George B. Fitzgerald: Mexican War Service
When the Mexican War began, the U.S. Army had only eight infantry regiments, but on Feb. 11, 1847, Congress authorized additional one-year regiments. George Fitzgerald, 19 years old, was commissioned a second lieutenant in one of them, the 11th U.S. Infantry, on April 9, 1847.
George served under Col. Albert C. Ramsey and Lieut. Col. Graham, in the Second Brigade led by Brigadier General George Cadwalader, in the Third Division under General Pillow.
In June, his regiment landed at Vera Cruz and was marched westward to Puebla, to become reinforcements for General Scott who was waiting there, pausing in his advancement on Mexico City. George's regiment arrived in early July, and waited with Scott in Puebla for Brigadier General Pierce's reinforcements to arrive in early August.
At Puebla, George's brother Edward was among Scott's waiting army. He served in the Sixth Infantry, First Division, which had landed at Vera Cruz in March, travelled west, claiming victory at Cerro Gordo (though Edward's division was in the rear of the battle), and had been at Puebla several months waiting for reinforcements. Meanwhile, the third brother serving, William, had left New York on the sloop John Adams as a passed midshipman, and spent the war on blockade duty in the Gulf of Mexico. Their father Edward Sr. was still a purser in the Navy, but I have no information on his specific service during the war.
On Aug. 7, 1847, Scott's reinforced army started again for Mexico City, encountering little resistance for five days, but rewarded with a dramatic view as they crested the ridge above the Valley of Mexico and could see the towers of Mexico City 25 miles away.
George's regiment fought in the battle of Contreras and in the closely-following battle of Churubusco on Aug. 20, where both George and Edward's brigades were in the initial bayonet assault that drove the enemy back. After those victories, for about two weeks, the army was under a truce.
During this time, Edward was transferred to the Ninth Infantry on Aug. 26, in the same division as his brother. However, the Ninth Infantry under Major Lally was apparently far behind at Jalapa. Since Edward served at some point as aide de camp of Brigadier General Franklin Pierce, he may have done so at this time.
When negotiations fell through, Scott planned his assault on Mexico City. Pillow's division, where both brothers were serving, was slated for the main assault on Chapultepec.
On Sept. 13, the attack began with a bombardment at dawn. Pierce's men advanced, and Colonel Ransom of Edward's regiment was killed with a rifle bullet through the forehead. Pillow, the general of the brothers' division, was debilitated by an ankle wound. Though Pierce himself was incapacitated by an injury at the time of Chapultepec, Edward was rewarded for his part in the battle
While waiting for the scaling ladders, Edward's brigade, in the forefront, crouched at the castle's base. But soon the ladders came, the storming party scaled the walls, the brothers followed with the other regiments, and Chapultepec fell.
For his "gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Chapultepec, Mexico," Edward was breveted from a captain to a major, like many officers present, though he was not mentioned by name in General Scott's Official Record as some equally low-ranking officers were.
In Norfolk in 1850 "a splendid sword was tendered by the citizens to Captain Edward H. Fitzgerald, U.S.A., of Norfolk, in testimony of their approbation of his gallantry and noble conduct in several engagements with the enemy on the ensanguined fields of Mexico." (Forrest's Historical and Description Sketches of Norfolk and Vicinity, 1853, p. 240)
In occupied Mexico City, officers formed the Aztec Club, which Edward joined, probably thanks to his connection to the founder, Franklin Pierce. It was filled with men who would become future presidents and generals of the Civil War.
George was eligible to become a member of the Aztec Club, but did not. Nor can I find any record of him receiving military commendation or acknowledgement from the citizens of Norfolk for his service.
In June of 1848, when the occupation of Mexico City ended, George was promoted to first lieutenant, and was honorably mustered out August 14, when the Eleventh Regiment was disbanded.
Most of the general background on the Mexican War in the above article is based on So Far From God, The U.S. War With Mexico 1846-1848 by John S. D. Eisenhower.
