The Mexican-American War (1846-48): Part VI-Vera Cruz and Polkas

The Mexican-American War lasted from 1846 to 1848. The official cause of the war was Mexican opposition to the American annexation of the Republic of Texas, which had won its freedom from Mexico ten years earlier. However, President James Polk intended to use the war to greatly expand the United States by annexing New Mexico and California, therefore it was the first war fought against a fellow republic to gain territory. Episode Six explains how a glory-hungry Santa Anna led his army on a gruelling march to attack Taylor at Buena Vista, where he was defeated after a bloody battle. The situation in Mexico was grim but it became worse when militia units made up of members of the upper class revolted. The coup attempt failed but it distracted the government just as Winfield Scott prepared to attack Vera Cruz.

Cast of Characters:
James Polk-president, former governor of Tennessee and former Speaker of the House of Representatives
Santa Anna-President of Mexico
Valentin Gomez Farias, vice-president of Mexico, former president of Mexico
Thomas Hart Benton-senator from Missouri, former aide to General Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812
John Calhoun-Senator for South Carolina, former secretary of state, former vice president, and former secretary of war
David Wilmot-congressman from Pennsylvania
Winfield Scott-Commanding General of the U.S. Army
Zachary Taylor-brigadier-general in the American Army
Archibald Yell-commander of the Arkansas Mounted Infantry Regiment, former governor of Arkansas, and former congressman
Pedro de Ampudia-general in the Mexican Army

Sources:
A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, The Mexican War, and the Conquest of the American Continent-Robert W. Merry
Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America-Walter R. Borneman
Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest-K. Jack Bauer
Agent of Destiny: The Life and Times of General Winfield Scott-John S. D. Eisenhower
So Far From God: The U.S. War with Mexico, 1846-1848-John S. D. Eisenhower
The Dead March: A History of the Mexican-American War-Peter Guardino
A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico-Amy S. Greenberg
A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and Its War with the United States-Timothy J. Henderson
The Irish Soldiers of Mexico-Michael Hogan
This Vast Southern Empire: Slaveholders at the Helm of American Foreign Policy-Matthew Karp
Heirs of the Founders: Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American Giants-H. W. Brands
The Great Triumverate: Webster, Clay, and Calhoun-Merrill D. Peterson
What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848-Daniel Walker Howe
Mexico: Biography of Power, A History of Modern Mexico, 1810-1996-Enrique Krauze, translated by Hank Heifetz

Image Credit:
By Adolphe Jean-Baptiste Bayot - Originally published in The War Between the United States and Mexico, Illustrated, 1851, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1178283