los ninos heroes

Los Niños Héroes
by Denise

Have you ever heard of the day of Los Niños Héroes? Los Niños Héroes translated means boy heros. Los Niños Héroes is a day of rememberance that all Mexicans will never forget. Every year to honor them only the Chapultepec Castle (Castillo de Chapultepec in Spanish) raises the Mexican flag up on September the 13. Behind this day is a very historical story that no one forgets.

Los Niños Héroes were six teenage boys who were serving in the Mexican-American war. On September 8,1847 the Battle of Molino del Rey lead to The Chapultepec castle. Antonio Lopez of Santa Anna , president of Mexico , knew that if the Americans were to attack the castle Mexico would belong to America. But, it was not up to him to decide if America was to attack , it was up to General Winfield Scott, and as fate had it he decided to attack the castle.

The Chapultepec castle was only gaurded with at least 400 men. When dawn came on the Septmeber 12 , the Americans started out the war with an artillery barrage against Chapultepec.The artillery barrage went out through out the whole day and stopped at dark and conitnued on the next morning, Septemeber 13. A couple hours later it was then 8 am on September 13 when, General Scott ordered for the artillery to stop he then gave the order for the American soldiers to charge.America had the Chapultepec castle completely sorrounded when they charged in.

General Bravo who was a general in the Mexican war was the one who gave out the retreat order when he saw that there was no hope. Everyone,all but 6 mexican cadets retreated. The six cadets each fought bravely and died. Each one died fighting then the last one standing was a cadet by the name of Juan Escutia. It is told by first hand accounts that Juan Escutia was about to be captured by American soldiers at the very top of the castle.Befor the soldiers could have gotten hold of Juan, Juan grabbed the Mexican flag preventing it from being taken from the enemy,wrapped it around his body and jumped off the castle and died.

After Juan jumped from the castle the Ameicans had no way of putting up the American flag when someone jumped off a castle with their homeland's flag wrapped around them . General Scott seeing the tragedy and bravery the six cadets, Juan de la Barrera, Juan Escutia, Francisco Márquez, Agustín Melgar, Fernando Montes de Oca and Vicente Suárez, he retreated letting the cadets die in honor .One thing is certain, all these young men died defending their country's honor. The great monument of Los Niños Héroes is a tribute to their memory and sacrifice.