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On April 25, 1846, war between Mexico and the United States started with an attack by Mexican troops on an American army, under General Zachary Taylor. In less than a year and a half the war ended with an American victory. The Mexican war was very important in the history of the United States, for not only did it provide a training ground for many of the figures who played a major role in the soon-to-follow Civil War, but the war ended with the acquisition of huge new territories for the United States. Though often overshadowed in our histories by the Civil War, in 1846-47 the Mexican War captured the attention of the public, and this naturally led to a large demand for prints and maps showing the events and personages involved in the war. Following is a list of contemporary images of the Mexican-American war.
Go to a short history of the war
Richard Caton Woodville. "Mexican News." New York: American Art Union, 1851. Copyright 1853. Engraving by Alfred Jones. 20 1/2 x 18 1/2. Strong image; text light. A fine copy. Mann, p. 61.
Self-titled as a purveyor of truly national art, the American Art Union focused on widely-appealing art that could unify the politically and sentimentally divided nation of the mid-nineteenth century. Through membership subscriptions, the AAU purchased paintings from some of the most luminous names in American painting, including George Caleb Bingham, Thomas Cole, F.O.C. Darley, Asher B. Durand, William Sidney Mount, and Richard Caton Woodville. By selling the resultant prints and opening their gallery to the public, the union did much to advance American art as a democratic tradition.
One of their best-known engravings, "Mexican News" became a defining piece of American genre art that keenly reflects America during the eventful expansion of mid-nineteenth century. While of questionable legality, the war was very popular, alternately entrancing and inflaming Americans with battle news. In this print, all sorts of people gather at the aptly named "American Hotel," which is also marked as the post office. As a dapper-looking businessman reads aloud the newly-arrived newspaper, the small crowd around him reacts from their perches on the hotel's stoop. Buildings like this, located in the newly formed states along the Mississippi River, would have been the major hub for communication and socialization in a frontier town. All the states bordering the Mississippi River sent volunteers to the war, and this rural scene reflects that passionate interest. For Woodville to gather many types of Americans here to receive news of the war, then, is a telling picture of national sentiment and growth. An exquisite print. $3,200
Go to discussion of significance of popular lithographs of the Mexican-American war
As soon as the war between Mexico and the United States was under way, Philadelphia map publisher, S. Augustus Mitchell, saw that there would be a demand for maps detailing the events in this far-off corner of the continent, so he quickly came out with a folding map of Mexico, with Texas shown with a red outline in its relative position, its panhandle extending to the 42nd parallel. The map was very much a war map, with topographical information kept to a minimum, but roads, towns, political divisions and rivers are clearly shown. Mitchell updated this map as news arrived of events, adding little flags to indicate the site of battles. This map shows the battles of the Alamo, San Jacinto, Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterey. In the upper right Mitchell included a detailed inset map of "The Late Battlefield" at Monterey. Another feature of interest is the depiction of the "Great Spanish Trail to Santa Fe" (from San Francisco) and the "Trader's Route to Independence, Mo." from Santa Fe to the east. A fine example of this important war map. $8,500
Frederick Wislizenus. "Map of a tour from Independence to Santa Fé, Chihuahca, Monterey and Matamoros." From A Memoir of a Tour to Northern Mexico, Connected with Col. Doniphan's Expedition, in 1846 and 1847. Washington, 1848. 19 3/4 x 16. Lithograph by E. Weber & Co. Very good condition. Wheat: 572.
Frederick Wislizenus set off from Independence in 1846 to conduct a private, scientific exploration of the American Southwest, not realizing that war had just been declared between the U.S. and Mexico. He joined the caravan of gun-runner Albert Speyer, but was then imprisoned by the Mexicans. Later, Wislizenus was able to join with Colonel Doniphan's troops and return to the United States. William Goetzmann (Exploration and Empire, pp. 194-96) states that his report "was the most important geographical and economic survey of that almost unknown region then published," and his map, issued with the report, is also one of the best of the region at the time. As Wheat states, the map is "of considerable value,…A number of routes to New Mexico and across Texas are shown, and Doniphan's campaign is carefully followed from Independence, through New and old Mexico to the camp of Jne 2nd, 1847, at Reynosa, at the mouth of the Rio Grande." (III, p.53f.) $750
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