Battles of the Mexican-American War - Definition and Overview

The following are known Battles of the Mexican-American War. This list includes all major engagements and most reported skirmishes.

The list includes all battles and skirmishes taking place during the Mexican-American War; this includes two major engagements, the Battle of Palo Alto, and the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, which took place prior to the official start of hostilities between the two powers.

Battles of the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848

Key: (A) - American Victory; (M) - Mexican Victory; (I) - Inconclusive.

Important Note: It is a common misconception to confuse "Monterrey, Nuevo León" with "Monterey, California". These are, in fact, two very different battles.

Battles of the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848

Key: (A) - American Victory; (M) - Mexican Victory; (I) - Inconclusive.

1846

• April
  • 25/26th: Thornton Affair - Skirmishing in South Texas

• May
  • 3-9th: Siege of Fort Texas - Mexican Army besieges "illegal" American outpost(I)
  • 8th: Battle of Palo Alto - Army under Mariano Arista invades "American" Texas(A)
  • 9th: Battle of Resaca de la Palma - Arista is defeated by Zachary Taylor(A)
  • 18th: U.S. troops occupy Matamoros, Tamaulipas, with no resistance

• July
  • 7th: Battle of Monterey - U.S. Navy occupies Monterey, California (A)
  • 14th: U.S. troops occupy Camargo, Tamaulipas

• August
  • 18th: Battle of Santa Fe - Stephen Kearny occupies Santa Fe, New Mexico (A)

• September
  • 21-23rd: Battle of Monterrey - Pedro de Ampudia fights Zachary Taylor to a draw (I)

• October
  • 7th: Battle of Dominguez Rancho - Californeros clash with John C. Frémont (M)

• November
  • 14th: U.S. Navy occupies Tampico, Tamaulipas
  • 16th: U.S. Army occupies Saltillo, Coahuila without incident
  • 16th: Battle of Natividad in Northern California (A)

• December
  • 6th: Battle of San Pascual - Californeros and Presidial Lancers defeat Stephen Watts Kearny. (M)
  • 25th: Battle of El Brazito - U.S. forces attack El Brazito, New Mexico (A)

1847

• January
  • 2nd: Battle of Santa Clara - Clash in California. (A)
  • 8th: Battle of Rio San Gabriel - Part of a series of battles for control of Los Angeles (I)
  • 9th: Battle of La Mesa - Yet another battle for Los Angeles (I)
  • 24th: Battle of Cañada - U.S., Mexican forces clash in New Mexico (A)
  • 24th: Battle of Mora - U.S., Mexican forces clash in New Mexico (A)

• February
  • 3rd-4th: Battle of Pueblo de Taos - Rancheros and Militia oppose U.S. forces (A)
  • 22-23rd: Battle of Buena Vista - Antonio López de Santa Anna engages Zachary Taylor in one of the largest battles of the war (A)
  • 28th: Battle of the Sacramento - Californeros engage U.S. troops in Northern California (A)

• March
  • 9th-29th: Battle of Veracruz - Beginning with Marine landings, U.S. forces besiege and gradually encircle Mexican Marines and Coast Guard in vicious twenty-day siege (A)

• April
  • 18th: Battle of Cerro Gordo - The "Thermopylae of the West" (A)

• June
  • 6th: Skirmish at Las Vegas, Nevada (A)

• August
  • 17th: Battle of Contreras - Santa Anna fails to support Mexican line at a critical moment; turns victory into rout. (A)
  • 18th: Battle of Churubusco - San Patricios and regular Mexican troops hold a fortified convent against Winfield Scott; San Patricios decimated. (A)

• September - Throughout the month, reports of guerrilla attacks on U.S. army hospitals, supply columns, and camps reach epidemic proportions
  • 8th: Battle of Molino del Rey Americans lose nearly 800 men in an attempt to take a suspected cannon foundry. "They fell in platoons and companies" (M)
  • 13th: Battle of Chapultepec Scott assaults Chapultepec Castle. Los Niños Héroes pass into legend (A)
  • 13th-14th: Battle for Mexico City - Savage fighting for Mexico City (A)
  • 14th: Siege of Puebla begins (A)
  • 15th: Fall of Mexico City (A)

• October
  • 9th: Skirmish at Huamantla (I)
  • 19th: Skirmish at Atlixco (I)
  • 12th: Puebla capitulates to U.S. forces (A)

1848

• January-August
  • Mexican Guerrillas harass U.S. Army of Occupation. Formal fighting, however, has ceased by the end of January.

References

Bauer, K. Jack, "The Mexican-American War 1846-48"