Okla-homey
9/13/2007, 05:17 AM
Sept. 13, 1847: General Winfield Scott storms the Chapultepec fortress
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/9609/ccccccccccccccccmexwar9pz3.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Marines crest the ramparts at Chapultepec. Note the red stripe on the trousers of the Mexican cadet (about to die) in the left foreground
160 years ago on this day in 1847, General Winfield Scott wins the last major battle of the Mexican War, storming the ancient Chapultepec fortress at the edge of Mexico City.
The war between the U.S. and its southern neighbor began the year before when President James Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor (and later president) to advance to the disputed Rio Grande border between the newly-minted American state of Texas and Mexico.
The Mexican government had once controlled Texas and refused to recognize the American claim on the state or the validity of the Rio Grande as an international border. Viewing Taylor's advance as an invasion of Mexican soil, the Mexican army crossed the Rio Grande and attacked the U.S. forces in Texas in April 1846. By mid-May the two nations were formally at war.
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/7403/ccccccccccccccccccccmexicanwaroperationsmapbx9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The Mexican army was larger than the American army, but its leadership, training, and supplies were all inferior to those of the U.S. forces. Mexican gunpowder was notoriously weak, and cannon balls from their guns often just bounced slowly across battlefields where the American soldiers simply stepped out of the way.
As a result, by January 1847, General Taylor had conquered California and the northern Mexican territories that would later make up much of the American southwest. But Taylor was reluctant to take the war into the heart of Mexico, and Polk instead turned to General Winfield Scott to finish the job.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2489/cccccccccccccwinfieldscottdf5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Winfield Scott in Mexico. Scott was a War of 1812 veteran and served his country until early in the Civil War.
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/603/ccccccccccccccwinfield20scottrq3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Winfield Scott in a photograph approximately fourteen years after he took Mexico City. By then, Scott was in overall command of the US Army at the outbreak of the Civil War. He was a legendary eater and had really packed on the pounds -- in fact, he was too big to mount a horse and rode about in a carriage. That said, he was among the only men in uniform in the North who understood the Civil War wasn't going to be a short, decisive affair having served with many of the Confederate military leaders when they fought brilliantly under him in Mexico. Scott is also credited with devising the "Anaconda Plan" which called for the total naval blockade of Confederate ports which ultimately strangled the South's economic ability to prosecute their defense. Shortly after preparing that plan, he retired from active service after almost fifty years in uniform of the United States.
In March, Scott landed nearly 12,000 men on the beaches near Vera Cruz, Mexico, captured the town, and began to march inland to Mexico City. Flanking the Mexican defenses at Cerro Gordo Pass, Scott stabbed southward below Mexico City, taking the towns of Contreras and Churubusco.
http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/791/ccccccccccccchapultepeccastleyc2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Chapultepec fortress as it appears today in metropolitan Mexico City.
When a final attempt at peace negotiations failed in August, Scott advanced north on the Mexican capital. After Scott's forces stormed the fortress at Chapultepec, the last significant Mexican resistance was eliminated. The fortress was partially garrisoned by Mexican Military Academy cadets who wore distinctive red stripes along the outside seam of their trousers.
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/5576/ccccccccastlechapultepec2hq7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Chapultepec during quieter pre-war days.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7651/ccccccccccccccccccccchapultepecmr3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Storming of Chapultepec, Sept. 13, 1847.
On this day, United States Marines in Scott's attacking force led the assault and virtually annihilated the Messican cadets. The Marine Corps later adopted their red trouser stripe as a remembrance of that victory. To this day, Marine NCO's and officers sport that same red stripe on the outside seam of their dress uniform trousers. It is commonly known as the "Chapultepec Stripe."
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8526/cccccccccmapchapultepec1847io2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/9609/ccccccccccccccccmexwar9pz3.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Marines crest the ramparts at Chapultepec. Note the red stripe on the trousers of the Mexican cadet (about to die) in the left foreground
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/8315/ccccccccccccccccccccplateivenlisteddressuniformut7 .jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Modern USMC dress uniforms. NCO's and officers wear the red "Chapultepec" stripe
The next day, September 14, Scott marched his army into Mexico City and raised the American flag over the Mexican National Palace -- the "Halls of Montezuma" later celebrated in the famous Marine's Hymn.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9100/cccccccccccccccccccmcquitmand500ib8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Bloodied but unbeaten Marines march into Mexico City on Sept. 14.
For the first time in U.S. history, the Stars and Stripes flew over a foreign capital.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1968/ccccccccccccccmarinecorpsflagyk5.gif (http://imageshack.us)
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/515/insane7zozw3.jpg
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/9609/ccccccccccccccccmexwar9pz3.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Marines crest the ramparts at Chapultepec. Note the red stripe on the trousers of the Mexican cadet (about to die) in the left foreground
160 years ago on this day in 1847, General Winfield Scott wins the last major battle of the Mexican War, storming the ancient Chapultepec fortress at the edge of Mexico City.
The war between the U.S. and its southern neighbor began the year before when President James Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor (and later president) to advance to the disputed Rio Grande border between the newly-minted American state of Texas and Mexico.
The Mexican government had once controlled Texas and refused to recognize the American claim on the state or the validity of the Rio Grande as an international border. Viewing Taylor's advance as an invasion of Mexican soil, the Mexican army crossed the Rio Grande and attacked the U.S. forces in Texas in April 1846. By mid-May the two nations were formally at war.
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/7403/ccccccccccccccccccccmexicanwaroperationsmapbx9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The Mexican army was larger than the American army, but its leadership, training, and supplies were all inferior to those of the U.S. forces. Mexican gunpowder was notoriously weak, and cannon balls from their guns often just bounced slowly across battlefields where the American soldiers simply stepped out of the way.
As a result, by January 1847, General Taylor had conquered California and the northern Mexican territories that would later make up much of the American southwest. But Taylor was reluctant to take the war into the heart of Mexico, and Polk instead turned to General Winfield Scott to finish the job.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2489/cccccccccccccwinfieldscottdf5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Winfield Scott in Mexico. Scott was a War of 1812 veteran and served his country until early in the Civil War.
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/603/ccccccccccccccwinfield20scottrq3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Winfield Scott in a photograph approximately fourteen years after he took Mexico City. By then, Scott was in overall command of the US Army at the outbreak of the Civil War. He was a legendary eater and had really packed on the pounds -- in fact, he was too big to mount a horse and rode about in a carriage. That said, he was among the only men in uniform in the North who understood the Civil War wasn't going to be a short, decisive affair having served with many of the Confederate military leaders when they fought brilliantly under him in Mexico. Scott is also credited with devising the "Anaconda Plan" which called for the total naval blockade of Confederate ports which ultimately strangled the South's economic ability to prosecute their defense. Shortly after preparing that plan, he retired from active service after almost fifty years in uniform of the United States.
In March, Scott landed nearly 12,000 men on the beaches near Vera Cruz, Mexico, captured the town, and began to march inland to Mexico City. Flanking the Mexican defenses at Cerro Gordo Pass, Scott stabbed southward below Mexico City, taking the towns of Contreras and Churubusco.
http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/791/ccccccccccccchapultepeccastleyc2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Chapultepec fortress as it appears today in metropolitan Mexico City.
When a final attempt at peace negotiations failed in August, Scott advanced north on the Mexican capital. After Scott's forces stormed the fortress at Chapultepec, the last significant Mexican resistance was eliminated. The fortress was partially garrisoned by Mexican Military Academy cadets who wore distinctive red stripes along the outside seam of their trousers.
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/5576/ccccccccastlechapultepec2hq7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Chapultepec during quieter pre-war days.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7651/ccccccccccccccccccccchapultepecmr3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Storming of Chapultepec, Sept. 13, 1847.
On this day, United States Marines in Scott's attacking force led the assault and virtually annihilated the Messican cadets. The Marine Corps later adopted their red trouser stripe as a remembrance of that victory. To this day, Marine NCO's and officers sport that same red stripe on the outside seam of their dress uniform trousers. It is commonly known as the "Chapultepec Stripe."
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8526/cccccccccmapchapultepec1847io2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/9609/ccccccccccccccccmexwar9pz3.gif (http://imageshack.us)
Marines crest the ramparts at Chapultepec. Note the red stripe on the trousers of the Mexican cadet (about to die) in the left foreground
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/8315/ccccccccccccccccccccplateivenlisteddressuniformut7 .jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Modern USMC dress uniforms. NCO's and officers wear the red "Chapultepec" stripe
The next day, September 14, Scott marched his army into Mexico City and raised the American flag over the Mexican National Palace -- the "Halls of Montezuma" later celebrated in the famous Marine's Hymn.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9100/cccccccccccccccccccmcquitmand500ib8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Bloodied but unbeaten Marines march into Mexico City on Sept. 14.
For the first time in U.S. history, the Stars and Stripes flew over a foreign capital.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1968/ccccccccccccccmarinecorpsflagyk5.gif (http://imageshack.us)
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/515/insane7zozw3.jpg