Franklin R. Geron
|
Fought in the Mexican War
Notes:
• Son of Simeon Geron (1792-1878) and Laurenda Royston (1800-). - Ancestry.com
• In his book, James Record shares the context of the Mexican War from a local (Madison County, Alabama) perspective. Franklin R. Geron, from Madison County was a second lieutenant under Captain H. L. clay in that conflict. This is Record's account: "OFF TO WAR AGAIN. 1846-1850
It was a crisp day in 1846 when the Huntsville Volunteers, bearing their muskets and swords in what must have been frontier garb, marched away from Huntsville again to war. Governor Joshua L. Martin, who served one term from 1845 to 1847, backed them wholeheartedly.
Admittedly it was a war more than 1,000 miles from their home fires, but to Captain B. F. Hammond, leading volunteers from the County, and Captain William Wilson, Commander of the Huntsville Volunteers, it was a war of national pride.
The cry "Remember the Alamo" had lived on since Santa Anna first routed and killed the defenders of the outpost. Colonizers in the vast territory, some of them from Alabama, wanted statehood.
To the Mexicans, the belief existed that there was a plot afoot to totally disrupt the affairs of their own country.
So determined were the Mexicans that they refused United States envoys in Mexico City offering to purchase the territory.
By now President James Polk, well known to Madison Countians since a previous visit and speech in Hazel Green, saw the danger and that war might be in the offing. When the Mexicans marched in force across the Rio Grande to try and push down what they must have considered a rebellion by the colonists, the die was cast.
War was declared on Mexico May 13, 1846, with President Polk telling Congress the Mexican aggressors had brought it upon themselves by their armed act of crossing the Rio Grande, attacking Americans on April 26.
By June, the Texas Congress had accepted annexation with the United States, ratified by a special election October 13. Texas was admitted to the Union, then on December 29, 1846.
The United States was now deeply committed to protect the Texas pioneers.
Another company of soldiers from Madison County would soon join the struggle. Officers of a Madison County company, led by Captain H. L. Clay, were eager volunteers. Trudging off to the Mexican war with Clay were H. C. Bradford, first lieutenant; N. Davis, second lieutenant; C. M. McClung, second lieutenant; William B. Dennett, first sergeant; Franklin R. Geron, second sergeant, and an undetermined number of others, including Francis M. Aday, Caswell C. Bishop, John Flipp, Rufus Halbrook, William Hughes, Cyrus R. Todd and Robert M. Rountree. During the year 1846, the Madison Guards were also incorporated.
At least one Madison Countian gave his life in the Mexican War. Records show that Lt. Josephus J. Tatum, a Madison County native and a member of a company of Mississippi Volunteers, was killed in the struggle.
The American expeditionary forces ultimately would win out with brute strength. Monterrey was captured by General Zachary Taylor on September 25, 1846. By his side was Colonel Jefferson Davis, one day to be the President of the Confederacy. Taylor later became President in 1849.
In August, Americans occupied Santa Fe and Los Angeles and other Mexican territories, to start a great campaign.
On March 29, 1847, General Winfield Scott captured Vera Cruz and then Mexico City on September 14. Captain Robert E. Lee, one day to be another important figure in the Civil War, and Franklin Pierce, one day to be the 14th President, served under Scott.
It would be July 31, 1848, however, before the last United States occupation troops would leave Mexico, some five months after the peace treaty was signed February 2, 1848.
United States casualties in the war were announced as 1,721 killed or died as a result of battle, while 11,155 died of disease and 4,102 were wounded.
By the time volunteer companies marched home victorious, the United States would have acquired 1,193,061 square miles of territory as a result of the war. Now in United States hands were California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and parts of New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming, as well as Texas. Also, in 1846, England and America had settled their dispute over the Oregon region and the United States acquired this territory. Meanwhile, Madison County's fifth governor, Reuben Chapman had been elected in 1847, serving one term until 1849.
Life, though, had gone on pretty much as usual in Alabama, although many of her native sons chose to march off to the Mexican War." - Record
Related Links:
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• Record
| Born: | c1823, Alabama |
Notes:
• Son of Simeon Geron (1792-1878) and Laurenda Royston (1800-). - Ancestry.com
• In his book, James Record shares the context of the Mexican War from a local (Madison County, Alabama) perspective. Franklin R. Geron, from Madison County was a second lieutenant under Captain H. L. clay in that conflict. This is Record's account: "OFF TO WAR AGAIN. 1846-1850
It was a crisp day in 1846 when the Huntsville Volunteers, bearing their muskets and swords in what must have been frontier garb, marched away from Huntsville again to war. Governor Joshua L. Martin, who served one term from 1845 to 1847, backed them wholeheartedly.
Admittedly it was a war more than 1,000 miles from their home fires, but to Captain B. F. Hammond, leading volunteers from the County, and Captain William Wilson, Commander of the Huntsville Volunteers, it was a war of national pride.
The cry "Remember the Alamo" had lived on since Santa Anna first routed and killed the defenders of the outpost. Colonizers in the vast territory, some of them from Alabama, wanted statehood.
To the Mexicans, the belief existed that there was a plot afoot to totally disrupt the affairs of their own country.
So determined were the Mexicans that they refused United States envoys in Mexico City offering to purchase the territory.
By now President James Polk, well known to Madison Countians since a previous visit and speech in Hazel Green, saw the danger and that war might be in the offing. When the Mexicans marched in force across the Rio Grande to try and push down what they must have considered a rebellion by the colonists, the die was cast.
War was declared on Mexico May 13, 1846, with President Polk telling Congress the Mexican aggressors had brought it upon themselves by their armed act of crossing the Rio Grande, attacking Americans on April 26.
By June, the Texas Congress had accepted annexation with the United States, ratified by a special election October 13. Texas was admitted to the Union, then on December 29, 1846.
The United States was now deeply committed to protect the Texas pioneers.
Another company of soldiers from Madison County would soon join the struggle. Officers of a Madison County company, led by Captain H. L. Clay, were eager volunteers. Trudging off to the Mexican war with Clay were H. C. Bradford, first lieutenant; N. Davis, second lieutenant; C. M. McClung, second lieutenant; William B. Dennett, first sergeant; Franklin R. Geron, second sergeant, and an undetermined number of others, including Francis M. Aday, Caswell C. Bishop, John Flipp, Rufus Halbrook, William Hughes, Cyrus R. Todd and Robert M. Rountree. During the year 1846, the Madison Guards were also incorporated.
At least one Madison Countian gave his life in the Mexican War. Records show that Lt. Josephus J. Tatum, a Madison County native and a member of a company of Mississippi Volunteers, was killed in the struggle.
The American expeditionary forces ultimately would win out with brute strength. Monterrey was captured by General Zachary Taylor on September 25, 1846. By his side was Colonel Jefferson Davis, one day to be the President of the Confederacy. Taylor later became President in 1849.
In August, Americans occupied Santa Fe and Los Angeles and other Mexican territories, to start a great campaign.
On March 29, 1847, General Winfield Scott captured Vera Cruz and then Mexico City on September 14. Captain Robert E. Lee, one day to be another important figure in the Civil War, and Franklin Pierce, one day to be the 14th President, served under Scott.
It would be July 31, 1848, however, before the last United States occupation troops would leave Mexico, some five months after the peace treaty was signed February 2, 1848.
United States casualties in the war were announced as 1,721 killed or died as a result of battle, while 11,155 died of disease and 4,102 were wounded.
By the time volunteer companies marched home victorious, the United States would have acquired 1,193,061 square miles of territory as a result of the war. Now in United States hands were California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and parts of New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming, as well as Texas. Also, in 1846, England and America had settled their dispute over the Oregon region and the United States acquired this territory. Meanwhile, Madison County's fifth governor, Reuben Chapman had been elected in 1847, serving one term until 1849.
Life, though, had gone on pretty much as usual in Alabama, although many of her native sons chose to march off to the Mexican War." - Record
Related Links:
• Ancestry.com - Page owned by mckeemr and can be viewed only with an Ancestry.com paid subscription. (Originally found at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/5656621/person/-681576165.)
• Record - A Dream Come True: The Story of Madison County and Incidentally of Alabama and the United States, Volume I, by James Record, 1970, pages 99 and 100.
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• Record