In September, 1847, Gen. Winfield Scott’s army arrived outside Mexico City to culminate a campaign that had begun with an amphibious invasion at Vera Cruz. Scott marched inland, winning several battles along the way. As he approached the capital, he faced a larger force led by Mexican dictator Santa Anna. Santa Anna had 25,000 men to Scott’s 7,200, but Scott had the advantages of better soldiers, better artillery, and the initiative. Santa Anna did not know which route to the capital the Americans would use so he had to spread out his forces. He could only spare 1,000 men for Chapultepec Castle which was on a 200 foot hill outside the city. The “castle” was not a fortification. It was the home of the Mexican Military Academy and had walls that were vulnerable to American artillery. On Sept. 12, Scott’s cannons opened fire and the walls began to crumble. On Sept. 13, Scott launched storming parties at the castle. The assaulters included 40 Marines. The Marines suffered 90% casualties. (Their participation is one reason why the Marine Corps Hymn starts with “From the Halls of Montezuma…”) The men used ladders to climb into the castle. Most of the Mexicans fled. Part of the garrison was about 200 cadets of the academy. Six of them decided to stay to the end and died defending Mexican soil. They were from ages 13-19. One, named Juan Escutia, became one of Mexico’s greatest heroes by wrapping himself in the Mexican flag and leaping to his death. The sextet became known as Los Ninos Heroes (“The Boy Heroes”). In 1947, Pres. Harry Truman visited the site and laid a wreath at the monument to the boys. When questioned about this by the American press, he responded: “Brave men don’t belong to any one country. I respect bravery wherever I see it.”
Ironically, the battle also is famous for a group of traitors. During the war, immigrant Catholics in the US Army had deserted to the Mexican army and formed an artillery battalion called the St. Patrick’s Battalion because most of them were Irish. The unit was the best artillery unit that Santa Anna had. At the Battle of Churubusco, most were captured. They were convicted of treason and were put on gallows where they could watch the assault of Chapultepec. They were hanged the moment the American flag was raised over the castle. The Battle of Chapultepec was the last significant battle of the war and Mexico City fell about a month later.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chapultepec
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