Panting For Glory: The Mississippi Rifles in the Mexican War (Volume 151) (Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series)

Armed with percussion rifles when most other US soldiers still carried flintlock muskets, the “Mississippi Rifles” served in the war against Mexico that followed the annexation of Texas in 1845. In __Panting for Glory: The Mississippi Rifles in the Mexican War__, Richard Bruce Winders skillfully uncovers the contrasting wartime experiences of two regiments, the 1st and 2nd Mississippi Rifles. The 1st Mississippi Rifles were lauded for their service and remain a familiar part of the history of the Mexican War. Under the leadership of Col. Jefferson Davis—later the President of the Confederate States of America—the 1st enjoyed significant victories at the Battle of Buena Vista and the Battle of Monterey. The 2nd Mississippi Rifles, by contrast, saw little action and returned home overlooked and largely forgotten. __Panting for Glory__ compares these regiments to show that the contours of history were sometimes arbitrary and that military historians, in their analysis of failure, should take into account a wide range of factors that influence outcomes, not merely records of wins and losses. As Winders concludes, “the 1st and 2nd Mississippi Rifles . . . offer the perfect opportunity to examine two sides of war: glory gained and glory denied.” Contents 6 Acknowledgments 8 Preface 10 Introduction 14 1. Mobilizing Mississippi for War 19 2. Off to War 28 3. The March to Monterrey 36 4. The 1st Mississippi Regiment at Monterrey 44 5. Life under the Armistice 57 6. The Victoria Expedition 70 7. Glory Bound 78 8. The 1st Mississippi Rifles at Buena Vista 83 9. Homeward Bound 91 10. The 2nd Mississippi Rifles Go To Mexico 101 11. Discontented Poor FellowsWe have 114 12. Life in the Backwaters of the War 126 13. Evaluating the Role of the MississippiVolunteers 137 AppendIx 1: The Model 1841 Rifle 148 AppendIx 2: County of Origin by Regiment 152 AppendIx 3: County of Originby Regiment Population 153 AppendIx 4: The 1st and 2nd Regiments of Mississippi Rifles Comparison of Statistics 155 Notes 158 Bibliography 190 Index 198