=====The Mexican War=====

As Americans began to move further and further West, we encountered territorial conflict. In [[1845|1845]], the United States annexed the Republic of Texas, prompting military action.  The Mexican War lasted from [[1846|1846]] to [[1848|1848]], and led to the extension of our borders to the Pacific Ocean.
 
Kentucky was required to furnish four regiments of volunteers following the declaration of war against Mexico. The required number of soldiers was 2,400 men, but in Kentucky, nearly 15,000 answered the call.  Four of the most important U. S. commanders were native Kentuckians:   Major General Zachary Taylor,  Major John C. Breckinridge, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas L. Crittenden, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Clay, Jr., who lost his life in the battle of Buena Vista and Captain Cassius Clay. In all, over 600 Kentucky soldiers became casualties during the two year conflict.  

Boone County's own [[Major_john_pollard_gaines|John P. Gaines]] volunteered and served as a Major and General Winfield Scott’s aide-de-camp during the conflict. [[e.r.s._canby|Edward Riley Sprigg Canby]] who was chief of staff of Riley's Brigade, also received promotions of major and lieutenant colonel for his actions during many battles of the Mexican War. 

A //Kentucky Post// article dating from 1925 reported the discovery that year of a document labelled, “Muster Roll For 1843”.  The roll listed the men who volunteered to serve in a Boone County militia prior to the outbreak of the Mexican War.  The muster roll document was found in a personal collection of papers belonging to an uncle of Thomas W. Balsly, former mayor of Ludlow, Ky., and cashier of the Farmers & Mechanics Bank.  Two (2) images were included with the article. See: “Old Muster Roll Is Found in Boone-co.” 1925. //The Kentucky Post//.  Aug. 16, 1925, p. 1 

MUSTER ROLL FOR 1843 [Note: The names listed below are alphabetized for reference purposes.]

William Allen,
Richard E. Bruce,
Cornelius Carpenter,
Cave Clore,
Yancey Clore,
John Coleman,
Walter Coleman,
Thomas Collins,
David B. Custenbary,
William Decoursey,
James E. Duncan,
W. W. Eldridge,
H. Foster,
James Gerazer,
George Goodridge,
William Graves,
George E. Hamilton,
Younger Johnston,
Richard M. Johnston,
Jessa Kirkpatrick,
R. G. Latmer,
Joshua Luman,
William Maxfield,
John McNeely,
Owen Miner,
Orren Miner,
William Miner,
Charles Neal,
Robert Neal,
John Osmond,
Samuel Osmond,
J. H. Perkins,
James Perkins,
Johnson W. Pricket,
James M. Riddell,
John Riddell,
Thomas Roberts,
Ezekiel Rouse,
Noah E. Rouse,
P. C. Satt,
S. G. Satt,
Richard Sandford,
Robert Sandford,
G. H. Scott,
James Smith,
R. F. Stephenson,
Llewellyn Tanner,
[[erastus_tousey|Erastus Tousey]],
Wesley Underhill,
Ezekiel Utz,
Henry Wake,
S. T. Wall,
Gustavus Weaver,
Robert Willson.

=====More Information=====

==== Related Websites ===
  * //[[http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/|The U.S.- Mexican War]]// PBS website
  * //[[https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qdm02|The Mexican War]]// The Handbook of Texas online, Texas State Historical Association website

==== Further Reading ====
  * [[https://bcp.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/boone/search/results?qu=hidden%20history%20of%20kentucky%20soldiers|Hidden History of Kentucky Soldiers]] by Berry Craig
  * [[https://bcp.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/history/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:47432/one?qu=the+reponse+of+kentucky+to+the+mexican+war|The Response of Kentucky to the Mexican War, 1846-1848]] by Damon Eubank

=====Related Topics=====
  * [[war_in_boone_county|War in Boone County]]
  * [[gaines_family|Gaines family]]
  * [[piatt_s_landing|Piatt's Landing]]