Battles of the Mexican-American War

The following are known Battles of the Mexican-American War. This list includes all major engagements and most reported skirmishes.

The list includes all battles and skirmishes taking place during the Mexican-American War; this includes two major engagements, the Battle of Palo Alto, and the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, which took place prior to the official state of hostilities existed between the two powers.

Table of contents

1 Battles of the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848 2 Battles of the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848 3 REFERENCES

Battles of the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848

Key: (A) - American Victory; (M) - Mexican Victory; (I) - Inconclusive.

Important Note: It is a common misconception to confused "Monterrey, Mexico", with "Monterey, California". These are, in fact, two very different battles.

Battles of the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848

Key: (A) - American Victory; (M) - Mexican Victory; (I) - Inconclusive.

1846

• April
  • 25/26th: Thornton Affair - Skirmishing in South Texas

• May
  • 3-9th: Siege of Fort Texas - Mexican Army besieges "illegal" American outpost(I)
  • 8th: Battle of Palo Alto - Army under Mariano Arista invades "American" Texas(A)
  • 9th: Battle of Resaca de la Palma - Arista is defeated by Zachary Taylor(A)
  • 18th: U.S. troops occupy Matamoros, Mexico with no resistance

• July
  • 7th: Battle of Monterey - U.S. Navy occupies Monterey, California (A)
  • 14th: U.S. troops occupy Camargo, Mexico

• August
  • 18th: Battle of Santa Fe - Stephen Kearny occupies Santa Fe, New Mexico (A)

• September
  • 21-23rd: Battle of Monterrey - Pedro de Ampudia fights Zachary Taylor to a draw (I)

• October
  • 7th: Battle of Dominguez Rancho - Californeros clash with John C. Frémont (M)

• November
  • 14th: U.S. Navy occupies Tampico, Mexico
  • 16th: U.S. Army occupies Saltillo, Mexico without incident
  • 16th: Battle of Natividad in Northern California (A)

• December
  • 6th: Battle of San Pascual - Californeros and Presidial Lancers defeat Stephen Watts Kearny. (M)
  • 25th: Battle of El Brazito - U.S. forces attack El Brazito, New Mexico (A)

1847

• January
  • 2nd: Battle of Santa Clara - Clash in California. (A)
  • 8th: Battle of Rio San Gabriel - Part of a series of battles for control of Los Angeles (I)
  • 9th: Battle of La Mesa - Yet another battle for Los Angeles (I)
  • 24th: Battle of Cañada - U.S., Mexican forces clash in New Mexico (A)
  • 24th: Battle of Mora - U.S., Mexican forces clash in New Mexico (A)

• February
  • 3rd-4th: Battle of Pueblo de Taos - Rancheros and Militia oppose U.S. forces (A)
  • 22-23rd: Battle of Buena Vista - Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna engages Zachary Taylor in one of the largest battles of the war
  • 28th: Battle of the Sacramento - Californeros engage American troops in Northern Caifornia (A)

• March
  • 9th-29th: Battle of Veracruz - Beginning with Marine landings, U.S. forces besiege and gradually encircle Mexican Marines and Coast Guard in vicious twenty day siege (A)

• April
  • 18th: Battle of Cerro Gordo - The "Thermopylae of the West" (A)

• June
  • 6th: Skirmish at Las Vegas, Nevada (A)

• August
  • 17th: Battle of Contreras - Santa Anna fails to support Mexican line at a critical moment; turns victory into rout. (A)
  • 18th: Battle of Churubusco - San Patricios and Regulares hold a fortified convent against Winfield Scott; San Patricios decimated. (A)

• September

Throughout the month, reports of guerilla attacks on American hospitals, supply columns, and camps reach epidemic proportions

• • 8th: Battle of Molino del Rey Americans lose nearly eight hundred in an attempt to take a suspected cannon foundry. "They fell in platoons and companies"
  • 13th: Battle of Chapultepec Scott assaults Chapultepec Castle. Los Ninos pass into legend (A)
  • 13th-14th: Battle for Mexico City - Savage fighting for Mexico City (A)
  • 14th: Siege of Puebla begins (A)
  • 15th: Fall of Mexico City

• October
  • 9th: Skirmish at Huamantla (I)
  • 19th: Skirmish at Atlixco (I)
  • 12th: Puebla, Mexico capitulates to American forces

1848

• January-August
  • Mexican Guerillas terrorize U.S. Army of Occupation. Formal fighting, however, has ceased by the end of January.

REFERENCES

Bauer, K. Jack, "The Mexican-American War 1846-48"