When the Mexican Army Burned Stillman’s Hide Yard — Matamoros, 1855
Protest of Property Destruction in Matamoros (incident recorded at the U.S. Consulate, 1858)
In August 1855, a group of American merchants operating in Matamoros—including Charles Stillman, Humphrey E. Woodhouse, and Francis J. North—lost an important part of their business when Mexican troops destroyed their hide-processing yard.
According to a sworn statement made at the U.S. Consulate in Matamoros, the merchants had built curing facilities in the outskirts of the city where they processed cattle hides and wool for export. Their operation included buildings, fences, and large vats used to preserve hides before shipment to foreign markets.
The statement claims that General Adrián Woll, commanding Mexican forces in the city, ordered the fences torn down and the buildings burned so the land could be used to construct a military fortification.
The merchants reported that the destroyed facilities were worth about $2,000, and that the interruption of business caused an additional $5,000 in damages. At the time the yard was destroyed, the operation reportedly generated about $40 per day, a substantial income for a frontier enterprise.
No compensation was offered, and the merchants filed a formal diplomatic protest through the U.S. Consulate, preserving the claim in official records.
The incident illustrates the uncertain environment in which early Rio Grande merchants operated. During the turbulent 1850s—when revolutions, troop movements, and border conflicts were common—commercial ventures could be interrupted overnight by military necessity.
Yet despite these risks, entrepreneurs like Stillman continued to invest heavily in the cross-border trade that made Matamoros and Brownsville two of the busiest commercial gateways on the Gulf frontier.
Excellent document — this one is very revealing about the frontier economy and the instability of the border in the 1850s. I will follow the format we have been using for the Stillman Papers project.
Protest of Property Destruction in Matamoros (1855 incident recorded 1858)
1️⃣ Archival Transcription (cleaned but faithful)
Copy
Consulate of the U.S.A.
Matamoros, Mexico
By this public instrument of declaration and protest be it made known and manifest unto all whom it doth or may concern that on the seventeenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, voluntarily personally came and appeared before me Thomas J. Dirgan, Vice Consul of the United States of America for the port of Matamoros and its dependencies, Joseph Francis, a citizen of the United States, who being duly and solemnly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, did declare and say:
That he deponent, on the thirteenth of this present month of August and for many years previous thereto, was and had been a resident of the city of Matamoros in the Republic of Mexico, and in company with C. Stillman, H. E. Woodhouse and F. J. North, also American citizens, was and had been extensively engaged in the business of buying hides and wool.
That several years ago they bought lots or parcels of land and constructed thereupon good and suitable buildings, fences and vats in the suburbs of said city, with the consent of the authorities thereof, that they might be enabled to prosecute their business aforesaid, which they had done successfully and profitably up to the thirteenth instant.
General Adrian Woll, in command of the Mexican troops in said city, caused the fences of deponent and copartners to be torn down and thereafter set fire to and destroyed their aforesaid buildings, as also the vats and other improvements used by them in curing and preserving hides, and who is now constructing upon the land of the parties aforesaid a fort for government purposes.
That neither the said Woll nor any one else at the time of the destruction of their property aforesaid or at any other time offered to indemnify them for the losses sustained by virtue of the foregoing premises.
That the buildings, vats and other improvements were at the time they were destroyed worth two thousand dollars.
That quite the thirteenth instant and for a long time previous thereto their aforesaid business was worth to them forty dollars per day, but is lost to them as they have no suitable buildings, vats, etc. with which to carry on the same.
Wherefore the said Joseph Francis for himself and partners Charles Stillman, Humphrey E. Woodhouse and Francis J. North did protest, and I the said Vice Consul at the special request and instance of the said Joseph Francis acting for himself and copartners do publicly and solemnly protest against the said Gen. Adrian Woll and against the government of Mexico and against all others whom it doth or may concern for two thousand dollars the value of the buildings, enclosures and vats destroyed as aforesaid, and for five thousand dollars damages sustained in their business, and for all other losses, costs, damages and expenses already sustained or which may hereafter accrue by reason of the foregoing premises.
All of which things were declared, matters alleged, signed and sworn to before me the said Vice Consul of the city of Matamoros on the day and year aforesaid.
Signed:
Joseph Francis
Thomas J. Dirgan
Vice Consul of the United States of America
Consulate of the U.S.A.
Matamoros, Mexico
I certify that the preceding document is a true and faithful copy of the original protest as recorded in my office in Register F, folio 26–27–28.
In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name and affix the seal of this office at Matamoros this 28th day of January, 1858.
P. Suyeneau
U.S. Consul
2️⃣ Simple Analysis
This document is a formal diplomatic protest filed by American merchants operating in Matamoros after Mexican military forces destroyed their property.
The statement was originally sworn August 17, 1855, but the certified copy preserved here was issued by the U.S. Consulate January 28, 1858.
The merchants involved were:
Charles Stillman
Humphrey E. Woodhouse
Francis J. North
Joseph Francis (who made the sworn statement)
All were American businessmen operating in Matamoros.
What their business was
Their enterprise dealt in:
Hides and wool
This was one of the most important export trades of the Rio Grande frontier in the 1850s.
The process required:
large yards
fences
curing vats
drying racks
storage buildings
These facilities were located outside the city of Matamoros, where land was cheaper and odors from curing hides were less problematic.
What happened
According to the sworn testimony:
Mexican General Adrián Woll, commanding troops in Matamoros, ordered:
• the fences torn down
• buildings burned
• vats destroyed
The reason was military construction.
The army began building a fortification on the same land.
No compensation was offered.
Financial loss claimed
The merchants claimed:
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Buildings, vats, improvements destroyed | $2,000 |
| Business damages | $5,000 |
Total claim: $7,000
To understand the scale:
$2,000 in 1855 ≈ about $75,000–$80,000 today
$7,000 ≈ roughly $250,000–$300,000 today
But the larger loss was business interruption.
The document states the operation earned:
$40 per day
That equals roughly:
$1,200 per month
A very profitable frontier enterprise.
What this reveals about Stillman
This letter confirms something extremely important:
By the mid-1850s Stillman and partners were already running industrial-scale hide operations.
Their facilities included:
specialized vats
dedicated curing yards
purpose-built structures
This was not a small trader's operation.
It was a regional export industry tied to international markets.
Why the protest was filed
American merchants in Mexico often used the U.S. Consulate to document damages.
These records served several purposes:
Diplomatic pressure
Future legal claims
Evidence for indemnity commissions between the U.S. and Mexico
Many such claims were later submitted to international arbitration panels.
Why General Woll might have done this
General Adrián Woll was a well-known Mexican military officer.
The border region in the 1850s was unstable:
raids
smuggling
political revolutions
fear of American filibusters
The army often seized strategic land for defense.
Civilian property was sometimes destroyed without compensation.
Why this document matters historically
This single document reveals several key realities of the Rio Grande frontier:
1. American merchants operated businesses inside Mexico
Stillman’s network worked on both sides of the river.
2. The hide trade was extremely profitable
The Rio Grande frontier exported enormous quantities of:
cattle hides
wool
tallow
3. Military instability threatened commerce
War, revolutions, and troop movements frequently interrupted business.
4. U.S. diplomatic institutions protected merchants
The Matamoros U.S. Consulate acted almost like a commercial court.
Historical Context
This event occurred during a turbulent period in Mexican history.
Mexico in 1855 was entering the era of the Reform Wars, a period of political upheaval between liberals and conservatives.
Northern frontier regions like Matamoros were particularly unstable.
Merchants such as Stillman had to operate in an environment where:
military commanders could seize property
revolutions could disrupt trade overnight
governments changed rapidly
Yet despite these risks, profits from frontier trade were large enough to justify the danger.
Why this is an excellent Stillman Papers document
It shows three key things about Charles Stillman:
• he operated internationally
• he invested heavily in infrastructure
• he faced political and military risk constantly
This helps explain why Stillman eventually shifted more operations to the Texas side of the river in Brownsville.
✅ If you like, this document also allows us to write a fascinating short article:
“When the Mexican Army Burned Stillman’s Hide Yard — Matamoros, 1855.”
It would make a terrific installment for Where the River Meets the Ledger.
We can also explore something even more interesting hidden in this document:
the hide-curing industry of the Rio Grande frontier
(which most people today have never heard about).
Why this document matters
This short consular protest reveals several important facts about the early Stillman business network:
• Stillman and his partners operated industrial-scale hide processing yards.
• Their business extended into Mexico as well as Texas.
• Political instability frequently disrupted commerce on the Rio Grande frontier.
Documents like this help us understand how frontier merchants navigated risk, diplomacy, and opportunity in the rapidly developing border economy.
Source
U.S. Consulate, Matamoros, Mexico
Certified copy issued January 28, 1858
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