Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/65

nently, but the "cow-boys," though not acting under any positive orders of the Texan government, resisted every attempt, and during the desultory contests which took place, from 1837 to 1842, drove off nearly 80,000 head of cattle. The Mexican authorities uniformly discountenanced the establishment of any permanent settlements north of the river, and the civil jurisdiction of the department of Tamaulipas was exerted but rarely, if at all, in that part of its ancient dominions. After the defeat of the federalistas, who revolted against the central government of Mexico in 1839, Generals Anaya and Canales, two of their leaders, crossed over the Rio Grande for protection. The latter united his forces with those of Captain Ross, of the Texan rangers, and a number of "cow-boys." They then crossed the river, and drove the Mexican army into Matamoras. Canales took shelter in Texas again, in 1840, when he was joined by Colonel Jordan, with near two hundred "cow-boys." They crossed the Rio Grande a second time, and penetrated as far into the country as Saltillo, where Canales betrayed his allies, who succeeded, however, in fighting their way back to the river. After the invasion and defeat of Woll in 1842, the Texan army drove him across the Rio Grande and took possession of Laredo. At this point there had been a military organization, previous to the revolution in Texas, which was in existence when the army of the United States marched to the Rio Grande. On account of their liability to be attacked by the Indians in their vicinity, the inhabitants of Laredo were excepted from the operation of the act disarming the citizens of Coahuila and Texas; but they claimed to belong to the latter whenever they were visited by Hays and McCulloch's rangers, who frequently crossed over the coun-