Saint Patrick's Battalion

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Saint Patrick's Battalion
Reproduction of the Batallón de San Patricio's flag, as described by John Riley
Active	1846-1847, disbanded-1850
Country	Mexico
Branch	Mexican army
Type	artillery/infantry
Size	800 maximum strength
Nickname	"Los San Patricios", "Los Colorados Valientes"
Patron	Saint Patrick
Motto	Erin go bragh (Irish: Ireland forever. Lit: Ireland Until the Day of Judgement)
Engagements	Mexican-American war * Battle of Monterrey * Battle of Buena Vista * Battle of Cerro Gordo * Battle of Churubusco * Battle of Mexico City
Commanders
Notable commanders	Brevet Major John Riley Santiago O'Leary Colonel Francisco R. Moreno

The Saint Patrick's Battalion (Spanish: Batallón de San Patricio) was a unit of several hundred Irish, Germans, Swiss, Scots and other Roman Catholics of European descent, who deserted the U.S. Army and fought as part of the Mexican Army against the United States in the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848.

Contents 1 Historical perspective 2 The flag 3 Service as a military unit 3.1 Formation and early engagements 3.2 Recruitment increases and Buena Vista 3.3 Re-organisation and final battles 4 Aftermath 4.1 Trials 4.2 Sentences 4.3 Executions 5 Legacy 5.1 Music 5.2 Films and Fiction 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External links

[edit] Historical perspective

For Americans of the generation who fought the Mexican-American War, the "San Patricios" were considered traitors.^[1] For Mexicans of that generation, and generations to come, the San Patricios were heroes who came to the aid of fellow Catholics in need.^[2][3]

Some historians characterize the members of the Saint Patrick's Battalion as malcontents who weren't happy with their lot. Under this characterization, members switched sides for higher wages and land grants.^[4] However, Irish expatriates had a long tradition of serving in Catholic countries' military forces dating back to the Flight of the Wild Geese in the 17th century. More recent history details the role played by Irish soldiers in South American wars of independence.^[5]

The great majority of these men were recent immigrants(Irish diaspora) from northeastern US ports, escaping extremely poor economic conditions in Ireland, which at the time was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In this respect it is important to note that throughout the Saint Patrick's battalion's active years the Irish Potato Famine was taking place. Irishmen and other immigrants were often recruited directly into military service shortly or sometimes immediately on arrival. Others were conscripted on their way south by General Zachary Taylor,^[6] with promises of salaries and land after the war. Mexican author José Raúl Conseco writes that many Irish lived in northern Texas, and were forced to move south due to regional insecurity. Early in the war they helped Taylor attack the fort and supply depot in St. Isabel, now the city of Port Isabel, Texas.

Many theories exist on motivations for desertion, including cultural alienation,^[7] mistreatment of immigrant conscripts by other nativist soldiers and senior officers, not being allowed to attend Sunday Mass or to practice their religion freely, offers of free land in Mexico (more than 300 acres) or witnessing the conduct of U.S. troops following battle victories. However, it seems clear based on the evidence of the number of Irish Catholics in the Battalion, the letters of Riley, and the field entries of senior officers that the primary motivations were shared religion and sympathy for the Mexican cause, likely based on similarities between the situations in Mexico and Ireland.^[8] (Hogan 1998, pp. 152–155).

[edit] The flag

There are many conflicting accounts of what the flag of the Saint Patrick's Battalion actually looked like, further confused by the fact that no actual flags, or depictions of them, are known to have survived to the present day. The only version of the flag known to have survived the war was subsequently lost or stolen from the chapel at West Point (Hogan 1998, p. 228).

John Riley himself mentioned in a brief missive, regarding the appearance of the flag:

"In all my letter, I forgot to tell you under what banner we fought so bravely. It was that glorious Emblem of native rights, that being the banner which should have floated over our native Soil many years ago, it was St. Patrick, the Harp of Erin, the Shamrock upon a green field"

— John Riley, [9]

However according to an American journalist covering the war with Mexico:

The banner is of green silk, and on one side is a harp, surmounted by the Mexican coat of arms, with a scroll on which is painted "Libertad por la Republica Mexicana". Under the harp is the motto of "Erin go Bragh!" On the other side is a painting of a badly executed figure, made to represent St. Patrick, in his left hand a key and in his right a crook or staff resting upon a serpent. Underneath is painted "San Patricio."

— George Kendall, [10]

Note that Mexican elements described by Kendall have been excluded from Riley's description of the flag. Two other eye-witness accounts of the flag exist, both from American soldiers. The first describes it as:

"a beautiful green silk banner (that) waved over their heads; on it glittered a silver cross and a golden harp, embroidered by the hands of the fair nuns of San Luis Potosí."

— Samuel E. Chamberlian, My Confession, [11]

The second only mentioning:

"Among the mighty host we passed was O'Reilly [sic] and his company of deserters bearing aloft in high disgrace the holy banner of St. Patrick."

— Unknown, [12]

Another radically different version of the flag, as described in this Mexican source:

"Tenían una insignia blanca, en la que se encontraban los escudos de Irlanda y Mexico, y el nombre de su capitán, John O'Reilly bordado en verde." [They had a white flag/standard, on which were found the shields of Ireland and Mexico, and the name of their captain, John O'Reilly [sic] embroidered in green]

— Diccionario Porrúa de historia, biografía y geografía de México, (3:3146)

Whatever the case, a reproduction military flag was created by the Clifden and Connemara Heritage Group in 1997, and another the following year for the MGM film One Man's Hero. The film was a romanticized version of the San Patricios' history. A third version embodying the description of the San Luis Potosí flag was produced by the Irish Society of Chicago and hangs in Chicago's Union League Club.

[edit] Service as a military unit

[edit] Formation and early engagements

Present in the Mexican army for the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma were the Legión de Extranjeros (Legion of Foreigners); the men who would later make up the core of the Saint Patrick's battalion. Popularly they were called Los Colorados (the red-heads) by the Mexicans.^[13]

The Saint Patrick's Battalion first fought as a recognized Mexican unit in the Battle of Monterrey on 21 September 1846, as an artillery battery commanded by John Riley.^[14] This Irish-born artilleryman, a veteran Non-commissioned officer of the British Army, arrived in Canada in 1843, but went on to join the U.S. Army in Michigan in September 1845. He deserted in Matamoros in April 1846 (Hogan 1998, p. 41).

At the battle of Monterrey, the San Patricios proved their artillery skills by mowing down many American soldiers,^[15] and they are credited with defeating two separate assaults into the heart of the city. Their tenacity, however, did not prevent the defeat of the Mexican forces there.

[edit] Recruitment increases and Buena Vista

Following the engagement at Monterrey, the San Patricios grew in number, by some estimates reaching an enlistment of about 800 men. The U.S. army's conduct at the previous battle, which had included firing on people taking refuge in Catholic churches,^[15] resulted in more desertions from the U.S. army. Santa Anna even sent out notices encouraging Catholic U.S. troops to desert the army and nation that had no respect for their religion. Not all the new recruits were deserters, but also European Catholics already residing in Mexico. Forces re-assembled at San Luis Potosí and they had their distinct Green silk flag embroidered there. They marched northwards after joining a larger force commanded by Antonio López de Santa Anna sent from Mexico City. At the Battle of Buena Vista (known as the battle of Angostura in Mexico) in Coahuila on 23 February, the Patricios became engaged with US forces. They were assigned the three biggest cannons the Mexican army possessed, which were positioned on high ground over-looking the battlefield. They suffered numerous casualties from the American forces' unsuccessful attempts to capture the Mexican's cannons. The San Patricios counter-attacked and captured two American cannons. Several Irishmen were awarded the War Cross by the Mexican government for their conduct in that battle, and many received field promotions.

[edit] Re-organisation and final battles

Despite their excellent performance in a number of engagements as artillery, the much-reduced San Patricios were ordered to muster a larger infantry battalion in mid-1847 by personal order of Santa Anna, which was re-named the The Foreign Legion of Patricios consisting of many other European volunteers, commanded by Colonel Francisco R. Moreno, with Riley in charge of 1st company and Santiago O'Leary heading up the second.

As an infantry unit, the San Patricios continued to serve with distinction. Knowing that they were likely to face the death penalty if captured, the San Patricios are known to have threatened wavering Mexican troops with death by "friendly fire" at the Battle of Cerro Gordo, if they retreated. When the San Patricios were too heavily engaged to carry out their threat, the Mexican troops broke and ran, leaving the San Patricios as they fought U.S. troops in hand to hand combat.^{[citation needed]}

At the Battle of Churubusco (20 August 1847), the San Patricio Companies together with Los Bravos Battalion occupied the parapets of the convento de Churubusco. Though hopelessly outnumbered, the defenders repelled the attacking US forces with heavy losses until their ammunition ran out, and a Mexican officer raised the white flag of surrender. Captain Patrick Dalton of the San Patricios tore the white flag down, prompting General Pedro Anaya to order his men to fight on with their bare hands if necessary. American Private Ballantine reported that when the Mexicans attempted to raise the white flag a further two more times, members of the San Patricios shot and killed them.^[16][17] General Anaya states in his written battle report that 35 San Patricios were killed, 85 taken prisoner (including a wounded John Riley) and about 85 more escaped with retreating Mexican forces. They were briefly reformed just before the Battle of Mexico City some two weeks later, but never regained their former numbers and were officially mustered out of Mexican military service in 1850.

[edit] Aftermath

[edit] Trials

The San Patricios captured by the U.S. Army suffered the punishment of traitors; they had been responsible for some of the toughest fighting (and the heaviest casualties) that the U.S. Army had faced, and 72 were immediately charged with desertion by the Army.

Two separate courts-martial were held, one at Tacubaya on 23 August, and another at San Ángel on 26 August. At neither of these trials were the men represented by lawyers nor were transcripts taken of the proceedings. This lack of formal legal advice could account for the fact that several of the men claimed that drunkenness had led them to desert (a very common defense in military trials at the time that sometimes led to lighter sentences), and others described how they were forced to join the Mexican army in some form or another. The vast majority of the San Patricios, however, either offered no defense or their defenses were not recorded.

[edit] Sentences

One soldier who claimed he was forced to fight by the Mexicans after he was captured by them, and who subsequently refused to do so was sentenced to death by firing squad instead of hanging, along with another who was found to have never officially joined the Mexican army.^{[citation needed]}

The fate that awaited most of the captured San Patricios was death by hanging, thirty from the Tacubaya trial and twenty from San Ángel. The rationale for this was that they had entered Mexican military service following the declaration of war. However, this was in violation of the Articles of War for the time which clearly stipulated that the penalty for desertion and/or defecting to the enemy during a time of war was death by firing squad, regardless of the circumstances.^{[citation needed]} In fact more than 9,000 U.S. soldiers deserted during the Mexican-American War,^[18] and only the San Patricios were punished in this way.

Those who had left military service before the official declaration of war on Mexico (Riley among them) on the other hand were sentenced to:

“

receive 50 lashes on their bare backs, to be branded with the letter "D" for deserter, and to wear iron yokes around their necks for the duration of the war.[19]

”

[edit] Executions

En masse hangings for treason took place on 10 September 1847 at San Ángel, and 13 September at Chapultepec. By order of General Winfield Scott, 30 San Patricios were to be executed in full view of the two armies as they fought the Battle of Chapultepec, at the precise moment that the flag of the United States replaced the flag of Mexico atop the citadel. This order was to be carried out by Colonel William Harney, an officer who had been twice disciplined for insubordination in his career, and would later go on to be court-martialed a further two more times.^{[citation needed]} While overseeing the hangings, Harney ordered Francis O'Connor hanged even though he had had both legs amputated the previous day. When the army surgeon informed the colonel that the absent soldier had lost both his legs in battle, Harney replied:

“

Bring the damned son of a bitch out! My order was to hang 30 and by God I'll do it![20]

”

After four and a half hours the flag finally appeared on the flagpole of the castle of Chapultepec at 9.30 am. At Harney's signal, the carts holding the tied and noosed men pulled away (Hogan 1998, p. 287). Harney’s further violations of the Articles of War requiring prompt execution did not result in charges being brought against him. He was also subsequently promoted to Brigadier General, a post which he held while the US Army occupied Mexico City.

[edit] Legacy

Those who survived the war generally disappeared from history. A handful are on record as having made use of the land claims promised them by the Mexican government. But even today, they are honored and revered as heroes in Mexico.^[21]

The Batallón de San Patricio is memorialized on two separate days; the first on 12 September, the generally accepted anniversary of the executions, and the other on Saint Patrick's Day. The San Patricios are also remembered with many schools, churches and other landmarks taking their name. The street in front of the Irish School, in suburban Monterrey, is named Batallón de San Patricio ("Battalion of Saint Patrick"). Down south, the street in front of the Santa María de Churubusco convent in Mexico City was named Mártires Irlandeses ("the Irish martyrs").

In 1997, President Ernesto Zedillo commemorated the 150th anniversary of the execution of the San Patricios at a ceremony in Mexico City's San Jacinto Plaza, where the first twenty hangings were staged. Both the Republic of Ireland and Mexico jointly issued commemorative postage stamps to mark this anniversary.

In honor of John Riley, the Mexican flag flies daily in the town center of Riley's native Clifden, County Galway^{[citation needed]}.

In 2004, at an official ceremony attended by numerous international dignitaries, including directors Lance and Jason Hool, as well as several actors from the film One Man's Hero, a statue was donated by the Mexican government to the Irish government in perpetual thanks for the bravery, honor and sacrifice of the St. Patrick's Battalion. The statue also stands at Clifden's town center.

[edit] Music

• St Patrick's Battalion - by David Rovics
• San Patricio Brigade - by Black 47
• The San Patricios - by The Fenians
• San Patricios-Street Dogs (Album-State of Grace)

[edit] Films and Fiction

• 1996 - The San Patricios. Directed by Mark R. Day. Review by William H. Mulligan, and reply by Mark R. Day.
• 1997 - In the Rogue Bloodby James Carlos Blake
• 1999 - One Man's Hero. Directed by Lance Hool.
• 1999 - St Patrick's Battalion. Directed by Jason Hool
• 2001 - Gone for Soldiers by Jeff Shaara
• 2006 - Saint Patrick's Battalion by James Alexander Thom

[edit] See also

• Battles of the Mexican-American War
• Irish Migration Studies in Latin America
• Irish Brigade (French)
• Irish Brigade (US)
• Connolly Column

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

• Murray, Edmundo The San Patricio Battalion: A Bibliography at Irish Migration Studies in Latin America, 2006.
• Bauer, K. Jack, The Mexican-American War, 1846-1848. New York: Macmillan, 1974.
• Hogan, Michael. The Irish Soldiers of Mexico. Guadalajara: Fondo Editorial Universitario, 1997.
• Peral, Miguel Ángel, ed., Diccionario Biográfico Mexicano. Mexico City: Editorial P.A.C., 1956.
• Stevens, Peter F. The Rogue's March: John Riley and the St. Patrick's Battalion. Potomac Books, 2005. ISBN 1574881450

[edit] External links

• Beneath an Emerald Green Flag: The Story of Irish Soldiers in Mexico, by Michael G. Connaughton
• The St. Patricio Battalion: The Irish Soldiers of Mexico, by Jaime Fogarty
• The San Patricios: Mexico's Fighting Irish
• Dr Michael Hogan
• Texas Handbook Online
• The San Patricios
• Speech at 150th Anniversary of The San Patricios