Battle of Cerro Gordo The Battle of Cerro Gordo , or Battle of Sierra Gordo , in the Mexican - American War saw Winfield Scott ' s United States troops out - flank and drive Santa Anna ' s larger Mexican army from a strong defensive position . Battle . United States forces captured the port of Veracruz on March 27 , 1847 . Following this , General Winfield Scott advanced towards Mexico City . General Antonio López de Santa Anna , commanding Mexican forces in the area , blocked Scott ' s march at Cerro Gordo , near Xalapa , with more than 12 , 000 soldiers in a fortified defile . Represented were the remnants of the Division of the North ( 5 , 650 total : 150 Artillery , 4 , 000 Infantry and 1 , 500 Cavalry : including the Ampudia Brigade ( the 3rd , 4th , 5th and 11th Line Infantry Regiments ) , the Vasquez Brigade ( the 1st , 2nd , 3rd and 4th Light Infantry Regiments ) and the Juvera Cavalry Brigade ( 5th , 9th Morelia and the Coraceros Cavalry Regiments ) ; plus reinforcements from the Capitol : the Rangel Brigade ( the 6th Infantry Regiment , Grenadiers of the Guard , Libertad and Galeana Battalions , two Cavalry Squadrons and eight guns ) , the Pinzon Brigade , and the Canalizo Special Cavalry Division . The Artega Brigade ( 1 , 000 : Pueblo Activos and National Guard Battalions ) arrived at the end of the battle . Army Corps of Engineers Captain Robert E . Lee discovered a mountain trail around Santa Anna ' s position . General Scott quickly moved the main body of his command along the trail , out - flanking the Mexicans . A sharp action ensued on April 18 , 1847 , rout ing Santa Anna ' s force . Aftermath . The Mexicans lost 1 , 000 killed and wounded with an additional 3 , 000 men taken prisoner . United States casualties comprised 64 killed and 353 wounded . General Santa Anna , caught off guard by the Fourth Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Infantry , was compelled to ride off without his artificial leg , which was captured and is still on display at the Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield , Illinois . This battle has been called " the Battle of Thermopylae of the West " , because the use of terrain was similar to the maneuver that the Persia ns used to eventually defeat the Greeks . During the rout , members of the Saint Patrick ' s Battalion provided the Mexicans with the greatest opposition to United States forces in this battle . This battalion was composed mostly of soldiers from Europe that had enlisted in the U . S . Army when they arrived in America , but for a variety of reasons they deserted to fight for the Mexicans against the United States . They had the most to fear being captured by the Americans - being deserters - leading them to threaten with friendly fire fellow Mexican combatants intent on retreating or surrendering . Because of a heavy artillery engagement by the Americans , the battalion ' s members had to spend most of their time returning volleys at the enemy ; therefore , its unlikely that more than a few " friendly fire " incidents actually took place . Scott moved on to Puebla , 75 miles ( 120 km ) from Mexico City , where he halted on May 15 , 1847 . There were five company grade officers in Scott ' s corp of engineers who were of significant historical interest ; Captain Robert E . Lee , Captain George B . McClellan , Captain Joseph E . Johnston , Lieutenant John G . Foster and Lieutenant P . G . T . Beauregard . All went on to serve as generals in the American Civil War ( 1861 – 1865 ) . Eponyms . Cerro Gordo County , Iowa , Cerro Gordo , North Carolina and Cerro Gordo , Illinois take their names from the battle , much as Resaca , Georgia is named for the Battle of Resaca de la Palma .