CW-1:

THE FIRST CIVIL WAR, 1830-1842

WHAT THEY CALLED "CIVIL WAR":
Fight Scenes

Overview
Real War
    Grounded Networks
   Control Networks
A Note on Then and Now
What They Called "Civil War"
   Liberal Projects
      J.R. Poinsett
      Levi Woodbury
      Francisco Morazán
      V. Gómez Farías
      Wm. Lyon Mackenzie
   Conservative Demagogues
      Andrew Jackson
      A. L. de Santa Anna
   Fight Scenes
      El Gallinero
      Puebla & Charleston
      Guanajuato & Bravo
      Loot & development
      Texas & Florida
Grounded Reaction
      Guatemala & Carrera
      Lower Canada
      The Huasteca, & North
      The Costa Grande
Outcomes, and Vision

Commanders in that Civil War were opportunists. Whether they were "centralists" or "localists" at any time depended on where they found themselves in the strategic layout of the continent.

Consider Tolomé, the "first" battle in what was called Civil War, early in 1832:

Troops, sent by the war department, were marching doggedly from the interior. This force reached the edge of the coastal plain, at a point on the main highway near Santa Anna's own hacienda (Manga de Clavo).

Santa Anna, still the "rebel" general with local knowledge, led a small force quietly by night around the government troops, to the village of Tolomé, where he planned to attack those troops from a position astride their lines back inland. One of his own men fired prematurely. The government commander, now forewarned and with artillery on heights that commanded Santa Anna's lines back to Veracruz, made his own pre-emptive attack, and with an enormous numerical advantage.

Santa Anna's soldiers men fought back (or fled) instead of surrendering. His force was practically wiped out, even while it inflicted enough casualties that the victors could not move quickly on. Santa Anna himself fled back to Veracruz. The government force followed, but floundered through weeks into months outside the city, as spring approached, bringing the lethal yellow-fever season. With no immunity against the disease, this force was now the one to flee, back to the upcountry. Santa Anna had time to start over again, building up strength for operations inland.

battles that year

[But of course they can be seen larger.]

This transformation had its parallel in the career of Andrew Jackson. Earlier, he had been the representative captain at the head of interior planter/farmers, operating against Indian enemies and against British forces invading over the coast. He professed to support states' rights against central power. By 1832, he was the head of a government that had major allies among coastal economic interests. He faced the political resistance of South Carolina planters. While he was anxious to preserve some alliance between interior interests (himself) and coastal interests (such as New York), he had to make tactical plans for a possible fight in which he would represent strength coming in over the coast, against conservative landed interests.

Tactical considerations, everywhere, pushed commanders to make a short-term choice, taking sides between the "interior" or the "exterior" end of lines of communication. Longer-term pressures, in all parts of the continent, pushed commanders to resolve this same tension through political deals -- which meant through understandings among rival economic interests.

The time-line of the War wound around the changing economic structure of the continent:

1831-32. "Liberal" action against interior-oriented conservatives, in both Mexico and the United States

Santa Anna supports rebellion of Veracruz garrison, calling for the removal of Bustamante's cabinet.
Zacatecas and other states call for recognizing as president Manuel Gómez Pedraza, who had won a majority of state votes in the 1828 election, before Congress counted Guerrero in.
Esteban Moctezuma, in the northern port of Tampico, and accused of contraband manipulations, comes out in favor of Santa Anna. Moves inland to San Luis Potosí, defeats government forces at El Pozo del Carmen, and makes common cause with Zacatecas.
The Jackson administration supports a "moderate" tariff, which will permit the importation of some goods into the South, even while it gives some price support to Northern manufactures.
On banking questions, Jackson gets support from local banks, whose interests are linked to the importation of silver from northern Mexico, including Zacatecas. Jackson vetoes bill to recharter the "central" Bank of the United States, which .has strong support in South Carolina
Morazán is intensifying long-term campaign to impose liberal governments in Guatemala and El Salvador.

[Although the legal content of the South Carolina position was anti-centralist and therefore "liberal," the strategic content was centralist. Both South Carolina and Bustamante were defending an interior landed base against forces that might come in from the periphery of the country.]

1832, spring - fall. Conservative campaigns put liberals on the defensive.

Santa Anna humiliated at Tolomé.
Bustamante defeats Moctezuma and Zacatecas forces, at El Gallinero.
Unionist candidates defeated in South Carolina elections. South Carolina convention meets; adopts Nullification Ordinance, against collection of tariff within South Carolina.

Late 1832 - early 1833. Aggressive liberal campaigns resist conservatives' apparent victory.

Santa Anna, emerging from Veracruz, defeats Bustamante lieutenants at Palmar, then at Puebla
Moctezuma reorganizes force at San Luis Potosí
.Jackson issues Proclamation against Nullification Ordinance.

Also late 1832 - early 1833. "Compromise" measures confirm liberal victory, but in a manner that leaves unresolved the social content of government.

Convenio of Zavaleta, between Santa Anna and Bustamante, recognizes Manual Gómez Pedraza as president, with new elections set for 1833. In those elections, Santa Anna is elected President, while the doctrinaire liberal Valentín Gómez Farías is named Vice-President
Jackson signs measures that constitute Compromise of 1833:: a tariff that scales down duties by a schedule that South Carolina accepts, and a law specifying his authority to enforce the tariff..

Mid-1833 - early 1834. Apparent solidification of liberal program.

Santa Anna retires to his lands, leaving Gómez Farías to govern. Gómez Farías adopts liberal program, including the strengthening of Zacatecas militia and other state militias.
When conservatives attempt to recruit Santa Anna for their cause, he rejects them, and uses Zacatecas force in defeating them at Battle of Guanajuato. Accusations are made that this battle was phony.
Jackson continues anti-centralist program by removing federal deposits from Bank of the United States, transferring them to selected local banks.

1834-1836. Conservative reorientation of programs and command structures.

At Chilpancingo, government forces try to trap the conservative Nicolás Bravo, but the war department removes its aggressive liberal commander from that campaign, and announces a virtual truce, just before:
Santa Anna expels Gómez Farías from the government, and reverses most of liberal program.
In a bloodless replay of El Gallinero, Santa Anna defeats the Zacatecas militia, and sacks their capital.
Like Gómez Farías before him, Santa Anna uses severe repressive legislation against his enemies.
Jackson administration and pro-Southern forces in Congress impose:

gag rule against debate of anti-slavery petitions to Congress
exclusion of anti-slavery materials from mail to South

Jackson administration sets up executive machinery to regulate state banks, recapitulating some functions of the earlier BUS.
Mexican conservatives draft "centralist" constitution, designed to disfranchise lower classes.
Conservative general Albino Pérez sent as governor of New Mexico.
Jackson administration carries out climactic implementation of Indian removal policy; the "Trail of Tears" for Cherokees.

1835-1837. Border conflicts define the juncture between U.S. and Mexican systems.

The defeat of Zacatecas serves as base for Santa Anna's unsuccessful attempt to reconquer Texas from Anglo rebels.
Mexican leaders fail to establish alliance with indigenous forces in Texas.
Deployment of U.S. force toward Texas is crippled by miring of Army in war against Seminoles of Florida
The interplay between financial measures in the two countries cements the unequal economic relationship between the two.

References:

Brister, Louis E., and Robert C. Perry, "La derrota de Santa Anna en Tolomé: una relación crítica y personal," Historia Mexicana (1985)
Brister, Louis E., ed., In Mexican Prisons: The Journal of Edward Harkort, 1832-1834 (1986)
Costeloe, Michael P. La primera república federal de México, 1824-1835 (1975)
Rivera Cambas, Manuel. Historia antigua y moderna de Jalapa y de las revoluciones del Estado de Veracruz (1869-1871)
Suárez y Navarro, Juan. Historia de México y del General Antonio López de Santa Anna (1850)

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CW-1:

THE FIRST CIVIL WAR, 1830-1842

WHAT THEY CALLED "CIVIL WAR": Fight Scenes

WHAT THEY CALLED "CIVIL WAR":
Fight Scenes