The officers who led the soldiers of the Blue and Gray had little combat experience before the Civil War.  Many gained an understanding of the art of war by observing other nations at war; but for nearly 100 officers they learned all they knew about war in Mexico in the fighting of 1846-1847.   A select few were integral to the American’s success and were able to carry it to the larger war that started in the United States 14 years later.  Success resulted in brevet promotions, local recognition, presentation swords and other badges of recognition.  It was a great little war!

The Mexican people quite naturally don’t feel that way and even today those that know anything of American aggression against their country some 162 years ago are cool towards anything relating to that event.  A visit to Mexico is a study in futility—there are no signs, no efforts at preservation and no welcome mats for heritage tourists.  What you get is what you dig out on your own.

On the other hand, a trip to Mexico is rewarding because so little development has taken place that many ruins remain in place that were evidence of key events that took place there.  Indeed our first part of this Mexican War study following Zachary Taylor’s expedition with Neil Mangum in 2007 took us to the Battlefields at Buena Vista and Monterrey.  At the BV battlefield it was just as it was at the time of the battle—no development at all!  At Monterrey at the Bishop’s Palace we could easily see the sites related to the attacks against these key locations.

This program takes the second and decisive portion of the war, Scott’s Vera Cruz to Mexico City campaign and follows his ponderous campaign from the coast inland.  The names are famous—Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Jalapa, Puebla, the Pedregal, Contreras and Churubusco, Molino del Ray and Chapultepec.  Indeed it is a trip to the Halls of the Montezumas’

This program which takes place after the heat of the summer has broken and which goes into the mountains of Mexico will be led by Ed Bearss and Neil Mangum.  For both of them this is ground breaking land—to the best of our knowledge only one tour like this has ever been done before and that was 12 years ago.

Neil Mangum and Len Riedel will site survey the program to see what has changed and what is possible—that trip will take place in March or April 2009 and the actual program and pricing will be posted after that.  Our major concern is Mexico City which is one of the world’s largest and most congested.  You will face a minimum of inconvenience BUT you will need a valid passport.  The registration fee will include all hotels and most meals.  You will have a group air option from Houston to Vera Cruz with a return out of Mexico City.  We will also make arrangements for participants who may want to visit ancient ruins and other heritage areas of Mexico to stay over at group rates at the Mexico City hotel.  We will travel with a translator and native driver on a modern motor coach.  It will be a trip worth taking.  If you would like to be informed when the trip is posted and priced email BGES at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  We will make sure to include you on the program.

Click here for detailed program information.