Battle of Monterrey

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Battle of Monterrey
Part of Mexican-American War
US troops marching on Monterrey during the Mexican-American War, painting by Carl Nebel.
Date September 21-24, 1846 Location Monterrey, Nuevo León Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Mexico
Commanders
Gen. Zachary Taylor	Gen. Pedro de Ampudia Gen. Jose Garcia-Conde Gen. Francisco Mejia
Strength
6,220	7,000 Regulars 3,000 Militia
Casualties and losses
120 Killed 368 Wounded 43 Captured [1]	367 Killed and Wounded [2]

In the Battle of Monterrey (September 21–23, 1846) during the Mexican-American War, General Pedro de Ampudia and the Mexican Army of the North managed to fight U.S. troops to a temporary standstill at the important fortress town of Monterrey, but eventually they were forced to surrender their position.

[edit] Background

After several defeats and near misses, the Mexican Army of the North, about 2,638 men (1st, 4th & 10th Line, two companies of the 6th & 2d Light Regiments, Mexico & Morelia Activos, 7th, 8th & Light Cavalry Regiments and 13 pieces of artillery) attempted to retreat south and refit before engaging United States forces under General Zachary Taylor. Near the old fortress town of Monterrey, General Pedro de Ampudia received orders from Antonio López de Santa Anna to retreat further to the city of Saltillo, where Ampudia was to establish a defensive line. But Ampudia, who was hungry for victory and conscious that his men were nearing mutiny through constantly being forced to retreat, refused the order and chose instead to make a stand at Monterrey. Joining Ampudia at this engagement were reinforcements from Mexico city ( 3,140 Total: 1,080 men Garcia-Conde Brigade (Aguascalientes & Queretaro Battalions, two squadrons 3d Line Cavalry, 3 guns), 1,000 men Azpeitia Brigade (3d Line, two squadrons Jalisco lancers, two squadons Guanajuato Cavalry Regiment, 6 guns & an Ambulance), 1,060 men Simeon Ramirez Brigade (3d & 4th Light, 3 guns) and an artillery unit, the largely Irish-American volunteers for Mexico San Patricios (or the Saint Patrick's Battalion), in their first major engagement against U.S. forces.

American depiction of the fighting within the city.

[edit] Battle

For three days, U.S. forces attempted to take the city without success. Heavy Mexican resistance caused considerable losses in the U.S. ranks, and the U.S. artillery was incapable of penetrating the walls of the numerous fortresses and fortifications in the area. In the third day Texas Ranger Division and an infantry division under the command of General William J. Worth managed to take four hills to the west of the city. These were replaced with heavy cannon that were used to attack retreating forces fleeing the hill. A diversionary tactic allowed American divisions to stream into the city from the west and east.

Map of the battle that appeared in Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant

Heavy hand to hand combat within the city walls followed. The Texas Rangers threw a lighted artillery shell into a house, and with minor injury, blew the Mexican soldiers out the windows. The Mexican Army congregated in the city plaza. Trapped in the city plaza and bombarded from the enemy with howitzers, General Ampudia decided to negotiate. Taylor, still facing a larger army in enemy territory, negotiated a two month armistice in return for the surrender of the city.The Mexican Army was allowed to march from the city on the 26th, 27th and 28th of the month, with their arms and one battery of artillery (6 guns). Left behind was some 25 guns.

[edit] Aftermath

The resulting armistice signed between Taylor and Ampudia had major effects upon the outcome of the war. Taylor was lambasted by the federal government, where President James K. Polk insisted that the U.S. army had no authority to negotiate truces, only to "kill the enemy". In addition, his terms of armistice, which allowed Ampudia's forces to retreat with battle honors and all of their weapons, were seen as foolish and short-sighted by some U.S. observers.

For his part, some have argued that Ampudia had begun the defeat of Mexico. Many Mexican soldiers became disenchanted with the war. In a well-fortified, well-supplied position, an army of ten thousand Mexican soldiers had resisted the U.S. Army for three days, only to be forced into surrender by American urban battle tactics, heavy artillery and possibly further division in the Mexican ranks.

[edit] See also

• Battles of the Mexican-American War

[edit] References

• Bauer, K. Jack. "The Mexican War, 1846-1848"
• Alcaraz, Ramon et al. "Apuntes Para la Historia de la Guerra Entre Mexico y los Estados Unidos"
• Balbotin, Manuel "La Invasion Americana, 1846 a 1848"
• Grant, U.S. "Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant, Vol I, pp 74-82", ISBN 0-940450-58-5