Battle of Contreras

"The Battle of Contreras" by Carl Nebel. Oil on canvas, 1851.

Date	19–20 August 1847
Location	Mexico City, D.F.
Result	American victory

Belligerents

United States

Mexico

Commanders and leaders

Winfield Scott

Gabriel Valencia

Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide y Huarte

Strength

10,738

7,000

Casualties and losses

60 killed or wounded

~700 killed
1,224 wounded
843 captured

The Battle of Contreras, also known as the Battle of Padierna, took place on 19–20 August 1847, in the final encounters of the Mexican-American War. In the Battle of Churubusco, fighting continued the following day.

Leaving Puebla on 7 Aug. for his march on Mexico City, the U.S. army under Major General Winfield Scott, reached Ayotla and Chalco on 11 Aug. with the divisions of David E. Twiggs, William J. Worth, John A. Quitman, and Gideon Johnson Pillow. Scott moved on the south side of Lake Chalco on 15 Aug., advancing to San Agustin.Santa Anna had about 30,000 men defending the city, including 7,000 from Gabriel Valencia's Army of the North, which was located near Contreras by 17 Aug.

Intending to flank San Antonio, Scott ordered Capt. Robert E. Lee to build a road across the Pedregal lava field so he could enfilade San Antonio to the north of San Agustin. On the morning on 19 Aug., Lee's men met Mexican pickets, which Major William W. Loring's companies cleared at Padierna, only to come under fire from Valencia's 22 pieces of artillery west of the Pedregal and north of Contreras. Pillow then brought in his artillery, under the command of Capt. John B. Magruder, Lt. Franklin D. Callender, and Lt. Jesse L. Reno. When told of the American movement across the Pedregal, Valencia exclaimed, "No! No! You're dreaming, man." In the mean time Col. Truman B. Ransom's 9th Infantry and Lt. Col. Milledge L. Bonham's 12th moved forward on the American right to within 200 yards of Valencia's camp by nightfall. Pillow also sent General Bennet Riley's brigade, supported by General George Cadwalader, to seize San Geronimo just north of Valencia's camp, while Persifor Smith's brigade, supported by General Franklin Pierce, struck Valencia from the front. Scott sent General James Shields brigade to Pillow who sent it after Cadwalader. Santa Anna moved with Brigadier General Francisco Perez's 3,000 man brigade to San Angel, just north of the fighting. Night brought a cold rain and the end of fighting for the day.

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