“From the Halls of Montezuma…”
13 SEPTEMBER 1847
“FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA…”
By this date in the 17-month-old war with Mexico, the United States had gained control of California from San Francisco to Los Cabos in southern Baja. But complete victory in the war required nothing less than the capture of the Mexican capital, Mexico City. Toward that end, in March 1847 GEN Winfield Scott was landed with a sizeable US Army at Veracruz on the Mexican Gulf coast. By late August his troops had fought their way inland toward Mexico City. With Scott’s Army was a 357-man US Marine Battalion under brevet LCOL Samuel E. Watson that was serving as part of the Army corps under MGEN John A. Quitman.
Mexico City’s 32,000 defenders had a significant ally in the physical situation of city. Nestled amid protective wetlands, the city was accessible only by four elevated causeways, each built across impassable marshes. Each gated causeway could be swept by fire from strategically placed permanent defensive bastions. Mexican GEN Antonio López de Santa Anna deployed his forces to block Scott’s approach from the south, causing Scott to shift his attack to the southwest, across the causeways that led to the Belen and San Cosme gates. This approach was guarded by Castillo de Chapultepec, a large fortress-like edifice that our Marines mistook to be Aztec Emperor Montezuma’s former castle. In 1847 it served as Mexico’s Colegio Militar. The impressive castle stood on a 200-foot hill, and behind its double walls waited nearly 1000 Mexican troops and cadets.
Scott’s initial attentions, however, were distracted toward El Molina del Rey, a group of out-buildings adjoining Chapultepec where intelligence reports (later proven faulty) indicated the Mexicans were melting down church bells to recast as cannon. On September 8th, Scott sent his best division under BGEN William J. Worth against Molina, whose defenses proved more formidable than expected. The attack succeeded however Worth’s division was badly mauled. Quitman’s men, who had been relegated to guarding the supply train, were called to the front.
In the assault on Chapultepec itself, carried out this day, Quitman’s division drew the difficult task of storming the castle’s steep southern facade. Quitman’s detailed his Marine Battalion to spearhead the assault in four advance parties. The first, led by Marine CPT Levi Twiggs and a second were to approach in concert, providing cover for a third party of “pioneers” with scaling ladders and fascines. Watson’s remaining men established a firing line short of the walls as the stormers worked. However, while still 200 yards from the castle, these units came under heavy crossfire. They were forced to ground, unable to advance. Twiggs, rallying his Marines, was struck in the chest and killed. Watson, saw the casualties and confusion that had befallen his parties, and held his position awaiting ammunition and further instructions.
Continued tomorrow…
Bauer, K. Jack. The Mexican War 1846-1848. Lincoln, NB: Univ. of Nebraska Press, 1974, pp. 308-23.
Heinl, Robert Debs, Jr. Soldiers of the Sea: The United States Marine Corps, 1775-1962. Baltimore, MD: Nautical & Aviation Pub., 1991, pp. 50-52.
Millett, Allan R. Semper Fidelis: The History of the United States Marine Corps. New York, NY: Macmillan Pub Co., 1980, pp. 77-81.
Simmons, Edwin H. The United States Marines, 1775-1975. New York, NY: Viking Press, 1976, pp. 38-40.
ADDITIONAL NOTES: Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin, referred to later by Europeans as “Montezuma II,” was the ninth emperor of the Aztec Empire, reigning from 1502-03 to 1520. Under his rule the Aztec Empire reached its greatest extent and influence. He was emperor at the Aztec’s first contact with Spanish conquistadors, and Montezuma was killed on 29 June 1520 at the hands of Hernàn Cortés. Montezuma’s name was still widely known in 1847.
Two US Navy destroyers honor CPT Twiggs, the WWI-era Wickes-class DD-127, and the WWII Fletcher-class DD-591.
