Battle of Contreras - Mexican-American War - Battle of Padierna - Winfield Scott

Battle of Contreras - Conflict Dates: The Battle of Contreras was fought August 19-20, 1847, during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Armies Commanders United States Major General Winfield ScottMajor General William Worth8,500 men Mexico General Antonio Lopez de Santa AnnaGeneral Gabriel Valencia5,000 men Battle of Contreras - Background: Though Major General Zachary Taylor had triumphed in a series of victories at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterrey, President James K. Polk decided to shift the focus of the American war effort from northern Mexico to a campaign against Mexico City. Though this was largely due to Polks concerns about Taylors political ambitions, it was also supported by intelligence reports that an advance against Mexico City from the north would be exceptionally difficult. As a result, a new army was formed under Major General Winfield Scott and instructed to capture the key port city of Veracruz. Coming ashore on March 9, 1847, Scotts command moved against the city and captured it after a twenty-day siege. Constructing a major base at Veracruz, Scott began making plans to advance inland before yellow fever season arrived. Moving inland, Scott routed the Mexicans, led by General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna, at Cerro Gordo the following month. Pressing on, Scott captured Puebla where he paused to rest and reorganize through June and July. Resuming the campaign in early August, Scott elected to approach Mexico City from the south rather than force the enemy defenses at El Peà ±Ãƒ ³n. Rounding Lakes Chalco and Xochimilco his men arrived at San Augustin on August 18. Having anticipated an American advance from the east, Santa Anna began redeploying his army to the south and assumed a line along the Churubusco River (Map). Battle of Contreras - Scouting the Area: To defend this new position, Santa Anna placed troops under General Francisco Perez at Coyoacan with forces led by General Nicholas Bravo to the east at Churubusco. On the west end of the Mexican line was General Gabriel Valencias Army of the North at San Angel. Having established his new position, Santa Anna was separated from Scott by a vast lava field known as the Pedregal. On August 18 Scott ordered Major General William J. Worth to take his division along the direct road to Mexico City. Moving along the east edge of the Pedregal, this force came under heavy fire at San Antonio, just south of Churubusco. Unable to flank the Mexicans due to the Pedregal to the west and water to the east, Worth elected to halt. As Scott pondered his next move, Valencia, a political rival of Santa Annas, elected to abandon San Angel and moved five miles south to a hill near the villages of Contreras and Padierna. Santa Annas orders for him to return to San Angel were refused and Valencia argued he was in a better position to defend or attack depending on the enemys course of action. Unwilling to mount a costly frontal assault on San Antonio, Scott began contemplating moving up the west side of the Pedregal. To scout the route, he dispatched Robert E. Lee, recently brevetted to major for his actions at Cerro Gordo, along with an infantry regiment and some dragoons west. Pressing into the Pedregal, Lee reached Mount Zacatepec where his men dispersed a group of Mexican guerrillas. Battle of Contreras - Americans on the Move: From the mountain, Lee was confident that the Pedregal could be crossed. Relating this to Scott, he convinced his commander to change the armys line of advance. The next morning, troops from Major General David Twiggs and Major General Gideon Pillows divisions moved out and began constructing a path along the route traced by Lee. In doing so, they were unaware of Valencias presence at Contreras. By early afternoon, they had reached a point past the mountain to where they could see Contreras, Padierna, and San Geronimo. Moving down the forward slope of the mountain, Twiggs men came under fire from Valencias artillery. Countering this, Twiggs advanced his own guns and returned fire. Taking overall command, Pillow directed Colonel Bennett Riley to take his brigade to the north and west. After crossing a small river they were to take San Geronimo and cut off the enemys line of retreat. Moving over rough terrain, Riley found no opposition and occupied the village. Valencia, engaged in the artillery duel, failed to see the American column. Concerned that Riley was isolated, Pillow later directed Brigadier General George Cadwaladers brigade and Colonel George Morgans 15th Infantry to join him. As the afternoon progressed, Riley scouted the rear of Valencias position. During this time, they also detected a large Mexican force moving south from San Angel. This was Santa Anna leading reinforcements forward. Seeing the plight of his comrades across the stream, Brigadier General Persifor Smith, whose brigade was supporting the guns that were firing on Valencia, began to fear for the safety of the American forces. Unwilling to directly assault Valencias position, Smith moved his men into the Pedregal and followed the route used earlier. Joining with the 15th Infantry shortly before sunset, Smith began planning an attack on the Mexican rear. This was ultimately called off du e to darkness. Battle of Contreras - A Quick Victory: To the north, Santa Anna, faced with a difficult road and a setting sun, elected to withdraw back to San Angel. This removed the threat to the Americans around San Geronimo. Consolidating the American forces, Smith spent the evening designing a dawn attack intended to strike the enemy from three sides. Desiring permission from Scott, Smith accepted Lees offer to cross the Pedregal in the darkness to take a message to their commander. Upon meeting Lee, Scott was pleased with the situation and directed him to find troops to support Smiths effort. Locating Brigadier General Franklin Pierces brigade (temporarily led by Colonel T.B. Ransom), it was ordered to demonstrate in front of Valencias lines at dawn. During the night, Smith ordered his men as well as Rileys and Cadwaladers to form for battle. Morgan was directed to cover the road north to San Angel while Brigadier General James Shields recently arrived brigade was to hold San Geronimo. In the Mexican camp, Valencias men were cold and tired having endured a long night. They were also increasingly concerned about the whereabouts of Santa Anna. At daybreak, Smith ordered the Americans to attack. Storming forward, they routed Valencias command in a fight that lasted only seventeen minutes. Many of the Mexicans attempted to flee north but were intercepted by Shields men. Rather than come to their assistance, Santa Anna continued falling back towards Churubusco. Battle of Contreras - Aftermath: The fighting at the Battle of Contreras cost Scott around 300 killed and wounded while Mexican losses numbered approximately 700 killed, 1,224 wounded, and 843 captured. Recognizing that the victory had unhinged the Mexican defenses in the area, Scott issued a flurry of orders following Valencias defeat. Among these were orders which countermanded earlier directives for Worths and Major General John Quitmans divisions to move west. Instead, these were ordered north towards San Antonio. Sending troops west into the Pedregal, Worth quickly outflanked the Mexican position and sent them reeling north. As the day progressed, American forces drove forward on both sides of the Pedregal in pursuit of the enemy. They would catch up with Santa Anna around noon at the Battle of Churubusco. Selected Source PBS: Battle of ContrerasBattle of Contreras: Official ReportBattle of Contreras - Map

Literary Analysis Of Hedda Gabler - 1303 Words

Hedda Gabler The play Hedda Gabler tells a dramatic but realistic story of a woman forced to live in a world that was built for men. The playwright Henrik Ibsen uses this dramatic play that he has written, to make a statement about the terrible treatment of women, and their lack of independence. We can see his statement from the very start of the play, by just looking at the title, which uses Hedda’s maiden name instead of her married name. Ibsen wants her to be portrayed as her own person, and not just as the wife of her husband. Ibsen uses many literary elements to make his point, and to help the audience understand and feel what he wants them to. The time and setting in which the play was written, as well as the realistic characters,†¦show more content†¦The character Hedda contrasts wildly with the â€Å"ideal† woman that someone would expect to meet in the 1890’s. She is very sociable and comfortable talking to men as if she might be â€Å"one of t he guys.† She is also portrayed as manipulative and cruel, and she uses the darker parts of her personality to torment others for her own entertainment. In the first act of the play she humiliates Aunt Julia by â€Å"mistaking† her hat as the maids and saying that she won’t last because of it. She later tells Brack, â€Å"I pretended I thought it was the maids (1505),† while smiling at the cruel joke she had made. She continues with this mischief by manipulating Mrs. Elvsted, and burning Lovborg’s manuscript. Ibsen also uses her husband Tessman, who has more of a â€Å"feminine† personality, to contrast with Hedda’s. We see him showing more emotion and excitement throughout the play, whereas Hedda is more closed off and disinterested. Hedda is constantly annoyed by Tessman and his need to show her off as his beautiful wife. It comes across as though she feels pestered by him, and is only with him for the sake of being married and havin g a home. These are things she is pressured into feeling like she needs to have, and not things that she actually wants. She even makes a point to correct Tessman when he says â€Å"we† when talking about their or his future, because she is not happy to be stuck in aShow MoreRelatedA Literary Analysis of Hedda Gabler1618 Words   |  7 PagesA Literary Analysis of Hedda Gabler Hedda Gabler is a text in which jealousy and envy drive a woman to manipulate and attempt to control everyone in her life. The protagonist, Hedda, shows her jealousy in her interactions with the other characters in the play, particularly with Eilert Loveborg and Thea Elvsted. Because Hedda is unable to get what she wants out of life because of her gender and during the time of the play, her age, she resorts to bringing everyone else down around her. Hedda letsRead MoreHedda Gabler : The Quest For Equality3270 Words   |  14 PagesHedda Gabler: The Quest for Equality Hedda Gabler was written by Henrik Ibsen, a Norwegian playwright who focused heavily on individual freedom, along with cultural impact, and more specifically the middle class. The play was originally published in 1890 and premiered in Germany a year later. Hedda Gabler provides its audience with a stimulating theme that is frequently debated, along with dramatic dialogue and distinct realism. Ibsen’s descriptive use of stage directions presents an accurate portrayalRead MoreHenrik Ibsen s Hedda Gabler Essay2029 Words   |  9 PagesRobert Lam Prof. Blair English 1B December 2016 RESEARCH PAPER: HENRIK IBSEN’S â€Å"HEDDA GABLER† Part 1: Henrik Ibsen Henrik Ibsen was born on March 20th, 1828 and grew up in a Norwegian coastal town of Skien, as the oldest of five children. His Father, Knud, was a successful merchant providing a plentiful life for his family, while his mother, Marichen, played the piano and loved theater. Ibsen showed little interest in theater as a child until his family went into bankruptcy and eventually intoRead MoreIbsen11859 Words   |  48 Pages______________________________ James Nutter, D.A. Honors Director ______________________________ Date Forshey 3 Abstract In Henrik Ibsen’s plays, A Doll’s House, The Wild Duck, The Lady from the Sea, and Hedda Gabler, the theme of captivity is demonstrated in the female protagonists Nora, Hedvig, Ellida, and Hedda. The theme of captivity also serves as a performance guide for the portrayal of these characters. Ibsen’s female protagonists are in bondage to an object or person that manipulates the character’sRead MoreIbsen Versus Strindberg5491 Words   |  22 Pagesimportance in each case of social and psychological pressures, as well as physical environment, and showing how these are expressed in theatrical terms. This essay will be focusing on three texts written over a three year period: Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler (1890) and August Strindberg’s The Father (1887) and Miss Julie (1888) . In approaching this topic, I have decided it best to confine my study to these three plays rather than attempt an overview of either playwright’s canon. I intend to focusRead MoreEssay Writing9260 Words   |  38 Pagesopinion plays a significant role in the process. However, a certain objective standard needs to be maintained and, as in a persuasive essay, your assertions need to be proved. The formality of the review will be determined by how much of the essay is analysis, how much is summary, and how much is your reaction to the work you are reviewing. A more formal review will not only discuss the work on its own merits but also place it in context. Newspapers and popular magazines tend to review in terms of finance:Read MorePeer Gynt Analysis1481 Words   |  6 Pages4/10/11 EL-123-03 Play Analysis Paper Analysis of Henrik Ibsen’s Play â€Å"Peer Gynt† â€Å"Peer Gynt† (1867) was the first of Henrik Ibsen’s successful plays in the nineteenth – century. Most commonly known as the â€Å"father of modern theater†, Ibsen devoted his entire career to the reconstruction of theater from a large, exaggerated spectacle, to more psychological and condensed productions. He was able to accomplish this through the use of several literary techniques such as the centralizationRead MoreA Dolls House -H.Ibsen ,Critical Analysis1554 Words   |  7 Pagesits universal themes ,English playwright of the 20th Century,Bernard Shaw quotes the setting as ‘Every Suburb in Europe’,too.So social that everywhere was the social power and the lack of social power significant. Symbols in A Doll’s House as Literary Devices : Ibsen used a wide range of symbolic forms to influence his audience to become independent thinkers for personal powers at social perspective. doors: Represent the boundaries ,transitions between characters and escape windows: showsRead More Movie Essays - Gustave Flauberts Madame Bovary on Film2317 Words   |  10 Pagescaused both cheers of approval and howls of outrage upon its publication, and continues to fascinate modern literary critics and film makers. Is she a romantic idealist, striving for perfect love and beauty in dull bourgeois society? Is she a willful and selfish woman whose pursuit of the good life brings about her own destruction and that of her family? Or is she, like Ibsens Hedda Gabler and Nora Helmer, a rebel against the repressive, patriarchal society in which she finds herself? Is she,Read MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen2070 Words   |  9 Pageswrite plays in his twenties and married a woman named Suzannah. He believed women should be considered equals to their husbands, and was criticized by many for this. He expressed this feeling through many of his plays, including A Doll’s House and Hedda Gabler. In both plays, he expressed his desire for women to be equals to men and to have the same opportunities. In the rest of his work, he outlined social problems and attempted to find a solution. In his drama When We Dead Awaken, he gives light to

Ryan Adams Gold free essay sample

Is it fate that the first single off Ryan Adams Gold is New York,New York, or that its video was shot in front of the New York skyline onlyfour days before the terrorist attacks? And is it fate that the album coverfeatures Adams standing in front of an American flag? Fate or not, these factorscombined with airplay on MTV and radio have garnered much attention for Adams inrecent months. And, from the sound of Gold, this attention is welldeserved. Ryan Adams was already well-known in the indie rock community asthe frontman of Whiskeytown, one of the leading bands of the alt-countrymovement, or alt-rock bands who brought country influences into their music.After their break-up, Adams released Heartbreaker in 2000 thatimpressed audiences with his anguished, heart-wrenching song writing.Gold continues down the road with more tales of lost love, but thistime there seems to be more optimism and more rock. Adams seems to put abit of everything into the mix. We will write a custom essay sample on Ryan Adams Gold or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There is the swaggering, Southern-fried rock ofEnemy Fire, the Memphis blues of Touch, Feel, and Lose,and the bitter, snarling rock of Nobody Girl. Of course, theres alsothe ballad of Sylvia Plath and the gorgeous Goodnight,Hollywood Boulevard. The result is an emotional roller coaster. InFirecracker Adams declares: Well everybody wants to goforever/I just wanna burn up hard and bright. Hopefully, that isnt hisphilosophy for his career. At this rate, Ryan Adams is only going to become morebrilliant. From tormented relationships to the streets of New York, Adams hasseen it all. Watch out, he could very well write a song about you, too.

Jhumpa Lahari The Namesake Essay Example

Jhumpa Lahari The Namesake Essay â€Å"The Namesake† by Jhumpa Lahari is book about the family of Bengali that has to move to a new place that has different customs than they were born with. The story is mostly about Gogol (which later changes his name into Nikhil). The theme of the story mostly centered on family. How the relationship between Ashima and Ashoke is? How the relationship between the children and the parents? This family is one of a kind. They all love each other even they are different from each other. This quote, †Being rescued from that shattered train had been the first miracle of his life. But here, now, reposing in his arms, weighing next to nothing but changing everything is the second.†(pg 24) ,explain how the mother was feeling ecstatic when her first son was born and relate it to being â€Å"rescued† from a train wreck. Ashoke is ready for the great blessing that will change her life. Ever since she came to America she had been out of sorts. She is not able to adapt easily with American customs. That’s why she consider her life a â€Å"train-wreck†. But now, she noticed that a very good thing came out of it. â€Å"For the sake of Gogol and Sonia they celebrate, with progressively increasing fanfare, the birth of Christ, an event the children look forward to far more than the worship of Durga and Saraswati.†(p.64) Proves that Ashoke and Ashima love their children and able to adapt to American customs like Christmas for their children, so their children can feel comfortable at where they live. â€Å"Ashoke wonders how closely Gogol resembles himself at this age. But there are no photographs to document Ashokes childhood; not until his passport, not until his life in America, does visual documentation exist.† (p.77) Shows that Ashoke loves Gogol but wants to show him that he was once like his father but Ashoke has no proof to show him, only in his memories. So it was hard to connect with one another. â€Å"He didnt want to go home on the weekends, We will write a custom essay sample on Jhumpa Lahari The Namesake specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Jhumpa Lahari The Namesake specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Jhumpa Lahari The Namesake specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer