page_title: Battle of Chapultepec
section_title: Scott's campaign to take Mexico City
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Chapultepec / Scott's campaign to take Mexico City
caption_attribution_description: English: Chapultepec disposition of forces
context_page_description: The Battle of Chapultepec on 13 September 1847 was an assault by invading American forces on a small contingent of Mexican forces holding the strategically located Chapultepec Castle just outside Mexico City. The building, sitting atop a 200-foot hill, was an important position for the defense of the city. For the campaign to take Mexico City, of which the Battle of Chapultepec is a part, General Winfield Scott's U.S. Army totaled 7,200 men. General Antonio López de Santa Anna deployed Mexican forces to several sites to defend the capital, so that just 880 troops, including military cadets of the Military Academy defended the position at Chapultepec against 2,000 U.S. forces. The Mexican forces' loss opened the way to take the center of Mexico City. In Mexican history, the battle is cast as the story of the brave deaths of six cadets, the Niños Héroes, who leaped to their deaths rather than be taken captive, with one wrapping himself in the Mexican flag. For the U.S. there are many depictions of the battle from their point of view. Although it lasted only about 60–90 minutes, the battle has great importance in the histories of both countries.
context_section_description: Scott had taken a risk by marching inland from the port of Veracruz, going beyond his supply lines.  He fought a major battle at Cerro Gordo, but encountered virtually no resistance in capturing Mexico's second largest city, Puebla. He then pushed further toward the capital. Scott avoided the direct route from Puebla to Mexico City because the road was heavily defended at El Peñon. Instead he cut a road looping south of Lake Chalco and Lake Xochimilco to the town of San Agustín. The Mexican defenders blocked the route to the capital at Hacienda of San Antonio, with marshes to their north and a lava field to the south, known as the Pedregal. General Pillow's division cut a road for artillery through the Pedregal to engage the entrenched Mexican forces under General Gabriel Valencia at Contreras on 20 August. The Mexicans were routed and the U.S. forces pressed on.  Santa Anna fortified the ex-convent at Churubusco and there was fierce fighting there. There was a two-week armistice following the battle.
  On September 8, 1847, in the costly Battle of Molino del Rey, U.S. forces had managed to drive the Mexicans from their positions near the base of Chapultepec Castle guarding Mexico City from the west. However, Army engineers were still interested in the southern causeways to the city. General Winfield Scott held a council of war with his generals and engineers on September 11.  Scott was in favor of attacking Chapultepec and only General David E. Twiggs agreed. Most of Scott's officers favored the attack through the southern gates, including Captain Robert E. Lee. A young lieutenant, P. G. T. Beauregard, gave a speech that persuaded General Franklin Pierce to change his vote in favor of the western attack. Given that Mexican forces defended fortified positions tenaciously and had inflicted severe casualties on U.S. forces at Molino del Rey, and Cerro Gordo, the decision to attack Chapultepec was not taken lightly.
caption: Disposition of forces[1]
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