The Battle for Mexico City refers to the series of engagements from September 8 to September 15, 1847, in the general vicinity of Mexico City during the Mexican–American War. Included are major actions at the battles of Molino del Rey and Chapultepec, culminating with the fall of Mexico City. The U.S. Army under Winfield Scott won a major victory that ended the war.
The major objective of American operations in central Mexico had been the capture of Mexico City. After capturing the port of Veracruz in March, GeneralWinfield Scott was able to secure a base and move inland and defeat a large Mexican force at the Battle of Cerro Gordo. After routing the Mexicans at the Battle of Churubusco, Scott's army was less than eight kilometers (five miles) away from its objective of Mexico City.
On September 8, the fight for Mexico City began. General Scott believed that a cannon foundry was located at the Molino del Rey, known as the King's Mill, located just over three kilometers (two miles) outside the city. Scott sent the 1st Division under William J. Worth to seize and destroy the foundry. Worth wished to include Chapultepec Castle in his attack, and when Scott refused, a bitter rivalry began between Scott and Worth. In the ensuing battle, both sides suffered heavy casualties, and Worth drove the Mexicans from the mill, separating them from the forces at Chapultepec. The battle produced no significant military gains for the U.S.
Molino del Rey is on the left. "O" depicts a Mexican battery, "P" an American battery, and "R" is Steptoe's battery.[2]
The main assault on the city came a few days later on September 12. Mexico City was guarded in part by Chapultepec Castle, which was being used as a military academy. Scott preceded an infantry assault with an all day artillery barrage on September 12. The next day, September 13, the 4th Division, under John A. Quitman, spearheaded the attack against Chapultepec and carried the castle. Future Confederate generals George E. Pickett and James Longstreet participated in the attack. Serving in the Mexican defense were the cadets later immortalized as Los Niños Héroes (the "Boy Heroes"). The Mexican forces fell back from Chapultepec and retreated within the city.
Attacks on the Belén and San Cosme GatesEdit
Quitman's Division made its way down the Belén Causeway towards the Belén Gate, defended by General Terres & Colonel Garay with the 2d Mexico Activos (200 men) and 3 guns (1-12 lbs. & 2-8 lbs.), while Worth's Division further to the north made its way up La Verónica Causeway towards the San Cosme Gate, defended by General Rangel's Infantry Brigade (Granaderos Battalion (Adj. A. Manero), 1st Light (Comdte. L. Marquez), part 3d Light (Lt.Col. M.M. Echeagaray) and parts of Matamoros, Morelia and Santa Ana Battalions (Col. J.V. Gonzalez) with 3 guns (1-12 lb, 1-8 lb. and 1 howitzer 24 lbs). Quitman was merely supposed to make a feint towards the city, but he pushed forward his whole division and broke through the defenses. Santa Anna arrived at the Belén Gate in a fury and relieved the front commander. Worth's Division in the meantime had a slow start against the Mexicans after beating off a Mexican cavalry attack. When he reached San Cosme, he found its defenses ill-prepared, but the Mexicans defending it fought well before falling back. Ulysses S. Grant found his way into the action along the causeway on Worth's front and helped in hoisting a cannon into the belltower of a nearby church. From this spot Grant fired into the defenders below. When the fighting subsided on all fronts, both gates had fallen and the Mexicans had withdrawn into the city. Other gates defended were: San Antonio by General M. Martínez (3d & 4th Ligero & 11th Line with 10 guns) before withdrawing; Nino Perdido by the National Guards and 2 guns; and San Lázaro, Guadalupe and Villejo, which were defended by small infantry detachments. Other forces were stationed at la Piedad (1st & 2d Mexico Activos and Guanajunto Battalions), the Insurgente bridge (Gen. Arguelles : Invalidos and Lagos Battalion) and in the rear of these (Gen. Ramirez with 2d Ligero and various pickets) before withdrawing to the Citadel.
The Junta (Gens. Alcorta, Carrera, Lombardini & Fran. Pérez) had withdrawn their army: 14 Guns, 4,000 Cavalry (Quijano & Andrade Brigades), and 5,000 Infantry (Four Sections: 1) Gov. Olaguibel: Toluca National Guards, 2) Cmdte. Arroyo: Lagos, Iturbide, & Tula Battalions, 3) Gen. Martínez: various pickets, and 4) Gen. Pérez: 11th Infantry & remnants of Light Regts.) from the city during the night, and the U.S. forces, expecting another assault, found the city undefended. Worth and Quitman advanced cautiously. Quitman sent Lieutenant Pierre Beauregard to arrange the surrender of the ciudadela. Beauregard and Mansfield Lovell were met by a Mexican officer who asked for a receipt for the captured ciudadela (15 Guns). Beauregard exclaimed that "we give receipts at the point of their swords". Scott gave the honor of formally entering the city to Quitman's Division. The conquering army was less than impressing; the troops wore ragged and bloodstained uniforms and Quitman only had on one shoe when he marched into the city. Quitman marched into the Zócalo plaza in the center of the city in front of the National Palace where the formal surrender took place. As Worth's division entered the city, the leading unit was John Garland's brigade.
Stragglers from the Mexican army left in the city after Santa Anna's withdrawal climbed to the roofs of houses and began shooting at the American soldiers. General Garland was hit in the chest with the first shot and fell severely wounded. Before he evacuated, Santa Anna released 30,000 prisoners into the streets of the city, and these rooftop shots provoked the prisoners into similar acts. Worth did manage to get the shooting under control. William S. Harney's dragoons escorted General Scott into the city wearing his immaculate dress uniform and was greeted by patriotic music. Scott appointed the politically savvy Quitman as military governor, becoming the only American to ever rule from the National Palace.
Army of the North General Gabriel Valencia deputy Gen. Mariano Salas 3,000 Infantry, 1,000 Cavalry & 500 Artillery
Vanguard Brigade General Francisco Mejia ( 700 infantry: Fijo de Mexico, Potosi Activos,400 cavalry: 7th Cavalry) and 3-12 lbs guns & 4 howitzers.
Centre Brigade General Anastasio Parrodi ( 1,500 infantry: 10th and 11th Infantry, Tampico Coast Guards, Querétaro, Celaya and Guanajuato Activos, Celaya Auxiliary) and 6-8 lbs guns and 2 howitzers.
Reserve Brigade General Mariano Salas ( 800 infantry: Engineers, Mixto Santa Anna, Aguascalientes Activos, 400 cavalry: 2nd, 3rd & 8th Cavalry, Guanajuato Cavalry) and 7 light guns.
Army of the South General Juan Álvarez 2,762 Cavalry
Cavalry Division (GMT Games lists:
Alvarez Brigade-2d,3d,5th & 9th Line Casvalry, Tulancingo Cuirassiers
Andrade Brigade-Oaxaca and Michoacan Cavalry Battalions
Alcaraz, Ramon "Apuntes para la historia de la guerra entre Mexico...†
CasualtiesEdit
September 8Edit
U.S. 116 killed, 665 wounded, 17 missing, 789 total
Mexican 2,700 total
September 12–15Edit
U.S. 130 killed, 703 wounded, 29 missing, 862 total
Mexican 1,800 killed and wounded, 823 captured, 2,623 total
^ Lieutenant Colonel James S. McIntosh temporarily commanded Clarke's brigade at Molino del Rey; Clarke returned to command after McIntosh was killed during the fighting.
^Appointed Military Governor of Mexico City September 14
Arndt, Jochen S., “The True Napoleon of the West: General Winfield Scott’s Mexico City Campaign and the Origins of the U.S. Army’s Combined-Arms Combat Division,” Journal of Military History, 76 (July 2012), 649–71.
Bauer, K. Jack, The Mexican–American War, 1846–48
Nevin, David; editor, The Mexican War (1978)
Alcaraz, Ramon et al. Apuntes Para la Historia de la Guerra entre Mexico y los Estados Unidos.
Annual Reports 1894, War Department lists trophy guns: 1- 12 pounder and 2- 4 pounders.
External linksEdit
Irish fighters
A Continent Divided: The U.S. - Mexico War, Center for Greater Southwestern Studies, the University of Texas at Arlington
October 15, 2023
battle, mexico, city, this, article, about, battle, during, mexican, american, video, release, rage, against, machine, battle, mexico, city, spanish, conquest, mexico, city, 1521, fall, tenochtitlan, other, uses, battle, mexico, city, disambiguation, this, art. This article is about the battle during the Mexican American War For the video release by Rage Against the Machine see The Battle of Mexico City For the Spanish conquest of Mexico City in 1521 see Fall of Tenochtitlan For other uses see Battle of Mexico City disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Battle for Mexico City news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Battle for Mexico City refers to the series of engagements from September 8 to September 15 1847 in the general vicinity of Mexico City during the Mexican American War Included are major actions at the battles of Molino del Rey and Chapultepec culminating with the fall of Mexico City The U S Army under Winfield Scott won a major victory that ended the war Mexico City CampaignPart of the Mexican American WarThe American assault on Chapultepec Castle DateSeptember 8 15 1847LocationMexico City Federal District MexicoResultAmerican victory American occupation of Mexico CityBelligerentsUnited StatesRepublic of MexicoCommanders and leadersWinfield ScottAntonio Lopez de Santa AnnaStrength20 00013 000Casualties and losses1 651 killed or wounded 1 2 323 killed or wounded3 000 captured 1 Contents 1 Background 2 Battles 2 1 Molino del Rey 2 2 Chapultepec 2 3 Attacks on the Belen and San Cosme Gates 3 Fall of Mexico City 4 Order of battle 4 1 United States 4 2 Mexico 5 Casualties 5 1 September 8 5 2 September 12 15 5 3 Totals 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References 9 External linksBackground EditThe major objective of American operations in central Mexico had been the capture of Mexico City After capturing the port of Veracruz in March General Winfield Scott was able to secure a base and move inland and defeat a large Mexican force at the Battle of Cerro Gordo After routing the Mexicans at the Battle of Churubusco Scott s army was less than eight kilometers five miles away from its objective of Mexico City Battles EditMolino del Rey Edit Main article Battle of Molino del Rey On September 8 the fight for Mexico City began General Scott believed that a cannon foundry was located at the Molino del Rey known as the King s Mill located just over three kilometers two miles outside the city Scott sent the 1st Division under William J Worth to seize and destroy the foundry Worth wished to include Chapultepec Castle in his attack and when Scott refused a bitter rivalry began between Scott and Worth In the ensuing battle both sides suffered heavy casualties and Worth drove the Mexicans from the mill separating them from the forces at Chapultepec The battle produced no significant military gains for the U S nbsp Molino del Rey is on the left O depicts a Mexican battery P an American battery and R is Steptoe s battery 2 Chapultepec Edit nbsp James Walker Storming of Chapultepec 1847 Main article Battle of Chapultepec The main assault on the city came a few days later on September 12 Mexico City was guarded in part by Chapultepec Castle which was being used as a military academy Scott preceded an infantry assault with an all day artillery barrage on September 12 The next day September 13 the 4th Division under John A Quitman spearheaded the attack against Chapultepec and carried the castle Future Confederate generals George E Pickett and James Longstreet participated in the attack Serving in the Mexican defense were the cadets later immortalized as Los Ninos Heroes the Boy Heroes The Mexican forces fell back from Chapultepec and retreated within the city Attacks on the Belen and San Cosme Gates Edit Quitman s Division made its way down the Belen Causeway towards the Belen Gate defended by General Terres amp Colonel Garay with the 2d Mexico Activos 200 men and 3 guns 1 12 lbs amp 2 8 lbs while Worth s Division further to the north made its way up La Veronica Causeway towards the San Cosme Gate defended by General Rangel s Infantry Brigade Granaderos Battalion Adj A Manero 1st Light Comdte L Marquez part 3d Light Lt Col M M Echeagaray and parts of Matamoros Morelia and Santa Ana Battalions Col J V Gonzalez with 3 guns 1 12 lb 1 8 lb and 1 howitzer 24 lbs Quitman was merely supposed to make a feint towards the city but he pushed forward his whole division and broke through the defenses Santa Anna arrived at the Belen Gate in a fury and relieved the front commander Worth s Division in the meantime had a slow start against the Mexicans after beating off a Mexican cavalry attack When he reached San Cosme he found its defenses ill prepared but the Mexicans defending it fought well before falling back Ulysses S Grant found his way into the action along the causeway on Worth s front and helped in hoisting a cannon into the belltower of a nearby church From this spot Grant fired into the defenders below When the fighting subsided on all fronts both gates had fallen and the Mexicans had withdrawn into the city Other gates defended were San Antonio by General M Martinez 3d amp 4th Ligero amp 11th Line with 10 guns before withdrawing Nino Perdido by the National Guards and 2 guns and San Lazaro Guadalupe and Villejo which were defended by small infantry detachments Other forces were stationed at la Piedad 1st amp 2d Mexico Activos and Guanajunto Battalions the Insurgente bridge Gen Arguelles Invalidos and Lagos Battalion and in the rear of these Gen Ramirez with 2d Ligero and various pickets before withdrawing to the Citadel Fall of Mexico City Edit nbsp This Carl Nebel painting depicts Winfield Scott entering the Plaza de la Constitucion the Metropolitan Cathedral is in the background The Junta Gens Alcorta Carrera Lombardini amp Fran Perez had withdrawn their army 14 Guns 4 000 Cavalry Quijano amp Andrade Brigades and 5 000 Infantry Four Sections 1 Gov Olaguibel Toluca National Guards 2 Cmdte Arroyo Lagos Iturbide amp Tula Battalions 3 Gen Martinez various pickets and 4 Gen Perez 11th Infantry amp remnants of Light Regts from the city during the night and the U S forces expecting another assault found the city undefended Worth and Quitman advanced cautiously Quitman sent Lieutenant Pierre Beauregard to arrange the surrender of the ciudadela Beauregard and Mansfield Lovell were met by a Mexican officer who asked for a receipt for the captured ciudadela 15 Guns Beauregard exclaimed that we give receipts at the point of their swords Scott gave the honor of formally entering the city to Quitman s Division The conquering army was less than impressing the troops wore ragged and bloodstained uniforms and Quitman only had on one shoe when he marched into the city Quitman marched into the Zocalo plaza in the center of the city in front of the National Palace where the formal surrender took place As Worth s division entered the city the leading unit was John Garland s brigade Stragglers from the Mexican army left in the city after Santa Anna s withdrawal climbed to the roofs of houses and began shooting at the American soldiers General Garland was hit in the chest with the first shot and fell severely wounded Before he evacuated Santa Anna released 30 000 prisoners into the streets of the city and these rooftop shots provoked the prisoners into similar acts Worth did manage to get the shooting under control William S Harney s dragoons escorted General Scott into the city wearing his immaculate dress uniform and was greeted by patriotic music Scott appointed the politically savvy Quitman as military governor becoming the only American to ever rule from the National Palace Order of battle EditUnited States Edit US Army Major General Winfield Scott Division Brigade Regiments and Others1st Division MG William J Worth 1st BrigadeK 17 W 69 M 8 94 Brevet BG John Garland 2nd Artillery Cpt Horace Brooks 3rd Artillery Maj Robert C Buchanan 4th Infantry Maj Francis Lee Duncan s Battery Capt James Duncan2nd BrigadeK 8 W 48 M 0 56 Brevet BG Newman S Clarke 5th US Infantry Ltc James S McIntosh 3 6th US Infantry Ltc Benjamin L E Bonneville 8th US Infantry 1 Brevet Ltc George Wright 4 2nd Division MG David E Twiggs 1st BrigadeK 24 W 137 M 6 167 Brevet BG Persifor F Smith Ltc Samuel E Watson 5 Mounted Rifles Maj William W Loring 1st U S Artillery serving as infantry Maj Justin E Dimick 3rd US Infantry Capt Edmund B Alexander Taylor s Battery 1st U S Artillery Capt Francis Taylor2nd BrigadeK 18 W 80 M 4 102 Brevet BG Bennet Riley 2nd US Infantry Brevet Ltc Thompson Morris 7th US Infantry Brevet Col Joseph Plympton 4th US Artillery Maj John L Gardner3rd Division MG Gideon Pillow w 1st BrigadeK 12 W 41 M 1 54 BG Franklin Pierce 9th US Infantry Col Truman B Ransom k Jones M Withers 12th US Infantry Col Milledge L Bonham 15th US Infantry Col George Washington Morgan Magruder s Battery 1st U S Artillery Capt John B Magruder2nd BrigadeK 8 W 69 M 9 89 BG George Cadwallader 11th US Infantry Ltc William Montrose Graham k 14th US Infantry Col William Trousdale w Voltigeurs Col Timothy Patrick Andrews Ltc Joseph E Johnston4th Division MG John A Quitman 6 1st BrigadeK 35 W 245 M 0 280 BG James Shields 2nd New York Infantry Col Ward B Burnett 2nd Pennsylvania Infantry Col William B Roberts South Carolina Palmetto Infantry Maj Adley H Gladden Steptoe s Battery 3rd U S Artillery Capt Edward J Steptoe2nd BrigadeK 7 W 24 M 0 31 Ltc Samuel E Watson Marine Battalion Maj Levi Twiggs mw Maj William Dulany 2nd Pennsylvania Infantry detachmentDragoons Dragoon Brigade Brevet BG William S Harney 1st US Dragoons Company F Capt Philip Kearny 2nd US Dragoons Brevet Col Edwin V Sumner 3rd US Dragoons Ltc Thomas P MooreMexico Edit 7 August 1847 20 210 men and 104 artillery pieces acsMexican Army General Antonio Lopez de Santa AnnaBodyguard 50 men of the San PatriciosChief of Artillery General Martin Carrera Commandante general Col Jose Gil Partearroyo Foot Artillery Battalion Col Aguado Cavalry Art Battalion IglesiasChief of Engineers General Ignacio Mora y Villamil Gens Casimiro Liceaga Monterde and Miguel Blanco Army of the East General Manuel Lombardini 1st Brigade General Andres Terres 1st Activos Lakes and 2nd Light Battalions 2nd Brigade General Mariano Martinez Morelia Activos Invalids Corps 3rd Brigade General Joaquin Rangel Mixto Sta Anna Morelia National Guards 4th Brigade General Francisco Perez 1st 3rd amp 4th Light 11th Infantry 5th Brigade General Antonio Leon Oajaca amp Queretaro Activos 10th Infantry Queretaro amp Mina National Guards 6th Brigade General Pedro Maria de Anaya Independencia Bravos Victoria amp Hidalgo National Guards 7th Brigade Col Anastasio Zerecero Acapulco parts Tlapa amp Libertad pickets Army of the North General Gabriel Valencia deputy Gen Mariano Salas 3 000 Infantry 1 000 Cavalry amp 500 Artillery Vanguard Brigade General Francisco Mejia 700 infantry Fijo de Mexico Potosi Activos 400 cavalry 7th Cavalry and 3 12 lbs guns amp 4 howitzers Centre Brigade General Anastasio Parrodi 1 500 infantry 10th and 11th Infantry Tampico Coast Guards Queretaro Celaya and Guanajuato Activos Celaya Auxiliary and 6 8 lbs guns and 2 howitzers Reserve Brigade General Mariano Salas 800 infantry Engineers Mixto Santa Anna Aguascalientes Activos 400 cavalry 2nd 3rd amp 8th Cavalry Guanajuato Cavalry and 7 light guns Army of the South General Juan Alvarez 2 762 Cavalry Cavalry Division GMT Games lists Alvarez Brigade 2d 3d 5th amp 9th Line Casvalry Tulancingo Cuirassiers Andrade Brigade Oaxaca and Michoacan Cavalry BattalionsAlcaraz Ramon Apuntes para la historia de la guerra entre Mexico Casualties EditSeptember 8 Edit U S 116 killed 665 wounded 17 missing 789 total Mexican 2 700 totalSeptember 12 15 Edit U S 130 killed 703 wounded 29 missing 862 total Mexican 1 800 killed and wounded 823 captured 2 623 totalTotals Edit U S 1 651 Mexican 5 323See also EditBattle of Molino del Rey Battles of the Mexican American War Marines hymn Mexican American War Mexican Cession Saint Patrick s BattalionNotes Edit Lieutenant Colonel James S McIntosh temporarily commanded Clarke s brigade at Molino del Rey Clarke returned to command after McIntosh was killed during the fighting References Edit a b Battle of Mexico City Mexican American War Smith J H 1919 The War with Mexico New York Macmillan Was in temporary command of the brigade at Molino del Rey where he was killed Brevet Colonel for Molino del Rey Mexican War veterans Marines in the Mexican War Appointed Military Governor of Mexico City September 14 Arndt Jochen S The True Napoleon of the West General Winfield Scott s Mexico City Campaign and the Origins of the U S Army s Combined Arms Combat Division Journal of Military History 76 July 2012 649 71 Bauer K Jack The Mexican American War 1846 48 Nevin David editor The Mexican War 1978 Alcaraz Ramon et al Apuntes Para la Historia de la Guerra entre Mexico y los Estados Unidos Annual Reports 1894 War Department lists trophy guns 1 12 pounder and 2 4 pounders External links EditWinfield Scott s Official Report Irish fighters A Continent Divided The U S Mexico War Center for Greater Southwestern Studies the University of Texas at Arlington Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Battle for Mexico City amp oldid 1168452983, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
