On August 19 and 20
of 1847, Mexico
suffered two
devastating defeats,
the second of which
saw the destruction
of the
San Patricios
as a unit in this
war. 30
Of the original 120
San Patricios,
35 were killed in
action and 85 were
captured by American
forces. 31
It is probable that
most of the 40
unaccounted for
Irish soldiers
continued to fight
in other elements of
the Mexican Army
until the end of the
war. The thirty-five
San Patricios’
killed in action
included two second
lieutenants, 4
sergeants, 6
corporals and 23
privates. 32
American losses in
this battle were,
137 killed, 879
wounded and 40 were
missing. 33
After the battle,
the captured
San Patricios
were tried for
desertion during war
time and all were
found guilty and
sentenced to death
by hanging. Hanging
was reserved for
traitors. 34
According to
President Zedillo’s
speech honoring the
memory of the Irish
soldiers, more than
60
San Patricios
were hanged, while
ten were whipped and
branded with the
letter “D”. 35
Miller, on the other
hand, reports in his
book that under
General Scott’s,
General Orders 281
and 283, issued in
the second week of
September 1847,
Scott upheld the
capital punishment
for 50 of the
soldiers, pardoned
five and reduced the
sentences for the
other fifteen. John
Riley was included
in the last fifteen
because he had
deserted during
peace time and
therefore could not
receive the death
penalty. 36
Riley had deserted
prior to the
official declaration
of war.
Under orders of
Winfield Scott, the
last of the 50
San Patricios
were hanged facing
Chapultepec Castle
precisely at the
time the American
flag was raised
after the American
victory during that
battle. 37
The mass executions
left a deep
impression on the
Mexican population.
Rioting broke out in
Toluca after the
news reported that
the executions had
taken place.
Mexicans intent on
seeking revenge
threatened to kill
American prisoners
but were prevented
from doing so by the
Mexican authorities.
38 From
the Mexican point of
view, the
San Patricios
should have been
treated as prisoners
of war, not
criminals.
Instead of hanging,
Scott ordered that
the 15
San Patricios
spared the death
penalty, be instead
branded with a two
inch letter “D” for
desertion with
hot-iron on the
right cheek and
receive 50 lashes.
It is unclear why
three of the men
were instead branded
on the hip, rather
than the face. These
three were made to
wear an eight pound
iron collar with 3
one-foot long prongs
each. 39
Scott also ordered
that the
San Patricios
be imprisoned until
the American army
left Mexico. Upon
being mustered out,
Scott ordered that
the men’s heads be
shaved and drummed
out of the Army.
Although Scott
intended to return
the San Patricio men
back to the United
States at the
conclusion of the
war, the Mexican
government prevailed
in keeping them in
Mexico.
The Mexican
Government had
called the
punishments an act
of barbarism,
“improper in a
civilized age.”
40 Under the
terms of the Treaty
of Guadalupe
Hidalgo, the San
Patricio prisoners
were to be left in
Mexico. Mexico had
insisted on this
clause in the treaty
during the
negotiations. Maj.
Gen. Butler issued
General Orders 116
on June 1, 1848. In
the last paragraph
of that order,
Butler ordered that;
“The prisoners
confined at the
Citadel, known as
the San Patricio
prisoners, will be
immediately
discharged.” After
the officer in
charge of the
Citadel read the
orders, the 16
prisoners, including
John Riley had their
heads shaved, the
buttons of their
uniforms stripped
off and marched out
of the fortress
while the bugler
played “Rogue’s
March”. 41
John Riley, instead
of being branded
once, was branded
twice according to
some of the reports
of the time. The
reports indicate
that the double
branding may have
been a result of the
first “D” being
applied backwards,
either intentionally
or under orders. The
second “D” was then
applied correctly.
