Battle of Molino del Rey
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Molino del Rey was one of the bloodiest engagements of the Mexican-American War. It was fought in September 1847 between Mexican
forces under General
Antonio Léon
against an American
force under General Winfield Scott
at a hill called El Molino del Rey near Mexico City
.
and negotiations that followed the Battle of Churubusco
were breaking down, a large number of Mexican
troop
s were observed around a group of low, massive stone buildings known as El Molino del Rey or King's Mill. Spread across the distance of this point, they were about 1,000 yards (1 km) west of the Castle at Chapultepec
, which itself was about two miles (3 km) from the gates of Mexico City
. A large grove of trees separated the Mill from the castle, while the castle's batteries covered the area.
General Winfield Scott received reports that the trees masked a foundry
for casting cannon
, and there were rumors that Antonio López de Santa Anna
, leader of both the Mexican government and military, in desperate need of ordnance, was sending out church and convent bells to have them melted down and converted to cannon. From the roof of the bishop's palace at Tucubaya, where General Scott's quarters were, the evidence of there being some kind of furnace was distinctly visible in the bright red flame which rose above the Mill's roof. Scott ordered General Worth to attack and take the Mill, break up the factory, and destroy any munitions found.
At three o'clock in the morning of September 8, Worth sent an assault column of 500 men, the 8th Infantry
led by Major George Wright
, down a gently sloping plain. Behind them he placed Colonel Charles F. Smith
's light battalion and George Cadwalader
's brigade in the center, and to their right was Garland's brigade and a battery under Captain Simon H. Drum. On the left was Colonel James Duncan
's battery and a brigade commanded by Colonel James S. McIntosh. Major Sumner commanded cavalry, initially on the extreme left. Worth had a total strength of 2,800 men.
Captain Huger's heavy guns first opened fire on the mills, and continued until that point of the enemy's line became shaken. Major Wright's storming party dashed forward at a charge. Fire began from Mexican artillery on the flank of the column, and infantry on the flat roof of the mills opened fire from the flank as well as the front. Eleven of fourteen American officers were killed, but Smith and Cadwalader's forces occupied the enemy line in the center of the battle. Colonel Garland and Drum's battery occupied the enemy's position on the right, immediately under the guns of Chapultepec.
On the left side, Colonel McIntosh's brigade advanced on the Casa Mata under murderous fire. McIntosh's forces compelled to fall back, Duncan's battery offered support and compelled the occupants and reinforcements to leave the Casa Mata.
.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional 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...
forces under General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Antonio Léon
Antonio León
Antonio León Zapata is a Peruvian politician. He is currently a Congressman representing Apurímac for the period 2006-2011, and belongs to the Union for Peru party. He is a leadership and President of Parlament Group Popular Faction....
against an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
force under General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
at a hill called El Molino del Rey near Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
Background
On September 6, 1847, as the armisticeArmistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
and negotiations that followed the Battle of Churubusco
Battle of Churubusco
The Battle of Churubusco took place on August 20, 1847, in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Contreras during the Mexican-American War. After defeating the Mexican army at Churubusco, the U.S. Army was only 5 miles away from Mexico City, the capital of the nation...
were breaking down, a large number of Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional 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...
troop
Troop
A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. In many armies a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry section or platoon...
s were observed around a group of low, massive stone buildings known as El Molino del Rey or King's Mill. Spread across the distance of this point, they were about 1,000 yards (1 km) west of the Castle at Chapultepec
Chapultepec
Chapultepec Park, more commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" in Mexico City, is the largest city park in Latin America, measuring in total just over 686 hectares. Centered on a rock formation called Chapultepec Hill, one of the park's main functions is to be an ecological space in the vast...
, which itself was about two miles (3 km) from the gates of Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. A large grove of trees separated the Mill from the castle, while the castle's batteries covered the area.
General Winfield Scott received reports that the trees masked a foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
for casting cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
, and there were rumors that Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
, leader of both the Mexican government and military, in desperate need of ordnance, was sending out church and convent bells to have them melted down and converted to cannon. From the roof of the bishop's palace at Tucubaya, where General Scott's quarters were, the evidence of there being some kind of furnace was distinctly visible in the bright red flame which rose above the Mill's roof. Scott ordered General Worth to attack and take the Mill, break up the factory, and destroy any munitions found.
Battle
The King's Mill is a range of stone buildings, about fifteen hundred feet in length. These include a flour mill, and the old royal gunpowder mill. About five hundred yards from the northern extremity of the mills is the Casa Mata, another strong stone building. About three hundred yards west of Casa Mata is a large ravine, with the hacienda of Morales beyond. This range of ground, from the King's Mill on the left to the high ground west from the ravine, on the right, was occupied by the Mexican forces. In the mills were the National Guards of Liberty, Union, Queretaro, and Mina,under General Leon, and the brigade of troops commanded by General Rangel. Between the mills and the Casa Mata were the 2nd light battalion, that of the Fijo the Mejico, and the 1st and 2nd regiments of the line, with six pieces of artillery, under General Ramirez. In the Casa Mata were the 4th light battalion and 11th regiment of the line, under General Perez. In the grove of Chapultepec, in the rear of the mills, as a reserve, were the 1st and 3d light battalions. West of the ravine, toward Morales, were four thousand cavalry. With forces of 14,000, General Santa Ana was confident of victory.At three o'clock in the morning of September 8, Worth sent an assault column of 500 men, the 8th Infantry
U.S. 8th Infantry Regiment
The 8th Infantry Regiment of the United States, also known as the Fighting Eagles, is a infantry regiment in the United States Army. The 8th Infantry participated in the Mexican War, American Civil War, World War I, World War II, Vietnam War and Iraq Campaign.-Blazon:#Shield: Argent on a bend...
led by Major George Wright
George Wright (general)
George Wright was an American soldier who served in the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
, down a gently sloping plain. Behind them he placed Colonel Charles F. Smith
Charles Ferguson Smith
Charles Ferguson Smith was a career United States Army officer who served in the Mexican-American War and as a Union General in the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
's light battalion and George Cadwalader
George Cadwalader
George Cadwalader was a general in the United States Army during the Mexican-American War and American Civil War.-Biography:He was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, studied law, and was admitted to the bar...
's brigade in the center, and to their right was Garland's brigade and a battery under Captain Simon H. Drum. On the left was Colonel James Duncan
James Duncan
James, Jim or Jimmy Duncan may refer to:*James Duncan , American politician from Pennsylvania*James H. Duncan , American politician from Massachusetts...
's battery and a brigade commanded by Colonel James S. McIntosh. Major Sumner commanded cavalry, initially on the extreme left. Worth had a total strength of 2,800 men.
Captain Huger's heavy guns first opened fire on the mills, and continued until that point of the enemy's line became shaken. Major Wright's storming party dashed forward at a charge. Fire began from Mexican artillery on the flank of the column, and infantry on the flat roof of the mills opened fire from the flank as well as the front. Eleven of fourteen American officers were killed, but Smith and Cadwalader's forces occupied the enemy line in the center of the battle. Colonel Garland and Drum's battery occupied the enemy's position on the right, immediately under the guns of Chapultepec.
On the left side, Colonel McIntosh's brigade advanced on the Casa Mata under murderous fire. McIntosh's forces compelled to fall back, Duncan's battery offered support and compelled the occupants and reinforcements to leave the Casa Mata.
Aftermath
After blowing up the Casa Mata and destroying the molds and other property in the mills, American forces returned to Tacubaya. Three Mexican guns, large quantities of small arms and ammunition, and 800 prisoners were captured. Mexican forces lost over 769 casualties along with General Leon and Colonels Balderas (Mina Battalion) and Gelaty dead. American losses included 729 men killed and wounded, 49 officers wounded, and the deaths of Lieutenant-colonel Scott, Major Graham, Captains Merrill and Ayres, and Lieutenants Johnston, Armstrong, Strong, Burwell, and Farry. Preparations began immediately thereafter for the Battle of ChapultepecBattle of Chapultepec
The Battle of Chapultepec, in September 1847, was a United States victory over Mexican forces holding Chapultepec Castle west of Mexico City during the Mexican-American War.-Background:On September 13, 1847, in the costly Battle of Molino del Rey, U.S...
.