Bishop's Palace near the place of Captain Gillespie's death

Captain Robert Addison Gillespie “Died Sept. 23 of wounds received in alarming the height above the Bishop’s Palace” during the Battle of Monterrey in the Mexican War.

Record of death of Captain R. A. Gillespie

According to General Henderson, Gillespie was a Texas Ranger who “was an educated man, and a gentleman by nature; quiet in his manners, amiable in temper, just in his dealings, and strictly moral in his habits.”

Although he was highly praised, Gillespie did have a controversial run-in with some lancers one night in 1846. They punished him “outside their works” for trying to shoot one of their men, who made a remark in favor of the Regular Army. Gillespie was reportedly drunk at the time. General McDonald, his captor, apologized for the treatment but received a threatening response from Gillespie.

Gillespie's response to being imprisoned by lower ranking officers

He replied that I had “treated him dd [damned] badly and that he was not accustomed to be commanded by lieutenants and pushed and knocked about by a dd [damned] set of corporals and soldiers” or words to that affect. He also said that such treatment he could not overlook and that some one of us must fight him in the morning.

Gillespie eventually escaped his captors, or perhaps they escaped him. A few months later Gillespie was killed in the storming of the Bishop’s Hill. General Henderson also said that Gillespie, “was the foremost man and the first victim upon the ramparts of the foe. He was buried where he fell—upon the loftiest summit—and the mountain that encloses his remains will stand an eternal monument of his glory—it will be known in history, and long frequented by his grateful countrymen as the grave of Gillespie.”

When Gillespie was shot in the stomach, he gave his sword to Lieutenant G.H. Nelson and said, “Lead the company. I am gone, but Monterrey is ours!” He then asked his fellow soldiers to prop him up against a rock, so he could still make some mischief with his revolver.

Although the grave initially rested in Mexico, Gillespie was moved to San Antonio, Texas. He was soon immortalized for his service when Gillespie County was named after him in 1848.

Rediscover more people and stories from the Mexican War Service records.

Captain Gillespie Immortalized