Let Us Attack! Wayside

This wayside provides a brief overview of what the Mexican Army endured during the battle.

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Brownsville, TX

Main Text 

Mexican troops had expected a charge but received instead a battering from distant U.S. cannon. Too far away to fire on the enemy ranks across the field, Mexican foot soldiers lined up near here had every reason to want to flee. Instead, they bravely held their ground and demanded a chance to defend themselves.

Quote Text

Our valiant soldiers were blown through the air without even being able to fire their weapons, but they stayed in formation, like a fortress wall, unmoving, answering back the cannonballs and bombs that were clearing out our ranks with shouts of "Long Live Mexico! Long Live Independence! All along our line you could barely hear the bugle calls over the cannon fire...[our] regimental bands fell silent as if by magic because all at once they were destroyed by enemy cannon fire. ~ Mexican Infantry officer, Campaign Against the Americans, 1846

Fury now appeared on the faces of our soldiers. Filled of burning rage, they shouted [for their leaders to] grant them permission to either throw themselves on the Americans or to let them move back out of the reach of the gun fire. ~ Pedro de Ampudia, major general commanding the left wing, Mexican Army

Converging gun fire and the ricocheting cannon balls from the enemy batteries wrecked horrible havoc...on our unmoving infantrymen. His Excellency said in a loud voice: "Enough of this dying from cannon shots, let's move out to attack!" ~ José Maria Carrasco, colonel, 2nd Regiment of Light Infantry, Mexican Army

Image Descriptions

Center 
Color lithograph depicting Mexican Army infantry line and a Mexican cavalry soldier and infantry soldier talking.