Republic of the Rio Grande

The Republic of the Río Grande existed briefly in North America between the Republic of Texas and México, from January 17 to November 6, 1840.

Background

After two decades of strife, México won its independence from the Kingdom of Spain in 1821. After a failed attempt at a monarchy, México adopted a new constitution, the 1824 Constitution. This new constitution established Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, or “the United Mexican States,” as a federal republic, which is similar to the federal republic of the United States.

In 1833, General Antonio López de Santa Anna was elected to his first term as president and was, at the time of his election, in support of the federal republic. However, after some members of government were angering Santa Anna’s political allies by trying to rid México of corruption, Santa Anna decided that a centralized government was easier to control. President López de Santa Anna suspended the constitution and disbanded Congress. These actions made himself the center of power in México and made the nation a dictatorship. The Republic of the Río Grande announced secession from México in order to preserve the individual states’ rights that the federal republic provided.

The Republic of Texas and the Republic of Yucatán also seceded for the same reasons.

Declaration of independence

On January 17, 1840, a constitutional convention was held at the Oreveña Ranch near Laredo. Here it was decided that the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas would withdraw themselves from México and would form their own federal republic with Laredo as the capital.

Government officials were elected at the constitutional convention. They were:

Jesús de Cárdenas, president
Antonio Canales Rosillo, commander-in-chief of the army
Juan Nepomuceno Molano, council representative for Tamaulipas
Francisco Vidaurri y Villaseñor, council representative for Coahuila
Manuel María de Llano, council representative for Nuevo León
José María Jesús Carbajal, council secretary.

The Republic of the Rio Grande claimed the above areas, which are the previous boundaries for the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. While the Republic of Texas claimed that its southern border was the Río Grande (which reflects the modern-day border), people living immediately north of the Río Grande still thought of themselves as Mexicans. In the minds of those at the Constitutional Convention near Laredo, the northern border of Tamaulipas was with the Nueces River and the northern border of Coahuila was with the upper Medina River. This area of land south to the Río Grande was already in dispute of ownership between the Republic of Texas and México. And as of January 1840, the Republic of the Río Grande was laying a third claim to the area.

After the constitutional convention, the government temporarily moved to Guerrero, Tamaulipas, for security reasons. After the Battle of Morales in March of 1840, the government moved to Victoria in the Republic of Texas, where it remained until the Republic of the Río Grande collapsed later that year.

The War for Independence

The respective armies of the Republic of the Río Grande General Antonio Canales Rosillo and Mexican General Mariano Arista met at Morales, Coahuila, on March 24 and 25, 1840. The Centralist (Mexican) forces defeated the Federal forces. Included in this defeat was the trial and execution of 23 members of the Republic’s cavalry, including Colonel Antonio Zapata, the commander of the cavalry, on March 29. General Canales and the members of the Republic of the Río Grande’s army that survived the Battle of Morales sought refuge in San Antonio, Republic of Texas.

The reasons that the Mexican state of Texas sought independence from México were the same basic reasons that the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas were seeking independence. General Canales took advantage of being in a land of like-minded people by traveling throughout Texas to build awareness of the newly-formed republic for which he now fought. He also toured Texas to ask Texans to volunteer to fight for the Republic of the Río Grande.

General Canales was in Austin the second half of April 1840, where he met with President Mirabeau B. Lamar. It is said that President Lamar privately supported the new republic’s actions, but felt that public endorsement would hamper Texas’ efforts to secure recognition of its own independence from México. General Canales left Austin for Houston on May 2 to continue to build awareness and seek volunteers.

While official recognition from the Republic of Texas was not obtained, General Canales’ tour was met with some success. On June 1, he arrived in San Patricio, where the Republic of the Río Grande’s army had been reorganizing. In addition to 300 citizens of the Republic of the Río Grande, the army had grown to include 140 Texan and 80 Native American volunteers. The Texan volunteers were led by Colonel Samuel W. Jordan.

General Canales sent Colonel Jordan and approximately 90 Texan volunteers south into disputed territory in late June; they crossed the Río Grande, and took Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas, without any resistance. A few of those who were guiding Colonel Jordan were still loyal to the Centralist government of México and were trying to lead the Texans towards San Luis Potosí, where a Mexican ambush awaited. Colonel Jordan suspected such and diverted his troops to Saltillo, Coahuila, where, on October 25, he was attacked by Mexican General Rafael Vásquez. Despite the fact that part of his troops deserted, Colonel Jordan was still able to defend himself and return to Texas.

A failed Republic

In November, representatives of Generals Canales and Arista met to discuss the war. During this meeting, the Mexican government offered General Canales the position of brigadier general in the Mexican army in exchange for his abandoning the cause of the Republic of the Río Grande. General Canales accepted the offer on November 6. Upon this event, the Republic of the Río Grande failed.

Flag of the Republic

The flag of the Republic of the Río Grande has a red hoist with three white stars run evenly along the hoist. The three stars represent the three states that seceded: Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. The fly is split into a white upper fly and a black lower fly. It was purposefully designed similar to the Lone Star Flag as the Republic of the Río Grande was fighting for the same ideals as the Republic of Texas was.

As of recent, there has been some debate as to the original colors of the flag, especially the color of the stripe on the lower fly. It has always been assumed that the lower stripe is black. However, one source says that the original color of the lower stripe may have been green, but because of time and poor storage conditions has faded to black.

Since the people behind the secession of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas were of Mexican heritage, one might assume that they would rearrange the colors of the Mexican flag and add stars to match the pattern already established by the Republic of Texas.

The Republic today

While the Republic of the Río Grande lasted for 283 days, the spirit of freedom from oppression is still remembered today, especially in the area where the Republic existed.

Zapata County, Texas, as well as the city of Zapata are named in honor of Republic of the Río Grande cavalry commander, Colonel Antonio Zapata.
The Republic of the Rio Grande Museum is located in Laredo, Texas.
The Republic of the Rio Grande Tavern and Grill is located in McAllen, Texas.
In addition to the six flags, the Laredo (Texas) Morning Times newspaper adds a seventh flag to its banner: the flag for the Republic of the Río Grande.

References

1840 in Mexico | Former countries in North America | History of Texas | Independent Mexico | Short-lived states

República del Río Grande | Republiek van de Rio Grande

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