Historical novel tells story of Mexican-American war's Irish battalion

[Judi Lynn]

The St. Patrick's Batallion was mostly made up of Irish immigrant soldiers who deserted the U.S. army after experiencing harsh discrimination. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

Protagonist is real-life commander of St. Patrick's Battalion, which deserted the US army to fight for Mexico

By Rich Tenorio
Published on Monday, August 8, 2022

As Mexican president and general Antonio López de Santa Anna’s army retreats from the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican-American War, an unlikely Mexican hero struggles to keep up the pace: Irish-American officer John Riley.

Riley, an immigrant to the United States who served in his adopted country’s army against Mexico on the Rio Grande, commanded the Batalión San Patricio, a Mexican battalion composed of European, mostly Irish, soldiers who had tired of the discrimination they experienced in the U.S. ranks and deserted to fight for Mexico.

Riley is a main character in a new historical novel by Reyna Grande, A Ballad of Love and Glory, which centers on the real-life character of Riley and his fictional partner, Ximena.

“I became really fascinated with John Riley,” Grande said. “I started to wonder, why did he do it? Who was he? What was driving him? Why did he want to help Mexico? So once I started asking all these questions, the wheels started turning for me.”



A bust of Riley in Mexico CIty.

More:
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/story-of-mexican-american-wars-irish-battalion/