Manuel Hinojosa Mexican War Collection
The collection consists of artifacts discovered by Manuel Hinojosa in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Northern Mexico pertaining to the Mexican-American War.
Originally sponsored by Texas State Library, Train to Share, UTB/TSC, and Manuel Hinojosa.-
Fort Brown button and ring
Fort Brown button and ring. Rusted button and ring, discoloration is seen on both items.
-
French Army Breast Belt Emblem “Animas Lion Head”
A sculptured lion’s head that has a pinched nose with a drilled hole. A large loop is attached to the nose. Two fasteners on the reverse side. A similar plate was reported found at Sierra Gordo, Veracruz, Mexico.
Breast Belt Emblem “Animas Lion’s Head” Ca. 1830’s-1840’s Plate # Dug at the ruins of Estancia Vaqueria de las Animas, San Luis Potosi, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas Cast brass, whole, two-piece.
-
French Army Breast Belt Emblem “Jarral Lion head”
Sculptured lion’s head with two fasteners on the reverse side.
Breast Belt Emblem. “Jarral Lion’s head” Ca. 1830’s-1840’s Plate # Dug at the ruins of the hacienda at Jarral, Coahuila, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas Cast brass, whole.
-
French Army breast belt emblem “Salado Lion Head”
A round disc plate featuring a Lion’s head, bordered with two concentric circles. A hole was drilled at the nose in order to fasten a chain that would connect to a cavalry shield set below on the breast belt. The reverse side is flat, except for ovoid in the center.
French Army breast belt emblem “Salado Lion’s Head” Ca. 1830’s-1840’s Plate # Disc dia. 43mm Dug at the ruins of the Rancho de Salado, San Luis Potosi, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas Cast and filed brass; whole.
-
French Army Breast Waist Belt Plate “San Jacinto Lion Head”
A round disc with a Lion’s head. The reverse side is flat, except for an ovoid at the center of the disc. The belt loop is to the right with an applied s-link connector on the left. Traditional Hussar waist belt plate; a style used by officers and elite troops of Napoleon and adopted by English.
French Army Breast Waist Belt Plate “San Jacinto Lions Head” Ca. 1830’s-1840’s Plate # Belt: 48mm/disc ht 45mm Collection: San Jacinto Museum of Historical Association San Jacinto, Texas Cast brass, whole.
File 1: Front of the buckle.
File 2: Front of the buckle, zoomed out.
-
French Army Napoleonic French officer belt buckle lion emblem "Mesilla's Lion head"
Napoleonic French Officer Belt Buckle Lion head has a pinched nose with a hole for a chain that would connect to a cavalry shield set below on the breast belt. Reverse side has two fasteners for leather belt. Another example was reported found at a Palo Alto, Texas
Breast Belt Emblem. “Mesillas Lion’s head” Ca. 1820-1840 Plate # 32mm ht. x 30mm w. 15.8g wt. . 1-1/4in.ht. x 1-3/16in.w. .56oz.wt. Dug at the ruins of Paso de Mesillas, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas Cast brass, filed whole. Lion’s head has a pinched nose with a hole for a chain that would connect to a cavalry shield set below on the breast belt. Reverse side has two fasteners for leather belt. Another example was reported found at a Palo Alto, Texas
-
French Army Napoleonic French officer belt buckle lion emblem "Salado lion head"
A small sculptured plate featuring a Lion’s head with protruding ears . The reverse side is flat except for an ovoid at the center of disk with two fasteners.
French Army Napoleonic French Officer Belt Buckle Lion “Salado little Lion’s Head Buckle” Ca. 1830’s-1840’s Plate # . m ht.x mm w. .g 1-in.disc dia. 1-3/4in. ht.x 2-10/16in. w. 1.2oz. Dug at the ruins of the Rancho de Salado, San Luis Potosi, Mexico Collection: Rod Bates Port Isabel, Texas Cast and filed brass, whole.
-
French Army Napoleonic French officer belt sword buckle lion breast belt Emblem “Jarral lion head”
Napoleonic French Officer Belt Sword Buckle Lion Breast Belt Emblem Sculptured lion’s head with two fasteners on the reverse side. Breast Belt Emblem. “Jarral Lion’s head” Ca. 1830’s-1840’s Plate # Dug at the ruins of the hacienda at Jarral, Coahuila, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas Cast brass, whole.
-
French Army Waist Belt Plate “Jarral Lion’s Head Buckle”
A round disc with a raised lion’s head. The reverse side is flat with an ovoid in the center of the disc. The belt loop is applied to the back of the disc; a snake hooked to the applied snake-link connector is located on the right side of the plate.
Waist Belt Plate “Jarral Lion’s Head Buckle” Ca. 1820’s-1840’s Plate # Disc dia.: 38mm. Total length: 76mm. Dug at the ruins of the Hacienda de Jarral, Coahuila, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas Cast and filed brass, whole.
-
French Army Waist Belt Plate “Lion’s Head Buckle”
A sculptured head of a lion with a belt loop on the left and applied s-link connector on the right. Waist Belt Plate “Lion’s Head Buckle” Ca. 1830’s-1840’s Plate # Lion’s head - Ht. 34mm Belt loop- 47mm Dug in the vicinity of Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas Cast and filed brass, whole.
-
French Army waist belt plate “Salado Lion head buckle”
A round disc plate featuring a raised lion’s head with two raised concentric lines as borders. The reverse side is flat except for an ovoid at the center of the disc. The belt loop is to the right with the applied s-link connector on the left.
Waist Belt Plate “Salado Lion’s Head Buckle” Ca. 1830’s-1840’s Plate # 43m disc.dia. 45m ht.x 67mm w. 33.8g 1-11/16in.disc dia. 1-3/4in. ht.x 2-10/16in. w. 1.2oz. Dug at the ruins of the Rancho de Salado, San Luis Potosi, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas Cast and filed brass, whole.
File 1: Back of the buckle. Erosion can be seen on the buckle.
File 2: Front of the buckle. The Lion's face slightly eroded.
-
French Army Waist Belt Plate “Sierra Vieja Lion Buckle”
A round disc plate featuring a Lion’s head with a twisted belt loop at the right side that would have had a match that connected with a snake link device. Its applied s-link connector is no longer present on the left.
Waist Belt Plate “Sierra Vieja Lion’s Buckle” Ca. 1810’s-1840’s Plate # 37mm.disc dia .53mm w. 21.4g... 1-7/16in. disc dia. 2-1/8in w. 755oz. Dug at the ruins of the Hacienda de Sierra Vieja, Zacatecas, Mexico. Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas
File 1: Back of the Waist Belt Plate.
File 2: Front of the Waist Belt Plate.
-
Knife
Eroded pocket knife.
File 1: Eroded pocket knife.
File 2: Eroded pocket knife, penny for size.
-
Lion ring
A round disc plate featuring a Lion’s head with a twisted belt loop at the right side that would have had a match that connected with a snake link device. Its applied s-link connector is no longer present on the left.
Lion ring, Ca. 1810-1850 Plate # mm.disc dia .mm w. g. . in. disc dia. in w. oz. Dug at Mexico. Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas
-
Mexican Amy General Jose de Urrea
Manuel Hinojosa
Watercolor drawing. Mexican Army General Jose de Urrea.
-
Mexican Army Aldama Permanente drawing
Watercolor Drawing. Representing the Mexican Army Aldama Permanente. Blue and Red uniform. Gold number two on the collar. Shako with an Eagle placed on the front. a red pom-pom on top.
-
Mexican Army button
Mexican button found in Burrita, Tamaulipas, less than twenty miles from Matamoros.
-
Mexican Army buttons
15 Mexican Army uniform buttons found at Palo Alto Battlefield.
File 1: 15 eroded buttons,
File 2: 15 eroded buttons, penny for size.
-
Mexican Army Caballeros Cazadores drawing
Manuel Hinojosa
Watercolor drawing. Mexican Army Caballeros Cazadores.
-
Mexican Army collar emblem
Mexican Army Infantry horn emblem; the reverse side is flat. This probably was sewn on the collar to identify a rifleman company for a Regular Infantry Regiment.
“Collar emblem” “Compania de Cazadores. Infanteria de Linia” ca. 1839-1848 Plate # Dug at Palo Alto, Texas Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas
File 1: Eroded emblem, mouthpiece facing the left.
File 2: Eroded emblem, mouthpiece facing the right.
-
Mexican Army Company's Emblem "Caney Horn"
Infantry horn emblem with the mouthpiece to left; two fastening prongs with holes on reverse side; this object identifies a rifleman company of a regular infantry battalion. Company’s emblem “Compania de Cazadores, Baón de Infanteria Permanente” ”Caney Horn” ca. 1835-1836 Plate Dug at crossing on Caney Creek, Texas Collection
File 1: Discolored Emblem, the mouthpiece facing the right. A slight green hue
File 2: Discolored Emblem, the mouthpiece facing the left. Orange rust can be seen around the pin.
-
Mexican Army eagle buttons
Mexican eagle button Hacienda del Cojo Tamaulipas, Mexico. Five buttons in total, four large ones, and one smaller button.
-
Mexican Army Eight Regular Squadron drawing
Manuel Hinojosa
Watercolor drawing. Mexican Army Eight Regular Squadron. Seven men on horseback charging into battle.
-
Mexican Army Eleventh Infantry Regiment drummer drawing
Manuel Hinojosa
Watercolor drawing. Mexican Army's 11th Infantry drummer from the Mexican American War.
-
Mexican Army elongated flat-sided shield
An elongated flat-sided shield; an open cut European block style “4.L .” on the face of the plate, with a hole below the object identifying the Fourth Light Infantry Battalion.
Found at the ruins at the Hacienda de Encarnacion de Guzman, Coahuila, Mexico Collection
File 1: Backside of the shield
File 2: Front of the shield. An eagle with a snake in its beak in the middle of the shield cacti below the eagle.
-
Mexican Army Fifth Regular Cavalry on horse drawing
Manuel Hinojosa
Watercolor drawing. Mexican Army Fifth Regulary Cavalry on horse.
-
Mexican Army First and Third Light Infantry drawing
Manuel Hinojosa
Drawing representing the Mexican Army 1st and 3rd Light Infantry. Uniforms can be seen, each showing a different division.
-
Mexican Army First Infantry Regiment soldier drawing
Manuel Hinojosa
Watercolor drawing. Mexican Army soldier belonging to the 1st Infantry regiment.
-
Mexican Army First Light Regiment Emblem
A hunting horn emblem with its mouthpiece to the left. The European Style number “1” and Letter “L” are displayed inside the loop. This author believes that this field a cast was sown onto a forage cap that would identify the First Light Infantry Regiment.
Mexican Army Regiment Emblem “1-er Primer Regimiento de Infanteria Legéra Permanente” Forage Cap Insignia Ca. 1839-1848 Plate # 45mm w. x 32mm ht. . 885oz. 25.2 grams Dug at Angostura, Coahuila, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas. File 1: Back of the emblem File 2: Front of the emblem
-
Mexican Army First Light Regiment Emblem "1-er Primer Regimento de Infanteria Legéra Permanente” Cartridge Box Belt Plate
An elongated flat sided oval with one pair of fastened prongs with holes on reverse side. An open cut European style “IL”is displayed on the face with a hole on top and bottom of each letter. The top hole represents the European circular symbol number suffix “th” or in the Spanish case “o”. The author believes that this object identifies the First Light Infantry Regiment.
Regiment Emblem “1-er Primer Regimento de Infanteria Legéra Permanente” Cartridge Box Belt Plate Ca. 1839-1848 Plate# 53mm x 69mm Dug at the ruins at Rancho San Juan de Los Perros, Coahuila, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas
-
Mexican Army First Light Regiment Emblem “1-er Primer Regimiento de Infanteria Legéra Permanente” Forage Cap Insignia
A hunting horn emblem with its mouthpiece on the left. The European Style number “1” and Letter “L” are displayed against a cutout field within its loop. Two fastening prongs with holes are present on the reverse side. The author believes that this object was fastened to a forage cap identifying the First Light Infantry Regiment.
Regiment Emblem “1-er Primer Regimiento de Infanteria Legéra Permanente” Forage Cap Insignia Ca. 1839-1848 Plate # Dug at ruins at Estancia Vaqueria de las Animas San Luis Potosi, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas
-
Mexican Army First Mexico Light Mounted soldier drawing
Manuel Hinojosa
Watercolor drawing. Mexican Army 1st Mexican Light mounted on a horse.
-
Mexican Army Fourth Infantry official
Manuel Hinojosa
Watercolor drawing. Mexican Army Fourth Infantry official.
-
Mexican Army Fourth Light Battalion Emblem
A hunting horn emblem, with the block number and letter “4L” displayed inside the horn loop; two fastening prongs with holes are attached to the reverse side The author believes that this object identifies the Fourth Light Battalion and was fastened to a cartridge box flap, Hefter et. al. (1958: Plate ViIIe illustrates such an emblem). Others have been reported found in Buena Vista and Cerro Gordo, Mexico.
Battalion Emblem “4-o Cuarto Baón de Infanteria Legéra Permanente” Cartridge Box Plate Ca. 1839-1848 Plate # 2.5 in. x 1.5 in. 73 mm x 40 mm Dug at the ruins at Rancho de San Juan de los Perros, Coahuila, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas
-
Mexican Army Fourth Light Battalion Emblem
An elongated flat-sided shield with a raised bold European block style “4L” separated by dots. A drilled hole exists below and between letters. The author believes that this object identifies the Fourth Light Infantry Battalion and was fastened to a shako.
Battalion Emblem “4-o Cuatro Baón Infanteria Legéra Permanente Shako Plate Ca. 1839-1848 Plate # mm ht. x mm w. Found at the ruins at the Hacienda de Encarnacion de Guzman, Coahuila, Mexico Collection: Robert Shelton
-
Mexican Army Fourth Light Battalion emblem cartridge box belt plate
An elongated slightly domed oval plate; one pair of prongs with holes on reverse side; an open cut European style “4L” on the face of plate, with a hole below. The author believes that this object identifies the Fourth Light Infantry Battalion. Others have been found at San Juan de los Perros, Coahuila, Mexico and Santa Elena, Coahuila, Mexico.
Battalion Emblem “4-o Cuarto Baón Infanteria Legéra Permanente Cartridge Box Belt Plate Ca. 1839-1848 Plate # 63mm x 75mm Found at the ruins at the Hacienda de Encarnacion de Guzman, Coahuila, Mexico Collection: Port Isabel Historical Museum Port Isabel, Texas Cast and filed brass; whole
-
Mexican Army Fourth Light Infantry
Manuel Hinojosa
Watercolor Drawing. Mexican Army 4th Light Infantry soldier.
