Compelling Characters of the U.S. Mexican War
Antonio Lopez De Santa Anna (pbs.org)
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was born in Mexico in 1794. He joined the army at the age of 16 and was known as “Napoleon of the West.” He served as the Mexican president for 11 terms serving more than 22 years. During the war, Santa Anna persuaded Americans to allow him back into Mexico. He tried to negotiate a peace and was the one in command of the Mexican army.
President Benito Juarez (pbs.org)
President Benito Juarez was a Mexican liberal and became one of the most important figures in the 19th century. He was born in 1806 and was a lawyer and politician who advocated a war against the US and was against the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Juarez also denied asylum to Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.
Juan Almonte (pbs.org)
Juan Almonte was born in 1803 and was a Mexican general, politician, and diplomat. Almonte was part of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna’s army and was captured at the Battle of San Jacinto. Almonte became a Brigadier General and in 1842 was assigned as ambassador to the United States. During the war, Almonte served as a secretary of war and treasurey under President Mariano Paredes y Arrillaga.
General Mariano Arista (pbs.org)
Mariano Arista was born is San Luis Potosi in 1802. Arista started his military career in Spain, however backed independence of Mexico in 1821. By 1831, Arista was a brigadier. Briefly before the Mexican war, Arista President Mariano Paredea and led the Mexican Army against the US. After a difficult battle he lost to the army led by U.S. General Zachary Taylor. This defeat ended Arista’s career and opened the beginning of the Mexican war.
Stephen F. Austin (pbs.org)
Stephen Fuller Austin was one of the key players in the beginning of the events that led to the war. He studied law and at age 31, Austin became the first Angloempresario. At the beginning Austin tried to keep the peace however as tensions rose, he was imprisoned by Mexican caudillo Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.
Ulysses S. Grant (pbs.org)
Ulysses S. Grant was born in 1822, attended West Point and was a junior officer during the U.S. Mexican War. Grant participated in the Battle of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma as part of the army of Zachary Taylor. He also fought in battles of Molino del Rey and Chapultepec. Grant accompanied the army of General Winfield Scott in Mexico City.
President James Knox Polk (pbs.org)
James Knox Polk was the president during the Mexican war; he practiced law until the age of 30 and grew up in Tennessee. Polk was the one who ordered the U.S. Army to start the attack on Mexico. As a result of Polks actions, Mexico lost nearly half of its territory to the United States in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo which added close to 1.2 million square miles to the nation.
General Zachary Taylor (brittanica online)
General Zachary Taylor was born in 1784 and became an army officer in 1812. Polk fought in the war of 1812. Under the direction of President James Polk, Taylor, who was 65 at the time, led a 3500 man army into the newly annexed Texas. Taylor also set up a base near the Rio Grande and shortly thereafter was promoted to General. Taylor followed Mexican troops to Monterrey, Mexico and captured that city in 1846; and also faced an attack against President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna where the U.S. barely won. This led him to become President in 1848.