BATTLE OF CHAPULTEPEC: CAUSES, PARTICIPANTS, CONSEQUENCES - HISTORY - 2024

The Battle of Chapultepec was one of the last confrontations between the Mexican army and the US troops that had invaded the country. It took place between September 12 and 13, 1847 and ended with the victory of the United States and the subsequent conquest of Mexico City.

After several years of conflict between the Texas independentists and Mexico, a country to which Texas belonged, the rebels requested their incorporation into the United States. The tension between the two North American countries grew enormously. In addition, the US expansionist policy also targeted Alta California and New Mexico.

Source: N. Currier, via Wikimedia Commons

Taking as an excuse the Mexican attack on a US patrol on the disputed Texas border, the US Congress declared war on its neighbor. Mexico was going through quite a turbulent stage politically, which caused few of its states to help resist the invader.

In a short time, the Americans reached the outskirts of the Mexican capital. The last obstacle was the Castillo de Chapultepec, a Military College with few men to defend it. Two days of siege were enough for its conquest. In it, a group of young Mexican cadets, known as the Niños Héroes, died.

Background

With a population in which the American colonists were the majority, Texas proclaimed its unilateral independence in 1836. The reaction of the Mexican government headed, at that time, by Santa Anna, was to send troops and reconquer San Antonio, developing the well-known Battle of the Alamo.

However, the counterattack by the Texans was immediate. In San Jacinto, the Mexican army was defeated and President Santa Anna was taken prisoner. During his captivity, he signed the Treaty of Velasco, recognizing the independence of Texas and the border on the Rio Grande and the Rio Nueces.

Despite the signing of Santa Anna, the Mexican government ignored the signed Treaty, although Texas maintained a de facto situation of independence. At times, Mexican troops made incursions, but without recovering any of the lost ground.

Incorporation of Texas into the United States

The previous situation underwent a great change in 1845. Texas applied to enter the United States, a request approved by the American Congress. From that moment on, the tension between Mexico and the United States increased considerably.

As part of the expansionist policy of the United States, his government made an offer to Mexico to buy Alta California and New Mexico, something that was immediately rejected. The result was the breakdown of diplomatic relations.

Faced with the Mexican refusal, the United States began to act unilaterally. In 1845, they took San Francisco and, the following year, encouraged the illegal emigration of Mormons to the Salt Lake, then in Mexico.

First armed clashes

US President James K. Polk decided to send troops to the disputed Texas border between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River.

Some historians, although others disagree, affirm that he was consciously looking for what ended up happening: the response of the Mexican army. Thus, on April 25, 1846, at Rancho de Carricitos, an American patrol was attacked by Mexican soldiers.

This confrontation was used by James Polk to petition Congress to declare war on Mexico. The House voted in favor and declared war on May 13, 1846.

War begins

In the following weeks there were several insurrections led by Anglo-Saxon settlers in California and New Mexico. The rebels asked to declare independence to later request their entry to the United States.

Beginning on July 25, 1846, the Americans began sending troops to support these insurrections. In front they found a Mexican troops little prepared and poorly equipped, reason why the American victories followed one another.

To secure these positions, the US authorities began preparing military expeditions to Monterrey and Mexico City, in order to prevent the Mexicans from organizing and sending reinforcements north.

In addition to entering through the land border, the US government sent Winfield Scott to take the port of Veracruz, something he did without too much difficulty.

Faced with these events, the Mexicans reinforced their defenses on the road that led from Veracruz to Mexico City, thinking that it would be the one followed by the Americans. However, they decided to go the longer way.

The US troops surrounded, to the south, the Sierra de Santa Catarina, clashing with the Mexican army at the Battle of Churubusco and the Battle of Padierna.

Mexico City

In about fifteen months, American troops reached the gates of the capital. Many historians claim that the Mexican government, with frequent internal disputes, poorly organized the country's defenses.

Causes

Territorial disputes between Mexico and the United States had been frequent since the independence of both countries. The colonization policy sponsored since the Viceroyalty and, later, under the first independent Mexican governments, led to the large majority of Anglo-Saxon settlers in territories like Texas.

American expansionism

The United States, from its very independence, has always shown great interest in expanding its territories. Not only to the west, but also to the south. At times, they did so by purchasing large land, as when they acquired Louisiana and Florida from France and Spain respectively.

This ambition was expressly declared by the first US ambassador to Mexico, Poinsett, who has already announced his intention to take over Texas. His excuse was that that territory fell under the Louisiana purchase conditions.

After Texas asked to join the United States, President Polk sent the army to the Mexican border, something that inevitably led to tensions and armed clashes.

Political disorganization in Mexico

More than 20 years after independence, Mexico had been unable to provide itself with political and administrative stability. In the days prior to the war with the United States, internal tensions led to coups and uprisings, which partially impeded proper preparation for the conflict.

On December 31, 1845, Paredes had triumphed in his armed uprising and was named Interim President. In January of the following year, Yucatán proclaimed its independence and declared itself neutral in the war against the Americans.

The solution that Paredes came up with to stop the invasion was to try to turn the country into a monarchy, with a Spanish king. Thus, his supporters proposed Enrique de Borbón, a relative of the Spanish queen. Right away, a revolt broke out in Jalisco against that proposal and, shortly after, the same thing happened in the Mexican capital.

Finally, on August 4, he asked for General Santa Anna to return and return. to the federal system. According to historians, the uncertainty caused by Paredes, his changes of opinion and his proposals that provoked internal uprisings while the Americans invaded the country, greatly weakened the Mexican position.

Participants

On the American side, General Winfield Scott had some 13,000 men on his march to the capital. Along the way, he defeated the Mexicans in various battles, such as those of Cerro Gordo, Contreras or Churubusco. Later, it occupied Casamata and Molino del Rey. On September 12, 1847, only Chapultepec remained before entering the capital.

In Chapultepec Castle they did not have as many troops, only 200 cadets and 623 soldiers from the San Blas Battalion. Furthermore, some of the defenders were very young, no more than 18 years old.

Nicolas Bravo

At the head of the resistance in the Castle of Chapultepec was Nicolás Bravo. This hero of independence became president of the country three times. In addition, he was a recognized military man who participated in the most important events in the country's history during the first decades as a sovereign country.

Children heroes

The Battle of Chapultepec left a tragic event that has become one of the symbols of Mexico: the so-called Niños Héroes. It was a group of six cadets who died in the confrontation.

The names of the young people, who were between 12 and 20 years old, were Agustín Melgar, Fernando Montes de Oca, Francisco Márquez, Juan de la Barrera, Juan Escutia and Vicente Suárez.

These cadets, along with 40 others, received the order from Nicolás Bravo to leave the Castle. However, they remained there to help defend the site.

Among the children, the name of Juan Escutia stands out. According to tradition, when he realized that the Castle was lost, he jumped into the void wrapped in the Mexican flag to prevent the Americans from taking it.

Battalion of San Blas

This infantry corps was destined to defend the Castle of Chapultepec before the forces, superior in number, Americans. It had about 400 troops and was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Felipe Santiago Xicoténcatl. Almost all of its members were killed in the battle.

Winfield scott

Winfield Scott led the American invasion from the south, while Zachary Taylor did the same from the north.

He is credited with the decision to follow the less obvious path to the capital, avoiding the defenses set up by the Mexicans. Under his command, his troops won at Cerro Gordo, Churubusco and Molino del Rey.

By conquering the Castle of Chapultepec, he cleared the last difficulty to take the Mexican capital and end the war.

Development

On September 12, 1847, American troops had arrived at the gates of the Mexican capital. Between them and their final objective, only the Chapultepec Castle stood in the way, where the Military College was located. Before the arrival of the invaders, some works had been carried out to reinforce the defenses.

Bombings

Throughout the 12th, the Americans bombarded the defenses and the Castle of Chapultepec, seeking to weaken the resistance it could offer.

The next day, the bombardment continued until 8 a.m., at which point they prepared for the final assault.

Attempt of resistance

Despite Nicolás Bravo's request for reinforcements, the only aid sent was the San Blas Battalion.

Santa Anna, who had returned called by President Paredes, was in the area with his men, but he misinterpreted the intentions of the Americans and concentrated his forces in the eastern part of the hill, while the attack occurred in the opposite direction.

The Battalion soldiers stood up to the American divisions to their last strength. Only 40 of his 200 men survived the attack and their defeat allowed the invaders to take position relatively easily.

Taking of the Castle

US forces stormed the Castle on the 13th from the south and west of the hill. Despite their numerical and armament superiority, they had to fight for hours to conquer their objective.

The few troops who were inside, young cadets with little training, resisted for as long as they could. In the eastern zone the members of the Second Company of Cadets were placed, while the western one was defended by the First Company.

The American onslaught did not leave much chance for the young defenders, especially when some of the officers were taken prisoner.

Consequences

Chapultepec surrendered, the Americans hurried toward the capital. They first attacked the roads of Belén and San Cosme, which were fiercely defended but without final success.

Mexican troops concentrated in the capital. That same night, the American guns began to bombard with mortar fire.

Occupation of the capital

On the night of the 13th, Santa Anna considered that it was impossible to avoid the fall of Mexico City. Thus, she withdrew from the capital and marched with her men to Puebla. His intention was to prevent more supplies from arriving for the Americans. However, he was unable to do so.

With Chapultepec in the hands of the invaders and without Santa Anna's army, Mexico City was occupied by the Americans.

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

Soon after, US diplomats and what was left of the Mexican government began negotiations. In reality, it was the United States that imposed all the conditions and Mexico had no choice but to sign them.

Thus, in February the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was signed, which included all the US territorial claims. Through this agreement, the United States annexed Texas, Alta California, New Mexico and the current states of Arizona, Nevada, Utah. In addition, it also seized parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Okñahoma.

The war meant for Mexico the loss of 55% of its territory. The only compensation he got were 3 payments and a little more than 15 million dollars as war expenses.

References

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