Army of Occupation (Mexico)
Encyclopedia
The Army of Occupation was the name of the U.S.
Army commanded by Zachary Taylor
during the Mexican-American War.
was appointed to command the 1st Military District along the Texas/Louisiana border. On April 27 Taylor received orders to move with a "Corps of Observation" to the Texas frontier. Taylor moved his forces to Corpus Christi
and established a base there. While at Corpus Christi, Taylor named the forces assembled there the Army of Occupation.
and would be the right wing of the army. The 2nd Brigade was commanded by Colonel David E. Twiggs
and was the left wing. Taylor defeated the Mexican army at the battles of Palo Alto
and Resaca de la Palma
.
Order of Battle
of the 2nd Division of Regulars. The 1st Division of Volunteers under the command of Kentucky native, General William O. Butler who also served as Taylor's second-in-command. The 2nd Division of Volunteers was placed under the command of General Robert Patterson
. James Pinckney Henderson
, governor of Texas and major general of Texas commanded the so called "Texas Division" composed of two mounted regiments, one of them being the famous Texas Rangers
under Col. John C. Hays. Patterson's 2nd Division was stationed at Camargo
until he received orders directly from the Secretary of War to proceed to and occupy the coastal city of Tampico
.
Taylor and the remaining three divisions along with Henderson's Texans, numbering around 6,000, moved into northern Mexico to fight the battle of Monterrey
. The enlistments of several of the volunteer units ran out just prior to the battle. Many of the volunteers went home but several stayed and the remnant were formed into new units. Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston
's regiment of Texas volunteers time ran out. A company was formed of Mississippi and Texas volunteers that volunteered to stay and Colonel Johnston was made inspector general to General Butler. A whole brigade of Louisiana volunteers' time had run out and all left except one company's worth of soldiers who stayed and called themselves the "Phoenix Company".
General Twiggs' Division was to lead the attack on Monterrey but prior to the battle he overdosed on his usual laxative
and was forced to turn command over to Lt. Col. John Garland
. During the fighting General Butler was wounded and forced to relinquish command to Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Hamer
. Generals Worth and Henderson and Col. Jefferson Davis
served as commissioners for the surrender of Monterrey and the army occupied the city for several months after. During this period of occupation General Hamer unexpectedly died from sickness.
Order of Battle at Monterrey
Forces Stationed at Camargo
for the invasion of central Mexico and in October Henderson's Texans returned home. Taylor felt that the transfer of these forces was an attempt by his political rival President James K. Polk
to deprive Taylor of any further military glory. Taylor decided instead to move south to Saltillo, Coahuila, where he diverted the Center Division under John E. Wool
from its expedition against Chihuahua
and ordered it to Saltillo. Together with the Center Division the Army of Occupation numbered 4,500 and Wool became second-in-command to Taylor. The army had only one organized brigade; the Indiana Brigade under General Joseph Lane
composed of the 2nd and 3rd Indiana regiments. The rest of the army was made up of 4 volunteer infantry regiments, 2 volunteer cavalry regiments, 2 regiments of U.S. dragoons and 4 battalions of U.S. artillery, all reporting directly to generals Wool and Taylor. Antonio López de Santa Anna
assembled an army of 25,000 and marched to destroy the Americans at Saltillo. Taylor met Santa Anna at the battle of Buena Vista
and although greatly outnumbered defeated the Mexicans.
Order of Battle
along the Rio Grande
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Army commanded by Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
during the Mexican-American War.
Creation
On April 23, 1845 General Zachary TaylorZachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
was appointed to command the 1st Military District along the Texas/Louisiana border. On April 27 Taylor received orders to move with a "Corps of Observation" to the Texas frontier. Taylor moved his forces to Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
and established a base there. While at Corpus Christi, Taylor named the forces assembled there the Army of Occupation.
Operations on the Rio Grande
In May, 1846 the army numbered 2,400 and was divided into two brigades. The 1st Brigade was commanded by Lt. Col. William G. BelknapWilliam G. Belknap
William Goldsmith Belknap , a career soldier in the United States Army, was brevetted three times for service in three wars, served as brigadier general, and served as commandant at Fort Gibson, Fort Washita, and Fort Smith.Belknap was born in Newburgh, New York to Samuel Belknap and Mary Goldsmith...
and would be the right wing of the army. The 2nd Brigade was commanded by Colonel David E. Twiggs
David E. Twiggs
David Emanuel Twiggs was a United States soldier during the War of 1812 and Mexican-American War and a general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
and was the left wing. Taylor defeated the Mexican army at the battles of Palo Alto
Battle of Palo Alto
The Battle of Palo Alto was the first major battle of the Mexican-American War and was fought on May 8, 1846, on disputed ground five miles from the modern-day city of Brownsville, Texas...
and Resaca de la Palma
Battle of Resaca de la Palma
At the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, one of the early engagements of the Mexican-American War,United States General Zachary Taylor engaged the retreating forces of the Mexican Ejército del Norte under General Mariano Arista on May 9, 1846.-Background:During the night of May 8, following...
.
Order of Battle
| Brigade | Commander | Composition |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Brigade (Left Wing) | Lt. Colonel William G. Belknap William G. Belknap William Goldsmith Belknap , a career soldier in the United States Army, was brevetted three times for service in three wars, served as brigadier general, and served as commandant at Fort Gibson, Fort Washita, and Fort Smith.Belknap was born in Newburgh, New York to Samuel Belknap and Mary Goldsmith... |
|
| 2nd Brigade (Right Wing) | Colonel David E. Twiggs David E. Twiggs David Emanuel Twiggs was a United States soldier during the War of 1812 and Mexican-American War and a general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War... |
Samuel Ringgold (soldier) Samuel B. Ringgold was an artillery officer in the United States Army who was noted for several military innovations which caused him to be called the "Father of Modern Artillery." He was also, according to some records, the first U.S... John Garland (general) John Garland was a career United States soldier in the Regular Army who had a long and distinguished career spanning fifty years of service during the War of 1812, Seminole Wars, Mexican-American War, Utah War and very briefly into the American Civil War.-Early life and career:Garland was born in... Charles A. May Charles Augustus May was an American officer of the United States Army who served in the Mexican War and other campaigns over a 25-year career... |
Monterrey
Taylor received significant reinforcements for an invasion of northern Mexico. The Army of Occupation was organized into four divisions, two of them being made up mostly of volunteers and two of them mostly regulars. David Twiggs was given command of the 1st Division of Regulars and Brigadier General William J. WorthWilliam J. Worth
William Jenkins Worth was a United States general during the Mexican-American War.-Early life:Worth was born in 1794 in Hudson, New York, to Thomas Worth and Abigail Jenkins. Both of his parents were Quakers, but he rejected the pacifism of their faith...
of the 2nd Division of Regulars. The 1st Division of Volunteers under the command of Kentucky native, General William O. Butler who also served as Taylor's second-in-command. The 2nd Division of Volunteers was placed under the command of General Robert Patterson
Robert Patterson
Robert Patterson was a United States major general during the Mexican-American War and at the beginning of the American Civil War...
. James Pinckney Henderson
James Pinckney Henderson
James Pinckney Henderson was a United States and Republic of Texas lawyer, politician, soldier, and the first Governor of the State of Texas....
, governor of Texas and major general of Texas commanded the so called "Texas Division" composed of two mounted regiments, one of them being the famous Texas Rangers
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
under Col. John C. Hays. Patterson's 2nd Division was stationed at Camargo
Camargo
Camargo may refer to one of these places:Places Bolivia:* Camargo, Chuquisaca Brazil:* Camargo, Rio Grande do Sul Mexico:* Camargo, Chihuahua* Camargo, Tamaulipas Spain:...
until he received orders directly from the Secretary of War to proceed to and occupy the coastal city of Tampico
Tampico
Tampico is a city and port in the state of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, directly north across the border from Veracruz. Tampico is the third largest city in Tamaulipas, and counts with a population of 309,003. The Metropolitan area of...
.
Taylor and the remaining three divisions along with Henderson's Texans, numbering around 6,000, moved into northern Mexico to fight the battle of Monterrey
Battle of Monterrey
In the Battle of Monterrey during the Mexican-American War, General Pedro de Ampudia and the Mexican Army of the North was defeated by U.S...
. The enlistments of several of the volunteer units ran out just prior to the battle. Many of the volunteers went home but several stayed and the remnant were formed into new units. Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston served as a general in three different armies: the Texas Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army...
's regiment of Texas volunteers time ran out. A company was formed of Mississippi and Texas volunteers that volunteered to stay and Colonel Johnston was made inspector general to General Butler. A whole brigade of Louisiana volunteers' time had run out and all left except one company's worth of soldiers who stayed and called themselves the "Phoenix Company".
General Twiggs' Division was to lead the attack on Monterrey but prior to the battle he overdosed on his usual laxative
Laxative
Laxatives are foods, compounds, or drugs taken to induce bowel movements or to loosen the stool, most often taken to treat constipation. Certain stimulant, lubricant, and saline laxatives are used to evacuate the colon for rectal and/or bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas under...
and was forced to turn command over to Lt. Col. John Garland
John Garland (general)
John Garland was a career United States soldier in the Regular Army who had a long and distinguished career spanning fifty years of service during the War of 1812, Seminole Wars, Mexican-American War, Utah War and very briefly into the American Civil War.-Early life and career:Garland was born in...
. During the fighting General Butler was wounded and forced to relinquish command to Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Hamer
Thomas L. Hamer
Thomas Lyon Hamer was a United States congressman and soldier.Hamer was born in July, 1800 in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. He was a school teacher before being admitted to the bar in 1821...
. Generals Worth and Henderson and Col. Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
served as commissioners for the surrender of Monterrey and the army occupied the city for several months after. During this period of occupation General Hamer unexpectedly died from sickness.
Order of Battle at Monterrey
- Commander – Major General Zachary TaylorZachary TaylorZachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
- Second-in-Command – Major General William O. Butler
Division Commander Composition 1st Division of Regulars Brigadier General David E. Twiggs David E. TwiggsDavid Emanuel Twiggs was a United States soldier during the War of 1812 and Mexican-American War and a general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
3rd Brigade - Lt. Colonel John Garland John Garland (general)John Garland was a career United States soldier in the Regular Army who had a long and distinguished career spanning fifty years of service during the War of 1812, Seminole Wars, Mexican-American War, Utah War and very briefly into the American Civil War.-Early life and career:Garland was born in...
- 3rd Infantry - Major W. W. Lear
- 4th Infantry - Major George W. Allen
- Mississippi & Texas Volunteers - Captain Shivor
- Company E, 3rd Artillery - Captain Braxton Bragg
Braxton BraggBraxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
4th Brigade - Lt. Colonel Henry Wilson- 1st Infantry - Major John J. Abercrombie
- Baltimore & District of Columbia Battalion - Col. William H. WatsonWilliam H. WatsonLieutenant Colonel William H. Watson commanded the Battalion of Baltimore and District of Columbia Volunteers in the Mexican-American War. Prior to that, he had been a captain in the Independent Blues Company of the 5th Maryland and served with the West Indies Squadron against pirates...
- Company C, 3rd Horse Artillery - Captain Ridgely
2nd Division of Regulars Brigadier General William J. Worth William J. WorthWilliam Jenkins Worth was a United States general during the Mexican-American War.-Early life:Worth was born in 1794 in Hudson, New York, to Thomas Worth and Abigail Jenkins. Both of his parents were Quakers, but he rejected the pacifism of their faith...
1st Brigade - Lt. Colonel Thomas Staniford - 8th Infantry - Captain George Wright
- Child's Artillery Battalion - Lt. Colonel Thomas Childs
Thomas ChildsThomas Childs was a U.S. soldier who served with distinction during the Mexican-American War.Childs was born on March 16, 1796, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the son and grandson of Revolutionary War veterans...- Company A, 2nd Artillery - Captain James Duncan
2nd Brigade - Colonel Persifor F. Smith- 5th Infantry - Lt. Colonel James S. McIntosh
- 7th Infantry - Major Dixon S. MilesDixon S. MilesDixon Stansbury Miles was a career United States Army officer who served in the Mexican-American War and the Indian Wars. He was mortally wounded as he surrendered his Union garrison in the Battle of Harpers Ferry during the American Civil War.-Early life and military service:Miles was born in...
- "Phoenix Company" - Captain Albert C. Blanchard
- Company K, 1st Artillery - Captain William W. Mackall
1st Division of Volunteers Major General William O. Butler 1st Brigade - Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Hamer Thomas L. HamerThomas Lyon Hamer was a United States congressman and soldier.Hamer was born in July, 1800 in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. He was a school teacher before being admitted to the bar in 1821...
- 1st Ohio - Colonel Alexander Mitchell
Alexander MitchellAlexander Mitchell or Alex Mitchell may refer to:* Alexander Mitchell , blind Irish engineer* Alexander Mitchell , MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed 1865–1868...- 1st Kentucky - Colonel Stephen Ormsby
2nd Brigade - Brig. Gen. John A. QuitmanJohn A. QuitmanJohn Anthony Quitman was an American politician and soldier. He served as Governor of Mississippi from 1835 to 1836 as a Whig and again from 1850 to 1851 as a Democrat and one of the leading Fire-Eaters.-Early life:John A. Quitman studied Classics at Hartwick Seminary, graduating in 1816...
- 1st Tennessee - Colonel William B. CampbellWilliam B. CampbellWilliam Bowen Campbell was governor of Tennessee from 1851 to 1853.-Biography:Campbell was born in Sumner County, Tennessee, later leaving to study law in Virginia. He returned to Tennessee in 1829 in order to establish a law practice at Carthage, in Smith County...
- Mississippi Rifles - Colonel Jefferson DavisJefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
Texas Division Major General J. Pinckney Henderson James Pinckney HendersonJames Pinckney Henderson was a United States and Republic of Texas lawyer, politician, soldier, and the first Governor of the State of Texas....
- 1st Texas Mounted Rifles (Texas Rangers
Texas Ranger DivisionThe Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
) - Col. John C. Hays- 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles - Colonel George T. Wood
Unattached - 2nd Dragoons - Lt. Colonel Charles May
- Company C, 1st U.S. Heavy Artillery - Captain Webster
Forces Stationed at Camargo
| Division | Commander | Composition |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Division of Volunteers | Major General Robert Patterson Robert Patterson Robert Patterson was a United States major general during the Mexican-American War and at the beginning of the American Civil War... |
1st Brigade - Brig. Gen. Thomas Marshall 2nd Brigade - Brig. Gen. Gideon Pillow |
Buena Vista
After capturing Monterrey most of the units in the Army of Occupation were transferred to Winfield ScottWinfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
for the invasion of central Mexico and in October Henderson's Texans returned home. Taylor felt that the transfer of these forces was an attempt by his political rival President James K. Polk
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
to deprive Taylor of any further military glory. Taylor decided instead to move south to Saltillo, Coahuila, where he diverted the Center Division under John E. Wool
John E. Wool
John Ellis Wool was an officer in the United States Army during three consecutive U.S. wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. By the time of the Mexican-American War, he was widely considered one of the most capable officers in the army and a superb organizer...
from its expedition against Chihuahua
Chihuahua, Chihuahua
The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It has a population of about 825,327. The predominant activity is industry, including domestic heavy, light industries, consumer goods production, and to a smaller extent maquiladoras.-History:It has been said that the...
and ordered it to Saltillo. Together with the Center Division the Army of Occupation numbered 4,500 and Wool became second-in-command to Taylor. The army had only one organized brigade; the Indiana Brigade under General Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
composed of the 2nd and 3rd Indiana regiments. The rest of the army was made up of 4 volunteer infantry regiments, 2 volunteer cavalry regiments, 2 regiments of U.S. dragoons and 4 battalions of U.S. artillery, all reporting directly to generals Wool and Taylor. Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
assembled an army of 25,000 and marched to destroy the Americans at Saltillo. Taylor met Santa Anna at the battle of Buena Vista
Battle of Buena Vista
The Battle of Buena Vista , also known as the Battle of Angostura, saw the United States Army use artillery to repulse the much larger Mexican army in the Mexican-American War...
and although greatly outnumbered defeated the Mexicans.
Order of Battle
- Commander – Major General Zachary TaylorZachary TaylorZachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
- Second-in-Command – Brigadier General John E. WoolJohn E. WoolJohn Ellis Wool was an officer in the United States Army during three consecutive U.S. wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. By the time of the Mexican-American War, he was widely considered one of the most capable officers in the army and a superb organizer...
Unit Commander Composition Indiana Brigade Brigadier General Joseph Lane Joseph LaneJoseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
- 2nd Indiana – Colonel William A. Bowles
- 3rd Indiana – Colonel James H. Lane
James H. Lane (Senator)James Henry Lane also known as Jim Lane was a partisan during the Bleeding Kansas period that immediately preceded the American Civil War. During the war, Lane served as a United States Senator and as a general who fought for the Union...Infantry none - Mississippi Rifles – Colonel Jefferson Davis
Jefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...- 1st Illinois – Colonel John J. Hardin
John J. HardinJohn J. Hardin was a U.S. Representative and militia general from Illinois.Born in Frankfort, Kentucky, Hardin pursued classical studies and was graduated from Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky, where he studied law. He was admitted to the bar in Kentucky in 1831 and commenced practice...
(k)- 2nd Illinois – Colonel William H. Bissell
- 2nd Kentucky – Colonel William R. McKee
Cavalry none - Arkansas Mounted Regiment – Colonel Archibald Yell
Archibald YellArchibald Yell was a member of the United States House of Representatives, second Governor of the State of Arkansas, and a Brigadier General in the United States Army serving in the Mexican-American War.-Early life:...- Kentucky Mounted Regiment – Colonel Humphrey Marshall
Humphrey Marshall (general)Humphrey Marshall was a four-term antebellum United States Congressman and a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army and a Confederate Congressman during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...- 1st Dragoons – Captain Enoch Steene
- 2nd Dragoons – Lt. Colonel Charles May
Artillery none - 1st Artillery – Captain Thomas W. Sherman
Thomas W. ShermanThomas West Sherman was a United States Army officer with service during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War....- 2nd Artillery – Captain Braxton Bragg
Braxton BraggBraxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...- 3rd Artillery - ?
- 4th Artillery – Captain John M. Washington
Evacuation
In November 1847 Taylor left Mexico and returned to the United States. Command of the Army of Occupation was transferred to General Wool. Wool made plans for various campaigns in northern Mexico, but the war came to an end before he could undertake any significant campaign. Wool thus oversaw the evacuation of the army from Mexico. The evacuation was well underway by July 1848 when Wool requested to be relieved due to illness. On July 23, command of the Army of Occupation was transferred to Colonel William Davenport, who moved the remaining units of the army to Fort BrownFort Brown
Fort Brown was a military post of the United States Army in Texas during the later half of 19th century and the early part of the 20th century.-Early years:...
along the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
.
Sources
- Bauer, K. Jack, "The Mexican-American War 1846-48"
- Official Battle Reports