Red Commissar
23rd March 2011, 02:11
On the MarxMail list this group was mentioned- and having not heard of it I decided to look it up... On wikipedia, but the article isn't half-bad. It's not necessarily "revolutionary" but an interesting snippet in history. I've learned a lot about Irish contributions to the Union during the American Civil War, but not at this point in American and Mexican history:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Battalion
St. Patrick's Battalion was a formation of mostly Irish immigrants (though also other catholic immigrant groups rounded out the rest of the foreigners, or like minded European expats and immigrants that were not comfortable with the prospect of the US spreading slavery to its conquests) that had recently arrived to the United States. Most of them were fleeing the famine in Ireland in the 1840s.
The US recruited many Irish immigrants into the army promising them land and citizenship- but some did not take this. Seeing the nativism that discriminated against newly arrived Irish immigrants, the conduct of the Union army towards them and others, possibly sympathies with Mexico (Catholic sympathies and possibly seeing a similarity in the war with their own Irish experience), etc.
More importantly I suppose there was the sense of anger and disgust- that after fleeing Ireland from famine and imperial oppression, they were roped into another power's territorial ambitions rather than the peace they had hoped for.
These group of men saw it enough to desert the military and cross the lines before the war started. Their regiment was formed with one John Riley as a commanding officer of the regiment as a Major, and their ranks increased once the war started.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/San_patricios_flag.jpg
A reproduction of the regiment's banner as described by Riley.
The "San Patricios" as the Mexicans and later Americans referred to them as, were strong despite their size. Many of them had fighting experience and were close knit, and especially skilled with their artillery pieces. The regiment during the Battle of Monterrey fended off three waves of assaults by American soldiers. Following this battle they reached 750 and possibly more men in size.
In the Battle of Buena Vista they were able to again show their prowess with artillery. They covered the retreat of Mexican forces suffering nearly 1/3 casualties. General (and future President) Zachary Taylor expressed his frustration with the St. Patrick Battalion's artillery hampering the victory of his forces.
Following this battle St. Patrick's Battalion was re-organized as an infantry regiment and continued to gain honor. They had gained a reputation of being strong and fearless fighters in the Mexican Army and attempted to get this on other Mexican regiments, sometimes threatening to shoot on retreating Mexican soldiers (though it's not clear if they ever followed through with this threat). At any rate they engaged in fierce fighting with American regiments, knowing well what would happen to many of them if they were captured by the Americans due to their "desertion", often entering into close-quarters combat with advancing American soldiers.
The Battle of Churubusco in August 20, 1847 was the last engagement of St. Patrick's Battalion. Churubusco took place in a small settlement outside of Mexico City, with St. Patrick's Battalion forming the bulk of the "elite" and more experienced men among the recruits. Here St. Patrick's Battalion attempted to hold a bridgehead outside a covenant with cannons and was able to repulse several charges, but ammunition problems caused the situation to get dire. The Mexican soldiers in their ranks attempted to surrender, trying to raise a white flag of surrender but each time were cut off by members of St. Patrick's Battalion- again knowing what fate awaited them if they surrendered to the Americans. Reportedly many of the casualties St. Patrick's Battalion claimed were officers. 35 members of the regiment were killed, 85 falling back with Mexican forces to Mexico City, and 85 taken prisoner, including Riley.
Those that escaped were reworked into a foreign legion along with other American Army deserters and fought until the surrender of Mexico.
The members of the battalion were tried with a degree of anger from the Americans. Besides the angle of treason, St. Patrick's Battalion was responsible for a large number of the American casualties where they fought. 72 were immediately charged with treason and put through court-martials with questionably unfair proceedings.
Many of the captured were sentenced to death. All by hanging. Riley and others that had defected to Mexico before the declaration of war could not be executed under American proceedings, so instead were given 50 lashes, branded with a "D" for deserter, and made to wear iron yokes around their neck until the end of the war.
16 were executed in San Angel. 4 in Mixcoac. Another execution of 30 men of the battalion occurred in Chapultepec, the site of a battle where the battalion inflicted considerable casualties among the Americans. The hanging was to be occur with the raising of an American flag over the fort. One prisoner that had both of his legs recently amputated was also hanged. Commanding officer Harney said that he wouldn't show no mercy- he was ordered to hang 30 and 30 would hang. Harney would later be promoted to Brigadier General before the war's end.
The Mexican government blasted the executions, saying that "a cruel death or horrible torments, improper in a civilised age, and [ironic] for a people who aspire to the title of illustrious and humane". A journalist covering the war said the executions were "a refinement of cruelty and...fiendish".
Following the war, the fates of of the survivors in Mexico is unclear. The regiment was broken up following the war due to a collapse in Mexico's finances It seems many gradually assimilated into Mexican society, taking up land grants- some of whose descendants still live on today such as the "Murphy-Martinez" family in Guadalajara. Others, like Jon Riley, died broken and depressed.
Saint Patrick's Battalion is still recognized today in Mexico, with many places bearing the name of "San Patricio" and some memorials commemorated to them. St. Patrick's Day and September 12th (the day to mark the executions). For the most part they appear to be recognized as heroes.
In America, unsurprisingly, their legacy is more negative. Though not many were full citizens, all were uniformed soldiers and represented an instance where a number of US soldiers defected to the enemy and fought for them, and as such the military discouraged discussion on the matter.
The Mexican and Irish governments jointly commemorated the battalion, including a set of stamps (http://homepage.eircom.net/~edrice/stampclub/images/mexico.gif) and a small memorial given to Ireland from Mexico, which was erected in Riley's birthplace of Clifden.
Subcommadante Marcos mentioned the Battalion as follows:
http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/mexico/img/stpat.html
When Mexico was fighting, in the last century, against the empire of the bars and crooked stars, there was a group of soldiers who fought on the side of the Mexicans and this group was called 'St. Patrick's Battalion'. And so I am writing you in the name of all of my companeros and companeras, because just as with the 'Saint Patrick's Battalion', we now see clearly that there are foreigners who love Mexico more than some natives who are now in the government...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Battalion
St. Patrick's Battalion was a formation of mostly Irish immigrants (though also other catholic immigrant groups rounded out the rest of the foreigners, or like minded European expats and immigrants that were not comfortable with the prospect of the US spreading slavery to its conquests) that had recently arrived to the United States. Most of them were fleeing the famine in Ireland in the 1840s.
The US recruited many Irish immigrants into the army promising them land and citizenship- but some did not take this. Seeing the nativism that discriminated against newly arrived Irish immigrants, the conduct of the Union army towards them and others, possibly sympathies with Mexico (Catholic sympathies and possibly seeing a similarity in the war with their own Irish experience), etc.
More importantly I suppose there was the sense of anger and disgust- that after fleeing Ireland from famine and imperial oppression, they were roped into another power's territorial ambitions rather than the peace they had hoped for.
These group of men saw it enough to desert the military and cross the lines before the war started. Their regiment was formed with one John Riley as a commanding officer of the regiment as a Major, and their ranks increased once the war started.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/San_patricios_flag.jpg
A reproduction of the regiment's banner as described by Riley.
The "San Patricios" as the Mexicans and later Americans referred to them as, were strong despite their size. Many of them had fighting experience and were close knit, and especially skilled with their artillery pieces. The regiment during the Battle of Monterrey fended off three waves of assaults by American soldiers. Following this battle they reached 750 and possibly more men in size.
In the Battle of Buena Vista they were able to again show their prowess with artillery. They covered the retreat of Mexican forces suffering nearly 1/3 casualties. General (and future President) Zachary Taylor expressed his frustration with the St. Patrick Battalion's artillery hampering the victory of his forces.
Following this battle St. Patrick's Battalion was re-organized as an infantry regiment and continued to gain honor. They had gained a reputation of being strong and fearless fighters in the Mexican Army and attempted to get this on other Mexican regiments, sometimes threatening to shoot on retreating Mexican soldiers (though it's not clear if they ever followed through with this threat). At any rate they engaged in fierce fighting with American regiments, knowing well what would happen to many of them if they were captured by the Americans due to their "desertion", often entering into close-quarters combat with advancing American soldiers.
The Battle of Churubusco in August 20, 1847 was the last engagement of St. Patrick's Battalion. Churubusco took place in a small settlement outside of Mexico City, with St. Patrick's Battalion forming the bulk of the "elite" and more experienced men among the recruits. Here St. Patrick's Battalion attempted to hold a bridgehead outside a covenant with cannons and was able to repulse several charges, but ammunition problems caused the situation to get dire. The Mexican soldiers in their ranks attempted to surrender, trying to raise a white flag of surrender but each time were cut off by members of St. Patrick's Battalion- again knowing what fate awaited them if they surrendered to the Americans. Reportedly many of the casualties St. Patrick's Battalion claimed were officers. 35 members of the regiment were killed, 85 falling back with Mexican forces to Mexico City, and 85 taken prisoner, including Riley.
Those that escaped were reworked into a foreign legion along with other American Army deserters and fought until the surrender of Mexico.
The members of the battalion were tried with a degree of anger from the Americans. Besides the angle of treason, St. Patrick's Battalion was responsible for a large number of the American casualties where they fought. 72 were immediately charged with treason and put through court-martials with questionably unfair proceedings.
Many of the captured were sentenced to death. All by hanging. Riley and others that had defected to Mexico before the declaration of war could not be executed under American proceedings, so instead were given 50 lashes, branded with a "D" for deserter, and made to wear iron yokes around their neck until the end of the war.
16 were executed in San Angel. 4 in Mixcoac. Another execution of 30 men of the battalion occurred in Chapultepec, the site of a battle where the battalion inflicted considerable casualties among the Americans. The hanging was to be occur with the raising of an American flag over the fort. One prisoner that had both of his legs recently amputated was also hanged. Commanding officer Harney said that he wouldn't show no mercy- he was ordered to hang 30 and 30 would hang. Harney would later be promoted to Brigadier General before the war's end.
The Mexican government blasted the executions, saying that "a cruel death or horrible torments, improper in a civilised age, and [ironic] for a people who aspire to the title of illustrious and humane". A journalist covering the war said the executions were "a refinement of cruelty and...fiendish".
Following the war, the fates of of the survivors in Mexico is unclear. The regiment was broken up following the war due to a collapse in Mexico's finances It seems many gradually assimilated into Mexican society, taking up land grants- some of whose descendants still live on today such as the "Murphy-Martinez" family in Guadalajara. Others, like Jon Riley, died broken and depressed.
Saint Patrick's Battalion is still recognized today in Mexico, with many places bearing the name of "San Patricio" and some memorials commemorated to them. St. Patrick's Day and September 12th (the day to mark the executions). For the most part they appear to be recognized as heroes.
In America, unsurprisingly, their legacy is more negative. Though not many were full citizens, all were uniformed soldiers and represented an instance where a number of US soldiers defected to the enemy and fought for them, and as such the military discouraged discussion on the matter.
The Mexican and Irish governments jointly commemorated the battalion, including a set of stamps (http://homepage.eircom.net/~edrice/stampclub/images/mexico.gif) and a small memorial given to Ireland from Mexico, which was erected in Riley's birthplace of Clifden.
Subcommadante Marcos mentioned the Battalion as follows:
http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/mexico/img/stpat.html
When Mexico was fighting, in the last century, against the empire of the bars and crooked stars, there was a group of soldiers who fought on the side of the Mexicans and this group was called 'St. Patrick's Battalion'. And so I am writing you in the name of all of my companeros and companeras, because just as with the 'Saint Patrick's Battalion', we now see clearly that there are foreigners who love Mexico more than some natives who are now in the government...