1. The Mexican War

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

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

7. 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.

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

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

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

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

16. 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”

18. How does it work?

27. Concave base

29. Expanding base grips the rifling and forms a gas seal.

30. Musket Rifled Musket Maximum Effective Range 100 yards 1000 yards
Design range
Rifled Musket
yards
Effective range

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