The San Patricios Brigade At the height of the era of Manifest Destiny, where Americans in the nineteenth century believed it was their destiny, or fate, to expand over the continent of North America. Many suffered due to Western expansion, alongside a movement built on anti-catholic sentiment and Anglo-Saxon supremacy. Anglo-Saxonism is the concept that the peoples of the British Isles, as well as their descendants in the United States and the British Empire, are naturally "superior" due to their courage, prudence, and, most importantly, their "self-government." (Buenviaje) Due to this, many neighboring countries suffered under these views. In remembrance of the surrounding events, Sarah Quiones Wolfson wrote an article for The Los Angeles Times stating, “Between 1844 and 1849, an influx of Irish immigrants left their ancestral lands to escape religious …show more content…
In addition to this, Irish Catholics escaped poverty, prejudice, and colonization under British rule, they arrived in the US to be met by similar conditions. For this reason, many Irish sympathized with Mexico’s cause for war and joined them in battle. The San Patricio Brigade consisted mainly of Irish immigrants who opposed the war or felt mistreated in the United States military, particularly by officers like William Harney, known for mistreating enlisted men. Many members of the brigade were survivors of the Irish Potato Famine, witnessing the starvation of friends and family due to British policies favoring Protestant settlers over Irish Catholics. Encountering anti-Catholic prejudice and harsh discipline within the US Army disillusioned these men. The San Patricios fought in various battles, including the battles of Buena Vista and Churubusco. However, their most significant participation was in the Battle of Churubusco, where they fought admirably against US soldiers. Despite their bravery, the San Patricios were eventually beaten and