[Mexico]. [Texas]

Secretaria de Guerra y Marina...El Exmo. Sr. Presidente Interino de la Republica Mexicana se ha Servido Dirigirme el Decreto Que Sigue. "El Presidente Interino de la Republica Mexicana, a los Habitantes de Ella Sabed: Que el Congreso General Ha Decretado Lo Siguente. Art. 1o. "Para Recompensar la Acciones Distinguidas del Ejercito y de la Marina de Guerra, se Establece una Legion Militar..." [first lines of text]

Mexico City: 1836. [8]pp. Small folio. Two sheets, pasted at interior gutter fold. Minor wear at edges; a couple of small wormholes at margins, not affecting text. Patches of light staining; light tanning. About very good. Item #1814

A very scarce Mexican decree that created a Legion of Honor for military veterans as a reward for acts of valor and good service during their enlistments, with a particular emphasis on honoring the soldiers of the Texas Revolution. The decree was passed on April 27, 1836, within a week of the Battle of San Jacinto, when news of the disaster there had not yet reached the federal government in Mexico City. The writers of this decree were assuredly still riding high on the early successes of the conflict -- the penultimate of the twelve articles set forth here establishes the anniversary of the Alamo, March 6, as official anniversary for the Legion of Honor, and reads, in part, "Atendiendo á que la campaña de Tejas se abrió por la gloriosa tomo por asalto de la fortaleza del Alamo, se señala para celebrar el aniversario de la creacion de la Legoin el dia 6 de Marzo en que tuvo lugal aquella, con tanto honor de las armas mexicanas." The remaining articles set out rules for organization, standards for membership, levels of available extra pension, additional honors and benefits, and other issues of administration. This decree was repealed in 1839, and replaced in 1840 with regulations and honors for the Legion that elided Mexico's troubles in Texas. We locate just four institutional examples -- the Streeter copy at Yale, as well as copies at BYU, UT Arlington, and the Sutro Library. Also quite rare on the market -- the Eberstadts listed a copy for $300 in a 1963 catalogue, and only three copies appear in available auction records since then.
Eberstadt 162:490. Streeter, Texas Pamphlets and Broadsides 89. Streeter Texas 877.

Price: $2,250.00