List of members of the Aztec Club of 1847 facts for kids

The Aztec Club of 1847 was a special group created by officers who served in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War. It was like a club for military leaders.

When the club first started, its members were officers who were serving in Mexico City. Over time, the rules changed so that male descendants (like sons or grandsons) of these officers could also join. This helped keep the club going for many years.

Who Were the First Members of the Aztec Club?

The Aztec Club began with 160 original members. All of them were in Mexico City when the club was founded in 1847. Many of these officers became very important later on. In fact, 72 of them became generals in either the United States Army or the Confederate States Army. Most of them also fought in the American Civil War.

Some famous people who were original members of the Aztec Club include future U.S. Presidents Franklin Pierce and Ulysses S. Grant. Even Robert E. Lee, a famous general from the Civil War, was an original member.

Here are some of the original members and their highest ranks:

• Maj. John J. Abercrombie – Brigadier General
• Cpt. Thomas L. Alexander – Lt. Colonel
• Cpt. Robert Allen – Brigadier General
• 1st Lt. Samuel S. Anderson – Colonel, CSA
• 1st Lt. Benjamin H. Arthur – Captain
• Cpt. Electus Backus – Colonel
• Maj. Henry Bainbridge – Lt. Colonel
• Cpt. John G. Barnard – Brigadier General
• Cpt. Moses J. Barnard – Major
• 1st Lt. Jenks Beaman
• 1st Lt. P.G.T. Beauregard – General, CSA
• 2nd Lt. Barnard E. Bee – Brigadier General, CSA
• Lt. Col. Francis S. Belton – Colonel
• Cpt. Charles John Biddle – Colonel
• 1st Lt. William B. Blair – Major, CSA
• Cpt. George A.H. Blake – Colonel
• Cpt. James D. Blanding – Colonel, CSA
• Cpt. William Blanding
• Col. Milledge L. Bonham – Brigadier General, CSA
• 1st Lt. Andrew W. Bowman – Lt. Colonel
• 1st Lt. John M. Brannan – Brigadier General
• Cpt. Horace Brooks – Brigadier General
• 1st Lt. William T.H. Brooks – Major General
• Cpt. Robert C. Buchanan – Colonel
• Brig. Gen. George Cadwalader – Major General
• Cpt. Albemarle Cady – Colonel
• Maj. George Caldwell - Brevet Lieutenant Colonel
• 1st Lt. Robert C. Caldwell, USMC
• 1st Lt. George W. Carr – Colonel, CSA
• 1st Lt. Daniel T. Chandler – Lt. Colonel, CSA
• Maj. Philip St. George Cooke – Brigadier General
• 1st Lt. William H. French – Major General
• Cpt. Richard C. Gatlin – Brigadier General, CSA
• 2nd Lt. Alfred Gibbs – Brigadier General
• 1st Lt. Ulysses S. Grant – General
• 2nd Lt. Schuyler Hamilton – Brigadier General
• Col. William S. Harney – Brigadier General
• Cpt. Joseph Hooker – Major General
• Cpt. Joseph E. Johnston – General, CSA
• Cpt. Philip Kearny – Major General
• Maj. Edmund Kirby - Brevet Colonel
• Cpt. Robert E. Lee – General, CSA
• Cpt. John B. Magruder – Major General, CSA
• 2nd Lt. George B. McClellan – Major General
• Cpt. Justus McKinstry – Brigadier General
• Maj. John Munroe – Lt. Colonel
• 1st Lt. John C. Pemberton – Lieutenant General, CSA
• Brig. Gen. Franklin Pierce - President of the United States
• Maj. William H. Polk – U.S. Representative and brother of President James K. Polk
• 1st Lt. Fitz John Porter – Major General
• Maj. Gen. John A. Quitman
• 2nd Lt. Jesse L. Reno – Major General
• Cpt. Charles F. Smith – Major General
• Col. Persifor F. Smith – Brigadier General
• 2nd Lt. Gustavus W. Smith – Major General, CSA
• 2nd Lt. Charles Pomeroy Stone – Brigadier General
• 1st Lt. George Sykes – Major General
• 2nd Lt. Zealous B. Tower – Brigadier General
• Brig. Gen. David E. Twiggs – Major General, CSA
• Col. William J. Worth – Brevet Major General
• Maj. Abraham Van Buren – Brevet Lieutenant Colonel and son of President Martin Van Buren

Who Were the Veteran Members?

In 1871, the club decided to let other officers who had served in the Mexican War join. These were called "Veteran Members." They were Mexican War veterans but were not among the first 160 members who started the club. This also included officers from the United States Navy. By 1895, 127 people had joined as Veteran Members. About 49 of them became generals or admirals.

Here are some of the veteran members:

• Cpt. Benjamin Alvord - Brigadier General
• 1st Lt. Christopher C. Augur – Major General
• Midn. Oscar C. Badger – Commodore, USN
• 2nd Lt. Simon B. Buckner – Lieutenant General, CSA
• 2nd Lt. John L. Broome – Lt. Colonel, USMC
• 2nd Lt. Henry B. Clitz – Lt. Colonel
• Cpt. Silas Casey – Major General
• 2nd Lt. Darius N. Couch – Major General
• Lt. Col. Thomas L. Crittenden – Major General
• 2nd Lt. Frederick T. Dent – Brigadier General
• 2nd Lt. Richard C. Drum – Brigadier General
• 1st Lt. William H. Emory – Major General
• 2nd Lt. William B. Franklin – Major General
• 1st Lt. Samuel G. French – Major General, CSA
• 2nd Lt. James Barnet Fry – Brigadier General
• 2nd Lt. George W. Getty – Brigadier General
• Midn. Bancroft Gherardi – Rear Admiral, USN
• 2nd Lt. Winfield Scott Hancock – Major General
• 2nd Lt. Henry Heth – Major General, CSA
• 1st Lt. Henry J. Hunt – Brigadier General
• Lt. Thornton A. Jenkins – Rear Admiral
• Maj. William W. Loring – Major General, CSA
• 1st Lt. James Longstreet – Lieutenant General, CSA
• Midn. Stephen Luce - Rear Admiral, USN
• 2nd Lt. Charles G. McCawley – Colonel, USMC
• 2nd Lt. Joseph H. Potter – Brigadier General
• Cpt. Henry Prince – Brigadier General
• Midn. Alexander C. Rhind – Rear Admiral
• 2nd Lt. Gustavus De Russy – Brigadier General
• 1st Lt. William T. Sherman – General
• 2nd Lt. Egbert L. Viele – Brigadier General
• 2nd Lt. Thomas J. Wood – Major General

Who Were the Honorary Members?

Only two people were ever made honorary members of the Aztec Club.

• Chaplain John D. McCarty
• Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott – Bvt. Lieutenant General

Who Were the Hereditary Members?

In 1883, the club made a rule to allow male relatives of officers who had died during the Mexican War (before the club started) to become members. Later, in 1887, the rules changed again. The eldest son or closest male relative of original and veteran members could join. This was done to make sure the club continued even after the older veterans passed away. Eventually, this rule was expanded to include any direct or indirect male descendants of eligible officers.

Here are some of the hereditary members:

• Brig. Gen. Joshua H. Bates
• Henry L. P. Beckwith
• Maj. Charles J. Biddle
• R. Adm. Norman J. Blackwood
• Justice Milledge Lipscomb Bonham
• Lt. Gen. James Carson Breckinridge (USMC)
• R. Adm. Silas Casey, III
• 2nd Lt. Loyall Farragut - Son of Admiral David Farragut
• Alfred W. Gibbs
• Maj. Gen. Frederick D. Grant - son of General Ulysses S. Grant
• Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, III - grandson of General Ulysses S. Grant
• Maj. Gen. Guy V. Henry
• Mayor George B. McClellan, Jr. - Son of Major General George B. McClellan
• Maj. Gen. David D. Porter (USMC)
• John Stone Stone
• R. Adm. Montgomery M. Taylor
• R. Adm. Aaron Ward
• Maj. Gen. William W. Wotherspoon

Interesting Facts About the Aztec Club

The Mexican War happened only 14 years before the American Civil War. Because of this, many high-ranking officers in both the Union and Confederate armies had been members of the Aztec Club. By 1895, out of 287 members, 121 were generals in either the Union or Confederate armies.

Two presidents of the United States were members of the Aztec Club: Franklin Pierce and Ulysses S. Grant.

Another president, Zachary Taylor, was also a veteran of the Mexican War. He was a Major General and fought bravely. However, he was not a member of the Aztec Club. This is because the club was formed by officers in Mexico City, and Taylor served in a different part of Mexico. The club didn't open its membership to others until 1871, which was 21 years after President Taylor had passed away.

John C. Breckinridge was Vice President of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He also fought in the Mexican War as a major. Later, he became a Major General in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War. However, he did not join the Aztec Club before he died in 1875.