US-Mexico War 1846-48
v.1.0 March 17, 2002

Ravi Rikhye

This is only a basic compilation of some orbat data.  Please feel free to expand or correct the data. For a wealth of links, see http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~delacova/mexican.htm

Major Battles

Palo Alto, May 7, 1846

Resaca de la Palma, May 9, 1846

Monterrey, September 21, 1846

Buena Vista, February 21-23, 1847

Vera Cruz, March 9, 1847

Cerro Gordo, April 17, 1847

Contreras, August 18-20, 1847

Churubusco, August 20, 1847

Molino del Rey, September 1847

Chapultepec, September 13, 1847

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war, February 2, 1848

Mexican Army Orbat

Source: http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/dailogues/usmexicanwar/calltoarms/d9ceng.html

1846

General Staff

5 territorially based military divisions

5 commandancies-general (no translation seen)

• Army of the North [General Maiano Arista] 5,200 troops, guard Rio Grande frontier. Ceased to exist in 1847 after the four major northern battles.
• Army of the East [General president Antonio Lopez Santa Anna] 11,000 troops, consisted of remnants of Army of the North, Central Mexican units, and remnants of Vera Cruz garrison. Defeated and disintegrated at Cerro Gordo. Reconstituted under Brigade General Manuel Maria Lombardini with survivors and selected national guard battalions.
• Army of the South [Juan Alvarez] 3,000 troops, mainly cavalry, intended to interdict attacker’s L of C, but had minimal impact. Fought at Molino del Rey.
• Army of the Center [Division General Nicholas Bravo] 3,800 troops, ad hoc units. Protected Mexicalzingo-San Antonio line and then elements fought at Churubuscp and Chapultepec.

There were no established government depots and troops had to live off the land or try and pay locals with worthless IOUs.  The lack of logistics was “recompensed, in part, by soldiers’ wives and girlfriends (soldaderas) who invariably accompanied each campaign.  By performing essential sewing, cooking, maintenance, and foraging duties, and ministering to the sick and wounded of both armies, soldaderas made a significant contribution to the Mexican war effort.”

Permanent troops: 18,882

12 infantry regiments (two battalions each)

8 cavalry regiments

1 dragoon brigade

3 artillery brigades

1 sapper battalion

1 independent cavalry squadron

Active Militia (regular officers): 10,495

9 infantry regiments

6 cavalry regiments

Frontier: 1,174

Presidial Companies