Battle of Chapultepec

Battle of Chapultepec, campaign of the Mexican War that took place on September 12 and 13, 1847. In the Battle of Chapultepec, General Winfield Scott of the United States Army, and the soldiers under his command, stormed Chapultepec Hill, site of the inner defenses of Mexico City. Contrary to the advice of a number of his best engineers, Scott decided to enter Mexico City by causeways leading to its western gates. This course implied the necessity of taking Chapultepec Hill, which was about 60 m (about 200 ft) high. In addition to using the natural defenses of the hill, the Mexicans had built an impressive array of high walls, ditches, and other structures on the hill to protect them from enemy fire. On the crest of the hill, a garrison held a group of military college buildings, and at the approach Mexican general Antonio López de Santa Anna had placed troops that were about equal in number to the 7180 soldiers Scott employed in his operations. On September 12, U.S. artillery opened fire on the fort. The next morning, Scott sent Brigadier General John A. Quitman's division, with a select storming party from Brigadier General David E. Twiggs's division, against the south and east walls of the Chapultepec enclosure. Simultaneously, Brigadier General Gideon J. Pillow's division fought its way forward from the west with some help from Brigadier General William J. Worth's forces. Finally, the attackers reached the western walls, hoisted scaling ladders, and in a desperate hand-to-hand encounter fought their way to the upper ramparts on the top of the hill. At 9:30 that morning the garrison's commander surrendered Chapultepec Hill. In the fighting, Santa Anna lost 1800 soldiers, including those missing, while estimated U.S. losses were only 450.