Battles of the MexicanAmerican War

Battles of the MexicanAmerican War

The battles of the MexicanAmerican War include all major engagements and most reported skirmishes, including Thornton's Defeat, the Battle of Palo Alto, and the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, which took place prior to the official start of hostilities.

Background
The MexicanAmerican War lasted from 1846 until 1848. It grew out of unresolved border disputes between the Republic of Texas and Mexico after the United States annexed Texas nine years after the Texas Revolution. It ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in which Mexico sold a vast tract of land that amounted to over half its national territory to the United States.

List of battles
Key (A) American Victory (M) Mexican Victory (I) Inconclusive
Depiction of the Battle of Chapultepec.

1846
Battle Thornton Affair Siege of Fort Texas Battle of Palo Alto Date April 25/26 May 39 May 8 Engagement remarks Skirmishing in the disputed borderlands of South Texas. American forces withstand Mexican Army attacks. Mexican Army under Mariano Arista in the disputed land between the Rio Grande (Ro Bravo) and the Nueces River engage an American army attempting to lift the aforementioned Siege of Fort Texas. Arista is defeated by Zachary Taylor. Result (M) (A) (A)

Battle of Resaca de la Palma Occupation of Matamoros Battle of Monterey [1]

May 9

(A)

May 18

U.S. troops occupy Matamoros, Tamaulipas, with no resistance. More than 300 sick and wounded (A) Mexicans captured in the hospitals. Also abandoned were 5 spiked guns. U.S. Navy occupies Monterey, California. (A) (A)

July 7 July 14

Occupation of Camargo, Tamaulipas. Battle of Caoncito Battle of Santa Fe Battle of Monterrey [1]

early August August 18 September 2123 September 2230 September 2627

Stephen Watts Kearny defeats Manuel Armijo on the way to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Kearny occupies Santa Fe, New Mexico. Zachary Taylor forces Pedro de Ampudia to surrender Monterrey.

(A) (A) (A)

Siege of Los Angeles

Led by Gen Jos Mara Flores, Californios and Mexicans retake Los Angeles.

(M)

Battle of Chino

Californios defeat and capture 24 Americans, led by Benjamin D. Wilson, who were hiding in an adobe house in Rancho Santa Ana del Chino, near present day Chino, California.

(M)

Battles of the MexicanAmerican War

2
Californios, led by Jos Antonio Carrillo, defeat 203 US Marines led by U.S. Navy Captain William Mervine. Commodore Perry makes a demonstration against Tabasco (M)

Battle of Dominguez Rancho First Battle of Tabasco

October 7

October 2426

(I)

Occupation of Tampico, Tamaulipas Occupation of Saltillo, Coahuila Battle of Natividad Battle of San Pasqual Capture of Tucson (1846) Battle of El Brazito

November 14 Occupation by the U.S. Navy.

(A)

November 16 Occupation by the U.S. Army.

(A)

November 16 Town located in northern California. December 6 Californios and Presidial Lancers defeat Kearny

(A) (M) (A)

December 16 The Mormon Battalion captures Tucson, Sonora and occupies her for a day or two.

December 25 Also called the "Battle of Temascalitos" in Spanish. Mexican forces attack El Brazito, New Mexico. U.S. forces were led by Colonel Alexander William Doniphan.

(A)

1847
Battle Battle of Santa Clara Battle of Rio San Gabriel Battle of La Mesa Battle of Caada First Battle of Mora Date January 2 January 8 January 9 January 24 January 24 Engagement remarks Fought in California. Part of a series of battles for control of Los Angeles. Last conflict before U.S. forces enter Los Angeles. Sterling Price defeats insurgents in New Mexico. A failed attack by American Forces on Mora, New Mexico led by Israel Hendley on January 24. On February 1, another American expedition armed with howitzers succeeded in razing the village of Mora in New Mexico. Rancheros and Mexican Militia surrender to U.S. forces thus ending the Taos Revolt. Zachary Taylor fights Antonio Lpez de Santa Anna south of Saltillo in one of the largest battles of the war. Doniphan defeats a larger Mexican army before the capture of Chihuahua. Last insurgent stand before the Siege of Pueblo de Taos. Beginning with Marine landings, U.S. forces besiege and gradually encircle Mexican Marines and Coast Guard in vicious twenty-day siege. Dubbed the "Thermopylae of the West." Commodore Matthew C. Perry seizes the port city of Tuxpan on the Gulf coast. New Mexican insurgents fight a skirmish with United States troops. Result (A) (A) (A) (A) (M)

Second Battle of Mora

February 1

(A)

Siege of Pueblo de Taos Battle of Buena Vista

February 3/4 February 22/23

(A) (A)

Battle of the Sacramento Battle of Embudo Pass Siege of Veracruz

February 28 January 29 March 929

(A) (A) (A)

Battle of Cerro Gordo First Battle of Tuxpan Battle of Red River Canyon Second Battle of Tuxpan Third Battle of Tuxpan Capture of Perote Second Battle of Tabasco Battle of Las Vegas Battle of Cienega Creek

April 18 April 18 May 26

(A) (A) (A)

June June 30 April 22 June 16 July 6 July 9

Perry's Mosquito Fleet engages Mexicans at Tuxpan for a second time. Perry's Mosquito Fleet engages Mexicans for a third time. 54 Guns and mortars, and 500 muskets captured at Perote. Commodore Perry captures Villahermosa, the last port city on the Mexican Gulf coast. New Mexican insurgents and United States soldiers fight at Las Vegas, New Mexico. New Mexicans and United States forces clash near Taos, New Mexico.

(A) (A)

(A) (A) (A)

Battles of the MexicanAmerican War

3
Santa Anna fails to support the Mexican line at a critical moment; turns victory into rout. (A)

Battle of Contreras (also known as Battle of Padierna) Battle of Churubusco

August 19

August 20

Regular Mexican troops and Saint Patrick's Battalion under Manuel Rincn hold a fortified monastery against Winfield Scott; just over half of the San Patricios are killed or captured, the rest retreat with the rest of the Mexican forces in the area. [2] Americans lose nearly 800 men in an attempt to take a suspected cannon foundry: "They fell in platoons and companies." Scott assaults Chapultepec Castle. Los Nios Hroes pass into legend. Some captured San Patricios members executed during the battle. Fierce fighting for Mexico City. Mexican forces begin the siege of Puebla, Puebla. U.S. forces enter Mexico City. Mexican forces led by Captain Manuel Pineda are defeated by a small detachment of American forces at Muleg, Baja California Sur. U.S. relief column is able to reach Puebla. Siege of Puebla lifted. Also known as the "Atlixco Affair" United States Navy schooner USS Libertad silences Mexican shore batteries in the Sea of Cortez A Mexican defeat at La Paz, Mexico Mexicans defeated by American forces at San Jos del Cabo A second Mexican attack on La Paz, Mexico ending in an American victory.

(A)

Battle of Molino del Rey

September 8

(A)

Battle of Chapultepec

September 13

(A)

Battle for Mexico City Siege of Puebla Fall of Mexico City Battle of Muleg

September 13/14 September 14 September 15 October 2

(A) (A) (A) (A)

Battle of Huamantla Siege of Puebla Skirmish at Atlixco Bombardment of Punta Sombrero Battle of La Paz

October 9 October 12 October 19 October 31

(A) (A) (I) (A)

November 16/17

(A) (A) (A)

Battle of San Jos del Cabo November 20/21 Siege of La Paz November 27/December 8

1848
Battle Siege of San Jos del Cabo Battle of Santa Cruz de Rosales Skirmish of Todos Santos Date January 22/February 14 March 16 Engagement remarks A failed Mexican siege of San Jos del Cabo Result (A)

Sterling Price advances into Chihuahua after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was already signed. Lt. Col. Henry S. Burton defeated Mexican forces in Baja California Sur after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was already signed.

(A)

March 31

(A)

From January to August Mexican partisans continued to resist the U.S. Army of Occupation. Formal fighting, however, had ceased by the end of January.

Battles of the MexicanAmerican War

Notes
[1] It is a common misconception to confuse "Monterrey, Nuevo Len" with "Monterey, California". These are, in fact, two very different battles. [2] Throughout September, reports of guerrilla attacks on U.S. army hospitals, supply columns, and camps reached epidemic proportions.

Combined official Mexican losses and US estimates: Northern Campaign (Palo Alto-Buena Vista) : c1,031 Mexican killed. Valley Campaign (Cerro Gordo-Mexico City) : c2,854 Mexican killed. Or, c3,885 not including later died of wounds, died from disease or the losses in the West. The Mexican Cavalry Division (Army of the South) escaped the Valley Campaign largely intact (4,000 evacuated Mexico City). Of some 16,000 Infantry of the Armies of the East & North, only 5,000 evacuated Mexico City.

References
Bauer, K. Jack (1974). The Mexican War, 18461848. New York: Macmillan. ISBN0-8032-6107-1. Brooks, N.C. Complete History Of The Mexican War: Grigg, Elliot & Co.Philadelphia 1849 Listing of 18461848 US Army Casualites (http://www.dmwv.org/honoring/other.htm) Ramsey, Albert C. The Other Side or Notes For The History of The War Between Mexico And The United States John Wiley New York 1850

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Battles of the MexicanAmerican War Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=482193172 Contributors: Abgarp, ActionMan12, Adam Bishop, Adamsadowski, Agentsquab, Aille, Allen3, Anthony Appleyard, Ark30inf, Asiaticus, Awiseman, Az81964444, Bkonrad, Bobblewik, Bookofjude, Bryan Derksen, BusterD, CBDunkerson, Can't sleep, clown will eat me, CatherineMunro, Cedrus-Libani, Colonies Chris, Dabomb87, Danny, Deconstructhis, Delldot, Descendall, Dicklyon, DonDeigo, ESkog, Ed g2s, Emargie, Esprit15d, Fdewaele, Fennessy, Gentgeen, Gilliam, Goldom, Gomm, Groundsquirrel13, Gscshoyru, Gurch, Gus477515, Hajor, Hmains, Hugo999, J.delanoy, JOEFIXIT, Jengod, Jeremy Bentham, Jimfbleak, Jnestorius, Jonathunder, Julesd, Junglecat, Kelly Martin, Kirill Lokshin, Koavf, Kumioko, Kuru, Kuyabribri, Love NBB, M23falk, MGS, Mad Hungarian, Manuel Bermudez, NancePG, Natureguy1980, Nick Wilson, Noetica, North Shoreman, Pmanderson, Polaris999, Postdlf, PrimroseGuy, Quadell, Recognizance, RepublicanJacobite, Rmhermen, RockMFR, Rune.welsh, SnowFire, SpikeTorontoRCP, Sunquanliangxiuhao, Supersexyspacemonkey, TheKMan, Tiddly Tom, Toddy1, Tony1, Uguion, VeryVerily, Will Beback, Yindi, Zntrip, 117 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Storming of Chapultepec.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Storming_of_Chapultepec.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Gryffindor, Infrogmation, KTo288, Labattblueboy, Lupo, PhilFree, 1 anonymous edits

License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported //creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/