Daniel Webster and Intervention on Behalf of American Prisoners
Ken Stevens
Texas Christian University
This paper will focus on the prisoners of the Texan-Santa Fe Expedition
of 1841. In 1841, Texas sent an expedition to "liberate" Santa Fe from
Mexico. Captured by Mexican forces, the members of the expedition were
held in Mexico under dire conditions. Many claimed American citizenship
and U.S. requested assistance for their release. This paper examines the
domestic pressures placed on Secretary of State Webster to secure their
release and the impact of their captivity on U.S. foreign policy.