I stumbled upon the story of the San Patricios while on a visit to Mexico City in December 2023 to visit my daughter and her husband. They insisted that we visit a little known museum in the suburb of Churubusco, the Museum of the Interventions.
Having grown up as a sixth generation Mississippian, I was aware that our history left out whole segments of the past. My first experience was in learning the history of lynching in the American South after the Civil War. Later when I was working as a foreign aid advisor in Guinea-Bissau, I learned of Liberia and it's capitol, Monrovia, name after U.S. President James Monroe and how former slaves had come back to Africa from America to establish the colony. But the story of the San Patricios was different. These men, for the most part, deserted from the US Army of Occupation and fought on the Mexican side.
This is my favorite song of yours, and I’ve always been interested to read more about the story of the battalion. Thanks for writing some background on the song.
I stumbled upon the story of the San Patricios while on a visit to Mexico City in December 2023 to visit my daughter and her husband. They insisted that we visit a little known museum in the suburb of Churubusco, the Museum of the Interventions.
Having grown up as a sixth generation Mississippian, I was aware that our history left out whole segments of the past. My first experience was in learning the history of lynching in the American South after the Civil War. Later when I was working as a foreign aid advisor in Guinea-Bissau, I learned of Liberia and it's capitol, Monrovia, name after U.S. President James Monroe and how former slaves had come back to Africa from America to establish the colony. But the story of the San Patricios was different. These men, for the most part, deserted from the US Army of Occupation and fought on the Mexican side.
I found two great histories written about the San Patricios -- "Shamrock and Sword" by Robert Ryal Miller, and "The Rogue's March" by Peter Stevens. -- and wrote a summary of the history. See https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/st-patricks-battalion-mexican-american-war-andrew-michael-maxey-ynzie/?trackingId=385U19DXR%2By06GHHmFVlkQ%3D%3D. I used the first refrain of your ballad in describing the injustice of this war -- an injustice that was cited by Ulysses Grant, Abraham Lincoln and others. Thank you for writing this ballad.
This is my favorite song of yours, and I’ve always been interested to read more about the story of the battalion. Thanks for writing some background on the song.