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RI335 Assignment

The Mexican American War

Mexican coat of arms commonly worn during the war

US coat of arms commonly worn
during the war

US Politics

Constantly at the forefront of Polk's problems during the Mexican war was the political maneuvering necessary to obtain any kind of result for the administration. He frequently complained that there where those who obstructed his moves. "Several officers [in the army in Mexico] are politically opposed to the administration and there is reason to apprehend that they would be willing to see the government embarrassed"23 Included amongst those who Polk believed were opposed to him was the press. In regards to the sending of Trist to Mexico in order to negotiate a peace, Polk wrote "had his [Trist's] mission and the object of it been proclaimed in advance at Washington I have no doubt that there are persons in Washington, among them the editors of the National Intelligencer, who would have been ready and willing to have dispatched a courier to Mexico to discourage the government of that weak and distracted country from entering upon negotiations for peace. This they would do rather than suffer my administration to have the credit of concluding a just and honorable peace… If the war is protracted it is to be attributed to the treasonable course of the federal editors and leading men"24 Polk's whole attitude towards the Mexicans was also at times criticized by the press. Having settled the Oregon question successfully and peacefully with England, Polk´s attitude towards the Mexicans was one of aggression: ¨We must take redress for the injuries done us into our own hands. Having forborne until forbearance was no longer a virtue or patriotic… we must treat all nations, whether great or small, strong or weak, alike, and… take a bold and firm course towards Mexico¨25 However it is obvious that not all Americans shared this view. As the Chicago Democrat put it; Why should we not compromise our difficulties with Mexico as well as with Great Britain?… If it is wicked to go to war with England for disputed territory, it is not only wicked but cowardly to go to war with Mexico for the same reason¨26 However Polk rejected these claims. ¨We go to war with Mexico solely for the purpose of conquering an honorable and permanent peace. Whilst we intend to prosecute the war with vigor, both by land and sea, we shall bear the olive branch in one hand and the sword in the other; and whenever she will accept the former, we shall sheath the latter¨27 These political games were a source of constant frustration for Polk. One more than one occasion he laments that he anxiously awaits the conclusion of his term to be rid of these political battles.

President Polk and General Scott

A second important relationship to be examined is Polk's relationship with General Scott. Scott was perhaps the best general in the United States at the time of the war, a fact recognized by Polk's advisors. It his notes on Polk's diary, Allan Nevins describes him as the "most interesting [and] the most impressive figure of the diary"28 Scott was successfully dealt with a number of important situations, such as the war of 1812, the Black Hawk War, persuaded the Cherokees to resettle, and again triumphed in Mexico in the face of a difficult administration and daunting terrain.29
The antagonism between Scott and Polk caused great difficulty for the United States in carrying out the war. Scott was politically opposed to Polk's democrat administration. As Polk wrote "General Scott was not only hostile, but recklessly vindictive in his feeling towards the administration."30  Hence Polk was reluctant to appoint Scott as head of the army in Mexico. However, there was little Polk could do except appoint the popular general. "I have strong objections to General Scott… Nothing but stern necessity and a sense of public duty could induce me to place him at the head of so important an expedition. Still I do not well see how it can be avoided. He is General-in-Chief of the army… he is the highest officer in command in the army"31 Polk himself was anxious to appoint Col. Benton to the command, but again politics opposed him. Indeed, Col. Benton approved of Scott "as the best we could do, although he had no confidence in him"32 One of the most interesting diary entries Polk made was in relation to the conversation he held with Scott on 19th of November 1846. Polk attempted to, as he put it "let bygones be bygones"33 an entrust Scott with his confidence. Polk was surprised at the reaction of Scott to his appointment. "He expressed himself as being deeply grateful to me and said he would show me his gratitude by his conduct when he got to the field. He was so grateful and so much affected that he almost shed tears… He left, apparently the most delighted man I have seen for a long time, and as he retired expressed his deep gratitude to me"34 However this happy state of affairs between the two was to soon disintegrate. Less than two months later Polk was again fuming at the indiscretion of his general in talking to the press. A publication appeared in a New Orleans paper outlining the plans for the campaign in Mexico. Polk believed that "this could only have gotten to the public through General Scott… [who] from his inordinate vanity or from some other cause has given it out."35 In addition Polk was critical of Scott's actions in the field, although Scott's success was without reserve. "General Scott has undoubtedly committed a great military error by breaking up the post at Jalapa and leaving his whole rear exposed to the enemy"36