Battle of Monterrey
The Battle of Monterrey, fought from September 20 to September 24, 1846, during the Mexican-American War, was a significant military engagement between U.S. forces led by General Zachary Taylor and Mexican troops commanded by General Pedro de Ampudia. The city of Monterrey was strategically located, defended by over 7,300 Mexican soldiers and surrounded by natural obstacles, making it a challenging target for the U.S. forces numbering approximately 6,220. Taylor's strategy involved cutting off the city's supply lines while securing the heights surrounding Monterrey. Despite inclement weather and initial difficulties in execution, U.S. troops successfully captured the city after two days of intense combat. The battle resulted in significant casualties on both sides, with 367 Mexicans and 120 Americans dead, alongside many more wounded. The eventual U.S. victory at Monterrey was crucial as it paved the way for further campaigns in northern Mexico, particularly towards Saltillo, thereby impacting the broader context of the war and the eventual U.S. annexation of Mexican territories. This engagement highlights the complexities of military strategy and the human cost of conflict during this period in U.S. and Mexican history.
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Battle of Monterrey
Type of action: Ground battle in the Mexican-American War
Date: September 21-24, 1846
Location: Monterrey, Mexico (state capital of Nuevo León, Mexico)
Combatants: 6,220 Americans vs. 7,303 Mexicans
Principal commanders:American, Major General Zachary Taylor (1784–1850); Mexican, Major General Pedro de Ampudia
Result: Successful U.S. takeover of Monterrey
In the mid-afternoon on Sunday, September 20, 1846, General Zachary Taylor issued orders for 6,220 U.S. troops to begin their two-pronged attack on the city of Monterrey. Guarded by 7,303 Mexican soldiers, Monterrey lay nestled between forts, earthworks, natural cliffs, and the Santa Catarina River.
Taylor planned to cut off the city from its supply line and only escape route while at the same time taking the heights above the city. Then, despite any defensive action by the army of General Pedro de Ampudia, the city would fall quickly. Though the campaign was poorly executed and hampered by driving rain, U.S. forces were successful after two days of fierce fighting. On September 23, U.S. soldiers entered the city after finding the Mexicans’ outer defenses abandoned.
Near dawn the next day, following bloody street warfare, Ampudia asked for an armistice. In the melee, 367 Mexicans had been killed or wounded defending the city. Americans dead numbered 120, with nearly 370 wounded.
Significance
Monterrey was a key locale on the approach to Saltillo, which, when occupied, would isolate Mexico City from northern Mexico.
Bibliography
Bauer, K. Jack. The Mexican War, 1846–1848. New York: Macmillan, 1974.
McCaffrey, James M. Army of Manifest Destiny: The American Soldier in the War with Mexico. New York: New York University Press, 1992.
Winders, Richard Bruce. Mr. Polk’s Army: The American Military Experience in the Mexican War. College Station: Texas A&M Press, 1997.