The Free Lances: A Romance of the Mexican Valley: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Free Lances: A Romance of the Mexican Valley: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

The Free Lances: A Romance of the Mexican Valley is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Reid, Mayne (1818–1883).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Free Lances: A Romance of the Mexican Valley" by Mayne Reid is a historical novel written in the mid-19th century. The story follows Florence Kearney, a young Irishman, who is drawn into the tumultuous events leading up to the Texas Revolution after encountering a recruiting poster calling for volunteers to fight against Santa Anna's forces. As he navigates through personal motives and political obligations, Kearney becomes embroiled in a narrative of adventure, camaraderie, and conflict, as he aims to establish his own identity amidst the chaos. The opening of the book introduces Kearney as he walks the levee of New Orleans, contemplating his decision to join the fight for Texas. He is approached by Cris Rock, a towering Texan, who encourages him to run for captain of their volunteer band. As they talk, the reader learns of Kearney’s background, his military education, and his personal motivations, particularly rooted in a romantic subplot involving Luisa Valverde, the daughter of a Mexican exile. The initial chapters establish a foundation of camaraderie and conflict, setting the stage for Kearney’s ascent as a leader among the diverse group of fighters, while foreshadowing the challenges and moral dilemmas he will face in his military endeavors.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Free Lances: A Romance of the Mexican Valley
- Author credits: Reid, Mayne (1818–1883)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Mexico -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Adventure
- Category: Historical Novels
- Category: Romance
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


