13/09/2022
CONMEMORACIÓN DE LOS NIÑOS HÉROES 🇲🇽
“BATTLE OF CHAPULTEPEC" 🏰🔥💣 💂🎖️🇲🇽
Mexican children carrying the Mexican flag fall to their deaths rather than seeing a invading army capturing their flag. One cadet wrapped himself in the Mexican flag and jumped from the tower, so that it wouldn't be captured by U.S. troops. There is a moving mural of him on the ceiling of the castle falling to his death. There are plaques located at each spot where each cadet died, memorializing them individually. And lyrics of The Battle Hymn of the Republic states, "From the halls of Montezuma...." referencing Chapultepec Castle battle. It doesn't mention they fought a handful of adolescent boys.
On the morning of September 12 they began an intense bombardment of the Mexican Castle (was used as a military school for children) and at dawn on the 13th they bombarded the Castle again, that was in the year of 1847.
The United States Army had invaded the Mexican Republic in the War of '47, under the pretext of territorial violations in the area of Texas that had belonged to Mexico since colonial times.
A part of the US army was attacking in the north of the country and another US contingent had landed in the port of Veracruz and was advancing towards the Mexican capital.
At that time, in the Cerro de Chapulín (Chapultepec in the Nahuatl language) were the facilities of the Military College.
General Bravo gave the order for the underage cadets to withdraw, but most did not. On the morning of September 12, 1847, the American batteries began an intense bombardment of the Castle, the effect was devastating.
At dawn on the 13th they bombarded the Castle again, but at nine in the morning the fire ceased, and the American soldiers began the ascent of the hill, on the west side. The fight was fought hand-to-hand, the Mexicans fought fiercely but the invaders gained ground and managed to reach the Castle from the western side.
When the Americans arrived at the Castle, only a few soldiers and cadets remained in the building. History keeps memory, especially, of six of them whom we remember as the Children Heroes: Juan Escutia, Vicente Suárez, Fernando Montes de Oca, Francisco Márquez, Agustín Melgar and Lieutenant Juan de la Barrera, who would offer their lives in the American assault on Chapultepec Castle, on September 13, 1847.
Being protected in the rear by Francisco Márquez who at 12 years old managed to keep the enemy at bay until he perished
President Benito Juárez was the first to officially honor the deed of the Niño Héroes, by decreeing a day of national mourning on September 13, in memory of the cadets who died in Chapultepec Castle.