Marines in the Mexican War

This brief book - 66 pages - details the contributions of the Marine Corps during the Mexican-American War.  Like Gaul, it is divided in three parts.

California: Marine Lt. Archibald Gillespie was dispatched from Washington DC with letters for Army Capt. John Fremont as well as orders for the Pacific Squadron - commanded by Commodore Sloat - and the American agent in California, Thomas Larkin.  He made his way to Vera Cruz, crossed Mexico to Mazatlan, and was picked up by the Cyane, an American sloop.  After delivering messages to Sloat and Larkin, he set out to find Capt Fremont in Oregon.  Soon, he was part of the Bear Flag Revolt.  This was short-lived when news arrived that Mexico and America were at war and the Marines had raised the US Flag at Monterey.  Gillespie went south with Fremont's California Battalion and was soon garrison commander at San Diego.  After Los Angeles surrender, he was made the garrison commander there.  This did not go well and soon California was in revolt against the American occupation.  Gillespie had to retreat to the San Pedro where he was picked up.  However, his California adventures were not done.  General Kearny had arrived with his column of Dragoons in California and Gillespie set out with a handful of men to meet him and serve as guides.  Andres Pico and his Californio Lancers were in the area and the Battle of San Pasqual followed (December 1846).  Both Kearny and Gillespie were seriously wounded.  Nonetheless, he was sufficiently recovered a month later to participate in the retaking of Los Angeles.  Other marines - Capt. Jacob Zeilin, Capt. Ward Marston, and 1st Lt. William Maddox - were also noteworthy for their actions in California.  With only the American immigrant volunteers and the sailors and Marines of the Pacific Squadron for the most of the 1st year of war, the Marines were vital for action in California.

Lower California and the West Coast of Mexico: With California secured, the Pacific fleet turned its attention to Baja California and Mexico's Pacific coast.  Where Upper California had plenty of American immigrants to volunteer for service, Lower California did not.  It was left to the sailors and Marines to operate on land here.  Sailing down the coast, various coastal cities were invaded, the flag was raised, and then left; there were insufficient Marines to leave garrisons, thus the towns reverted to Mexican control.  When the New York Volunteers arrived, they were posted in La Paz but did not control much beyond the city limits.  Marine landings were made throughout the Gulf of California and along the Pacific coast, but few were garrisoned.  Captain Jacob Zeilin commanded the garrison at Mazatlan.  Most of the actions in the region were little more than skirmishes and had little impact on the wider war.

Mexico: The Gulf fleet under Commodore Conner was not initially prepared to act against most of the Mexican ports.  There was no Mexican Navy to fight and most of the ports were too shallow to admit the American ships to effectively blockade.  Marines were landed in Texas to protect the supplies at Port Isabel while General Taylor was engaged in battle with the Mexican Army.  Soon after, the Marines were the first to plant the US flag in Mexican territory at the sleepy village of Burrita on the Rio Grande.  Several months later, the Navy captured Tampico and the Marines held it until the Army arrived.  The Marines were included in the amphibious landing at Vera Cruz and the subsequent siege that took the city.  Thanks to an 1834 law, the Marines could be assigned to either the Navy or the Army.  With General Scott short of men, a battalion of Marines under Lt. Col. Samuel Watson was formed and marched inland.  The Marines were commended for their service against guerillas along the march.  During the assault on Mexico City, Major Levi Twiggs was killed while leading his men at Chapultepec.  When the city was finally taken, Marines were sent into the 'Halls of Montezuma' to clear out the looters.  Meanwhile, Commodore Perry used his remaining Marines in his Mosquito Fleet to capture other Mexican ports.  Captain Alvin Edson was usually the leader of those Marines as they trekked through sweltering jungle and charged Mexican cannons.

Gabrielle Newfeld Santelli's brief account of the Marines' exploits during the war is easy to read and always engaging.  Recommended.