The Mexican War

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 2 Feb. 1848: Signed 10 March: U.S. Senate ratifies 25 May: Mexican government ratifies Texas annexation recognized wit Rio Grande as the border. New Mexico and California ceded for $15 million plus unpaid claims

The Cost Mexico United States 12,866 KIA 1,177 KIA 1,360 WIA 3,669 WIA ? Died of disease ?? United States 1,177 KIA 3,669 WIA 11,155 Died of disease 16,001 Estimated cost to U.S.: $97,500,000

Results . . . U.S. consolidates it continental position. Question: Slaves in the territories ? Mexico’s future linked to the U.S. A “mark on the Mexican soul.” Greater Mexican nationalism.

The means and the ends matched perfectly The objective was achieved at the least cost and in the most humane way possible. The means and the ends matched perfectly

A war of conquest . . . Poses an interesting moral question. Was this a “just war” ? Do you want to give the territory back ?

Legacy for the Army . . . The war teaches a generation of officers how to fight: Fire a volley and then charge. Well-led soldiers can take any position. Revolutionary War tactics and technology. Success would blind many to the technological innovations of the 1850’s.

“Lessons Learned” will not be adapted to new technology.

Technological Innovation Steam power Ships Railroads Screw propeller Revolving pistol Telegraph Springfield Rifled Musket Before Mexican War 1855

Revolving Pistol Colt-Patterson, 1836 Walker Colt, 1847 aka “Colt Dragoon”

Telegraph allows “near-real time” communications. Railroads allow the fast movement of troops.

The Springfield Rifled Musket Issued: 1855 “Springfield”: Made at the Springfield Armory “Rifled”: It’s a rifle, not a smoothbore “Musket”: Loaded down the muzzle. Made possible by: the cylindro-conoidal bullet aka, the “Minie ball”

How does it work?

Concave base

Expanding base grips the rifling and forms a gas seal.

Musket Rifled Musket Maximum Effective Range 100 yards 1000 yards Design range Rifled Musket 200-300 yards Effective range

Springfield Rifled Musket, model 1855 56 in. long 9 lbs. .59 caliber