Battle of El Brazito
Encyclopedia
The Battle of El Brazito took place on December 25, 1846 between the United States Army
and the Mexican Army
during the Mexican-American War.
General
Stephen W. Kearney to rendezvous with General John E. Wool
inside Mexico
at the city of Chihuahua
.
En route to Chihuahua, Doniphan's regiment was attacked by a Mexican army from El Paso del Norte about 9 miles south of Las Cruces, New Mexico
. Since it was Christmas, Doniphan had given his men the day off. However, they spotted a Mexican scouting party and observed them. Colonel Doniphan then promptly ordered his 850 men to prepare for battle.
Before long, the main Mexican force arrived. It was composed of infantry, cavalry, lancers, and artillery and totalled about 1,100 men. Doniphan ordered his troops to hold their fire until the Mexicans came within easy range. At 50 yards the Americans opened fire with their rifles. Their fire was devastatingly accurate and the Mexican regulars broke and fled. Mexican cavalry next attacked Doniphan's wagon train, but was driven off by the teamsters. The Mexican force retreated, abandoning their howitzer, which Doniphan's men recovered.
Lieutenant Colonel Philip St. George Cooke
, a member of the Army of the West, relates the battle thus:
“On Christmas day, at a spot called Bracito, when the regiment after its usual march, had picketed their horses, and were gathering fuel, the advance guard reported the rapid approach of the enemy in large force. Line was formed on foot, when a black flag was received with an insolent demand. Colonel Doniphan restrained his men from shooting the bearer down. The enemy’s line, nearly half cavalry, and including a howitzer, opened fire at four hundred yards, and still advanced, and had fired three rounds, before fire was returned within effective range. Victory seems to have been decided by a charge of Captain Reid with twenty cavalry which he had managed to mount, and another charge by a dismounted company which captured the howitzer. The enemy fled, with loss of forty-three killed and one hundred and fifty wounded; our loss seven wounded, who all recovered.
The enemy were about twelve hundred strong; five hundred cavalry, the rest infantry, including several hundred El Paso militia; our force was five hundred – Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson with a part of the regiment arriving on the ground after the action. Colonel Doniphan gave credit ‘for the most essential service in forming the line and during the engagement’ to Captain Thompson, First dragoons, ‘acting his aid and adviser.’”
natives who had been watching the battle. Casualties are unknown for either side.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and the Mexican Army
Mexican Army
The Mexican Army is the combined land and air branch and largest of the Mexican Military services; it also is known as the National Defense Army. It is famous for having been the first army to adopt and use an automatic rifle, , in 1899, and the first to issue automatic weapons as standard issue...
during the Mexican-American War.
Battle
In October 1846, Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan of the First Regiment Mounted Missouri Volunteers was ordered by United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Stephen W. Kearney to rendezvous with General 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...
inside Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
at the city of 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...
.
En route to Chihuahua, Doniphan's regiment was attacked by a Mexican army from El Paso del Norte about 9 miles south of Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
. Since it was Christmas, Doniphan had given his men the day off. However, they spotted a Mexican scouting party and observed them. Colonel Doniphan then promptly ordered his 850 men to prepare for battle.
Before long, the main Mexican force arrived. It was composed of infantry, cavalry, lancers, and artillery and totalled about 1,100 men. Doniphan ordered his troops to hold their fire until the Mexicans came within easy range. At 50 yards the Americans opened fire with their rifles. Their fire was devastatingly accurate and the Mexican regulars broke and fled. Mexican cavalry next attacked Doniphan's wagon train, but was driven off by the teamsters. The Mexican force retreated, abandoning their howitzer, which Doniphan's men recovered.
Lieutenant Colonel Philip St. George Cooke
Philip St. George Cooke
Philip St. George Cooke was a career United States Army cavalry officer who served as a Union General in the American Civil War. He is noted for his authorship of an Army cavalry manual, and is sometimes called the "Father of the U.S...
, a member of the Army of the West, relates the battle thus:
“On Christmas day, at a spot called Bracito, when the regiment after its usual march, had picketed their horses, and were gathering fuel, the advance guard reported the rapid approach of the enemy in large force. Line was formed on foot, when a black flag was received with an insolent demand. Colonel Doniphan restrained his men from shooting the bearer down. The enemy’s line, nearly half cavalry, and including a howitzer, opened fire at four hundred yards, and still advanced, and had fired three rounds, before fire was returned within effective range. Victory seems to have been decided by a charge of Captain Reid with twenty cavalry which he had managed to mount, and another charge by a dismounted company which captured the howitzer. The enemy fled, with loss of forty-three killed and one hundred and fifty wounded; our loss seven wounded, who all recovered.
The enemy were about twelve hundred strong; five hundred cavalry, the rest infantry, including several hundred El Paso militia; our force was five hundred – Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson with a part of the regiment arriving on the ground after the action. Colonel Doniphan gave credit ‘for the most essential service in forming the line and during the engagement’ to Captain Thompson, First dragoons, ‘acting his aid and adviser.’”
Aftermath
As the Mexican forces fell back, they were harassed by ApacheApache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
natives who had been watching the battle. Casualties are unknown for either side.