Thirty men, bound hand and foot with nooses around their necks, stood on mule carts within the sight of Chapultepec’s city citadel. Each mule was steadied by a muleteer who held tight to its bridle. At that same moment musket and cannon fire roared as the battle for the Mexican metropolis raged between the American and Mexican armies.
The condemned men’s executioner, Colonel William Harney, had been ordered to have the carts pulled out from under the prisoners the moment the United States flag appeared on the citadel roof. This would signal an American victory.
The doomed soldiers’ crimes were the same, i.e. desertion in the face of the enemy. But rather than fleeing the hell of battle, these men had gone over to the Mexican Army to fight against the Americans. They were organized into a unit designated as el Batallón de San Patricio—the Saint Patrick’s Battalion. All were Irish immigrants who had been living in the United States.
Mexican propaganda directed at them proclaimed that because they were Catholic in a mostly Protestant nation, their religion demanded that they serve the cause of Catholic Mexico. The volunteers were promised that if they deserted to the Mexican Army, they would be granted citizenship and awarded large land grants when the war ended. After enduring mistreatment by English landlords in Ireland, followed by racism and prejudice in America, the offer was too tempting for the Irish youths to ignore. Dreams of haciendas and ranchos ran through their minds; not to mention beautiful señoritas available as wives.
But now, after being captured in battle and sentenced to death, they stood on mule carts instead of vast estates.
At 9:30 a.m. the Mexican flag flying over the city suddenly fluttered, then could be seen rapidly lowering. A moment later America’s Old Glory was raised to take its place. Now the eyes of the muleteers turned to Colonel Harney. The officer raised his right hand, then swiftly dropped it to his side. The carts were pulled away, leaving the thirty men strangling in their nooses.
~*~
Five months after the mass execution, the Mexican Army was defeated and its national capital occupied by American troops. The home government was forced to face up to the unhappy fact that further resistance would be futile and hopeless. The struggle was over and they were at the mercy of the yanquis.
On September 2, 1848 the war came to an end when a treaty was signed between the United States and Mexico. The document was titled Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits and Settlement between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic. In it, the United States agreed to pay 15 million dollars to Mexico and settle claims of American citizens against the Mexican government of 3.25 million dollars.
In exchange, the vanquished nation agreed to allow the Rio Grande River to be the boundary between Mexico and Texas. Additionally, the United States received possession of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California. Mexican citizens living in those areas could either relocate to Mexico or receive American citizenship. Not surprisingly, 90% opted to become U.S. citizens.
The treaty was ratified by the United States Senate even though there was opposition from the Whig political party who had opposed the war in the first place. This attitude was shared by many Americans.
But now, the unpopular war was over and the treaty irrevocably established.