Program Information

During the Mexican War, one of the most effective fighting units in the Mexican Army was a company of American deserters, the San Patricios.

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Transcript

Lead: During the Mexican War, one of the most effective fighting units in the Mexican Army was a company of American deserters, the San Patricios.

Tag: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts.

Content: John O'Reilly was a great embarrassment to the United States Army during a war that was not universally popular on the home front. In December 1845 the United States annexed Texas and troops under General Zachary Taylor moved into disputed territory near the Rio Grande.

In the small port town of Santa Isabel near present day Brownsville, the presence of U.S. troops caused panic among the population, much of which fled south of the river following retreating Mexican troops. In Congress an obscure representative from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln, denounced this provocative advance as an unwarranted prelude to war, and there is little doubt that nationalist politicians such as President James Knox Polk were hoping to draw Mexico into war. They were bent on fulfilling the United States' so-called 'manifest destiny' to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Taylor was on the Rio Grande to provoke a war.

One of Taylor's men, a Private John O'Reilly, born in County Galway, Ireland--whether through genuine offense at the United States' actions in pushing Mexico to war, or through some baser motive--deserted, crossed the river, and volunteered for service in the Mexican Army. He was soon joined by a number of deserters (most of whom were of whom were of Irish descent) lured during secret recruiting trips by O'Reilly into Mexico with a promise of full citizenship and grants of land. The Mexican's were impressed with O'Reilly's daring and leadership ability and put him in charge of the ex-patriot company. They became a crack artillery unit and called themselves San Patricios, St. Patrick's Battalion. In most of the major engagements of the Mexican War the San Patricios proved themselves a powerful and effective fighting force.

Next time: O'Reilly and Siege of Vera Cruz

At the University of Richmond, this is Dan Roberts.

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