DECREE FORMING THE SAINT PATRICK COMPANIES

[Mexican American War] Antonio Lopez de Santa-Anna. El Exmo. Sr. presidente interino se ha servido dirigirme el decreto que sigue. Antonio Lopez de Santa-Anna, general de division ... y presidente interino de la República Mexicana, á los habitantes ade ella, sabed: que en uso de las facultades extraordinarias de que me hallo investido para llevar adelante la guerra con los Estados-Unidos del Norte, he tenido á bien decretar lo que sigue. Art. 1.̊ Se formaran dos compañías de infanteria de milicia activa con los individuos de la denominada "Legion extranjera" ... Mexico: [No printing information] 1847. One sheet folded into 4 leaves, 15.5 x 21.2 cm. Printed only on the first leaf. Title from beginning of text. At head of title: Ministerio de Guerra y Marina. Seccion 5a. Dated at end: México, Julio 1.̊ de 1847. Signed in type: Alcorta. Handwritten note on first page and continued on the verso of the first leaf, about publishing the decree, by the Governor of Durango per Francisco Gómez Palacio y Bravo, who was then serving as Secretary of the Interior for the Governor, dated 31 July 1847, to circulate the decree to whoever needs to see it. In a custom case by Octavaye.

OCLC shows one holding (UC-Berkeley). Rare Book Hub shows no copies at auction or in catalog listings in its database. Dublan y Lozano, Legislación Mexicana, 1845 a 1880; no. 2996. By the 1840s a significant proportion of the enlisted men in the United States Army were Catholic immigrants from Ireland and Germany. The Mexican government, aware of prejudice against immigrants to the United States, started a campaign after the Mexican War broke out to win the foreigners and Catholics to its cause. The Mexicans urged them to throw off the burden of fighting for the "Protestant tyrants" and join the Mexicans. Mexican propaganda insinuated that the United States intended to destroy Catholicism in Mexico. Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna organized American deserters with other foreigners in Mexico to form the San Patricio Battalion, or St. Patrick's Company. "By July 1, 1847, Santa Anna gathered enough deserters and foreigners to organize two San Patricio battalions of 100 men each." – Handbook of Texas. This is the decree forming "primera y secunda Compaňias de Infanteria Activa de San Patricio," as a "Legion Extranjera," or Foreign Legion. A rare document leading to American deserters actively fighting against American troops on foreign soil. A number of them were captured by the Americans and court martialed, with many being hung, which led to riots by the local populace. For Mexicans the San Patricios were heroes who came to their aid in an hour of need. Successive Mexican presidents have praised the San Patricios; Vicente Fox Quesada stated that "The affinities between Ireland and Mexico go back to the first years of our nation, when our country fought to preserve its national sovereignty ... Then, a brave group of Irish soldiers ... in a heroic gesture, decided to fight against the foreign ground invasion," and Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo stated "Members of the St. Patrick's Battalion were executed for following their consciences. They were martyred for adhering to the highest ideals ... we honor their memory. In the name of the people of Mexico, I salute today the people of Ireland and express my eternal gratitude." A rare and important document.