A Mexican "Victory" 2.0: A Timeline

Sup, everyone. Last year I started a TL where Mexico does significantly better during the Mex-American war and as a consequence the second half of the 19th century. RL caught up with me and the TL died. My notes continued and now I have the war (and a bit more) fully finished. So it was time to do a more detailed and pulpier version of it. Hope you guys enjoy:



Once upon a Time in Mexico City…

Nationalistic boasts of generals and congressmen erupted within the National Palace:

“Por la Patria!”
“Por la integridad nacional!”

In the fall of 1845 the character of Mexico City was tense; there was an overwhelming lust for war against the United States. President Herrera, a pragmatic man above all, sought to quell the iridescent nationalism plaguing the Mexican political scene. His efforts were futile. Earlier that year the American congress had approved the annexation of the so-called “Republic of Texas”, a territory most of the delegates present in Mexico City believed was rightfully Mexican.
A letter from Juan N. Alamonte, Mexico’s ambassador to the US, urged Mexico to declare war. Alamonte claimed that a war against the US could be easily won, “It is erroneous to call these states United in anyway”, Alamonte claimed. “The Union is fiercely divided over issues of slavery and expansion. Inciting a slave revolt or finding an alliance amongst the Indians would not be a difficult task”. These claims were received with great zeal in the halls of the Mexican Congress. President Herrera, however, was not as enthusiastic. Or rather he had a more realistic view of the situation.

In the months following the letter’s arrival, the President had continuously sought the advice of Richard Pakenham, the British liaison in Mexico City. Pakenham was ambitious as the Americans in regards to Mexico; he had the clear goal of securing British interests in California and preventing the US from reaching the Pacific Ocean. Like he did with Herrera’s predecessor, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, Pakenham warned Herrera of engaging against the United States.

Most members of Congress saw Herrera’s acquaintance with Pakenham as treason, or at the very least a sign of cowardice. But as long as the President did not receive the American ambassador, John Sidel, no one was going to call it out loud. To appease the warmongers Herrera sent a small army under the command Mariano Paredes to reinforce the border. Paredes was a fervent nationalist and a Santaanista. Giving him control of a large number of troops unnerved the President. In the past decade alone the Mexican presidency had changed hands over fourteen times; Paredes could very well be the fifteenth. But as long as the general remained in the North patrolling the borders the nationalists would remain calm and Herrera could attend to the ambassadors in Mexico City. Maybe, he thought, there could be a peaceful way out of this. But only a fool could dream so.

Meanwhile in the Borderlands…

It was all wishful thinking. Paredes was leading a 2,500 strong cavalry detachment north of the Rio Bravo to Laredo, Tamaulipas, meant to reinforce the forces under Mariano Arista stationed further east in Matamoros. Overnight the Mexican forces along the border had practically doubled. [1] With the American forces under general Zachary Taylor stationed just a few miles north, in Fort Texas, the situation tensed. Early in March of 1846, Paredes lead his forces eastwards towards Matamoros and Fort Texas; refusing to back down from the strategic location, American forces engaged against Paredes’ north of Mier, Tamaulipas. Hostilities had officially begun. In less than month news of the skirmish arrived to Mexico City and Washington. Upon hearing the news President Polk addressed congress:

“Mexico has invaded our territory and shed American blood in American soil”.

On April 5th 1846, two days after Polk’s address, Congress declared war against Mexico. It was only the northern abolitionists and moderate Whigs who opposed the war and labeled it “a Southern war for the expansion of slavery”. [2]

In truth Laredo as well as Fort Texas, were located north of the Bravo in a territory previously claimed by the Republic of Texas and now the US. Historically, however, the government of Tamaulipas had always administered this territory. Mexico did not declare war until May 13th, after a final meeting between President Herrera and ambassador Pakenham regarding Britain’s position on the issue.


[1] POD: In OTL Paredes led the army back to Mexico City and staged a coup against Herrera.
[2] The declaration of war happens a month earlier than OTL, without Paredes ever issuing his manifesto. Thus the United States will be appear to be much more of an aggressor in the eyes of Europe, particularly Britain.

I'm glad to see this back, I was really enjoying the previous version, so I look forward to this TL.

now this is going to be very interesting, however I wonder when you saw a Mexican victory will that mean keeping California and new Mexico or actually taking back Texas and I do wonder will the British intervene at all

Thanks for the support guys. I'll be trying to update frequently (twice a week until the war is over and then until it catches up with my notes).

zeppelin247 said:

now this is going to be very interesting, however I wonder when you saw a Mexican victory will that mean keeping California and new Mexico or actually taking back Texas and I do wonder will the British intervene at all

Click to expand...

Note that "victory" is in quotations. A victory is pretty much ASB but a treaty benefiting Mexico in the long run isn't. Stay tuned to find out.

Good start, might I suggest you make It so that governor of monteray isnt so retarded. He betrayed the mexicans and gave monteray up. Please also find some way to prevent bearflag republic and get Mexico to use horse artilarry. Otl the horse artilary proved disastrous. Can't wait to see how Mexico fares.

Fredrick II Barbarossa said:

Good start, might I suggest you make It so that governor of monteray isnt so retarded. He betrayed the mexicans and gave monteray up. Please also find some way to prevent bearflag republic and get Mexico to use horse artilarry. Otl the horse artilary proved disastrous. Can't wait to see how Mexico fares.

Click to expand...

I am assuming you mean the Monterrey in California. The other Monterrey wend down with a big fight in OTL, and iTTL it will fight even harder. Many mayors, and governors betrayed Mexico by either surrendering without a shot to the Americans, declaring neutrality (as in the case of Puebla and Guadalajara) and in some cases willing fought alongside. Most of the times this was a way to stick it up to Santa Anna and his lackeys. Herrera will have an easier time getting them to cooperate.

The POD is a bit late to change much in California, Fremont was well on his way before the war started. Regardless there will be interesting developments there.

Anyway there will be updates on both Monterey's soon (it is confusing that two important provinces will have capitals with the same name, I might change one). The next update will be up over the weekend.

I'm not sure what sorts of military objectives the USM/Mexico might have at that time but I think Mobile and New Orleans were on their list, as was the Oregon Purchase. If they somehow get those, especially alongside Oklahoma, then Mexico becomes a more interesting place to watch. I'm also not sure how they would be able to prevent development and settlement by enterprising Americans with dreams of transcontinental expansion. If nothing else it might secure the independence of the Mormons who were settling in Utah at the time, who might be enabled to purchase a territory comprising the whole of Utah, Nevada, northern Arizona, and maybe western Colorado if the price was right. Texas would still have people dreaming of their own nation as would California, and parts of Mexico are likely to still dream of independence. I'm not sure how well Mexico City would be able to hold an expanded territory, and Santa Anna was not exactly the most stable of governors, if you had a leader emerge who could kick him out and reconcile the differences of his own people then Mexico might have borders at Darien, Canada, and the Rockies/Missouri/Mississippi along with chunks of the Caribbean instead of their current frontiers.

@ M79: While some Mexican leaders did have lofty goals like those, these were clearly impossible to attain. Mexico can't realistically win this war, but they can make it drag long enough that a treaty that benefits Mexico in the long run (and negatively affects the US) isn't entirely out of the question. I doubt Mexico will expand further (unless I find some realistic way to do so).

Anyway I was going to wait till tomorrow to post the next update but here it is:


A Deep Hush Fell upon Mexico City…

For the first time since the Texans rebelled the Mexican congress was quiet; even the most enthusiastic of the warmongers realized the ditch Mexico had gotten itself into.

“Pinche Paredes de mierda!” President Herrera cursed the general for his imprudence. Why, why did the war had to happen now while he was President? A few months more and someone would have staged a coup with certainty. Then the war would have been someone else’s problem and he would not be blamed if Mexico burned to the ground. For a moment he considered resigning from office.

It was ambassador Pakenham who made the President change his mind. It was in both their countries interest to prevent further American expansion. [1]

Before the official declaration of war, Herrera addressed Congress attempting to rally all factions, “Texas is lost. But we have much more to loose if we don’t place our differences aside. The American lust for growth will not be satisfied with Texas alone; they already have their eyes after California from there they’ll take Sonora, make base in Tehuantepec and swallow us whole”. Taking his liberal supporters by surprise, Herrera also asked the Church for their support, promising to respect its property and authority for the time being. This last action caused a rift between the President and his Secretary of the Treasury, Valentín Gomez Farías. Farías had been a close ally of Herrera during his ascension to power but he was a staunch and stubborn liberal who had continuously tried to confiscate the Church’s property as a way to pay Mexico’s foreign debts.

Back in the North…

Taylor’s forces had successfully prevented Paredes’ army from encircling Fort Texas. However his strategic position had been compromised; the bulk of his forces now laid much further west leaving his supply line to Port Isabel susceptible to Mexican attacks. General Mariano Arista led a force of 3,600 north of the Bravo to thwart Talyor’s vulnerable position. In response Taylor sent a cavalry unit under the command of Captain Seth Thornton to reinforce the fort. However, the Mexican cavalry under Anastasio Torrejón intercepted Thorton, leaving Fort Texas open to Arista’s siege.

The siege lasted for 140 hours. By April 26th 1846, Arista had a firm foothold on Fort Texas and had effectively cut of the American supply line from Port Isabel. [2] Taylor would be forced to cross the Bravo further north at Reynosa, while supplying his forces through a much longer route via Corpus Christi.

Taylor would not cross the Bravo until early in the summer. During the march to Reynosa, diseases and logistical factors limited his movements and the size of his army. In the meantime Paredes was steadily reorganizing his forces south of Laredo, much of the Mexican army had scattered after the Battle of Mier.

The next objective for Taylor was to move towards Monterrey; early in the summer he led his forces southwards. General Arista rushed southwards from Matamoros in an attempt to intercept Taylor’s forces before they reached Monterrey. Governor Pedro de Ampudía referred to Arista’s move as, “an amateur and irresponsible mistake”. Arista suffered a devastating defeat at the Battle of Apodaca. Afterwards his forces scattered and Arista took refuge in Monterrey, only to face the American siege a few days later.

Taylor launched his attack in mid September of 1846. The city was defended by a force of approximately 10,000 men under the command of Governor Ampudia, most of them residents of the city alongside the reminder of Arista’s forces. After three days of fighting the Mexican forces were driven into the city. Governor Ampudia was about to surrender and offer terms when Pardes’ army arrived from Laredo. Aware that his men were about to be trapped within the city, and forced to fight their way out, Taylor retreated back north towards Reinosa and Mier.

Monterey would hold until the spring of 1847. Severely hindering the possibilities of a swift American victory.


[1] Because Herrera received Pakenham the ambassador hasn’t left Mexico for Washington. This will cause delays in negotiating the Oregon dispute.
[2] Overall this is similar OTL. But since Taylor’s forces were dispersed to fight off Paredes, Arista faced a smaller force and was able to take Fort Texas.

Update. I know this is mostly a repeat for those of you who did follow the original. But that is why I am trying to make it much pulpier.

The Whisper of Unrest Suddenly Awoke in Washington…

“For whose soil is American blood being spilled?”

When the news of Taylor’s failure to take Monterrey arrived in Washington the anti-expansionist wing, mostly made up of Northerners and abolitionists, began to openly protest the war.

“American blood, on slaveholder’s soil.”

The longer the war dragged on the more Polk was accused of only catering to the expansion of slavery. For obvious reasons Polk denied such allegations. But the fact that the Oregon boundary dispute remained unresolved did not help his case:

“Mr. Polk does not want our free soil to expand, only the slaveholder’s”.

Before the war the Polk administration had offered the British delegation to split Oregon at the 49th parallel, following the same boundary as the rest of the western territories. Although Northerners would have preferred the boundary up to the 54o40’ parallel the proposal was not unreasonable. However, the British ambassador to Washington would, Lord Ashburton, would not budge.

Previously Ashburton had granted the U.S. most of their claims over the Maine border dispute; he seemed to expect the Americans were going to repay the favor in the ne dispute. Secretary of State, James Buchanan was equally as unreasonable, expecting the 49o compromise to include Vancouver Island, a concession Ashburton was in no position to allow. With neither side willing to give in the negotiations fell into a quagmire.

After the war broke out, Richard Pakenham left Mexico City to assist Lord Ashburton in Washington [1]. With his arrival the British delegation became increasingly weary of American expansion. Soon, it was clear that Polk would have to concede or the United States would have to face the possibility of Britain actively intervening on the issue.

Three Gentlemen Plan a Coup

After the United States ratified the declaration of war, Juan N. Alamonte, the Mexican ambassador, and José de Atocha, a Spanish businessman and close friend of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna made found their way to Cuba. The men met with the exiled dictator to deliver a special letter from President Polk.

According to the letter, Polk was promising to allow Santa Anna across the blockade in Veracruz as well as a hefty sum of money so he could stage a coup against Herrera. If Santa Ana succeeded, Polk would guarantee to support his regime as long as the dictator sued for peace and agreed to American terms. [2]

“El hijo de puta, no tiene vergüenza!” (The son of a bitch has no shame) Santa Anna bellowed. But truth-be-told neither did he. The proposition was tempting, and in any case he could always turn on Polk once he became President of Mexico… once again. Immediately Santa Anna made plans with Alamonte and Atocha.


Santa Anna arrived in Veracruz in August 1846, a few days before Ampudia’s defense of Monterey. Once word got back to Mexico City, Herrera ordered his immediate arrest. Santa Anna never made it past his estate in Xalapa where he had stopped to visit his young wife Dolores.

[1] In OTL Pakenham had left Mexico City earlier after Paredes refused to receive him or any ambassador. Because of this Ashburton stays in Washington longer taking over Aberdeen as head of the delegation.
[2] Whether or not this conspiracy happened in OTL is heavily disputed. There is very little proof besides the fact that Atocha did made several trips between Havana and Washington, while Santa Anna was in exile. And more importantly that Santa Anna somehow made it past the blockade. In the end Santa Anna still turned on Polk and tried to fight off the invasion.

Update!

Let’s Play, Who Wants to be President of Mexico!

[1]

“Farías, hijo de su madre!” exclaimed President Herrera. Once again the secretary had thwarted the President’s support amongst the conservatives. Farías had been indispensable during his rise to power, but since the beginning of the war he had become a thorn on Herrera’s heel. Farías had proposed the confiscation of Church property and funds in order to finance the war effort; an act that had driven conservative tolerance to his reforms came to an end.

Herrera was hesitant to replace his ally, but a coalition between the conservatives and the Santaannistas was not going to wait. After news that Taylor’s army had managed to recapture Port Isabel, the Coalition called for the abdication of Herrera, the arrest of Farías and the reinstitution of Santa Anna as President of Mexico.

The coup occurred early in December. Lead by two loyal Santannistas, Gabriel Valencia and Valentín Canalizo, the army reserves marched into Mexico City and took effective control of the capital within a few days. When Santa Anna was finally freed, however, the dictator announced that he would not be taking power immediately, “I’ll be spending Las Fiestas [2] with my wife. Pobre Lola, she has surely missed me dearly since my exile in Cuba”.

In the meantime Valencia was named interim-President, while Herrera and his supporters found refuge in Guadalajara. Pobre Lola. Pobre Mexico.

In his brief time as interim-President, Valencia managed to loose popularity faster than any leader before him. The Coalition was made up of different factions with very different goals from one another. Valencia’s plan to centralize the government using the army did not fit well in the conservative’s agenda. As if to purposely irritate the Church, Valencia also refused to withdraw any of Farías’ reforms. Instead he simply replaced the old Treasurer with José María Luis Mora, who, although by no means as radical as Farías, was just as unpopular. Adding to Valencia’s unpopularity, several of the provincial governments refused to acknowledge Valencia’s government and threatened to declare neutrality in the war if Santa Anna was brought back to the presidency.

Within a month, Valentín Canalizo replaced Valencia as interim-President.

“Que Viva Santa Anna!”
“Que Muera Santa Anna!”

Meanwhile…

Taylor’s army was rapidly reorganizing in the North. Reinforcements had arrived under the command of Col. Doniphan and with them Taylor had successfully retaken control of Port Isabel and driven the Mexican garrison in Fort Texas south of the Rio Bravo. Taylor left Fort Texas under the command of Col. Charles A. May. And after regrouping with Doniphan at Camargo, Taylor headed south once again towards Monterey.

Squabbles between the Mexican leaders stationed in Monterey heavily delayed the Mexican response to Taylor’s second attack. Unable to deal with Parede’s stubbornness, Arista rashly rushed west to meet Kerney’s forces in El Paso leaving Ampudia to deal with situation.

Cobarde de mierda! Paredes thought. Ampudia had suggested evacuating the population of Monterey towards Saltillo and making a stand within the city walls. He is worse than Arista. That coward fled with the tail between his legs. Stubbornly, Paredes opted to face Taylor head on north of Apodaca. He took most of the reserves and left Monterrey defenseless. . By the time Paredes engaged against Taylor at Cerralvo, his forces had already been depleted through desertion and sickness. Paredes suffered a crushing defeat.

So much for honor, Governor Ampudia thought.

The governor surrendered the city to Taylor on Febuary 2nd 1847, in agreement that the Americans allow the peaceful evacuation the city. Surprised by Ampudia’s humility and the fervor with which the citizens of Monterrey had fought, Taylor agreed to these terms. Although most residents chose to stay a good number followed Ampudia southwards towards Victoria.

So much for cowardice…

[1] In left to right starting at the top: José Joaquin Herrera, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, Dolores de Tosta de Santa Anna, José Mária Luis Mora, Gabriel Valencia, Valentín Canalizo, Valentín Gomez Farías
[2] Las Fiestas refers to the entire Christmas season between December 12th (Day of the Virgin Guadalupe) and January 5th (Day of Three Kings/Wise Men).
[3] Is the colorful format working for you guys? Overall is less specific time wise but I am finding it fun to write. I am open to suggestions.

The first version of this timeline must have slipped beneath my radar. I shall endeavour to keep up to speed with this one. Consider me subscribed.

I am loving this timeline really its is very interesting I really do hope the Mexicans can do something to stop the American advance soon or the British intervene soon

Geordie said:

The first version of this timeline must have slipped beneath my radar. I shall endeavour to keep up to speed with this one. Consider me subscribed.

Click to expand...

zeppelin247 said:

I am loving this timeline really its is very interesting I really do hope the Mexicans can do something to stop the American advance soon or the British intervene soon

Click to expand...

Thanks for the support guys.

Update!


Over Mescal in Guadalajara…

Herrera met with General José María Yáñes, “You know you can stay neutral forever; sooner or later, the war will reach Guadalajara.” [1]
“Well, lets hope it’s later. Maybe then we can find a separate peace with the Americans”.
“The only peace you will get would be the loss of Sonora. It won’t take long before Santa Anna is once again President. You think he cares about Sonora? He probably already made a deal with the Americans to give them everything north of Toluca.” Herrera knew that Yáñes had no sympathy for the Conservatives, the Centralistas, and much less for Santa Anna. Yáñes had served under Santa Anna at Veracruz during the Pastry War and still held that the dictator had stolen his glory.
“As long as you promise will burn the quince-uñas [2] afterwards.” Herrera promised, he was not going to take a risk and allow Santa Anna to come to power once again. With this promise was able to convince Yañes to support him in a counter-coup. The general’s popularity in the northwest and the area’s general aversion for the centralist factions made Yáñes a powerful ally.

And so They Planned a Countercoup…

Yáñes supplied Herrera with a force of roughly 700 men and six artillery pieces; Herrera expected an easy bloodless coup like the countless ones that had routinely occurred though out the previous decade. However, the overthrow of Canalizo did not come as easily. The Santaannista army met them north of Mexico City in Toluca Valley, while it was a quick an easy victory for Los Tapatíos [3] the damages were enough that Herrera could not expect to continue fighting all the way to the center of Mexico City.

Victory instead came from within Congress; José Mariano Salas and Nicholas Bravo managed to persuade the conservatives to drop their support for the Santaannistas.

“Que muera Santa Anna! His majesty finds bathing in Xalapa more important than attending the matters of state.”

“Traidor cualquiera que apoye al quince-uñas !”

Interim-President Canalizo was arrested in January 8th, and Herrera entered the capital along side Los Tapatíos. Herrera’s reinstitution was followed by a purge of both the Santaanista and radical elements of Congress. Mora, Valencia and other leaders of the coup were arrested tried for treason. And to ensure the support of the Church and the conservatives, Herrera replaced Mora as Secretary of the Treasury by a Manuel Gómez Pedraza, a moderate conservative with royalist leanings. Santa Anna was finally arrested in late January as he made his way from Xalapa towards Puebla, still believing his leadership would be welcomed at the capital; his execution on Feburay 2nd coincided with Ampudia’s surrender of Monterey, a day that is seen as both as a victory and a loss for the moderate forces.

While no one was watching, as one dictator replaced another, the Herreriato commenced.

[1] In OTL Yáñes had persuaded the governments of Jalisco and Sonora to declare neutrality. The neutrality was only broken after Walker landed in Sonora.
[2] Fifteen-nails. Santa Anna’s nickname after he lost a leg during the Pastry War.
[3] Tapatios is a colloquial nickname for the people of Guadalajara. And in TTL Yáñes’ army is referred as such.
[4] A sort of short lived proto-porfiriato.

]Update time:

Winfield Scott’s Brave New Plan

After Taylor’s initial failure to take on Monterrey, Washington officials reflected on the next possible course of action.

“They are a stubborn and proud lot. I promise you the Mexicans will not surrender until we raise our flag over Mexico City.”

Inspired by William H. Prescott’s History of the Conquest of Mexico, General Winfield Scott suggested a landing in Veracruz. From there they would follow the approximate route taken by Hernan Cortez in 1519, and assault Mexico City. So, after reinforcing Taylor’s army in Corpus Chirsti, Scott moved towards Veracruz in order to set his plan in motion.

At the time Veracruz was considered the strongest fortress in the Western hemisphere. And although it had suffered greatly during the Pasty War, it still took a full month of siege for General Juan Morales to call for a truce. On April 25th or 1847, the Mexicans officially surrendered their garrisons in Veracruz and Fort Ulúa to Scot’s forces.

While the number of American causalities through out the siege had been low, less than 30, yellow fever began settling on the American army. Fearing unnecessary loss to the disease, Scott hastily made plans to march inland towards Xalapa. In his rush, Scott was unprepared for an attack. When his army reached Buea Vista, a sizable Mexican force under the command of General José de Urrea ambushed the American forces. Scott was forced to retreat and continue his march through a more southwardly route via Orizaba. With the terrain against his favor, Scott’s march would be a slow and tedious one.


With friends like these…

“Señor Presidente, there is little I can do for you. Neither you nor your supporters have expressed love for the Church; in fact it’s been quite the opposite. That scoundrel Farías even threatened to desecrate the property of the Lord, our Savior.”

The Bishop had remained uncooperative since the President’s arrival in Puebla. Herrera didn’t like being away from the capital but he felt it necessary in order to persuade the Bishop to his side. Like most conservatives the Bishop had not been a fan of Santa Anna, his regimes, or those of his lackeys. When the Santaannistas overthrew Herrera the previous year rumor had it the Bishop had been planning to give the American’s free passage through Puebla.

Thankfully Herrera had Gómez Pedraza, the new Treasurer, on his side. After much discussion the President and Pedraza persuaded the Bishop to help in their campaign by calling the people to arms, at the very least to defend their homes. The Bishop only asked for one thing:

“Tráigame la cabeza condenado rufián Manuel Domínguez”. (Bring me the head of the damned scoundrel Manuel Domínguez).

The capture of the notorious highway king was easier than Herrera anticipated. Domínguez viewed the army’s presence in Puebla as good for business and it didn’t take long for him to test what pickings the army had to offer. When he was brought over to Puebla by the authorities Herrera and the Bishop considered hanging him on the spot. “Perhaps he could be of use for us,” General Joaquín Rea proposed to recruit Domínguez and his gang as guerilla forces.

“La guerrilla es para cobardes!” Santa Anna would have said. Real men fought battles face to face. Neither the Bishop, Herrera, nor Domínguez had a high opinion of Santa Anna’s antics. Domínguez was hanged at the Bishop’s insistence but most of his gang was bribed to serve as a guerilla force under the command of General Rea. [1]

Such are the allies desperation brings, Herrera thought. He downed a glass of mescal; it had grown into a habit since his meeting with Yañes.


[1] Scott will still be able to create counter-guerilla force made up of Mexican volunteers. It just won’t be as large or a successful as OTL’s Mexican Spy Company led by Domínguez.

interesting, was their really much guerilla warfare in OLT's war and how much more casualties and how far behind is the US advance ITTL compared to ours

zeppelin247 said:

interesting, was their really much guerilla warfare in OLT's war and how much more casualties and how far behind is the US advance ITTL compared to ours

Click to expand...

There wasn't really much guerrilla iOTL. That was one of the problems. Santa Anna, and most of the Mexican generals, frowned upon the use of it. Some like General Rea still went against orders their backs and used it regardless. Herrera, and Yañes are significantly less of a problem with it.
In OTL, Scott, hired Manuel Dominguez and formed the Mexican Spy Company to work as a counter-guerilla force. Dominguez was already a wanted man years before the war.

Taylor's progress in the North has been delayed set back almost six months due to the loss of Monterrey. Scott arrived at Veracruz little bit earlier, but the siege took longer. So he is pretty much the same as OTL, for now. Updates on Kerney, Stockton, and Fremont come next.

Another good update. I find I'm reading more about OTL's war, to spot the differences, and check up on the key characters. Entertainment and education, well done sir!

@Geordie and Zeppelin. Thanks for the suppourt.

Time for an update depicting the war's development on the northern territories. It is a bit out of order (most of events in California happen in mid-1847 but I couldn't figure out where else to put it).

La Cabalgata del Rojo (AKA Arista’s Gallop Across the Desert)

“He might have been really brave or really stupid. Perhaps he just wanted to prove how much a Mexican he was.”

Prior to the fall of Monterrey, news had arrived in Monterey that General Steven Kearney had captured Santa Fé de Nuevo México. As Ampudia and Paredes bickered over how to confront Taylor, Arista stormed off with most of the cavalry towards El Paso where he hoped to intercept Kearney. [1] To say the move was badly planned, is an understatement, by the time he reached El Paso, Arista had lost over two thirds of his men.

After reaching El Paso, Arista led the Mexican cavalry against General Steven Kearney’s Men in the Battle of Santa Rita. The Battle of Santa Rita was an anomaly in the war, being the only battle where the American forces matched the Mexican forces in numbers. Kearney had arrived to New Mexico with 1,700 men but after dispatching Col. Doniphan to reinforce Taylor and leaving another portion under the command of Col. Pierce to occupy Santa Fe his forces had dropped to 400 men. While Arista’s forces had dwindled down due to desertion and disease while crossing the dessert.

Arista suffered a devastating defeat. But he was nevertheless successful in delaying Kearney’s march towards California. His presence also stirred a number of revolts across New Mexico; the residents of Santa Fé, San Fernando de Taos, and Socorro all revolted against the American occupiers. Although the initial revolts were quickly stomp out by the end of 1846, a second round of revolts sparked once more in the following spring.


Mariano Arista died that winter in El Paso of respiratory complications. [2] His gallop across the dessert was for the most part forgotten as a footnote of history. However in 1932 his ventures were adapted into a motion picture by Antonio Moreno [3] entitled La Cabalgata del Rojo, a reference to the general’s infamous red hair.



The Republic of What!

Pinches gringos, though General José Maria Flores, they are trying to pull a Texas on us.
The previous summer an American detachment under Col. John C. Frémont had declared California’s independence. It took less than ten days for leaders of this so-called California Republic to announce the annexation of such Republic to the United States.

Oh, the nerve these gringos have, and that pinche Vallejo who surrendered to them without a shot. [4]

Flores had successfully maintained the American’s out of Southern Alta California for over a year. The resistance began as a small rebellion in the other wise sleepy town of Los Ángeles but Flores had managed to organize it rather effectively.

Such level of resistance was highly unanticipated. When Commodore Robert Stockton docked in San Diego he was expecting Kearney to arrive with reinforcements from New Mexico. Kearney however had delayed his trek to subdue the revolts in Santa Fe and Taos. Without reinforcements, Stockton was unable to cross the San Gabriel River when he met a militia assembled by Flores south of Los Ángeles. Stockton retreated to an outpost in San Pedro until Kearney’s arrival.


Meanwhile a second militia under the command of Andres Pico had stopped Frémont’s army from taking Santa Barbara. By the time Stockton was able to take Los Angeles, Frémont had lost his grip on most of Central California while Pico was pushing towards Monterrey [5]. In the end Stockton and Kearney’s victories amounted to very little and where relatively inconsequential during the signing of the Tretay of Havanna.


[1] The trip can be made on time but Arista is traveling at full gallop.
[2] Most likely being bronchitis.
[3] A Mexican filmmaker who directed the first Mexican “talkie” in OTL.
[4] Governor Vallejo saw the annexation of California as inevitable, so he gave up Monterrey without a fight.
[5] Having two important states with a Monterey for their capital might get a bit confusing. I might rename the Californian Monterrey. Are there any suggestions for a name?

jycee said:

@Geordie and Zeppelin. Thanks for the support.

Click to expand...

No problem.

jycee said:

Having two important states with a Monterey for their capital my get a bit confusing. I might rename the Californian Monterrey. Are there any suggestions for a name?

Click to expand...

Maybe you could name it after a hero from the war...?

Also, I know some don't find them easy, but is there any chance of a map appearing, detailing who's troops are where and such?