Saint Patrick's Battalion
| Saint Patrick's Battalion | |
|---|---|
Reconstruction of the battalion's flag as described by John Riley.
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| Active | 1846–1848 |
| Country |
 Mexico
|
| Branch | Mexican Army |
| Type | Artillery/Infantry |
| Size | est. 700+ maximum strength |
| Nickname(s) | Los San Patricios, Los Colorados Valientes |
| Patron | Saint Patrick |
| Motto(s) | Erin go bragh (An anglicisation of the Irish for "Ireland forever") |
| Colors |
Turkish Blue Sky Blue Crimson Yellow |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel of the Regiment |
Francisco R. Moreno |
| Notable commanders |
Brevet Major John Riley Captain Santiago O'Leary Sergeant Prisciliano Almitrano |
 An image displaying both the Irish and Mexican versions of the joint issue stamp
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The Saint Patrick's Battalion (Spanish: Batallón de San Patricio), formed and led by John Riley, was a unit of 175 to several hundred immigrants (accounts vary) and expatriates of European descent who fought as part of the Mexican Army against the United States in the Mexican–American War of 1846–8. Most of the battalion's members had deserted or defected from the United States Army. The Battalion served as an artillery unit for much of the war. Despite later being formally designated as two infantry companies, it still retained artillery pieces throughout the conflict. In many ways, the battalion acted as the sole Mexican counterbalance to the recent U.S. innovation of horse artillery. The "San Patricios" were responsible for the toughest battles encountered by the United States in its invasion of Mexico, with Ulysses S. Grant remarking that "Churubusco proved to be about the severest battle fought in the valley of Mexico".
Composed primarily of Catholic Irish and German immigrants, the battalion also included Canadians, English, French, Italians, Poles, Scots, Spaniards, Swiss, and Mexican people, many of whom were members of the Catholic Church. Disenfranchised Americans were in the ranks, including escaped slaves from the Southern United States. Only a few members of the Saint Patrick's Battalion were actual U.S. citizens. The Mexican government printed propaganda in different languages to entice immigrants in the U.S. army to switch sides and offered incentives to foreigners who would enlist in its army including; granting them citizenship, paying higher wages than the U.S. Army and the offer of generous land grants.
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Wikipedia