Saint Patrick's Battalion

The Saint Patrick's Battalion (Spanish: Batallón de San Patricio) was a battalion of U.S. troops who deserted and fought alongside the Mexican Army against the United States in the Mexican-American War of {{daterange|1846|1848}}. Most of them were of Irish extraction or recent immigrants from other Roman Catholic countries.

Related Topics:
Spanish - U.S. - Mexican Army - Mexican-American War - Irish - Roman Catholic

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The "San Patricios" have a somewhat cloudy early history. Very little is known for certain regarding their recruitment. One popular tale (portrayed in the 1999 film One Man's Hero) states that the nucleus of the unit was formed following the severe punishment of Roman Catholic soldiers who had attempted to sneak into Mexican territory and attend Mass. It is known that the Mexican army actively recruited Catholic Americans by characterizing the war as one of Protestant versus Catholic, and by offering sizable land grants to those who left the American ranks to join the Mexican army.

Related Topics:
1999 - One Man's Hero - Protestant

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Further inducement to desert was probably given by the U.S. Army itself, as brutal and widespread discrimination was practiced at the time against Roman Catholics. Zealous Protestant officers are known to have encouraged the desecration of religious statues and the vandalism of Catholic churches in Mexican territory. Rape of Catholic women and pillage of Catholic-owned property in Mexico was openly condoned by U.S. officers.

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The San Patricios first fought as a Mexican unit in the Battle of Monterrey (21 September 1846), as a battery of artillery commanded by Jon Riley, a former United States Army lieutenant and Irish-born immigrant. Here, they served with distinction, and are sometimes credited with defeating two separate assaults into the heart of the city. Their tenacity, however, did not prevent the defeat of the Mexican forces there.

Related Topics:
Battle of Monterrey - 21 September - 1846 - Jon Riley

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Following the engagement at Monterrey, the San Patricios grew in number, by some estimates reaching an enlistment of about 800 men. Despite their excellent performance in a number of engagements as artillery, the San Patricios were ordered to muster as an infantry battalion in mid-1847 by personal order of Antonio López de Santa Anna.

Related Topics:
Monterrey - Battalion - Antonio López de Santa Anna

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As an infantry unit, the San Patricios continued to serve with distinction, almost single-handedly winning the Battle of Cerro Gordo. Knowing that they were likely to face the death penalty if captured, the San Patricios are known to have threatened wavering Mexican troops with death by "friendly fire" if they retreated. When the San Patricios were too heavily engaged to carry out their threat, the Mexican troops broke and ran, leaving the San Patricios as they fought U.S. troops in hand to hand combat.

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At the Battle of Churubusco (20 August 1847) they were nearly annihilated, with most either being killed or being taken prisoner (including Jon Riley). They were briefly reformed just before the Battle of Mexico City some two weeks later, but never regained their former numbers and were officially mustered out of Mexican military service in 1850.

Related Topics:
Battle of Churubusco - 20 August - 1847 - Battle of Mexico City

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The San Patricios captured by the U.S. Army suffered harsh reprisals; they had been responsible for some of the toughest fighting (and the heaviest casualties) that the U.S. Army had faced. Those who had entered the Army before the official declaration of war on Mexico (Riley among them) were branded with the letter "D" as deserters and sentenced to the stockade at hard labor. Those who had entered the Army following the declaration of war were hanged en masse for treason in full view of the site of the Battle of Chapultepec (12 September 1847). By order of General Winfield Scott, they were to be executed at the precise moment that the flag of the United States replaced that of Mexico atop the citadel. When the flag was run up the fortress' pole, the gallows were dropped.

Related Topics:
Declaration of war - Treason - Battle of Chapultepec - 12 September - 1847 - Winfield Scott

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To commemorate the support of those Irish-American renegades in the Mexican army, the street in front of the Santa María de Churubusco convent was named Mártires Irlandeses (Irish martyrs). Those who survived the war generally disappeared from history. A handful are on record as having made use of the land claims promised them by the Mexican government.

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