Battle of Chapultepec
The Bataille of Chapultepec is held in September 1847 during the américano-Mexican Guerre, with the Château of Chapultepec on the hill of Chapultepec, which keeps the Western approach of the town of Mexico City. The castle is then a military academy where 876 juniors study who will take part in the battle. The monument Los Niños Héroes (the children hero) of the park of Chapultepec was set up in their honor.
Preparations
The September 8th at the time of the Battle of Molino del Rey, forces U.S. pushed back the Mexicans near the Château of Chapultepec which keeps the West of Mexico City. However the strategists of the army are always in favor of an approach of the city by the South. The General Winfield Scott holds a council of war bringing together his officers and the strategists the September 11th. Scott is favorable to the attack of Chapultepec and only the General David E. Twiggs is of his opinion. The other officers are in favor of the attack by the South, including the Captain Robert E. Lee. A young Lieutenant, Pierre Beauregard, makes a talk which persuades the General Franklin Pierce to vote in favor of the attack by the West. Scott then declares officially that the attack will be related to Chapultepec.
Antonio López de Santa Anna is with the head of the army of Mexico City. It knows that the Castle of Chapultepec is an important position for the defense of the city. The castle is at the top of a hill of an about sixty meters in height, it was transformed recently into Military academy. The General Nicolás Bravo has however only a one thousand of men to hold the hill, including 200 juniors of which some are only 13 years old. A regular slope since the castle until Molino del Rey makes true invites to the attack.
Scott organizes two groups of attack cash each one 250 men. The first group ordered by the Captain Samuel Mackenzie will conduct the attack since the East of Molino towards the top. The second group ordered by the Captain Silas Casey will conduct the attack since the South of the castle.
The attack
The Americans start with an artillery shooting on the castle at the dawn of September 12th. It stops with fallen the night and takes again on September 13rd. With 08:00 the bombardment ceases and Winfield Scott orders the load. According to the group of attack of the Mackenzie Captain, there are three columns of the brigade George Cadwalader of Pillow division. On the left 11th and 14th regiments under the orders of Colonel William Trousdale, in the center four companies of the regiment of Acrobat S ordered by Colonel Timothy Patrick Andrews and on the line four remaining companies Acrobats under the orders of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph E. Johnston. Pillow is quickly wounded but orders to continue the attack. The column of Andrews follows Mackenzie and cleans a bouquet of cypress of the Mexican troops which occupy it whereas Trousdale and Johnston operate on the sides. The attack marks a pause when the men of Mackenzie are constrained to await the arrival of the scales of attack, an angel passes on the battle. To South-west 40 Marines takes along the group of attack of the Casey Captain, followed brigade of volunteers of James Shields, in the North of Chapultepec. The group of attack is again constrained to stop, vis-a-vis Mexican artillery, while waiting for the scales and the group of the General Shields. Finally the scales arrive and a first vague climbing the walls. In fact it arrives as well scales as 50 men climb face the walls. George Pickett is first American at the top of the wall of the fortress, the Acrobats plant soon the flag on the parapet.
The column of Colonel Trousdale supported by artillery of Lieutenant Thomas J. Jackson meets an important resistance. The brigade of Newman S. Clarke brings a new dash on the face of Pillow. The General Shields is wounded seriously whereas its men flow on the walls but its troop hoists the flag of the United States on the castle. Taken between two fires the General Cheer orders the retirement towards Mexico City. Before it can make movement, Bravo is made prisoner by the volunteers New Yorkais de Shields. The retirement of the Mexicans is an insane rout on the ways leading to the city. Many jumps simply since the wall without worrying the height, to escape the attackers. Santa Anna looks at this disaster whereas one of its aide-de-camps exclaims " God is Yankee".
Los Niños Héroes
During the battle, six Mexican juniors refuse to flee when the General Cheer orders the retirement and very fight until death against forces U.S. supéreures of number. One after the other they fall; whereas there remains about it nothing any more but one (Juan Escutia), and that the attackers are ready to kill it, he seizes Mexican standard of which he drapes himself and jumps of the wall.
A painting on one of the ceilings of the palate of Chapultepec shows Juan Escutia rolled up in the flag and chuttant. A monument was set up in the park of Chapultepec commemorating their courage. The history of Mexico speaks in praise of the juniors who are introduced there like Los Niños Héroes , the " children héros" or " juniors héroïques".
The Holy battalion Patrick
Men of the Holy Battalion Patrick (el Batallón de San Patricio or San Patricios ), a group of soldiers U.S. who joined the Mexican camp are carried out in mass during the battle of Chapultepec. They were captured at the time of the Bataille of Churubusco. The Scott General specified that they are hung with Chapultepec in sight and that their death occurs at the time or flag U.S. replaces the Mexican at the top of the citadel.
Sources
- The Mexican War ; Nevin, David; Time Life Books; NY; 1978 ISBN 0809423022.
- The Mexican-American War 1846-48 ; Bauer, K. Jack; NY; Macmillan, 1974; ISBN 0025078909.
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US Military Accademy West Point
- Official report of Winfield Scott