Battle of Churubusco

Battle context

Churubusco was fought on August 20, 1847, as Santa Anna's army retreated from the Battle of Contreras, and its outcome placed U.S. forces within five miles of Mexico City, decisively opening the approach to the Mexican capital. The battle effectively broke organized Mexican resistance in the immediate theater, with Mexican casualties reaching 1,261 against a defending force of roughly 3,800. The engagement is also notable for the fate of the San Patricio Battalion, composed largely of U.S. deserters who had crossed to the Mexican side and made their last stand here. Following the American victory, 50 members of the battalion were executed by the U.S. Army — all but two by hanging — constituting the largest mass execution in United States history. The episode underscored the severity with which the U.S. Army treated wartime desertion, particularly when deserters bore arms against their former comrades.