List of battles of the Mexican–American War facts for kids
The battles of the Mexican–American War were important fights that happened between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. Even before the war officially started, there were already some clashes, like Thornton's Defeat, the Battle of Palo Alto, and the Battle of Resaca de la Palma. These battles shaped the history of both countries and led to big changes in the map of North America.
Contents
Background of the War
The Mexican–American War lasted from 1846 to 1848. It started because of disagreements over the border between Texas and Mexico. Nine years earlier, the United States had added Texas, which used to be part of Mexico, after the Texas Revolution.
The war ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In this treaty, Mexico had to sell a huge amount of land to the United States. This land made up almost half of Mexico's national territory at the time.
This picture shows the Battle of Chapultepec, a famous fight in the war.
Key Battles of the War
- Key
- (A) – American Victory
- (M) – Mexican Victory
- (I) – Inconclusive (no clear winner)
Battles in 1846
| Battle | Date | What Happened | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thornton Affair | April 25/26 | Small fights in the disputed border area of South Texas. | (M) |
| Siege of Fort Texas | May 3–9 | American soldiers held their ground against Mexican Army attacks. | (A) |
| Battle of Palo Alto | May 8 | The Mexican Army, led by Mariano Arista, fought an American army trying to help Fort Texas. | (A) |
| Battle of Resaca de la Palma | May 9 | General Arista's forces were defeated by General Zachary Taylor. | (A) |
| Occupation of Matamoros | May 18 | U.S. troops took over Matamoros, Tamaulipas, without any fighting. | (A) |
| Battle of Monterey | July 7 | The U.S. Navy took control of Monterey, California. | (A) |
| Battle of Yerba Buena | July 10 | The U.S. Navy took control of Yerba Buena (now San Francisco, California). | (A) |
| Occupation of Camargo, Tamaulipas | July 14 | U.S. forces occupied Camargo. | (A) |
| Capture of Santa Fe | August 18 | General Kearny's forces occupied Santa Fe, New Mexico. | (A) |
| Battle of Monterrey | September 21–23 | Zachary Taylor forced Pedro de Ampudia to surrender Monterrey. | (A) |
| Siege of Los Angeles | September 22–30 | Mexican and Californian forces, led by Gen José María Flores, took back Los Angeles. | (M) |
| Battle of Chino | September 26–27 | Californian forces defeated and captured American soldiers hiding in a house. | (M) |
| Battle of Dominguez Rancho | October 7 | Californian forces, led by José Antonio Carrillo, defeated U.S. Marines. | (M) |
| First Battle of Tabasco | October 24–26 | Commodore Matthew C. Perry was defeated in San Juan Bautista, Tabasco. | (M) |
| Occupation of Tampico, Tamaulipas | November 14 | The U.S. Navy occupied Tampico. | (A) |
| Occupation of Saltillo, Coahuila | November 16 | The U.S. Army occupied Saltillo. | (A) |
| Battle of Natividad | November 16 | A battle fought in the Salinas Valley of California. | (A) |
| Battle of San Pasqual | December 6 | Both sides claimed victory, but Californian forces left after causing many losses. | (–) |
| Capture of Tucson (1846) | December 16 | The Mormon Battalion captured Tucson, Sonora, for a short time. | (A) |
| Battle of El Brazito | December 25 | Mexican forces attacked El Brazito, New Mexico. U.S. forces were led by Colonel Alexander William Doniphan. | (A) |
Battles in 1847
| Battle | Date | What Happened | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle of Santa Clara | January 2 | Fought near Mission Santa Clara de Asís, California. | (A) |
| Battle of Rio San Gabriel | January 8 | One of several battles to gain control of Los Angeles. | (A) |
| Battle of La Mesa | January 9 | The last fight before U.S. forces entered Los Angeles. | (A) |
| Battle of Cañada | January 24 | General Sterling Price defeated rebels in New Mexico. | (A) |
| First Battle of Mora | January 24 | American forces failed to attack Mora, New Mexico. | (M) |
| Battle of Embudo Pass | January 29 | The last stand for rebels before the Siege of Pueblo de Taos. | (A) |
| Second Battle of Mora | February 1 | Another American group successfully destroyed the village of Mora in New Mexico. | (A) |
| Siege of Pueblo de Taos | February 3/4 | Ranchers and Mexican soldiers surrendered to U.S. forces, ending the Taos Revolt. | (A) |
| Battle of Buena Vista | February 22/23 | Zachary Taylor fought Antonio López de Santa Anna in one of the war's biggest battles. | (A) |
| Battle of the Sacramento | February 28 | Doniphan defeated a larger Mexican army before capturing Chihuahua. | (A) |
| Siege of Veracruz | March 9–29 | U.S. forces surrounded and attacked Mexican Marines and Coast Guard in a long siege. | (A) |
| Battle of Cerro Gordo | April 18 | A key battle where U.S. forces won. | (A) |
| First Battle of Tuxpan | April 18 | Commodore Matthew C. Perry captured the port city of Tuxpan. | (A) |
| Capture of Perote | April 22 | Perote Castle, a strong Mexican fortress, surrendered without a fight. | (A) |
| Battle of Red River Canyon | May 26 | New Mexican rebels fought a small battle with United States troops. | (A) |
| Second Battle of Tuxpan | June | Perry's small fleet fought Mexicans at Tuxpan again. | (A) |
| Third Battle of Tuxpan | June 30 | Perry's fleet fought Mexicans for a third time. | (A) |
| Second Battle of Tabasco | June 16 | Commodore Matthew C. Perry captured Villahermosa, Tabasco, the last port on the Mexican Gulf Coast. | (A) |
| Battle of Las Vegas | July 6 | New Mexican rebels and United States soldiers fought near Las Vegas, New Mexico. | (A) |
| Battle of Cienega Creek | July 9 | New Mexicans and United States forces clashed near Taos, New Mexico. | (A) |
| Battle of Contreras | August 19 | Santa Anna failed to support his troops, leading to a U.S. victory. | (A) |
| Battle of Churubusco | August 20 | Mexican troops and the Saint Patrick's Battalion defended a fortified monastery against Winfield Scott. | (A) |
| Battle of Molino del Rey | September 8 | U.S. forces lost many men trying to take a suspected cannon factory. | (A) |
| Battle of Chapultepec | September 13 | Scott's forces attacked Chapultepec Castle. Young Mexican cadets, known as Los Niños Héroes, became legends. | (A) |
| Battle for Mexico City | September 13/14 | Intense fighting for control of Mexico City. | (A) |
| Siege of Puebla | September 14 | Mexican forces began to surround Puebla. | (A) |
| Fall of Mexico City | September 15 | U.S. forces entered Mexico City. | (A) |
| Battle of Mulegé | October 2 | Mexican forces defeated a small group of U.S. soldiers at Mulegé, Baja California Sur. | (M) |
| Battle of Huamantla | October 9 | A U.S. relief force defeated Mexican reinforcements heading to Puebla. | (A) |
| Siege of Puebla | October 12 | U.S. forces arrived, ending the siege of Puebla. | (A) |
| Action of Atlixco | October 19 | A battle at Atlixco between Mexican and U.S. forces. | (A) |
| Bombardment of Guaymas | October 19/20 | U.S. ships threatened to bomb Guaymas, Sonora, causing Mexican forces to leave. | (A) |
| Bombardment of Punta Sombrero | October 31 | A U.S. Navy ship silenced Mexican shore defenses. | (A) |
| Occupation of Mazatlán | November 11 | U.S. forces occupied Mazatlán after its defenders left. | (A) |
| Battle of La Paz | November 16/17 | Mexican forces were defeated in an attack on the American base at La Paz, Baja California Sur. | (A) |
| Affair at Guaymas | November 17 | An attempt by Mexican forces to retake Guaymas was stopped by U.S. sailors and marines. | (A) |
| Skirmishes of Palos Prietos and Urias | November 19/20 | U.S. forces fought skirmishes to break the blockade of Mazatlán. | (A) |
| Battle of San José del Cabo | November 20/21 | Mexican forces were defeated by U.S. forces at San José del Cabo. | (A) |
| Skirmish at Matamoros | November 23 | American forces surprised and defeated the Mexican base at Izúcar de Matamoros. | (A) |
| Affair at Galaxara Pass | November 24 | Mexican cavalry was defeated after blocking U.S. forces. | (A) |
| Siege of La Paz | November 27/December 8 | A second Mexican attack on La Paz, Baja California Sur ended in a U.S. victory. | (A) |
| Action of San Sebastián | December 13 | U.S. Navy forces surprised and defeated Mexican cavalry, breaking the blockade of Mazatlán. | (A) |
Battles in 1848
| Battle | Date | What Happened | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capture of San Blas | January 11 | A U.S. landing party captured the coastal fort and its weapons. | (A) |
| Landing at Manzanillo | January 18 | A small U.S. party landed at Manzanillo, Colima, and disabled the port's defenses. | (A) |
| Siege of San José del Cabo | January 22/February 14 | A Mexican siege of San José del Cabo failed when the U.S. soldiers fought back. | (A) |
| Skirmish at Cochori | January 30 | U.S. forces surprised a Mexican camp that was blocking Guaymas. | (A) |
| Skirmish at Bocachicacampo | February 13 | U.S. Navy forces launched a surprise night attack on the main Mexican camp blocking Guaymas. | (A) |
| Action of Sequalteplan | February 25 | American forces defeated a Mexican guerrilla group. | (A) |
| Truce of March 6, 1848 | March 6 | An agreement was made to officially stop fighting between Mexico and the United States. This happened while waiting for the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to be approved. | (-) |
| Battle of Santa Cruz de Rosales | March 16 | General Sterling Price advanced into Chihuahua after the peace treaty was signed. He captured Chihuahua and then defeated Mexican forces in Santa Cruz de Rosales. | (A) |
| Skirmish of Todos Santos | March 31 | The final clash of a U.S. campaign that defeated Mexican forces in Baja California Sur, even after the peace treaty was signed. | (A) |
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Batallas de la Guerra de la Intervención Estadounidense para niños
- James Polk
- Mexican–American War campaigns
- List of United States military and volunteer units in the Mexican–American War
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List of battles of the Mexican–American War Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.