Tampico Expedition

The "Battle of Tampico" was fought November 15, 1835, in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Gregorio Gómez and the Mexican Centralist garrison engaged Gen. José Antonio Mexía and 150 American volunteers.

Background

Several of Santa Anna's political opponents fled to New Orleans, USA where they planned to resist the Centralist government. In October 1835, an expedition was raised in New Orleans for the purpose of supporting Federalist opposition thought to be present in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The expedition arrived at Tampico and attempted to capture that important port city. Federalist supporters had already been crushed by the Centralists and the attack failed. Thirty-one Federalist were taken prisoner; 3 died of wounds and the remaining twenty-eight were later executed. Mexía re-embarked his men and sailed for Texas. Mexía's defeat convinced many Anglos that Mexico's Federalists would be no help, thereby causing hard feelings to arise between these potential allies. Furthermore, the Mexican government declared that the expedition had been carried out by "pirates," executing the men Mexía left behind. This policy of "no quarter" was extended to the Texas situation in the pronouncement of the Tornel Decree.

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