With Zachary Taylor's troops stuck in northern Mexico, General Winfield Scott proposed a bold plan, an amphibious attack on the coastal Mexican town of Vera Cruz. Vera Cruz was considered by many the best-defended city in North America, with its thick walls and imposing offshore castle San Juan de Ulua.
While his officers recommended a direct assault Scott feared the number of casualties he would incur. Instead On March 9th, he landed his men at a beach three miles southeast of Vera Cruz. 12,000 men were landed in the first ever U.S. amphibious landing. By the 15th Vera Cruz was surrounded. On March 22 after the town refused to surrender, Scott began a cannonade of the town. After twelve days of firing the Mexicans agreed to surrender. American forces occupied the town on March 29th. From Vera Cruz, it was a short, triumphant march to Mexico City.
As splendid as the American uniforms were, they were still inadequate for the campaign in Mexico. The wool uniforms were either too hot for the heat or too thin for the cold. Uniforms worn by the U.S. Army during the Mexican War were based on regulations adopted in 1832 when the uniform was completely redesigned. Facing colors on uniforms worn by U.S. Armies from the Revolutionary War were restored, buff for Generals and Staff, red for artillery and white for infantry. The fatigue uniform for privates of the 6th Infantry was a short, tailless sky-blue wool jacket with trousers. It was trimmed in white indicating an infantry unit. |
