Battle of Monterrey

Battle of Monterrey

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Monterrey


caption=US troops marching on Monterrey during the Mexican-American War, painting by Carl Nebel.
partof=Mexican-American War
date=September 21-24, 1846
place=Monterrey, Nuevo León
result=American victory
combatant1=United States
combatant2=Mexico
commander1=Gen. Zachary Taylor
commander2=Gen. Pedro de Ampudia
Gen. Jose Garcia-Conde
Gen. Francisco Mejia
strength1=6,220
strength2=4,000 Regulars;2,000 Cavalry; 46 artillery
3,000 Militia
casualties1=120 Killed
368 Wounded
43 Captured [http://www.mymexicanwar.com/battles/460921.htm The Battle of Monterrey ] ]
casualties2=below 200 Killed and Wounded.|

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

ee also

*Battles of the Mexican-American War

References

*Toro, Alfonso "Historia de México", vol. 2, pp. 372-374.
*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


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Monterrey — This article is about the Mexican city. For other uses, see Monterrey (disambiguation). Monterrey   City   Ciudad de Monterrey City of Monterrey …   Wikipedia

  • Battle of Buena Vista — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Battle of Buena Vista caption= Battle of Buena Vista by Carl Nebel. partof=Mexican American War date=February 22 23, 1847 place=Buena Vista, Coahuila result=Both sides claimed victory combatant1=Mexico… …   Wikipedia

  • Monterrey (disambiguation) — See also: Monterey (disambiguation) Monterrey is a city in Nuevo León, Mexico. Monterrey may also refer to: Monterrey, Casanare, a town and municipality in the Casanare Department, Colombia Club de Fútbol Monterrey, a football (soccer) team from… …   Wikipedia

  • Battle of Monterey — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Battle of Monterey caption= partof=Mexican American War date=July 7, 1846 place=Monterey, California result=U.S. victory combatant1=United States combatant2=Mexico commander1=John D. Sloat (1781 – 1867)… …   Wikipedia

  • Monterrey — /mon teuh ray /; Sp. /mawn terdd rdday /, n. a city in and the capital of Nuevo León, in NE Mexico: battle 1846. 1,500,000. * * * City (pop., 2000: 1,110,997), capital of Nuevo León state, northern Mexico. It lies at an elevation of about 1,750… …   Universalium

  • Monterrey, Battle of — (1846)    An early battle of the Mexican American War, 1846–1848. As part of a threepronged offensive to seize northern Mexico, Major General Zachary Taylor’s Army of Occupation advanced on Monterrey in summer 1846. Natural and constructed… …   Encyclopedia of the Age of Imperialism, 1800–1914

  • Battle for Mexico City — Mexico City Campaign Part of the Mexican American War The American assault on Chapultepec Castle …   Wikipedia

  • Battle of Goliad — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Battle of Goliad caption= partof=the Texas Revolution date=October 10, 1835 place= Presidio La Bahía, Goliad result=Texian victory combatant1=Texian insurgents combatant2=Mexican Army commander1=George… …   Wikipedia

  • Monterrey — /mɒntəˈreɪ/ (say montuh ray) noun a city in north eastern Mexico; battle, 1846 …  

  • Buena Vista, Battle of — Battle fought in 1847 near Monterrey, Mexico, in the Mexican War. A U.S. force of 5,000 commanded by Gen. Zachary Taylor and assisted by Jefferson Davis invaded northern Mexico and engaged a Mexican force of 14,000 under Gen. Antonio Santa Anna.… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”