"That spirit of chivalry" : Tennessee and Indiana volunteers in the Mexican War

The purpose of this study was to investigate the motivations that inspired Tennessee and Indiana volunteers in the Mexican War of 1846-1848. Letters, diaries and journals, memoirs, and contemporary newspapers were examined to determine the reasons that drove men to volunteer and motivated them throughout their tours of duty in Mexico. Archives in Indianapolis, Indiana; Nashville, Tennessee; and Knoxville, Tennessee were searched to discover as many sources as possible in order to give a broad foundation to the conclusions. Findings revealed two primary groups of motivations: personal and corporate (or collective). Personal reasons involved volunteers' respect for martial courage, their desire to exhibit it in battle, and a concern for personal reputation and honor. Corporate (or collective) reasons involved issues of state and national reputation. In regards to national reputation and honor, some volunteers signed up for the war out of a sense of patriotism (often expressed in partisan terms), while others expressed a yearning for vengeance. A survey of the historiography surrounding the issue of motivation in the Mexican War is provided as well as recommendations for further research.