St. Patrick's Battalion

I met Don Leonardo at a small function and he explained to me why I keep hearing bagpipes around San Miguel. Don Leonardo is a musician and a serious dance teacher and is about 70. I love the pipes and will never forget how much Laurie and I enjoyed the bagpipe festival we attended the first year we came to San Miguel. It was so odd to be high in the Mexico mountains watching Mexicans march around with bagpipes.

In 1846 the United States was assembling troops along its border with Mexico in anticipation of an invasion. At that time, the army ranks were filled with Irish and German recruits who were offered citizenship and benefits in return for service. The officer corps was primarily comprised on southern elites. The soldiers were mostly Catholic at a time of widespread anti-catholic sentiment in the US and were treated miserably with their officers. Brutality finally led to desertion - several hundred make their way into Mexico just before and during the Mexican-American War of 1848. The deserters were warmly welcomes into Catholic Mexico, offered land for service, and some were given officer status. These AWOL soldiers stayed together and formed Saint Patrick's Battalion.

They fought several actions against Zacary Taylor, and then Winfield Scott at the battle of Veracruz where many were captured. Scott ordered them branded or hung depending on when they deserted. Mexico sent a delegation asking for mercy as the soldiers were now Mexican citizens but Scott, who wanted publicity for a presidential run, refused and the sentences were carried out. The suvivors lived out their days in Mexico and is one reason why there are so many Irish related family names in Mexico.

Some members of the battalion formed an honor guard for fallen comrades at St Andrews Church in Mexico City. Later, they began to join in commerative ceremonies in San Miguel and voila - I hear bagpipes. This was Don Leonardo's response to my question.