Eagle Pass; or Life on the Border

Jane Cazneua, writing as Cora Montgomery, came to a place called Eagle Pass on the Rio Grande in the middle of the 19th century. A native of New York, she faced tremendous hardships while starting a new life on the Mexican border. Full of self-confidence and the determination to see justice done, Jane Cazneau became the voice of the helpless peons of the border region. Originally published in 1852, this account opens a window onto life circa 1850 on the border between Texas and Mexico. The early years of Eagle Pass, Texas are vividly described and some of the characters of south Texas are given a life beyond that era in Cazneau's work. While certainly a voice of her time, Jane Cazneau's impassioned pleas for a stronger border still resonate today.