Cortina Troubles facts for kids
The Cortina Troubles is the name given to two periods of fighting, known as the First Cortina War (1859–1860) and the Second Cortina War (1861). These conflicts involved forces led by Juan Cortina, a Mexican rancher and local leader, against the United States Army, the Confederate States Army, the Texas Rangers, and local groups from Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas.
The fighting happened in the Rio Grande Valley area, which is along the border between Texas and Mexico. Some historians see Juan Cortina and his followers as early examples of "socially motivated border bandits," similar to other groups that appeared later.
Quick facts for kids Cortina Troubles |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States
 Confederate States
 Mexico |
Cortinista militia |
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Maj. Samuel Heintzelman Cap. Stoneman Cap. Tobin Col. John Ford Col. Santos Benavides |
Juan Cortina |
||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| United States Army Confederate States Army Texas Rangers Brownsville Tigers Matamoros militia |
Unknown precisely | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 31 killed and wounded | 216 killed | ||||||
Contents
Why the Trouble Started
The First Cortina War Begins
The First Cortina War started in Brownsville on July 13, 1859. It began when Juan Cortina confronted the town marshal, Robert Shears, over the unfair treatment of Cortina's former employee, Tomás Cabrera. This confrontation led to a shooting incident.
Tensions grew between Cortina and the Brownsville authorities. On September 28, Cortina and a group of about 40 to 80 men raided and took control of the town. His main opponents had already left. During this time, Cortina shared a message explaining his reasons. He said his goal was to challenge those who he felt were mistreating people of Mexican origin.
Cortina held Brownsville until September 30, 1859. He left after important people from Matamoros asked him to. After he left, the people of Brownsville formed a group of 20 men called the "Brownsville Tigers" to fight Cortina.
In November, the Brownsville Tigers found out Cortina was at his mother's home, Rancho del Carmen, near Brownsville. They attacked but were quickly forced to retreat by Cortina's followers, known as "Cortinistas."
Later that month, a group of Texas Rangers joined the Brownsville Tigers. Cortina tried to attack them but was not successful. In December, a larger, more organized group of Rangers arrived, led by Captain John "Rip" Ford.
Because of requests from Brownsville residents, the United States Army sent troops from San Antonio to Fort Brown. The fort had been empty for a few years. The new commander, Major Samuel P. Heintzelman, brought all the armed groups together to stop Cortina.
Cortina's Retreat and Defeat
Cortina moved his forces up the Rio Grande. On December 27, 1859, Heintzelman and Ford fought Cortina in the Battle of Rio Grande City. Cortina's forces suffered a major defeat, losing 60 men and all their supplies. Ford pursued and defeated Cortina again a few days later. Cortina and his men then retreated into the Burgos Mountains.
This largely ended the First Cortina War. With pressure from both the United States and Mexican governments, Cortina stayed out of the conflict for over a year. The final battles of this war were the Battle of La Bolsa on February 4, 1860, and the Battle of La Mesa on March 17. The Texas Rangers, led by Ford, successfully defended their riverboat in the first battle and pushed the Cortinistas across the river at La Mesa, Tamaulipas.
The Second Cortina War
The much shorter Second Cortina War happened in May 1861. The American Civil War had just started. Cortina sided with the Federal Government of the United States. He then entered Zapata County, Texas.
However, Cortina was defeated by Confederate Captain Santos Benavides at the Battle of Carrizo. He lost 18 men and retreated back into Mexico. After this, Cortina did not lead any more large-scale military attacks within the United States. However, he was sometimes accused of encouraging smaller attacks against wealthier Texan landowners in the area in the years that followed.
By the end of both wars, about 245 people had been killed, most of whom were Cortinistas.
Key Events Timeline
- July 13, 1859: The First Cortina War begins in Brownsville. Juan Cortina confronts the town marshal, Robert Shears, over the unfair treatment of his former ranch hand, Tomás Cabrera.
- September 28, 1859: Juan Cortina and his men raid and take control of Brownsville. He issues a message asking for respect for Mexican residents and their property.
- September 30, 1859: Cortina leaves Brownsville after being asked by important people from Matamoros. The "Brownsville Tigers" group is formed to fight him.
- November 1859: The Brownsville Tigers attack Cortina at his mother's ranch but are forced to retreat.
- December 1859: More Texas Rangers and United States Army troops arrive. Major Samuel Heintzelman takes command of all forces. Cortina retreats up the Rio Grande.
- December 27, 1859: Heintzelman and Ford defeat Cortina in the Battle of Rio Grande City.
- February 4, 1860: Captain John "Rip" Ford and his Rangers successfully defend their riverboat in the Battle of La Bolsa.
- March 17, 1860: Captain John "Rip" Ford defeats the Cortinistas at La Mesa, Tamaulipas, ending the First Cortina War.
- May 1861: The Second Cortina War takes place. Cortina enters Zapata County, Texas, but is defeated by Confederate Captain Santos Benavides in the Battle of Carrizo. Cortina retreats to Mexico.
- July 1875: Juan Cortina is arrested and taken to Mexico City, where he stays until his death in 1894.
In Popular Culture
The Mexican author Carmen Boullosa wrote a novel called Texas in 2013. This book tells a fictional story based on the First Cortina War. It was translated into English in 2014.
Gallery
-
Brownsville, Texas, around 1857
-
John "Rip" Ford as a colonel during the American Civil War.
-
Major Samuel P. Heintzelman played a key role in the defeat of Juan Cortina.
-
A copy of a photograph of Santos Benavides in the Republic of the Rio Grande Capitol Building Museum in Laredo.
See also
In Spanish: Guerras de Cortina para niños
