Sir, - In his otherwise informative letter (May 20th) on the US Mexican War of 1847, G.T. Dempsey exhibits a regrettable ignorance of much recent research into the San Patricio Battalion. Not only were some of the officers Mexican, but many of the recruits were either foreigners already resident in Mexico or soldiers from armies other than the US army.
As for the skilful and courageous Irish warriors whom G.T. Dempsey labels "turncoat mercenaries", it would be more accurate to describe them as adventurous or desperate Irishmen who discovered they had more in common culturally with their enemies than with their officers. Ridiculed as "potatoheads", denied freedom of worship, and frustrated in their hopes of promotion in an army noted for its racism and antiCatholicism, they quickly came to realise the Mexicans were the only friends they had.
Responsibility for the sadistic execution of the Irish captives after the battle of Chapultepec was delegated to Colonel Harney, the infamous ravisher and murderer of Indian squaws during the Blackhawk and Seminole Wars. According to the official US War Office correspondence, Harney was "notorious for profanity, brutality, incompetency, peculation, recklessness, insubordination, tyranny and mendacity." G.T. Dempsey omits mentioning that the prisoners on the hill of Mixcoac were forced to stand to attention in the wagons with nooses around their necks from 5.30 a.m. till the moment four hours later when the victorious US flag was raised over Chapultepec and they were "launched into eternity", uncowed and cheering.
Yours, etc.,
Simmonscourt Avenue, Dublin 4.