Batallón de San Blas
Encyclopedia
The San Blas Battalion was a Mexican infantry unit founded in 1823 in San Blas
, Nayarit
. Under the name Batallón Activo Guardacostas de San Blas (San Blas Active Coastguard Battalion), it saw action on several occasions culminating in the Mexican-American War. The battalion participated in the Battle of Chapultepec
, where commanded by Lt. Colonel Felipe Santiago Xicoténcatl
, aided in the defense of the Military Academy in the Chapultepec Castle. Of the 300 men comprising the battalion, only a few survived the battle.
It is said that Lt. Col. Xicoténcatl, refusing the idea of letting the American forces capture the Mexican flag identifying his battalion and severely wounded, wrapped himself with the flag and died beside his men. Nowadays, this flag is displayed in the National Museum of History
located in Chapultepec Castle.
An inscription below it reads as follows:
Translation:
San Blas, Nayarit
San Blas is both a municipality and municipal seat located on the Pacific coast of Mexico in the state of Nayarit.-City:San Blas is a port and a popular tourist destination, located about 100 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, and 40 miles west of the state capital Tepic. The town has a population of...
, Nayarit
Nayarit
Nayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...
. Under the name Batallón Activo Guardacostas de San Blas (San Blas Active Coastguard Battalion), it saw action on several occasions culminating in the Mexican-American War. The battalion participated in the Battle of Chapultepec
Battle of Chapultepec
The Battle of Chapultepec, in September 1847, was a United States victory over Mexican forces holding Chapultepec Castle west of Mexico City during the Mexican-American War.-Background:On September 13, 1847, in the costly Battle of Molino del Rey, U.S...
, where commanded by Lt. Colonel Felipe Santiago Xicoténcatl
Felipe Santiago Xicoténcatl
Felipe Santiago Xicoténcatl was a General in the Mexican Army under president Antonio López de Santa Anna....
, aided in the defense of the Military Academy in the Chapultepec Castle. Of the 300 men comprising the battalion, only a few survived the battle.
It is said that Lt. Col. Xicoténcatl, refusing the idea of letting the American forces capture the Mexican flag identifying his battalion and severely wounded, wrapped himself with the flag and died beside his men. Nowadays, this flag is displayed in the National Museum of History
Museo Nacional de Historia
The Museo Nacional de Historia is a national museum of Mexico, located inside Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City...
located in Chapultepec Castle.
An inscription below it reads as follows:
La defensa del Castillo de Chapultepec estuvo bajo la responsabilidad del general Nicolás Bravo, quien disponía de 200 cadetes del Colegio Militar y 300 soldados del Batallón de San Blas, al mando del teniente coronel Felipe Santiago Xicoténcatl, que trató de contener a los invasores en el bosque.
Aniquilado el batallón de San Blas, los norteamericanos embistieron por el poniente y el sur del Colegio Militar, donde fueron detenidos durante algunas horas por los cadetes; pero más tarde las divisiones de Quitman y Pillow lograron escalar el cerro a costa de muchas bajas mortales.
Translation:
The Defense of Chapultepec Castle was under the responsibility of General Nicolás Bravo, who used 200 cadets of the Military Academy and 300 soldiers of the San Blas battalion under the command of lieutenant colonel Felipe Santiago Xicoténcatl and tried to stop the invaders in the woods.
With the San Blas Battalion annihilated, the Americans pushed on the western and southern wings of the Castle, where they were stopped for some hours by the cadets, even though later the divisions of Quitman and Pillow managed to ascend the hill at the cost of many casualties.