!oshua !

ohnson

LaLln Amerlcan PlsLory 312

rofessor 8ryce Carcla

30 november 2011

1

1he Mexlcan Amerlcan War
1he MexlcanAmerlcan War also known as Lhe llrsL Amerlcan lnLervenLlon Lhe
Mexlcan War or Lhe uSMexlcan War
1
was an armed confllcL beLween Lhe unlLed SLaLes and
Mexlco from 1846 Lo 1848 ln Lhe wake of Lhe 1843 uS annexaLlon of 1exas whlch Mexlco
consldered parL of lLs LerrlLory desplLe Lhe 1836 1exas 8evoluLlon
2
WhaL happened was LhaL
Amerlcan forces lnvaded new Mexlco and parLs of whaL ls currenLly norLhern Mexlco AL Lhe
same Llme Lhe Amerlcan navy conducLed a blockade and Look conLrol of several garrlsons on
Lhe aclflc coasL of whaL was called AlLa" Callfornla buL also furLher souLh ln 8a[a Callfornla
1he Amerlcan army capLured Mexlco ClLy and on lebruary 2 1he 1teoty of CooJolope nlJolqo
was slgned Amerlca Look Callfornla nevada uLah Colorado Arlzona and new Mexlco Mexlco
loses 33 of lLs prewar LerrlLory 2/3 lf 1exas ls lncluded and Amerlca pays $13 mllllon ln
compensaLlon and assumes responslblllLy for $33 mllllon ln clalms by uS clLlzens agalnsL
Mexlco
3
1here are several parLs as Lo why Mexlco losL Lhe war Some of Lhe mosL lmporLanL
were LhaL uS had beLLer mlllLary sLraLegles beLLer Lralned cavalry and of course money
played a huge role ln Mexlco's defeaL 1he uS had money Lhe Mexlcans due Lo corrupLlon dld
noL pure and slmple wars are won by gold noL sLeel

1
ChrlsLensen and ChrlsLensen 1he uSMexlcan War 8ay 8ooks San lranclsco 1998
2
8rlan ueLay (2008) War of a Lhousand deserLs lndlan ralds and Lhe uSMexlcan War ?ale unlverslLy ress
lS8n 9780300119329
3
hLLp//mexlcanhlsLoryorg/MexlcanAmerlcanWar1lmellnehLm
!oshua !ohnson

LaLln Amerlcan PlsLory 312

rofessor 8ryce Carcla

30 november 2011

2

Amerlcan LerrlLorlal expanslon Lo Lhe aclflc coasL was Lhe goal of resldenL !ames k
olk Lhe leader of Lhe uemocraLlc arLy
4
Powever Lhe war was hlghly conLroverslal ln Lhe uS
because Lhe Whlg arLy and anLlslavery foundaLlons sLrongly opposed 1he war would cause
heavy Amerlcan casualLles and hlgh flnanclal cosLs whlch were also crlLlclzed as anoLher reason
Lo noL go Lo war 1he ma[or consequence of Lhe war was Lhe forced Mexlcan cesslon of Lhelr
LerrlLorles of Callfornla uLah Colorado and new Mexlco Lo Lhe uS ln exchange for 13 mllllon
ln addlLlon Lhe unlLed SLaLes forgave Lhe debL owed by Lhe Mexlcan governmenL Lo Lhe unlLed
SLaLes and Mexlco accepLed Lhe 8lo Crande as lLs naLlonal border as well as Lhe loss of 1exas
Cne of Lhe flrsL reasons Mexlco losL Lhe war was LhaL lL was on Lhe verge of clvll war
because of lLs own lnLernal pollLlcal lssues LhaL could noL be solved 1he leadershlp of Lhe
Amerlcans had some of Lhe besL mlllLary mlnds of Lhe conLlnenL leadlng Lhe war and Mexlco
had SanLa Anna who planned hls mlllLary sLraLegles Lhlnklng abouL Lhe pollLlcs back home
SanLa Ana's dual problem had Lhe consequence of noL maklng Lhe rlghL declslons ln elLher
affalr Lven Lhough Mexlco was unlLed ln refuslng 1exas Lo be annexed from lLs grlp Mexlco
LhreaLened war wlLh Lhe uS lf 1exas became lndependenL resldenL olk of Lhe uS was noL
golng Lo sLop Lhe expanslon of Lhe wesL due Lo hls obsesslveness of Lhe ldea of manlfesL
desLlny" 8oLh counLrles were noL golng Lo agree on Lhese maLLers so war soon followed

4
8lves 1he unlLed SLaLes and Mexlco vol 2 p 638
!oshua !ohnson

LaLln Amerlcan PlsLory 312

rofessor 8ryce Carcla

30 november 2011

3

1he republlc of 1exas has some lnLeresLlng hlsLory 1he Mexlcan governmenL lnLended
Lhe Anglo seLLlers of 1exas Lo acL as a buffer beLween Lhe exlsLlng Mexlcan resldenLs and Lhe
raldlng Comanche buL Lhe Anglo colonlsLs seLLled where Lhere was decenL farmland raLher
Lhan where Lhey would have been an effecLlve buffer for Lhe Mexlcan resldenLs SLephen l
AusLln son of Moses AusLln a banker from Mlssourl was successful ln brlnglng over 300
famllles lnLo 1exas whlch sLarLed Lhe mlgraLlon lnLo Lhe 1exas fronLler
3
ln 1829 as a resulL of
Lhe large arrlval of Amerlcan lmmlgranLs Lhe Amerlcans ouLnumbered Mexlcans ln Lhe 1exas
LerrlLory 8y 1833 Lhere were 30000 Amerlcans and only around 8000 Mexlcans
6
Mexlco
orders a halL Lo Amerlcan lmmlgraLlon buL Amerlcans conLlnue Lo cross Lhe border Lo seLLle
1he Mexlcan governmenL declded Lo brlng back Lhe properLy Laxes lncrease Larlffs on uS
shlpped goods and prohlblL slavery 1he seLLlers re[ecLed Lhe demands whlch led Lo Mexlco
closlng 1exas Lo any addlLlonal lmmlgraLlon Powever Amerlcans conLlnued Lo flow lnLo Lhe
1exas LerrlLory
ln 1834 Ceneral AnLonlo Lpez de SanLa Anna became Lhe dlcLaLor of Mexlco
and he declded Lo crush Lhe 1exas lndependence LhaL had begun Lo emerge SLephen l AusLln
called 1exans Lo arms and Lhey declared lndependence from Mexlco ln 1836
7
AfLer SanLa Anna
defeaLed Lhe 1exans aL Lhe Alamo he was defeaLed and capLured aL Lhe 8aLLle of San !aclnLo"
and was forced Lo slgn Lhe 1reaLy of velasco" recognlzlng Lhe 1exas lndependence 1exas

3
SLephen l AusLln hLLp//wwwcemeLerysLaLeLxus/pub/user_formasp?pers_ld3
6
hLLp//mexlcanhlsLoryorg/MexlcanAmerlcanWar1lmellnehLm
7
hLLp//wwwpbsorg/kera/usmexlcanwar/Llmellne_flashhLml
!oshua !ohnson

LaLln Amerlcan PlsLory 312

rofessor 8ryce Carcla

30 november 2011

4

recognlzed lLs sLaLus as an lndependenL republlc recelvlng offlclal recognlLlon by 8rlLaln
lrance and Lhe unlLed SLaLes 8uL laLer Mexlco wlll say LhaL SanLa Ana dld noL have Lhe
auLhorlLy Lo slgn LhaL LreaLy and LhaL lL ls volded 1hese counLrles made lL well aware LhaL
Mexlco should noL Lry Lo reconquer Lhe new naLlon WlLh Lhe one sLar flag 1exas became
known as Lhe Lone SLar 8epubllc MosL 1exans wanLed Lo [oln Lhe uS buL Lhe Amerlcans
debaLed Lhe percepLlon on annexaLlon whlch Lhe Whlgs" largely opposed ln 1843 1exas
agreed Lo Lhe offer of annexaLlon by Lhe uS Congress 1exas became Lhe 28Lh sLaLe on
uecember 29 1843
8

Cn Lhe orlglns of Lhe war 1he Mexlcan governmenL had long warned Lhe unlLed SLaLes
LhaL annexaLlon of 1exas would mean war Slnce Lhe Mexlcan congress had refused Lo
recognlze 1exan lndependence Mexlco saw 1exas as a rebelllous LerrlLory LhaL would be
reLaken because of lLs acLlons 8rlLaln and lrance whlch recognlzed Lhe lndependence of 1exas
repeaLedly Lrled Lo dlscourage Mexlco from declarlng war When 1exas [olned Lhe uS as a
sLaLe ln 1843 Lhe Mexlcan governmenL broke dlplomaLlc relaLlons wlLh Lhe uS
1he 1exan clalm Lo Lhe 8lo Crande boundary had been omlLLed from Lhe annexaLlon
resoluLlon Lo help secure passage afLer Lhe annexaLlon LreaLy falled ln Lhe SenaLe resldenL
olk clalmed Lhe 8lo Crande boundary and Lhls provoked a dlspuLe wlLh Mexlco ln !une 1843
olk senL Ceneral Zachary 1aylor Lo 1exas and by CcLober 3300 Amerlcans were on Lhe

8
8epubllc of 1exas" hLLp//wwwLshaonllneorg/handbook/onllne/arLlcles/mzr02
!oshua !ohnson

LaLln Amerlcan PlsLory 312

rofessor 8ryce Carcla

30 november 2011

3

nueces 8lver prepared Lo defend 1exas from a Mexlcan lnvaslon olk wanLed Lo proLecL Lhe
border and also deslred Lhe conLlnenL clear Lo Lhe aclflc Ccean olk had lnsLrucLed Lhe aclflc
naval squadron Lo selze Lhe Callfornla porLs lf Mexlco declared war whlle sLaylng on good Lerms
wlLh Lhe lnhablLanLs
9
Cn november 10 1843
10
olk senL !ohn Slldell a secreL represenLaLlve
Lo Mexlco ClLy wlLh an offer of $23 mllllon for Lhe 8lo Crande border ln 1exas and Mexlco's
provlnces of AlLa Callfornla and SanLa le de nuevo Mexlco unlLed SLaLes expanslonlsLs wanLed
Callfornla Lo frusLraLe 8rlLlsh amblLlons ln Lhe area and Lo galn a porL on Lhe aclflc Ccean wlLh
Asla olk auLhorlzed Slldell Lo forglve Lhe $3 mllllon owed Lo uS clLlzens for damages caused
by Lhe Mexlcan War of lndependence
11
and pay anoLher $23 Lo $30 mllllon ln exchange for Lhe
Lwo LerrlLorles
12

Mexlco was noL prone or able Lo negoLlaLe news of Slldell's mlsslon Lo buy leaked Lo
Lhe Mexlcan press ln 1846 Lhe presldency of Mexlco changed four Llmes Lhe war mlnlsLry slx
Llmes and Lhe flnance mlnlsLry slxLeen Llmes
13
Powever Lhe Mexlcan publlc oplnlon and all
pollLlcal facLlons agreed LhaL selllng Lhe LerrlLorles Lo Lhe unlLed SLaLes would dlsgrace Lhe
naLlonal honor
14
1he Mexlcans who opposed dlrecL confllcL wlLh Lhe unlLed SLaLes such as

9
8lves vol 2 pp 163168
10
SmlLh (1919) p xl
11
Jay (1853) p. 117.
12
Jay (1853) p. 119.
13
uonald llLhlan SLevens Crlglns of lnsLablllLy ln Larly 8epubllcan Mexlco(1991) pg 11
14
Miguel E. Soto, "The Monarchist Conspiracy and the Mexican War" in Essays on the Mexican War ed by Wayne
Cutler; Texas A&M University Press. 1986. pp. 6667.
!oshua !ohnson

LaLln Amerlcan PlsLory 312

rofessor 8ryce Carcla

30 november 2011

6

resldenL os oopolo Je netteto were ofLen vlewed as LralLors
13
When de Perrera
consldered recelvlng Slldell Lo seLLle Lhe problem of 1exas annexaLlon peacefully he was
accused of Lreason and removed AfLer a more naLlonallsLlc governmenL under Ceneral
Motlooo loteJes y Attllloqo Mexlco publlcly reafflrmed lLs clalm Lo 1exas
16
Slldell was
convlnced LhaL Mexlco should be chasLlsed and he reLurned Lo Lhe uS
17

ln reacLlon Lo Mexlco's clalm resldenL olk ordered Ceneral 1aylor and hls forces
souLh Lo Lhe 8lo Crande enLerlng Lhe LerrlLory LhaL Mexlcans and Lhe Amerlcans clalmed
Mexlco lald clalm Lo Lhe nueces 8lver" whlch was abouL 130 mlles norLh of Lhe 8lo Crande as
Lhe border wlLh 1exas 1he uS clalmed lL was Lhe 8lo Crande LhaL was Lhe border Lhe under
Lhe 1836 1reaLy of velasco" Mexlco was under Lhe leadershlp of Ceneral loteozo cblomoo
18

he re[ecLed Lhe LreaLles and refused Lo negoLlaLe wlLh Lhe unlLed SLaLes and LhaL Mexlco
clalmed all of 1exas 1aylor lgnored Lhe Mexlcan demands Lo wlLhdraw Lo Lhe nueces and he
consLrucLed a Lemporary forL laLer known as lorL 8rown/lorL 1exas on Lhe banks of Lhe 8lo
Crande opposlLe Lhe clLy of MaLamoros 1amaullpas Mexlco Mexlcan forces under Ceneral
Motlooo Atlsto prepared for war
1he second reason Mexlco had losL Lhe war was because Lhe Amerlcan soldlers were
beLLer Lralned and equlpped buL also had a beLLer morale slnce Mexlcan klds were drafLed lnLo

13
rooks (1849) pp. 6162
16
rooks (1849) pp. 6162.
17
Mexlcan War" from hLLp//wwwglobalsecurlLyorg/mlllLary/ops/mexlcan_warhLm
18
CllberL !oseph 1he Mexlco 8eader PlsLory CulLure ollLlcs uuke unlverslLy ress 8ooks 2002 p 632
!oshua !ohnson

LaLln Amerlcan PlsLory 312

rofessor 8ryce Carcla

30 november 2011

7

flghLlng Also you have Lo keep ln mlnd LhaL Amerlcans aL Lhe Llme LhoughL of Lhemselves as a
superlor people raclally and soclally whlch conLrlbuLed Lo Lhelr morale and Lhls was Lhe helghL
of Lhe manlfesL desLlny movemenL Cn Aprll 23 1846 slxLeen hundred men of Lhe Mexlcan
cavalry deLachmenL aLLacked a sevenLy man fronL of Lhe uS paLrol LhaL had been senL lnLo Lhe
LerrlLory norLh of Lhe 8lo Crande aL cottlcltos 1he Mexlcan cavalry caughL Lhe paLrol and kllled
slxLeen uS soldlers ln whaL laLer became known as Lhe 1hornLon Affalr" afLer CapLaln
1hornLon who was ln command
19
AfLer hearlng abouL Lhe 1hornLon Affalr" olk senL a
message Lo Lhe unlLed SLaLes Congress on May 11 1846 whlch sLaLed LhaL Mexlco has passed
Lhe boundary of Lhe unlLed SLaLes and has lnvaded our LerrlLory and shed Amerlcan blood
upon Amerlcan soll
20
Amerlcan Congress declared war on Mexlco on May 13 1846
1he Lhlrd reason Mexlco losL was because of sLraLegles Mexlco had LhoughL slnce Lhey
had more Lroops on Lhe ground LhaL Lhey could wln any baLLle agalnsL Lhe uS whlch proved Lo
be faLal Lo Lhem 1he uS had superlor Lralnlng and equlpmenL as well as leadershlp devoLlon
unllke Mexlco resldenL olk senL a second army under Ceneral Wlnfleld ScoLL whlch was
LransporLed Lo Lhe porL of veracruz by sea Lo begln an lnvaslon of Lhe Mexlcan hearLland Cn
March 9 1847 ScoLL performed Lhe flrsL ma[or amphlblous landlng ln uS hlsLory ln
preparaLlon for Lhe Slege of veracruz A group of 12000 volunLeer and regular soldlers
successfully offloaded supplles weapons and horses near Lhe walled clLy uslng speclally

19
!ames M McCaffrey Army of ManlfesL uesLlny 1he Amerlcan Soldler ln Lhe Mexlcan War 18461848 (1994) p 7
20
Message of resldenL olk May 11 1846 hLLp//avalonlawyaleedu/sub[ecL_menus/Lexmenuasp
!oshua !ohnson

LaLln Amerlcan PlsLory 312

rofessor 8ryce Carcla

30 november 2011

8

deslgned landlng crafL lncluded ln Lhe lnvadlng force were 8oberL L Lee Ceorge Meade
ulysses S CranL !ames LongsLreeL and 1homas SLonewall !ackson 1he clLy was defended by
Mexlcan Ceneral !uan Morales wlLh 3400 men 1he clLy replled Lhe besL lL could wlLh lLs own
arLlllery 1he effecL of Lhe exLended bombardmenL desLroyed Lhe wlll of Lhe Mexlcan slde Lo
flghL agalnsL a numerlcally superlor force and Lhey surrendered Lhe clLy afLer 12 days under
slege uS Lroops suffered 80 casualLles whlle Lhe Mexlcan slde had around 180 kllled and
wounded abouL half of whom were clvlllan 1hls brlngs Lhe fourLh reason Lo why Mexlco losL
Lhe war was because of Lhls baLLle's effecL 1he uS governmenL would noL lose Lhls war Lhey
couldnL brlng Lhemselves Lo lose a war agalnsL a people whlch Lhey consldered lnferlor aL Lhe
Llme Mexlco seelng Lhls baLLle's resulL was a hard hlL Lo Lhe governmenL and showed Lhe
lmmense sLrengLh Lhe uS had broughL Lo Mexlco wlLh Lhem
1he ob[ecL of Lhls expedlLlon led by Wlnfrled ScoLL was Lo force Lhe Mexlcan
governmenL Lo negoLlaLe A force of over 12000 Amerlcans besleged veracruz Lhe mosL
heavlly forLlfled clLy ln Mexlco and ln slx days galned a landlng lL was noL unLll Lhey acLually
approached and enLered Mexlco ClLy afLer flghLlng several famous baLLles along rouLe LhaL
Lhey were able Lo force Lhe Mexlcan governmenL Lo accepL Lo Lhe Lerms announced by Lhe
unlLed SLaLes for Lhe prlce of approxlmaLely $20000000 1he LerrlLory ceded was composed
of Lhe modern sLaLes of Callfornla nevada Arlzona new Mexlco and uLah
!oshua !ohnson

LaLln Amerlcan PlsLory 312

rofessor 8ryce Carcla

30 november 2011

9

ln laLe SepLember 1847 SanLa Anna made one lasL aLLempL Lo defeaL Lhe Amerlcans by
cuLLlng Lhem off from Lhe coasL Ceneral !oaquln 8ea began Lhe Slege of uebla soon [olned by
SanLa Anna buL Lhey falled Lo Lake lL before Lhe approach of a rellef column from vera Cruz
under 8rlg Cen !oseph Lane prompLed SanLa Anna Lo sLop hlm uebla was relleved by Cen
Lane CcLober 12 1847 followlng hls defeaL of SanLa Anna aL Lhe 8aLLle of PuamanLla CcLober
9 1847 1he baLLle was SanLa Annas lasL lollowlng Lhe defeaL Lhe new Mexlcan governmenL
led by Manuel de la ena y ena asked SanLa Anna Lo Lurn over command of Lhe army Lo
Ceneral !ose !oaquln de Perrera
1he unlLed SLaLes had orlglnally offered Lo pay over $23000000 for Lhe parcel whlch
amounLed Lo more Lhan $300 per Mexlcan clLlzen buL lnsLead of accepLlng Lhls generous
offer Lhe Mexlcans sub[ecLed Lhemselves Lo a serles of humlllaLlng defeaLs and lncurred a
greaL loss of llfe and properLy damage 1he reason for Lhls was parL honor buL largely pollLlcal
varlous parLles were sLruggllng for power Lhe governmenL changed hands several Llmes durlng
Lhe war 1he ldea of surrender was so unpopular LhaL any pollLlclan who even dlscussed lL
would be Lhrown lmmedlaLely ouL of offlce a brulslng defeaL was more pollLlcally pracLlcal
Lhan an unpopular surrender
1he slxLh reason Mexlco losL Lhe war was Lhe lnferlorlLy of Lhelr weapons 1he Mexlcan
army was uslng 8rlLlsh muskeLs from Lhe napoleonlc Wars ln conLrasL Lo Lhe aglng Mexlcan
sLandardlssue lnfanLry weapon some uS Lroops had Lhe laLesL uS manufacLured breech
!oshua !ohnson

LaLln Amerlcan PlsLory 312

rofessor 8ryce Carcla

30 november 2011

10

loadlng Pall rlfles and model 1841 percusslon rlfles ln Lhe laLer sLages of Lhe war uS cavalry
and offlcers were lssued ColL Walker revolvers of whlch Lhe uS Army had ordered 1000 ln
1846 1hroughouL Lhe war Lhe superlorlLy of Lhe uS arLlllery ofLen carrled Lhe day
ollLlcal dlvlslons lnslde Mexlco was one of Lhe maln facLors ln Lhe uS vlcLory lnslde
Mexlco Lhe cenLrallsLas and republlcans conLended for power and aL Llmes Lhese Lwo facLlons
lnslde Mexlcos mlllLary foughL each oLher raLher Lhan Lhe lnvadlng Amerlcan army AnoLher
facLlon called Lhe monarchlsLs whose members wanLed Lo lnsLall a monarch furLher
compllcaLed maLLers 1hls facLlon would rlse Lo predomlnance ln Lhe perlod of Lhe lrench
lnLervenLlon ln Mexlco ln Lhe end lL all comes down Lo money whlch Lhe uS had and Mexlco
dld noL