The Military Occupation of the Territory of New Mexico from 1846 to 1851: Facsimile of Original 1909 Edition

Ralph Emerson Twitchell

Jan 2007 · Sunstone Press

About this ebook

The author, in his introduction to the 1909 edition of this book, referring to the war with Mexico in the New Mexico Territory, says: "Here is presented to the student a wonderful field of historic research. The American Occupation period has been chosen as the one most easily described, and, at the same time, one of the most interesting in the history of the American people, containing, as it does, the deeds of men who won the West, men whose courage, devotion to country and true citizenship enabled them to accomplish the greatest military achievement of modern times, a single regiment of citizen soldiers, marching nearly six thousand miles through five states of a foreign nation, living off the resources of the invaded country, almost annihilating a powerful army, conquering and treating with powerful Indian tribes, and, returning home, graced with the trophies of victory, all with the loss of less than a hundred men." The author hoped that the book, with its many illustrations, would instill "lessons of patriotism, honor, valor and love of country."

About the author

Ralph Emerson Twitchell, who went by Ralph E. Twitchell, (1859-1925) was an American historian, mayor of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and chairman of the Rio Grande Commission, which drafted a treaty between the United States and Mexico leading to the building of the Elephant Butte Dam in his state. Twitchell helped organize the first National Irrigation Congress in 1891. For forty-three years he was a member of the legal department of the Santa Fe Railroad. He was prosecuting attorney for Santa Fe County and special counsel for the U.S. Department of the Interior dealing with Native American and water-rights cases. He died August 25, 1925, at the age of 68 in Los Angeles, California.