencies. The archaeologists gave the theory of which perhaps the dates of the coins,1824 and 1846 (which gives a lapse of 22 years) could to mean of a symbolic way the year in which born and died the buried soldier. Possibly a track of the identity of the fallen one, left by the companions buried who him.

Following this theory, we consulted the lists of the Tennessee soldiers who died at Monterrey as they are marked on the Mexican War Monument at Gallatin, Ten., agreeing the age of 22 years of the deceased with the one of a young person of name Isaac Elliot, original of the county of Summer.

However, because we don’t have the age of all the twenty or more soldiers from the Campbell's Regiment who died in the attack of La Teneria fort, this is not conclusive.

[benjclark]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

Have the remains been returned to the US yet, or are they still in Mexico?

[James A. Page]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

Thanks for the update, Avaltier!!

The disposition of the remains is, as yet, uncertain. Unless they are positively identified, they may end up buried among the unknowns in the American Military Cemetery in Mexico City.

Jim

[avaltier]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

The remains are still in Monterrey. They are keeping in the offices of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH in Spanish) at El Obispado (Bishop Palace). The last year personal from the U.S. Consulate at Monterrey contacted the INAH authorities for the return of the remains, but the talks about the subject are advancing very slowly.

You can see in youtube how the local news covered the story the last year (April 2008):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwPxYlJd408

or just write in youtube : fortin de las tenerias 2

[Tom Ezell]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

Johnny,
Thank s for sharing this, good information.

When it comes to the Mexican War keep in mind that it was a mere 15 years before the Civil War. A volunteer who was 18 in 1846 would just be 33 in 1861 and since many of us depict soldiers that were well over 33 it is a good idea to pay some attention to that war to round out ones impression, if no other reason. ;-)

Absolutely. Our little unit branched out into an occasional Mexican War impression a couple of years ago. A fascinating time to study... and as John Eisenhower derived the title for his study: "Poor Mexico! So far from God, and so close to the United States."

[Gallinipper]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

"Poor Mexico! So far from God, and so close to the United States."

From what I have observed, the same might be said about California! :D

[CSengineer]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

From what I have observed, the same might be said about California! :D

Oh, come on. California's not all THAT bad. There's a few decent things here, still. For instance, take our... hmm....

Yeah. Come to think of it, the same actually can be said about California.

[Gallinipper]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

Hey, who said it was so bad? :p

[James A. Page]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

Mods, I know this isn't exactly ACW-related, but I just want to update this story in light of some new information. I hope you won't delete this thread.

Thanks to the hard work of the Mexican INAH, more human remains have been saved. Since February 2011, three more sets of human remains have been uncovered from this construction site in Monterey, Mexico. One set of remains was uncovered just last week. All appear to be those of American Soldiers killed during the September,1846 Battle of Monterey. That brings the total number of human remains recovered to 8 or 9. They could be from a number of different units, however the 1st Tennessee and 1st Mississippi regiments and a detachment of the 4th U.S. Infantry are the most likely units to which these men may have belonged.

So far, all attempts to interest the affected congresspersons, the U.S. State Department, and JPAC in the repatriation of these remains have failed.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: U.S. Soldier Mex War remains found

Oh, come on. California's not all THAT bad. There's a few decent things here, still. For instance, take our... hmm....

Yeah. Come to think of it, the same actually can be said about California.

It was a great place to escape from! In all seriousness we really should know the history of the Gold Rush, War with Mexico, and other headline news items from the 1840s and 50s as well as we know the 80s and 90s today.