HST 315: Military History of the United States

1
HST 315 Military History of the United States

• The Mexican War, 1846-1848

2
Interwoven Threads of Continuity

• Geography
• Technology
• Management
• Politics Society
• Leadership
• Strategy and Tactics

3
Theater of the War
4
Leadership

• Polk, Taylor, Scott

5
Geography
6
Management

• Land forces used
• Regulars
• Militia
• Volunteers
• Navy

7
Politics Society

• Support for the war
• Dissent
• Impact on elections?
• Choosing leadership

8
Technology

• New but little impact
• Steam power
• Telegraph
• Percussion weapons
• Revolvers

• Old standards
• Sailing ship navy
• Flintlock muskets

9
Technology

• Significant change in artillery

10
Strategy Tactics

• Overview
• New Mexico
• Kearny
• California
• Fremont Sloat
• Kearny Stockton
• Northern Mexico
• Taylor
• Doniphan
• Wool
• Central Mexico
• Scott

11
Strategy Tactics

• Taylors Campaign
• Secured Matamoros as a base
• Marched to Monterrey
• Placed on the defensive
• Surprised at Buena Vista
• Poor at security and logistics, but determined
  and unshakable

12
Palo Alto May 1846
13
Artillery sets the grass on fire at Palo Alto
14
Monterrey Sept. 1846
15
Buena Vista Feb. 1847
16
Strategy Tactics

• Examples from Scotts Campaigns
• Siege
• Disease
• Logistics
• Turning movements
• Politics
• Guerrillas
• Volunteer enlistments

• Supply line abandoned
• Frontal assaults

17
Scotts march to the Halls of Montezuma
18
Landing at Vera Cruz March 1847
19
Siege of Vera Cruz
20
Siege of Vera Cruz
21
Scotts march to Cerro Gordo
22
Battle of Cerro Gordo April 1847
23
Scotts turning movement at Cerro Gordo
24
Scotts pause at Puebla advance to the outskirts
of Mexico City
25
Contreras Aug. 1847
26
Contreras another turning movement
27
Churubusco Aug. 1847 -- the cost of frontal
attack
28
Churubusco turning movement again
29
Scotts pause for negotiations on the outskirts
of Mexico City
30
Molino del Rey Sept. 1847 -- the consequences of
poor intelligence
31
Streets of Mexico City
32
Scotts frontal assault on Chapultepec Mexico
City Sept. 1847
33
Assault on Chapultepec
34
Scotts entry into Mexico City
35

• The End