CHAPULTEPEC, cha-poor-te-pek (uGrass hopper Hill"), Battle of. This, the last con siderable engagement of the Mexican War, which was followed by the immediate occupa tion of the City of Mexico, was fought 12-13 Sept. 1847. Chapultepec is an isolated rocky mound 150 feet high, two miles southwest of the southwestern or Belen gate of the city, and guarding a main road into it; sharply precipi tous on the northern, eastern and part of the southern sides, but on the west and southwest sloping to level marshy ground partly covered with a cypress grove. Here Montezuma and his predecessors had their pleasure grounds, and Chapultepec was their country-seat A fortified castle was started here by the viceroy Galvez in 1785, but left unfinished; from 1822 it was used as a military academy, in 1847 having some 40 students, who fought heroically in the battle. It was guarded by strong batteries, and its approaches were protected by walls (an aqueduct on the north) which shielded other batteries; through the marshy fields in front of these were irrigating ditches, some large and deep, with high banks and sticky bottoms, very serious obstacles to troops and artillery. The one military defect of the castle for modern warfare was the limited force that could effectively use arms within it ; the garrison of 800, commanded by Gen. D. Nicholas Bravo, was as large as could well operate there. Along its approaches were some 4,000 to 4,500 more troops, while Scott had 7,500; but Santa Anna dared not strip the other entrances to the city. By the battle of Molino del Rey (q.v.) on the 8th Scott had carried a set of long stone buildings southwest of Chapultepec and, though under its guns, forming some protection for hostile artillery. On the 12th Captain Huger planted heavy bat teries there and at three other places, to range the south and west of the hill, the only access ible portions, on which an assault had been determined; and their fire gradually silenced that from Chapultepec, breached the defenses and caused much loss. About 8 A.U. on the
13th Scott launched two assaulting columns: Pillow on the west, from Molino del Rey through the cypress grove, supported by Worth; Quitman against the south, from the heights of Tacubaya, where Scott had his headquarters, supported by Persifor F. Smith's brigade. Preceded by the pioneer companies with lad ders, axes, picks and crowbars, and under a plunging fire, they surmounted all obstacles, cleared the approaches, broke through the walls, climbed the heights, entered the castle gates and having cut off retreat by the northwestern road to Mexico, captured the entire garrison. The approaches and castle had been mined, but the defenders waited too long before ex ploding the mines, and failed. The next day the American army overcame all remaining re sistance and entered the capital. Their loss in these three days was 863 killed and wounded, included Col. T. B. Ransom killed, Pillow and Shields wounded. The Mexican loss was un known, but certainly as heavy, and included several gallant and brilliant officers; and 823 prisoners were taken, including three generals, one the commandant of the academy. Among the American officers prominently engaged were a remarkable number afterward distin guished in military and civil life: Robert E. Lee, Joseph E. Johnston, James Longstreet, "Stonewall"Jackson, David E. Twiggs, Gideon J. Pillow, D. H. Hill, J. B Magruder, Barnard E. Bee, P. G. T. Beauregard, Creo. E. Pickett, Raphael Semmes; George B. McClellan, Silas Casey, E. V. Sumner, Jesse L. Reno, James Shields, I. I. Stevens, Z. B. Tower, William S. Harney; Thomas H. Seymour, John W. Geary, Mayne Reid. Franklin Pierce had been severely wounded at Molino del Rey. Consult Wilcox, C. M., (History of the Mexican Wary (Wash ington 1892) ; Bancroft, H. H., of Mexico, Vol. V' (San Francisco 1885).