Battle of Cerro Gordo in the Mexican-American War

The Battle of Cerro Gordo was fought on April 18, 1847, during the Mexican-American War (1846 to 1848). Armies Commanders United States Major General Winfield Scott8,500 men Mexico General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna12,000 men Background Though Major General Zachary Taylor had won a string of victories at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterrey, President James K. Polk elected to shift the focus of American efforts in Mexico to Veracruz. Though this was largely due to Polks concerns about Taylors political ambitions, it was also supported by reports that an advance against Mexico City from the north would be impractical. As a result, a new force was organized under Major General Winfield Scott and directed to capture the key port city of Veracruz. Landing on March 9, 1847, Scotts army advanced on the city and captured it after a twenty-day siege. Establishing a major base at Veracruz, Scott began making preparations to advance inland before the yellow fever season arrived. From Veracruz, Scott had two options for pressing west towards the Mexican capital. The first, the National Highway, had been followed by Hernà ¡n Cortà ©s in 1519, while the latter ran to the south through Orizaba. As the National Highway was in better condition, Scott elected to follow that route through Jalapa, Perote, and Puebla. Lacking sufficient transportation, he decided to send his army forward by divisions with that of Brigadier General David Twiggs in the lead. As Scott began leaving the coast, Mexican forces were gathering under the leadership of General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna. Though recently defeated by Taylor at Buena Vista, Santa Anna retained immense political clout and popular support. Marching east in early April, Santa Anna hoped to defeat Scott and use the victory to make himself dictator of Mexico. Santa Annas Plan Correctly anticipating Scotts line of advance, Santa Anna decided to make his stand at a pass near Cerro Gordo. Here the National Highway was dominated by hills and his right flank would be protected by the Rio del Plan. Standing around a thousand feet high, the hill of Cerro Gordo (also known as El Telegrafo) dominated the landscape and dropped to the river on the Mexican right. Approximately a mile in front of Cerro Gordo was a lower elevation which presented three steep cliffs to the east. A strong position in its own right, Santa Anna emplaced artillery atop the cliffs. To the north of Cerro Gordo was the lower hill of La Atalaya and beyond that, the terrain was laced with ravines and chaparral which Santa Anna believed was impassable. The Americans Arrive Having assembled around 12,000 men, some which were parolees from Veracruz, Santa Anna felt confident that he had created strong position on Cerro Gordo which would not be easily taken. Entering the village of Plan del Rio on April 11, Twiggs chased off a troop of Mexican lancers and soon learned that Santa Annas army was occupying the nearby hills. Halting, Twiggs awaited the arrival of Major General Robert Pattersons Volunteer Division which marched in the next day. Though Patterson held a higher rank, he was ill and allowed Twiggs to begin planning an attack on the heights. Intending to launch the assault on April 14, he ordered his engineers to scout the ground. Moving out on April 13, Lieutenants W.H.T. Brooks and P.G.T. Beauregard successfully used a small path to reach the summit of La Atalaya in the Mexican rear. Realizing that the path could allow the Americans to flank the Mexican position, Beauregard reported their findings to Twiggs. Despite this information, Twiggs decided to prepare a frontal attack against the three Mexican batteries on the cliffs using Brigadier General Gideon Pillows brigade. Concerned about the possible high casualties of such a move and the fact that the bulk of the army had not arrived, Beauregard expressed his opinions to Patterson. As a result of their conversation, Patterson removed himself from the sick list and assumed command on the night of April 13. Having done so, he ordered the next days assault postponed. On April 14, Scott arrived at Plan del Rio with additional troops and took charge of operations. A Stunning Victory Assessing the situation, Scott decided on sending the bulk of the army around the Mexican flank, while conducting a demonstration against the heights. As Beauregard had taken ill, additional scouting of the flanking route was conducted by Captain Robert E. Lee from Scotts staff. Confirming the feasibility of using the path, Lee scouted further and was nearly captured. Reporting his findings, Scott sent construction parties to widen the path which was dubbed the Trail. Ready to advance on April 17, he directed Twiggs division, consisting of brigades led by Colonels William Harney and Bennet Riley, to move over the trail and occupy La Atalaya. Upon reaching the hill, they were to bivouac and be ready to attack the next morning. To support the effort, Scott attached Brigadier General James Shields brigade to Twiggs command. Advancing onto La Atalaya, Twiggs men were attacked by Mexicans from Cerro Gordo. Counterattacking, part of Twiggs command advanced too far and came under heavy fire from the main Mexican lines before falling back. During the night, Scott issued orders that Twiggs should work west through heavy woods and cut the National Highway in the Mexican rear. This would be supported by an attack against the batteries by Pillow. Dragging a 24-pdr cannon to the top of the hill during the night, Harneys men renewed the battle on the morning of April 18 and assaulted the Mexican positions on Cerro Gordo. Carrying the enemy works, they forced the Mexicans to flee from the heights. To the east, Pillow began moving against the batteries. Though Beauregard had recommended a simple demonstration, Scott ordered Pillow to attack once he heard firing from Twiggs effort against Cerro Gordo. Protesting his mission, Pillow soon worsened the situation by arguing with Lieutenant Zealous Tower who had scouted the approach route. Insisting on a different path, Pillow exposed his command to artillery fire for much of the march to the attack point. With his troops taking a battering, he next began to berate his regimental commanders before leaving the field with a minor arm wound. Failure on many levels, the ineffectiveness of Pillows attack had little influence on the battle as Twiggs had succeeded in turning the Mexican position. Distracted by the battle for Cerro Gordo, Twiggs only sent Shields brigade to sever the National Highway to the west, while Rileys men moved around the west side of Cerro Gordo. Marching through thick woods and un-scouted ground, Shields men emerged from the trees around the time that Cerro Gordo was falling to Harney. Possessing only 300 volunteers, Shields was turned back by 2,000 Mexican cavalry and five guns. Despite this, the arrival of American troops in the Mexican rear sparked panic among Santa Annas men. An attack by Rileys brigade on Shields left reinforced this fear and led to a collapse of the Mexican position near the village of Cerro Gordo. Though forced back, Shields men held the road and complicated the Mexican retreat. Aftermath With his army in complete flight, Santa Anna escaped the battlefield on foot and headed for Orizaba. In the fighting at Cerro Gordo, Scotts army sustained 63 killed and 367 wounded, while the Mexicans lost 436 killed, 764 wounded, around 3,000 captured, and 40 guns. Stunned by the ease and completeness of the victory, Scott elected to parole the enemy prisoners as he lacked the resources to provide for them. While the army paused, Patterson was dispatched to pursue the Mexicans retreating towards Jalapa. Resuming the advance, Scotts campaign would culminate with the capture of Mexico City in September after further victories at Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Rey, and Chapultepec. Selected Sources PBS: Battle of Cerro GordoThe Aztec Club of 1847US Grant Memoirs: Battle of Cerro Gordo

Survival in One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by...

Survival in One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Solzhenitsyn and The Metamorphosis by Kafka In both One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, written by Solzhenitsyn, and The Metamorphosis, written by Kafka, there were struggles for survival in face of oppression. Both of the protagonists had lost control of their own lives and were forced to fight to keep the little control that they had. Shukov, a character created by Solzhenitsyn, was imprisoned in a Stalinist labour camp designed to attack its prisoners†¦show more content†¦The prisoners being able to depend on one another to complete tasks and to share were huge factors in their survival in the prison camp. Dependence in The Metamorphosis was also important. Although in this case it was more the lack of dependence . Gregor was isolated from his family and from society. Despite his sisters minimal effort to feed Gregor, he received no aid from anyone throughout the novel. If he were able to depend on his family like Ivan could his friends he probably would have survived. His family simply turned their back on him the moment that they could not depend on him. This shows a similar message as to the message in Solzhenitsyns writing about dependence within the groups. Both authors showed, from different sides, how dependance is vital to survival. Second, the two novels use personal attitudes as a factor in the characters struggle for survival. In One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, the prisoners had hope. Ivan, personally, lived each day and tried to make the best out of life in prison. He had a positive attitude toward the prison because he focused on only the positive events that occurred during his day. He did not complain about the negative events that occurred, he only had pure determination to get through it. Shukov complained about nothing: neither about the length of hisShow MoreRelatedBelonging Essay4112 Words   |  17 Pagesplays a role in the perception of belonging (or not belonging and all the shades inbetween): †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ personal context refers to those elements that are ones own, individual and private. cultural context is complex and refers generally to way of life, lifestyle, customs, traditions, heritage, habits - civilisation. More specifically, it refers to intellectual and artistic awareness, education and discernment. Popular culture refers to the Arts, the humanities, intellectual achievement, literature

Robber Barons Free Essays

Savannah Noss Period 1 3/2/13 APUSH Robber Barons, a term used in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s to describe a businessman who made an enormous amount of money, today we would call them billionaires essay writer price. It was not really the fact they made a myriad of wealth, it was more the way they made it. In all the cases the acquiring of wealth was done in what was considered a ruthless manor and unscrupulous ways. We will write a custom essay sample on Robber Barons or any similar topic only for you Order Now A robber baron was more interested in acquiring wealth than the safety of his employees, the amount of work hours performed in a week, or the amount of wage being paid for a days work. A great example of a robber baron would be Andrew Carnegie. The robber baron of the steel industry. He was instrumental in starting the 72 hour work week, paying out less than fair wages and having dangerous working conditions. Andrew Carnegie cornered the market on the steel industry and made the first high rise building. He was the only business in his field, therefore, he could set his prices and up his profits. The robber barons were known for their business tactics that would enable them to amass a wealth by monopolies. They would corner the market on a product or service and make it almost impossible to get, accept through them. One thing that robber barons of today and yesterday have in common is monopolies. If at all possible, the robber baron or billionaire as we call them today, would try to corner the entire market on their product or service, making it difficult for competition in their particular industry. A second robber baron of that time was John D. Rockefeller. The robber baron of the oil industry. Rockefeller monopolized the oil industry with Standard Oil Company. When Edwin Drake discovered oil in 1859, Rockefeller saw the future. He introduced techniques that completely reshaped the oil industry. He used all of his methods to reduce the price of oil to his consumers. His profits soared and his competitors were crushed one by one. Rockefeller forced smaller companies to surrender their stock to his control. Another great example of a robber baron is Thomas Edison. The robber baron of the electricity, the light bulb. In 1876, Edison opened a lab where hundreds of inventions were created, including the first ever electric light bulb and an improved version of Graham Bell’s telephone. His light bulb would come to serve as an important part of industrialization. Because of his invention, factories could stay open longer and produce more goods, His power station in New York City gave power to almost the entire city. Within ten years, almost all of the United States had power. Those men earned the title of being called a robber baron because of all the things they created that benefitted society. They were and are robber barons of their time and ours. Â   How to cite Robber Barons, Papers

White Pollution in China Essay Example

White Pollution in China Paper Have you ever heard of the term â€Å"white pollution’? It is an image title of one of the most serious and common environmental problems in China. The white color is supposed to refer to something pure and clean. In China, however, white pollution, increasing rapidly, stands for some plastic waste due to its major color, caused by single-use plastic tableware and thin plastic bags, which are parts of municipal solid waste. They meet Chinese people’s favor and have become a part of their daily lives. When people ask for take- out food, it normally comes with single-use plastic containers. When people went grocery shopping, they gain a couple of plastic bags other than food. Indeed, plastic disposable products bring us lots of convenience. On the other hand, they also bring serious problems to the environment. Control of white pollution has become a big issue for China. White pollution affects the environment negatively through ‘Visual pollution† and â€Å"potential hazards†, resulted from inadequate dealing with plastic garbage (what is â€Å"white pollution†, 2008) â€Å"Visual pollution† means that disposable plastic waste strewed in the natural environment, giving people adverse visual stimulation, effects the overall beauty of the cities. For example, people can see foam tableware littered along the railways or in the rivers and lakes. They also can see the ultra-thin plastic bags fluttering in the wind or hanging up on the trees (what is â€Å"white pollution†, 2008). â€Å"Potential hazards† mean that some problems have been deep-rooted in the environment, but may appear after a long time or without being noticed. According to â€Å"what is ‘white pollution† (2008), there are three main aspects as follow. First, plastic waste which can stay in a vast area for centuries, resulting in soil compaction, prevents growth f crops. We will write a custom essay sample on White Pollution in China specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on White Pollution in China specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on White Pollution in China specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In addition, animals might die after eating plastic trash by mistake, which was tossed on the land and in water. Furthermore, landfill is the major treatment of municipal solid waste in China. Plastic waste takes over the ownership of considerable land resources. And it’s hard to resolve the problem in a very long term. Based on a brief article, harmful chemicals can leach into water from plastic waste (Pollution Engineering, 2009). I think that’s the worst hazards. Harmful chemicals may leach into soil, too. The toxic chemicals go back to humans in the end, causing many serious diseases. Since the early sass, Styrofoam, one of the most common foam plastics, came into use in the making of containers for food preservation. Due to its low price and hygienic quality, foam food container enjoyed popularity in China. Then, it was brought into wide use throughout trains and fast-food industry. Nevertheless, production of Styrofoam packaging increased so fast that people couldn’t be aware of the eventual environmental problems. Usually, people just discarded the white disposable containers where they wanted, even just threw out obtain windows, causing a huge awful mess wrought China. Ironically, some people said that the enormous white waste looked like â€Å"the White Great Wall† or a â€Å"white blanket’ (You, 2006). Finally, people’s environmental awareness woke up. In 1 991, the experts in the packaging industrial field convened and started to talk about how to reduce this hazardous white pollution (You, 2006). Afterward, recycling to manage plastic waste was encouraged by the State Environmental Protection Administration. However, it was hard to gather Styrofoam, which occupied too much space. Thus, green disposable tableware was put in to production. Moreover, the government determined to order a crackdown on Styrofoam. In 1 999, the former State Economic and Trade Commission as the supreme economic power in China announced that it wouldn’t be permissible to produce and use single-use Styrofoam tableware any more.

8 Reasons Why You Should Bookmark Just Publishing Advice

8 Reasons Why You Should Bookmark Just Publishing Advice You wouldnt expect a website titled Just Publishing Advice to have the wide scope of content this one has, and its a surprising find for any writer looking for wells?350 Other Words For Said For Your Dialogue WritingSelf-Publishing: Expectations vs Reality For New Authors#4. All the self-publishing advice you could possibly need is in one placeSelf-publishing is becoming the new norm. In fact, in her survey of nearly 2,000 indie authors, Marie Force, the New York Times-bestselling hybrid author of more than 30 indie-published titles found that approximately 13 percent of respondents made a writing income that fully supports their family. Another 26.8 percent noted that their book sales partially supports their family, and 18 percent claimed it was enough income for extras they wouldnt normally be able to afford in their budget.If youre one such indie author, youll be happy to have access to Just Publishing Advices trove of self-publishing advice. Some of the more recent articles post ed include:What Is The Best Software For Authors Writing A New Book?How Many Words In A Novel? It Depends On Your GenreHow To Write A Book And Enjoy Writing It21 Questions You Can Ask To Help You Sell More Books#5. Learn to be a better writer, conquer writers block, and moreLearning to become a better writer is much like learning to become a stronger weightlifter, swimmer, or Olympian- its not so much a matter of choice or the Muse as it is a matter of perseverance, fortitude, and personal commitment. Stephen King once wrote, If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. Theres no way around these two things that Im aware of, no shortcut.The simple truth is that great writing takes even greater practice and preparation, and neither is present without one or the other. If your goal is to be a great writer, your actions should then back up your goal- actions that move in a voluntary direction toward learning more, developing your writ ing skills, and internalizing what it means to be a great writer.Just Publishing Advice allows you to do just that. Not only does it offer valuable advice about making a living as a writer, it also provides information about how to be a better writer each day. In fact, with the number of posts on the blog (an average of one to two posts a week), youre guaranteed to find useful information on a regular basis. Sometimes, all it takes to cure writers block is to read some relevant advice offered from experienced writers and creatives in the field of publishing.#6. You think you know grammar? Think again!Even though the websites name insinuates that its content is limited to just publishing advice, theres much more to it. Its a good thing, too, because knowing grammar is an art. There are those who preach it religiously- vocally even, on social media- while still others who practice quietly in the confines of their personal space (and personal writing).Whichever path you choose, Just Pu blishing Advices blog has a separate category for grammar posts. Some of the most recent posts are:Whats The Difference Between Participial Phrase And Gerund?When Do You Use A Comma Before Or After But?How To Get Neither Nor And Either Or Right Every TimeFurther vs Farther – How Are They Different?#7. Bloggers are in a class of their own, so own it!According to a recent study, the most common reason for blogging is making money, with two-thirds of all bloggers naming it as their main motivation. Additionally, Quality of content is rated the #1 most important success factor among all bloggers. However, higher-income bloggers put much more emphasis on promoting their content than lower-income bloggers do. So, if youre a writer who is focused on blogging, youre likely looking for resources of how to do it better, smarter, and at a greater profit.If youre a writer who is focused on blogging, youre likely looking for resources of how to do it better, smarter, and at a greater prof it. Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash.If thats the case, Just Publishing Advice has exactly what you need, with a section of its blog focused specifically on helping bloggers. The content covers everything from SEO and Adsense to attracting more visitors and acquiring backlinks to your blog.Some example articles that I find especially useful are:Three Simple Changes That Will Improve Your Blog Writing3 Big Blogging Secrets. Content, Internal Links And KeywordsShould You Add Google Adsense Advertising To Your Blog?What Are Backlinks And Why Are They Vital For Your Blog?#8. The writing tools linked are awesomeBetween posts offering advice on 40 Free Writing Apps And The Best Free Writing Software and articles reviewing free writing software, youre going to find some great writing tools to help you do your work better and more efficiently. Theres also a writers toolbox linking Essential Self-Publishing Tools and Services for Authors, which is an excellent one-stop shop for everything writ ing related.Just Publishing Advice also offers starter guides like this one on how to self-publish your book. If youre the kind of person who needs a checklist, this self-publishing checklist post will give you the exact detailed list you need.

LEssentiel - Essential French Phrases

LEssentiel - Essential French Phrases Even if youre just going to France for a week, you should know some survival French - a few essential words and phrases that youll use over and over. This is a somewhat miscellaneous list of the basics, so be sure to follow the links at the end for even more essential French like hello and please.Je parle (un peu de) franà §ais  Ã‚  Ã‚  I speak (a little) French.Parlez-vous anglais ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Do you speak English?Comment ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  What?Je ne comprends pas.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I dont understand.Que veut dire ___ ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  What does ___ mean?Rà ©pà ©tez, sil vous plaà ®t.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Repeat, please.Plus lentement  Ã‚  Ã‚  More slowlyEncore une fois  Ã‚  Ã‚  One more timeComment dit-on ___ en franà §ais  ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  How do you say ___ in French?Je ne sais pas  Ã‚  Ã‚  I dont knowJai une question  Ã‚  Ã‚  I have a questionJai un problà ¨me  Ã‚  Ã‚  I have a problemoui  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  yesnon  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  nosi  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  yes (in reponse to a negative question)daccor d  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  OKet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  andou  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  orqui  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  whoquoi  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  what*quand  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  whenoà ¹Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  wherepourquoi  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  whycomment  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  how*Be careful, there are several ways to say what in French. Practice Essential French Vocabulary Essential French quizCrossword puzzleWord seek More essential French 100 essential French wordsEssential French gesturesEssential French grammarEssential French phrasesEssential French verbsEssential French for travelersHow to say ___ in French For more in-depth study, check out French for Beginners.

Cross cultural communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cross cultural communication - Essay Example She advises that when you visit another country; forget about popular notions about the people. When doing business with Spanish and Swiss for instance, do not expect that the latter arrives on time and is more organized because that is how we have been socialized to believe. It is imperative to appreciate that such characteristics are dependent on the individual. We had punctual Spanish people and disorganized Swiss. Therefore do not assume that every Spanish person you meet will be late and that the Swiss are always punctual, you might end up very surprised. In other words, cross-cultural stereotypes might negatively influence our ability to perceive things properly. Currently, there are very helpful courses that help those who want to work or live abroad cultivate cross-cultural awareness, which is very essential in developing global competence and in building international teams. Such courses help individuals identify and then can deal with such cross-cultural differences ultimately improving their overall capacity in developing and most of all maintaining efficacious cros s-cultural relations. Sometimes stereotypes lead us into misunderstanding and judging other individuals in accordance to much unfounded generalizations, which sometimes may be very detrimental since we miss the point of meeting new people and knowing them as individuals, not as a population. Communicaid is a cross-cultural awareness-training center that helps you understand your counterpart’s behavior without relying on any stereotypes. Remember that such beliefs about other individual’s habits and behavior can greatly influence our expectations and attitudes when communicating with cultures different from our own. Nevertheless, this does not imply that no stereotypes are important. They help us in some situations where we are dealing with strangers since culture is responsible for shaping our perceptions and thoughts, we can be able to