America at War

On the eve of the American Civil War, the United States Army and Navy continued to play the roles that they had for the first half of the nineteenth century - the army garrisoned and patrolled the growing frontier and the navy protected American commerce overseas. While staying above the fractious sectional politics of the era, the army and navy had grown and matured. Unfortunately, that was all going to change with the coming of a civil war. Thanks for listening!

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In 1859, an American settler shot a pig rooting around a garden on San Juan Island. A group of Islands in what would become Washington State, the incident triggered the last border incident between the Great Britain and the United States. Rather than going to war, the two nations agreed to a joint occupation that, in 1871 was settled peacefully. It set the foundation for the 'special relationship' that would dominate the twentieth century.

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In the aftermath of settling the border dispute between British Canada and the United States in the Pacific Northwest, the United States moved to consolidate their hold over the region. Territorial governor Isaac Stevens quickly concluded a series of treaties with the Tribes of the region. Unfortunately, the tensions associated with this process lead to violence in eastern and western Washington. In a series of brief but violent skirmishes, tensions remained, but American hold over the territory was complete.

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The capital of Mexico was in American hands. The war slowly wound down and the Americans got what they wanted - the northern provinces of Mexico and an international border that followed the Rio Grande River. It was not without a cost. President Polk's goals of a quick campaign were not met and the acquisition of new lands would ramp up sectional differences. We also take some time to set up the next part of our story - conflict in the Pacific Northwest. Stay tuned!

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Here is a short New Year's message regarding where we have been and where we are going in 2020. Take a listen!

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This is the final episode concerning the campaign to capture Mexico's capital. General Winfield Scott had marched from the coast and outmaneuvered his opponent, General Santa Anna. Santa Anna was determined to make an American assault on Mexico City. General Scott was able to, once again, outmaneuver Santa Anna's forces, unhinging his plan to defend Mexico City. It was a brilliant campaign, though not without some costs. We will finish up the Mexican-American War in our next episode. Take a listen!

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In this episode, we continue the narrative dealing with Winfield Scott's campaign to capture Mexico City. In the previous episode, we focused on the capture of a base of operations at Vera Cruz, on the Gulf Coast. After securing the city, Scott began his advance through the highlands of eastern Mexico. General Santa Anna chose a place called Cerro Gordo to stop the American advance. Faced with a strong defensive position, in a bold flanking march, Scott unhinged the position, making an assault on Mexico City inevitable.

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General Winfield Scott's march on Mexico City was the crowning moment of the entire war with Mexico. Unable to compel the Mexican government to the negotiation table, President Polk approved Scott's plan to advance on Mexico's capital. It was a bold move, but fraught with risk. Nevertheless, after meticulous planning, Scott's forces besieged the city of Veracruz, capturing it at the end of March, 1847. Once this base was secure, Scott made preparations to march west, into the highlands and, ultimately, Mexico City. Take a listen!

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In the aftermath of Zachary Taylor's capture of the city of Monterrey, Taylor's force became an army of occupation. Taking advantage of the lull, Santa Anna raised an army and at the beginning of 1847 attacked. The battle of Buena Vista was the only time the Mexican Army took the offensive. In spite of being outnumbered, Taylor prevailed. Unable to bring Mexican officials to the negotiation table, President Polk turned his eyes south. Enlisting General Winfield Scott, Polk began planning for a march on Mexico City. Take a listen!

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As Zachary Taylor advanced across the Rio Grande river and fought the Mexicans at Palo Alto and Reseca de la Palma, other American columns advanced into what would become New Mexico and California. Stephen Kearny led a column from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to San Diego, an impressive feat. Kearny, in cooperation with the US navy, was able to defeat a rebellion and consolidate the American hold along the Pacific coast. Take a listen!

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