The Mexican-American War 1846-48

I picked up the Osprey Men-At-Arms book on this from McKay’s Used Books in Manassas.  It concerns a war we fought with Mexico from 1846-48.   Here are some facts about it.

The major US general was Zachary Taylor.   He later became President.  In fact, the President, James K. Polk, had promised to only serve one term, and thus did not run for re-election in 1848.  Taylor won the Whig nomination and the election itself, taking office in March 1849.  However, he died in July 1850 after consuming fruit at the Washington Monument building site.  His vice president, Millard Fillmore, took over from him. 

Most of the most important generals on both sides of the US Civil War served in this war, albeit on the same side and as junior officers rather than generals – Grant was a 2LT, Lee was a captain.  Winfield Scott was the senior US general, Taylor was underneath him.

Texas joined the US shortly before the war, but the border with Mexico was disputed.  We considered the Rio Grande river to be the border, whereas Mexico considered it the Nueces River which ran parallel to the Rio Grande to the northeast. 

We wound up with Nevada, Utah, southwest Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and California – and we paid the Mexicans reparations.

Almost all of the hostilities occurred in Mexico itself.  Mexican territory in what is now the US was sparsely populated and US forces were able to quickly overrun it without much problem or resistance.  The Bear Flag of California dates from this era when US forces managed to defeat the nominal local Mexican forces.

In terms of actual combat operations, we landed at Veracruz on the eastern coast, marched west, and eventually took Mexico City, which effectively ended the war.  “From the Halls of Montezuma”, from the Marine Corps Hymn, refers to the battle of Chapultepec in this war.   The above-referred Civil War generals saw most of their action on this front. 

The Mexicans typically outnumbered us 4 to 1, but their troops were poorly armed, poorly trained, and above all poorly led.   US forces were either regulars – by nature, volunteers – or recent immigrant volunteers.   The US officer corps was top quality.  Moreover our artillery so far outclassed the Mexicans’ that we were able to take out their forces at a range they couldn’t hope to match.  If you’re a Mexican peasant drafted to fight Americans and they can blow you up well before you can hit them with your poor excuse for a rifle, why stick around?  Least of all for officers who treat you poorly and have zero inherent leadership skills.  Under these circumstances the Mexican Army becomes a non-factor.  For its part the Mexican Navy was practically nonexistent as well.   By practically any standard the Mexicans were completely outclassed. 

Aesthetically, even as late as the mid 1840s, military uniforms were pretty much the same as they were back in the War of 1812 and the Napoleonic period.  Many of our uniforms were light blue.   The Texas Rangers had a more organic, brown-fringed uniform.   Regular troops wore more of these bizarre shakos, but also some forage caps.  They’re starting to move towards more practical uniforms.  The Civil War looks like the first war with actual practical uniforms, but even then the Union forces wore dark blue.  We’d have to wait for WWI to get truly functional uniforms in sane colors:  field grey (Germany), khaki (England, Canada, US, Russia), or horizon blue (France).   Not sure why looking like the sky is ideal, but it beats dark blue and bright red – by WWII the French had switched to brown. 

Santa Anna.  The main Mexican Dude.  He had been in exile in the Caribbean when the war broke out.  The US smuggled him into Mexico with the express agreement that he would take over and end the war on US terms as “our guy”.  But while he did trick the Mexicans and take over, he also pulled a fast one on us and decided to fight us anyway.  Well, we beat him anyway. 

Another funny thing is that prior to the war, Polk offered to BUY the land from Mexico, but the Mexicans refused.   Polk knew that simply attacking Mexico without provocation wouldn’t fly in Congress, so they provoked the Mexicans into attacking us in southwest Texas, between the Nueces and the Rio Grande Rivers, which was contested area anyway.   Maybe not completely kosher, but enough of a pretext to get support for the war.  It didn’t fool everyone: even Grant could see the provocation for what it was.  Thoreau and Emerson also opposed the war; while Grant kept his mouth shut and served anyway.  Another famous opponent to the war was our beloved #16, Lincoln, who as senator from Illinois challenged Polk to identify the exact locations in US territory where Mexican forces attacked us, the so-called Spot Resolutions.  

With the peace treaty we paid Mexico reparations and they recognized our borders.   We developed those states since then, of which California was the most impressive – especially since the gold rush occurred in 1849. 

The funny thing is that I don’t consider myself anti-Mexican.  I’ve lived overseas in Europe or in the DC area and don’t have much direct interaction with Hispanics.   Having said that, however, Mexico did not develop those areas, we did.   Moreover, Mexico really hasn’t done much of anything since 1848.   No world cups, no space programs, and no substantial military activity, for the better or worse, anywhere else.   Its strongest actors in 2019 are drug gangs.   If we ever legalize hard drugs, even those gangs would shrivel up and die.

For those of you in the southwest US, enjoy!   For those of you anywhere else….enjoy as well.   TGIF.