When Americans fought for Mexico: St Patrick's Battalion

The History Guy remembers St. Patrick's battalion, a force comprised mostly of men who had deserted or defected from the United States Army, who fought on the side of Mexico in the Mexican-American War. It is history that deserves to be remembered.

This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As images of actual events are sometimes not available, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.

This episode of the History Guy covers a period of conflict. All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.

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Script by THG

#history #thehistoryguy #militaryhistory

[lilyjay]

I am Mexican and my boyfriend is Irish. We heard about this story last week and now i tell him our ancestors brought us together 💚

[ohaodhe]

"From Dublin city to San Diego,
We witnessed freedom denied,
So we formed the St. Patrick's Battalion,
And we fought on the Mexican side"

[CuriosidadesTVap]

as a grandson of an Irish guy even if Im Salvadorean I feel so prund to be Irish by my Grandpa, prund and brave people Irish are and one day Im gonna visiting Dublin from where my grandpa was and left all he had behind to start a new life in a country with a different language, culture, and gave me a lot of his values.
ERIN GO BRAGH, VIVA MEXICO Y VIVA HISPANOAMERICA.

[rosariocardona]

I live in the area where they had the first battle and the Irish went to the Mexican side. As a Mexican-American and Catholic, I taught high school and taught my students about the "San Patricios". They were never taught about the San Patricios in history. Years later, I have spoken to some of them and they remember my lesson over the batallion. I admire and respect Irish Americans and all cultures in general. LONG LIVE the San Patricios.

[supremolidergeneral]

Los Mexicans estaremos eternamente agradecidos thank you Ireland

[ClepsidraSideral]

"¡Viva México! ¡Viva Irlanda! ¡Viva la libertad!

We have Batallón de San Patricio written in gold letters among the names of our heroes.

🇲🇽🤜🏽🤛🏻🇮🇪

[LarS]

Maybe you should add that the Irish, and other Catholics, witnessed some pretty horrific behaviour conducted by the US forces, towards Mexican clergy and Mexican nuns! While you aren't wrong about anything you say, your description of the events that drove the San Patricios to desertion, is very sanitized.

[williamrichardsonwhr]

I first heard about this in the 1980s when I was living in Mexico. A fellow told me about this group because I look Irish I was told. The book The Irish Soldiers of Mexico tells the story in great detail.

[angelachouinard]

A Mexican friend told me about the Battalion when I mentioned my grandmother was Irish. I am pleased to see you have done one of your great videos on the subject it has fascinated me since I was told about it.

[leondillon]

The men were not US citizens. Like Mary Surratt, they were murdered because they were Roman Catholic.The Battalion is remembered, also, in Ireland.They came to the US because of the limey occupation of Ireland.

[chrisbatten]

Watch the movie One Man's Hero. It's about St. Patrick's battalion.

[tomp]

Interesting video.
"The war that America cannot remember and the war Mexico cannot forget."
I think, still today, tensions on the Mexican border are a direct result of this war.

[Annur]

I was brought up in Mexico and one of my best friends was an historian who told me that the Mexicans did not run out of ammunition, but rather that the cadets of the Mexican Military Academy who were defending the Chapultepec Castle used a different caliber in their rifles. He told me that the army sent them two railroad cars full of the wrong-size ammo. I am really enjoying your series. Thanks for sharing them.

[BICHETO]

In Mexico we remember them fondly. There's a plaque in Plaza San Jacinto, where 16 (I think) were executed, and a neighborhood - 'Irish Martyrs' - is named after them.

[pokepunk]

As a Mexican history teacher, it's fascinating and enlightening to hear one of our most historically simbolic tales being told from the other side. Thank you, you taught me a lot.


Also, cool fact: the monastery who served as the last stronghold of the Battle of Churubusco, now houses the National Museum of interventions, and every first sunday of the month the St. Patrick's Battalion Bagpipes Band performs in front of the the main entrance, where cannons used in the actual battle are displayed and there are still some visible bullet holes from that day

[shanegooding]

I first learnt of the San Patricios from the Street Dogs, a Boston band, back in '07. Their song about them inspired me to look them up and found how they are considered heroes in Mexico.

[michaelsingleton]

I am half Mexican and half Irish. My mother was born in Ireland and grew up in America and my father was from sanora Mexico. When he came over he met my mother and they fell in love then my father joined the Army in 67 and found out my mother was pregnant. He died in Vietnam before I was born. Now there's also an Irishman that married into my fathers family after the Mexican American war. He had come to Mexico with Riley and became a San Patricio. And when the war was over he settled in Sanora where my father is from. So I have the history

[buddylobos]

I am a 3rd generation Irish immigrant, from a dangerous combination of Catholic & Protestant unions. (That's why we left Ireland) I was always told that the San Patricios -St Patrick's' unit were outraged when the American Army looted the Catholic churches, STEALING many Holy Alter items from them. Fights broke out among them resulting in some shooting deaths. The Irish were so outraged they immediately joined the Mexican military. Having fought with & against the British Army for centuries they had, had enough and they knew how to fight. To add: Two of my great uncles died in WW I. Proud Irish men serving with the British Army. One in 'Flanders Fields' and, one in Gallipoli, Turkey. Many in our family came to America during 'the Potato Famine'

[charliesmith]

Among the opponents of the Mexican War was a young one-term congressman from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln. Many Americans opposed the war because Polk's transparent efforts to expand slavery were obvious.

[timrockman]

Brilliant analysis. You connected so many dots in my understanding of that period.
In my 70s high school in SoCal, I knew a Mexican named Sanchez who changed his surname to O'shaunessy.
I was perplexed until I found the story you just covered. He perhaps did that to honor the Irish.