War with Mexico--General Zachary Taylor Defeats the Mexicans--Buena
Vista--Mexicans Four to One--"A Little More Grape, Captain Bragg!"--
Glorious American Victory--General Scott's Splendid Campaign--A
Series of Victories--Cerro Gordo--Contreras--Churubusco--Molino del
Rey--Chapultepec--Stars and Stripes Float in the City of Mexico--
Generous Treatment of the Vanquished--Peace--Cession of Vast Territory
to the United States--The Gadsden Purchase.
The annexation of Texas by the United States was accepted by Mexico as an
act of war. The American Government and people were not unprepared for a
challenge from Mexico, and rather welcomed it, as, apart from the Texas
issue, Mexico had, from the time of her independence treated the United
States in a manner far from neighborly, and inflicted many injuries on
American citizens. In the West and South especially it was deemed
necessary to give Mexico a lesson; in New England the war was not
popular. Hostilities began, and two sharp battles were fought, before war
was actually declared. General Zachary Taylor, with a force much inferior
to that of the enemy, defeated the Mexicans at Palo Alto and Resaca de la
Palma, and drove them out of Texas. At Resaca the American dragoons under
Captain May charged straight upon a Mexican battery, killing the gunners
and capturing the Mexican general La Vega just as he was about to apply a
match to one of the pieces. The Mexican army was so completely scattered
that their commander Arista fled unaccompanied across the Rio Grande. At
Buena Vista Generals Taylor and Wool, with 5000 men, of whom only 500
were regular troops, confronted Santa Anna with 20,000, February 23,
1847. The Mexican chieftain expected an easy victory, and his army,
inspired with his confidence, rushed from their mountains upon the small
force of Americans drawn up in battle array on the plain of Angostura.
"Like the fierce Northern hurricane
That sweeps his great plateau,
Flushed with the triumph yet to gain,
Came down the serried foe.
Who heard the thunder of the fray
Break o'er the field beneath,
Well knew the watchword of that day
Was victory or death."[1]
[1] "The Bivouac of the Dead."--_O'Hara._
The battle lasted all day, the American artillery being splendidly
handled, and mowing down the Mexicans at every charge. "Give 'em a little
more grape, Captain Bragg!" said Taylor quietly, as he saw Santa Anna's
lines wavering. The grape was given, and the Mexicans fled, leaving 500
of their number dead or dying on the field. The total Mexican loss,
including wounded and prisoners was about 2000; that of the Americans in
killed, wounded and missing, 746. This victory, and the successes of
Fremont and Kearney in California, completed the conquest of Northern
Mexico.
General Winfield Scott, who was in supreme command of all the American
forces, conducted a brilliant campaign from the coast. After taking Vera
Cruz and the castle of San Juan de Ulloa, General Scott advanced toward
the City of Mexico with about 10,000 men. At Cerro Gordo, a difficult
pass in the mountains, the American army encountered 12,000 Mexicans
under command of Santa Anna, who had, by extraordinary efforts, collected
this force after his defeat at Buena Vista. The battle was fought on
April 18, every movement of the American troops being directed, according
to a carefully prepared plan, by General Scott. Colonel Harvey led the
storming party into the pass, with a deep river on one side, and
batteries belching death from lofty rocks on the other side. The
Americans rushed forward with irresistible courage. They knew their
enemy. The Alamo had not been forgotten. Cerro Gordo fell, and the flight
of the Mexicans may best be described in the language of one of their own
historians: "General Santa Anna, accompanied by some of his adjutants,
was passing along the road to the left of the battery, when the enemy's
column, now out of the woods, appeared on his line of retreat and fired
upon him, forcing him back. The carriage in which he had left Jalapa was
riddled with shot, the mules killed and taken by the enemy, as well as a
wagon containing $16,000 received the day before for the pay of the
soldiers. Every tie of command and obedience now being broken among our
troops, safety alone being the object, and all being involved in a
frightful confusion, they rushed desperately to the narrow pass of the
defile that descended to the Plan del Rio, where the general-in-chief had
proceeded, with the chiefs and officers accompanying him. Horrid indeed
was the descent by that narrow and rocky path where thousands rushed,
disputing the passage with desperation, and leaving a track of blood upon
the road. All classes being confounded military distinction and respect
were lost; and badges of rank became marks of sarcasm. The enemy, now
masters of our camp, turned their guns upon the fugitives, thus
augmenting the terror of the multitude that crowded through the defile
and pressed forward every instant by a new impulse, which increased the
confusion and disgrace of that ill-fated day." Of the 12,000 Mexicans
engaged in this battle about 1200 were killed and wounded, and 3000 were
made prisoners. The captives were all paroled, and the sick and wounded
sent to Jalapa, where they were well cared for. The Castle of Perote, the
strongest fortress in Mexico, surrendered without resistance, and the
American flag was unfurled on the summit of the eastern Cordilleras.
After a rest at Puebla General Scott pushed on in the footsteps of
Cortes. Santa Anna, who would have equalled Napoleon or Caesar had his
ability and courage in the field been equal to his success in organizing
armies, made a stand with 32,000 Mexicans at Contreras and Churubusco.
The army of General Scott numbered about 9000 effective men. Both sides
knew that the battle to be fought would decide the fate of the City of
Mexico. On the nineteenth of August about one-half of the American army
attacked the fortified camp at Contreras, defended by nearly 7000
Mexicans, under General Valencia. Evening fell without victory for either
side. In the early morning, after a night of heavy rain, General P. F.
Smith, with three brigades of infantry, but without cavalry or artillery,
marched in the darkness up to the Mexican camp, discharged several
volleys in quick succession, and dashed, bayonet in hand, upon the enemy.
In fifteen minutes the Americans were victors, over 3000 Mexicans were
prisoners, and the rest of Valencia's troops were fugitives. The American
army gave the enemy no time to recover, but moved promptly forward to
more victories. The fort of San Antonio was captured, the garrison not
waiting to be attacked before taking to flight, and then began the battle
of Churubusco. This place is a small village, six miles south from the
City of Mexico, and connected with it by a spacious causeway. At the head
of the causeway, near the village, and in front of the bridge over the
Churubusco River, was a strong redoubt, mounted with batteries, and
occupied by a large force of Mexicans. The convent-church of San Pablo,
with its massive stone walls, was converted into a fort. The walls were
impervious to the attack of field pieces, and the building was defended
by a well-constructed bastion, and guns placed in the embrasure. The
church stood on an eminence, and the village which clustered about it was
defended by stone walls and a stone building, strongly fortified.
The Americans carried the redoubt at the point of the bayonet, and then a
desperate battle raged about the fortified village and church. From
behind their defences the Mexicans kept up a deadly fire on the
Americans, but the latter never faltered. The Mexicans made repeated
sallies from the convent, but were driven back every time. In their
desperation the native Mexicans desired to surrender, but some deserters
from the American army, known as the San Patricio companies, hauled down
the white flag whenever it was put up. At length after a three-hours'
struggle the convent and other defences were captured. In the rear of
Churubusco General James Shields and General Franklin Pierce, afterward
President of the United States, were hard pressed by an overwhelming
force of Mexicans, and in some danger. Timely reinforcements sent by
General Scott turned danger into victory, and the Mexicans, discomfited
on every side, gave way, and retreated in utter disorder toward the city
of Mexico, pursued by the triumphant Americans. It was the most glorious
day since Yorktown for American arms. The Mexican loss was nearly 4000
killed and wounded, besides 300 prisoners, thirty-seven cannon and a
large quantity of small arms and ammunition. The Americans lost 139
killed and 926 wounded.
Churubusco should have ended the war, and negotiations for peace were
commenced, but were broken off through Mexican bad faith. Hostilities
were resumed and the coup-de-grace was given to Mexico on the historic
hill of Chapultepec. The storming of El Molino del Rey, of the Casa de
Mata and the Castle of Chapultepec were among the boldest exploits of the
war. Chapultepec had been an ancient seat of the Aztec emperors. Rising
abruptly from the shore of Lake Tezcuco, crowned with a strongly
fortified castle, supported by numerous outworks and with several massive
stone buildings, each a fortress powerfully garrisoned, at the base, the
hill of Chapultepec seemed a very Gibraltar guarding the entrance to
Mexico's capital. El Molino del Rey and the Casa de Mata were carried by
storm on the eighth of September, the Mexicans leaving 1000 dead on the
field, beside 800 prisoners, and those who escaped death or capture
either flying in dismay from the scene or retreating up the hill to the
Castle of Chapultepec.
General Scott determined to batter down the castle with heavy cannon.
Robert E. Lee, afterward commander of the Confederate armies, was one of
the officers who placed the artillery in position. A continuous fire was
kept up during the first day (September 12), the solid shot and shell
crashing through the Castle and killing many of its defenders. Among
these were about one hundred young boys, from ten to sixteen years of
age, cadets in the Military Academy, which was situated on the hill of
Chapultepec. Several of the boys lost their lives fighting the Americans
with a valor that might well have put some of their elders to shame.
About fifty general officers were also in the Castle, and the whole
Mexican force engaged probably did not exceed 4000 men. It was the last
stand made by Mexican troops, and it was a brave stand. The weak and the
demoralized had slunk away from further conflict with an invincible foe.
The bombardment was resumed on the thirteenth, and troops moved to the
assault under cover of a heavy cannonade. The Mexicans fought
desperately, but they were no match for their antagonists. The Stars and
Stripes soon floated over Chapultepec, hailed with a mighty cheer by the
American troops, nearly all of whom had taken some part in the conflict.
On September 14 the American flag was hoisted in the City of Mexico, and
from the National Palace of that Republic General Scott issued a general
order in which, with justifiable pride, he declared: "Beginning with
August 10 and ending the fourteenth instant, this army has gallantly
fought its way through the fields and forts of Contreras, San Antonio,
Churubusco, Molino del Rey, Chapultepec and the gates of San Cosme and
Tacubaya into the capital of Mexico. When the very limited number who
have performed these brilliant deeds shall have become known, the world
will be astonished and our own countrymen filled with joy and
admiration." The triumphs of Scott and Taylor added lustre to American
arms which time will not efface. They recalled the exploits of Cortes and
Pizarro, save in the scrupulous honor and humanity which guided every
step of the American invasion. No victors were ever more generous in
their treatment of the conquered. "The soldiers of Vera Cruz," says a
Mexican historian, "received the honor due to their valor and
misfortunes. Not even a look was given them by the enemy's soldiers which
could be interpreted into an insult." The Duke of Wellington, the
conqueror of Napoleon, followed Scott's campaign with deep interest and
caused its movements to be marked on a map daily, as information was
received. Admiring its triumphs up to the basin of Mexico, Wellington
then said: "Scott is lost. He has been carried away by successes. He
can't take the city, and he can't fall back on his base." Wellington
proved to be wrong. He had never met American troops.
The treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, concluded February 2, 1848, established
the Rio Grande as the boundary between the United States and Mexico, and
California and New Mexico, including what is now Arizona, were ceded to
the United States for $15,000,000. The United States also assumed the
payment of obligations due by Mexico to American citizens to the amount
of $3,250,000, and discharged Mexico from all claims of citizens of the
United States against that Republic. Strict provision was made for the
preservation of the rights of the inhabitants of the ceded territory. The
Gadsden Purchase, in 1853--so called from General James Gadsden, who
conducted the negotiations in behalf of the United States--added 45,535
square miles of Mexican territory to the United States, for which this
country paid $10,000,000, Mexico at the same time relinquishing claims
against the United States for Indian depredations amounting to from
$15,000,000 to $30,000,000. The American Republic thus received in all,
as a consequence of the Mexican War, 591,398 square miles, and the Union
acquired its present boundaries, exclusive of Alaska. The Mexican War
gave to the United States the Pacific as well as the Atlantic seaboard,
and completed the westward movement which had begun with the very birth
of the Republic. It made the United States the great power of the
American continent, seated between the two oceans, with a domain
unequalled in natural resources by any other region of the world.