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Battle of Cerro Gordo

 
Battle of Cerro Gordo

 
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The Battle of Cerro Gordo or Sierra Gordo in the Mexican-American War saw Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott

Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful List of United States Presidential candidates of the Whig Party in 1852. Known as "Old Fuss and Feathers" and the "Grand Old Man of the Army", he served on active duty as a general longer than any other man in American history and many historians rate him the ablest America...
's US troops flank and drive Santa Anna's larger Mexican army from a strong defensive position.

lass="link1" onMouseover='showByLink("m3259285",this)' onMouseout='hide("m3259285")'href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/United_States">United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 forces captured the port
Siege of Veracruz

The Battle of Veracruz was a 20-day siege of the key Mexico seaport of Veracruz, Veracruz, during the Mexican-American War. Lasting from March 9 to March 29, 1847, it began with the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States military forces, and ended with the surrender and occupation of the city....
 of Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz

The city of Veracruz is a major port city and municipalities of Mexico on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexico States of Mexico of Veracruz. The metropolitan areas of Mexico is Mexico's largest on the Gulf coast and an important east coast port....
 on March 27, 1847. Following this, General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott

Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful List of United States Presidential candidates of the Whig Party in 1852. Known as "Old Fuss and Feathers" and the "Grand Old Man of the Army", he served on active duty as a general longer than any other man in American history and many historians rate him the ablest America...
 advanced toward Mexico City
Mexico City

Mexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is the most important economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country; the most populous city with over 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008....
.

ral Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna

Antonio de Padua Mar?a Severino L?pez de Santa Anna y P?rez de Lebr?n , often known as Santa Anna or L?pez de Santa Anna, was a Mexico political leader who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government, first fighting against the Mexican War of Independence from Spain, and then supporting it, rising to the...
, commanding Mexican
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
 forces in the area, blocked Scott's march at Cerro Gordo, near Xalapa
Xalapa

Xalapa de Enr?quez, commonly Xalapa or Jalapa is the capital city of the Mexico States of Mexico of Veracruz and the name of the surrounding municipality....
, with more than 12,000 soldiers in a fortified defile
Defile (geography)

Defile is a geographic term for a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills. It has its origins as a military description of a pass through which troops can march only in a narrow column or with a narrow front....
.






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The Battle of Cerro Gordo or Sierra Gordo in the Mexican-American War saw Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott

Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful List of United States Presidential candidates of the Whig Party in 1852. Known as "Old Fuss and Feathers" and the "Grand Old Man of the Army", he served on active duty as a general longer than any other man in American history and many historians rate him the ablest America...
's US troops flank and drive Santa Anna's larger Mexican army from a strong defensive position.

Prelude

United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 forces captured the port
Siege of Veracruz

The Battle of Veracruz was a 20-day siege of the key Mexico seaport of Veracruz, Veracruz, during the Mexican-American War. Lasting from March 9 to March 29, 1847, it began with the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States military forces, and ended with the surrender and occupation of the city....
 of Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz

The city of Veracruz is a major port city and municipalities of Mexico on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexico States of Mexico of Veracruz. The metropolitan areas of Mexico is Mexico's largest on the Gulf coast and an important east coast port....
 on March 27, 1847. Following this, General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott

Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful List of United States Presidential candidates of the Whig Party in 1852. Known as "Old Fuss and Feathers" and the "Grand Old Man of the Army", he served on active duty as a general longer than any other man in American history and many historians rate him the ablest America...
 advanced toward Mexico City
Mexico City

Mexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is the most important economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country; the most populous city with over 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008....
.

Action

General Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna

Antonio de Padua Mar?a Severino L?pez de Santa Anna y P?rez de Lebr?n , often known as Santa Anna or L?pez de Santa Anna, was a Mexico political leader who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government, first fighting against the Mexican War of Independence from Spain, and then supporting it, rising to the...
, commanding Mexican
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
 forces in the area, blocked Scott's march at Cerro Gordo, near Xalapa
Xalapa

Xalapa de Enr?quez, commonly Xalapa or Jalapa is the capital city of the Mexico States of Mexico of Veracruz and the name of the surrounding municipality....
, with more than 12,000 soldiers in a fortified defile
Defile (geography)

Defile is a geographic term for a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills. It has its origins as a military description of a pass through which troops can march only in a narrow column or with a narrow front....
. Represented were the remnants of the Division of the North (5,650 total: 150 Artillery, 4,000 Infantry & 1,500 Cavalry: Ampudia Brigade (3d,4th,5th & 11th Line Infantry Regiments), Vasquez Brigade (1st,2d,3d & 4th Light Infantry Regiments) and Juvera Cavalry Brigade (5th, 9th Morelia & Coraceros Cavalry Regiments), plus reinforcements from the Capitol: Rangel Brigade (6th Infantry Regiment, Grenadiers of the Guard,Libertad & Galeana Battalions, two Cavalry Squadrons & 8 guns), Pinzon Brigade, Arteaga Brigade (Puebla Activo & Natl Guards Battalions)& Canalizo Special Cavalry Division. Army corps of engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers

The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 34,600 civilian and 650 military personnel, making it the world's largest public services engineering, design and construction management agency....
 Capt. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee

Robert Edward Lee , was a career United States United States Army officer , an engineer, and among the most celebrated generals in American history....
 discovered a mountain trail around Santa Anna's position. Scott quickly moved the main body of his command along the trail, flanking
Flanking maneuver

In military tactics, a flanking Maneuver warfare, also called a wiktionary:flank attack, is an attack on the sides of an opposing force....
 the Mexicans. A sharp action ensued on April 18, 1847, rout
Rout

A rout is commonly defined as a chaotic and disorderly withdrawal or Withdrawal of troops from a battlefield, resulting in the victory of the opposing party, or following defeat, a collapse of discipline, or poor morale....
ing Santa Anna's force.

Results

Mexicans lost 1,000 killed and wounded with 3,000 further taken prisoner. The U.S. had 64 killed and 353 wounded. General Santa Anna was caught off guard by the Fourth Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and he was forced to ride off without his artificial leg, which was captured and is still displayed in Illinois
Illinois

The State of Illinois is a U.S. state of the United States, the 21st to be admitted to the United States. Illinois is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern United States state and the fifth most populous state in the nation....
.

This battle has been called "the Battle of Thermopylae
Battle of Thermopylae

The Battle of Thermopylae [th?r m?pp?lee] took place over three days during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Battle of Artemisium, in August or September 480 BC, at the pass of Thermopylae ....
 of the West" because the use of terrain was similar to the maneuver that the Persians used to eventually defeat the Greeks. However, casualties were dissimilar: the attacking American casualties were moderate while the defending Mexican casualties were heavy, which was opposite to Thermopylae.

Despite the rout, members of the Saint Patrick's Battalion
Saint Patrick's Battalion

The Saint Patrick's Battalion was a unit of several hundred immigrants and expatriates of European descent and fought as part of the Military of Mexico against the United States in the Mexican-American War of ....
 provided the Mexicans with the greatest opposition to US forces in this battle. They had the most to fear being captured by the Americans, leading them to threaten fellow Mexican combatants with friendly fire who were intent on retreating (or surrendering). Because of heavy artillery engagement by Americans the battalion's members had to spend most of their time returning volley at the Americans, therefore its unlikely that more than a few "friendly fire" incidents actually took place.

Aftermath

Scott moved on to Puebla
Puebla, Puebla

The city of Puebla, officially Heroic Puebla de Zaragoza is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Puebla. The city has a population of 1,399,519 ....
, 75 miles (120 km) from Mexico City, where he halted on May 15, 1847.

There were five company grade officers in Scott's corp of engineers who were of significant historical interest; Captain Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee

Robert Edward Lee , was a career United States United States Army officer , an engineer, and among the most celebrated generals in American history....
, Captain George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan

George Brinton McClellan was a Major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army....
, Captain Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston

Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career United States Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....
, Lieutenant John G. Foster
John G. Foster

John Gray Foster was a career military officer in the United States Army and a Union Army general during the American Civil War whose most distinguished services were in North Carolina and South Carolina....
 and Lieutenant P.G.T. Beauregard. All went on to serve as generals in the American Civil War
American Civil War

The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
 (1861–1865).

Eponyms

Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

Cerro Gordo County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of 2000, the population was 46,447. Its county seat is Mason City, Iowa. The county is named for the Battle of Cerro Gordo, which took place during the Mexican-American War....
, Cerro Gordo, North Carolina
Cerro Gordo, North Carolina

Cerro Gordo is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, North Carolina, United States. The population was 244 at the 2000 census. According to local legend, the town received its name from a local dignitary, who, upon seeing a fight break out at the dedication of the first railroad depot, exclaimed, "This reminds me of the "Battle of Cerro...
 and Cerro Gordo, Illinois
Cerro Gordo, Illinois

Cerro Gordo is a village in Piatt County, Illinois, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,436 at the 2000 census....
 take their names from the battle, much as Resaca, Georgia
Resaca, Georgia

Resaca is a city in Gordon County, Georgia, Georgia , along the Oostanaula River. The population was 815 at the 2000 census....
 is named for the Battle of Resaca de la Palma
Battle of Resaca de la Palma

At the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, one of the early engagements of the Mexican-American War,United States General Zachary Taylor engaged the retreating forces of the Mexico Ej?rcito del Norte under General Mariano Arista on May 9, 1846....
.

Sierra Gordo is one of the countries in which the fictional character G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe

G.I. Joe is a line of military-themed articulated "action figures" produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S....
 fights.