MOLINO DEL REY, mo-le'no del ra, Battle of, in the Mexican War (q.v.). Having captured Vera Cruz (q.v.) in March, Gen. Winfield Scott (q.v.) continued on toward his objective point — Mexico City — and on the way fought and defeated the Mexicans in the battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras and Churu busco (qq.v.). In order not to hinder the peace negotiations then under way, Scott, on 24 Aug.. 1847, arranged an armistice with the Mexican general, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (q.v.) but Scott soon learned that, in spite of his pledge to the contrary, Santa Anna was strengthening his fortifications, casting cannon from old church bells, and in other ways pre paring for a resumption of hostilities. On 6 September Scott ordered such activities to cease on pain of suspending the armistice and proceeding with his attacks. The next day Santa Anna replied accepting the latter alterna tive whereupon, on the night of the 7th, Scctt drew up his troops preparatory to storming the Mexican works. Scott's troops were di vided as follows: those under Gen. John A. Quitman (q.v.) at San Augustin; those under Gen. David E. Twiggs (q.v.) at San Angel; those under Gen. Gideon J. Pillow (q.v.) at Mexico, and those under Gen. William J. Worth (q.v) at Tacubaya, where Scott himself had his headquarters. A mile or so away was a cluster of stone buildings known as El Molino del Rey, which had been used a foundry and which formed the west end of an enclosure surrounding the hill and castle of Chapultepec. A short distance west of Molino was La Casa Mata, a strong stone building defended by an earthwork, between the two lying Mexican bat teries and infantry; west of Casa Mata was the Hacienda de los Morales, where another body of Mexicans was lodged. At about 4
o'clock on the morning of 8 September Worth's division began the assault on the Mexican cen tre and left. The artillery thundered against the walls of Molino del Rey and the advanced batteries which, despite a desperate rally of the Mexicans, were captured; and the Mexicans on the left were driven from their position under the protecting guns of Chapultepec. The Casa Mata proved to be a stumbling block, since being surrounded with bastioned intrenchments and deep ditches, it afforded excellent protec tion against an assaulting column. The first American assault was repulsed, but after the Molino had been captured, all the American guns were brought to bear on Casa Mata. As the garrison was cut off from all support and exposed to a most destructive fire, the place was evacuated; two attempts were made to re cover the lost position but nothing could face the terrific artillery fire of the Americans, so that by 9 o'clock in the morning the battle was over. The Casa Mata was then blown up and the troops were marched to Tacubaya to prepare for the final assault on Chapultepec (q.v.). The Americans engaged numbered less than 3,500 of whom 787 were killed or wounded; the Mexicans numbered at least 10, 000 and lost 3,000 dead, wounded and prisoners, among the dead being two generals. Consult Ladd, H. O., 'The Mexican War' (pp. 244 48) ; Scott's 'Memoirs' (Vol. II) ; Wright, M. J., 'Life of Scott' (pp. 218-22) ; Wilcox, C. M., 'History of the Mexican War' ; Wiley and Rines, 'The United States' (Vol. VII, pp. 242-45).