St. Patrick Battalion

[Generic Other]

Today in 1847: US Army seizes Mexico City, forcing Mexico to sign over most of it's territory to the United States. http://ow.ly/gOkOm

[Cleita]

1. K&R

[hunter]

2. They rebelled against what today is euphemistically called "ethnic cleansing"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick's_Battalion

[Generic Other]

4. US exceptionalism in action

By order of Gen. Winfield Scott, 30 San Patricios were to be executed at Chapultepec in full view of the two armies who had fought there, at the precise moment that the flag of the U.S. replaced the flag of Mexico atop the citadel. This order was carried out by Col. William Harney.[32] 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!"


The mass hanging of San Patricios, as portrayed by Samuel Chamberlain, c. 1867

The U.S. flag appeared on the flagpole at 9.30 a.m. The Mexican flag had been taken, according to legend, by cadet Juan Escutia to his death after leaping with it from Chapultepec Castle to deny the Americans the honor of capturing it. In a final act of defiance, the men about to be hanged cheered the Mexican flag, as one onlooker remarked; "Hands tied, feet tied, their voices still free". At Harney's signal, the carts holding the tied and noosed men pulled away.

[Xipe Totec]

3. This weekend I was in Monterrey, Mexico

Another place where the San Patricios fought.

I drove down St Patrick's Battalion Boulevard, in front of the Irish Institute.

The cities where they fought, and the nation as a whole, remember their sacrifice with gratitude.

[postulater]

5. My ancestor, John Flynn (yes, one of thousands of John Flynns I'm sure)

was one of those who came in 1843(?) to New York and within two months was off to Mexico, leaving his new wife and infant child. Fought four years, was in the force that took Mexico City (don't think he was one of these rebels). He was given a land grant in western Wisconsin when it was still just trees. Raised a bunch of kids there, 4 daughters died of scarlet fever within two weeks in the 1870s. Hepatitis that he contracted during his military service caused him to lose sanity and he was kept in the mental hospital for several years. He was shipped back home in time to die at the local poor house and was buried in the poor house cemetery.

In the 1990s a local woman was cataloging the rural cemeteries and found his grave. Realizing he was a veteran, she found there had never been any recognition of his service. She and her veteran husband arranged for the military to come to his grave for a proper military burial ceremony 150 years after his service.

I like to think he was part of St Patrick's Battalion, but haven't found out any more.

Thanks for the great video.

[Generic Other]

6. Interesting family story

The wiki link says some of the St. P's Battalion were not apprehended but simply vanished.

[swilton]

7. Tom Berringer

starred in a movie about the St. Patrick's Battalion - "One Man's Hero" (1999). It's worth seeing.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Man's_Hero