Mexico City September 8-14, 1847

Strategic ContextAfter relatively swift campaigning through Mexico, Winfield Scott’s United States Army now faces Santa Anna’s stiff fortifications in front of the capital. Scott loses nearly one-third of his force in August, mostly from disease, before a short armistice comes into effect between the two sides. Discussion of peace proposals are merely tokens as Scott resumes his offensive.

Stakes+ An American victory would practically end the war and confirm American land gains of the present southwestern states.

+ A Mexican victory would lift the sagging morale of its army and allow disease to take a further toll on Scott’s army, jeopardizing the entire campaign.

By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©

Mexico City, 1847Strength

United States Army

Well

Mexican Army

Demoralized

Winfield Scott

16,0007,200

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©

US Army(Scott)

Scott deploys a greater portion of his army under Worth for an assault on Molino del Rey because he hears the foundry there is melting down church bells to create cannons. Whether this rumour is intended by Santa Anna to lure Scott into attacking the fortress and thus incurring heavy casualties is unclear. Scott nonetheless deploys another portion of his army under Twigg to threaten the southern sector of Mexico City while he focuses on Molino del Rey’s capture. Santa Anna deploys his army to meet any threat on Mexico City and the fortresses of Molino del Rey and Chapultepec but does not appoint any significant subordinate commander for any sector; the individual regiments are therefore on their own for the most part. Santa Anna does appoint Alvarex to lead a large cavalry force against the flank of the Americans ready to besiege Molino del Rey.

Worth quietly sends one of three assault columns forward; it is met with a hail of fire just as it reaches the Mexican positions but succeeds in spooking the Mexicans guarding the molino. Santa Anna counterattacks with forces from Chapultepec after realizing how few the Americans are in number. Bitter fighting ensues in front of and within the molino.

Twigg

Worth

Alvarez

Scott

Heavy artillery on both sides open fire as Worth sends his remaining assault columns to reconcile the situation. They surge past the first battered column, silence the Mexican guns and engage in vicious no-quarter fighting along the front. The accurate fire from American artillery tip the balance in favour of the Americans but the struggle is ultimately decided by the skill and determination of the individual soldier; the assaulters carry the advance forward and occupy the molino. Some Mexican troops desert at this time but the majority withdraw in good order to Chapultepec.

As Worth commits his force to take the remaining fortress of Molino del Rey, the casa mata, Alvarez judges the time to be right for his cavalry to roll up the American assault line by the flank. A tiny flank protection force of 270 cavalry under Sumner bravely charges the 4,000 cavalry to prevent this from happening. He catches them at a narrow river crossing but are still vastly outnumbered and fall back until Worth redirects his guns to shatter the Mexican formation. Worth’s two assault columns then capture the casa mata with heavy losses while the third guards the molino against any Mexican counterattack.

As mentioned previously, the Mexican withdrawal is not a rout. Santa Anna personally rides to Chapultepec in order to rally the retreating troops and use them in a spirited counterattack to retake Molino del Rey. The outcome of this engagement hangs in the balance, decided only when the Mexicans withdraw for good under the firepower of the American artillery.

US Army(Winfield Scott)

7,200

Mexican Army(Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna)16,000

Molino del Rey

Chapultepec

Mexico City

Tacubaya

Landmarks

Mexican Army(Santa Anna)

4th4th

2nd2nd

3rd3rd

US Army(Scott)

Subordinates

3rd3rd

The Americans receive a blow to their morale when they realize that Molino del Rey was never being used as a foundry to produce cannons. Meanwhile, both sides take a few days to rest and reorganize their forces. Scott divides his forces into four divisions; two demonstrate south of Mexico City while the other two threaten Chapultepec. Santa Anna fears an attack on Mexico City itself and places minimal forces in Chapultepec, quelling protests from his subordinates by promising necessary reserve forces will be sent in case of attack. During the night, Scott marches the 3rd Division west of Chapultepec to take part in the attack.

Scott lays down a lengthy bombardment on Chapultepec which achieves the desired effect: Mexican troops are beginning to desert. He then sends 3rd and 4th Divisions against the south and east sides of the fortress while 1st Division edges forward to guard against any major counterattacks. Santa Anna sends reinforcements too late; they pin down 4th Division until 3rd Division outflanks them and gains firm control over Chapultepec. Scott’s subordinates do not stop there however, Worth and Quitman push the retreating Mexicans along the causeways.

Santa Anna begins to pull units back to defend Mexico City while Worth and Quitman continue to pressure the retreating Mexican units. Worth has a little more difficulty reaching the garitas which guard the entrances to the city as he must deal with a limited cavalry attack first. Both divisions are halted once they reach the garitas anyways. The Americans settle down to bombard the garitas and the Mexicans return fire until both sides run low on ammunition, deadlocking the situation.

Worth is the commander who single-handedly breaks the deadlock. He detaches a special sapper unit under Ulysses S. Grant and pins the Mexican unit in his sector with a limited attack. Grant knocks down a few city walls in order to mount howitzers on rooftops in the Mexican rear. The unexpected fire from these powerful guns quickly force the Mexicans to flee deep into the city. Although Santa Anna’s force still outnumbers the American force as it prepares to lay siege to Mexico City, Santa Anna evacuates his further dispirited army.

1st1st

US Army(Winfield Scott)

7,200

Mexican Army(Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna)16,000

Molino del Rey

Chapultepec

Mexico City

Tacubaya

Landmarks

Mexican Army(Santa Anna)

NN

1st Division – Worth

2nd Division – Twiggs

3rd Division – Pillow

4th Division – Quitman

Mexico City, 1847Casualties & Aftermath

United States Army: Mexican Army:

1,500

or

21%

4,500

or

28%

By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©

The war did not end with the capture of Mexico City; the same day the city fell, Santa Anna laid siege to the American supply garrison of Puebla. The Mexicans were driven off a month later but this, along with the 30,000 convicts released before Mexico City’s evacuation greatly complicated the military and political situation. Negotiations finally succeeded in February, 1848 in establishing peace, ceding the present southwestern states to the United States.

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By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©