Los San Patricios

Pre-post: Please read WoC PhD‘s post on saving Women’s Studies. Then act in the case she discusses. Then reread the post and keep the analysis in mind as you decide which battles to fight and which to leave alone at your own institution.

Post: I still have cousins in County Galway, in honor of whom I will – as Tom did – direct everyone to Nezua‘s St. Patrick’s Day post on Irish soldiers who left the U.S. Army to fight with Mexico in the 1840s. Nezua quotes from Proud to Live in America:

These Irish soldiers noticed many similarities between their treatment by England and what the United States was trying to do to Mexico. Additionally, these Irish soldiers were treated poorly by their Protestant officers and never really liked the idea of fighting a Catholic country like Mexico. The US army would not allow Irish soldiers to attend Mass, and many began to cross over into Mexico on Sundays to attend religious services. Soldiers who had fought against each other all week quickly became friends after realizing their common religious bond and struggle from oppressive actions of primarily English speaking countries.

Led by Captain John Riley, approximately 800 soldiers left the US army to join the Mexicans in their fight against the United States. Irish soldiers who left to fight for Mexico before war was officially proclaimed were considered deserters while those who left after were labeled defectors by the United States Army. In Mexico they were considered heroes and called “Los San Patricios”, the Saint Patrick’s Brigade, or “Los Colorados” because of their red hair.

The San Patricios were fierce fighters who knew they would be put to death by US troops if captured. Knowing their fate they refused to surrender and were responsible for large numbers of casualties to the US Army forces. Mexican General Santa Anna said that if he had a few hundred more men like the San Patricios, Mexico would have won the Battle of Churubusco and ultimately the war.

After the war was lost, Mexico ceded half of its land to the United States. Captured members of the St. Patrick’s Brigade who deserted the US Army before war was officially announced had their faces branded with the letter “D”. Those who left the US Army to fight for Mexico after war was announced were considered traitors and hung. Over a two day period the US Army lynched 50 members of the St. Patrick’s Brigade in what is considered to be the largest lynching in US military history and an example of national intolerance to the Irish.

Mexicans honor the San Patricios or St. Patrick’s Brigade with celebrations on September 12, the anniversary of their lynching by the US Army, and March 17th. In San Angel, a suburb of Mexico City, a plaque lists the names of the Irish San Patricios who died while fighting to prevent United States domination of Mexico.

On this site, of course, we say QUE VIVA MEXICO every day. Today we also say QUE VIVAN LOS SAN PATRICIOS.

Post-post: Also today I ran across an interesting British blog on academic bullying. I have not really read it to see how good I think it is, but it is definitely worth checking out.

Meanwhile, everything that happens seems Vietnamesque, or Salvadoresque, or Guatemalaesque. A village is bombed where a “suspected militant leader lives.” Far away in the capital, a bomb has been set which hurt Americans, and these villagers have done it.

Being in a village, and having a sudden air attack. Rice fields, or another time, corn. The velocity with which you are propelled into the air. The cones of smoke. I could almost write a haiku about this. It is hard to imagine we are not exacting random vengeance.

Axé.