The Mexican Army was at this time. composed of subArmies (three were organised during times of war). A sub-Army of the Line was made up of six Divisions, consisting of two to four Brigades, each of two to four Regiments, usually of mixed units. An Infantry Regiment consisted of two Battalions each of eight Companies. In 1839 there were 12 regular Infantry Regiments. A Battalion consisted of six Companies of Fusiliers. one of Grenadiers and one Rifle Company. A Company comprised 80 Privates. 1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 2 Sub-lieutenants, 1 First Sergeant, 2 Second Sergeants, 9 Corporals, 1 Drummer, 1 Bugler and 1 Filer in Fusiliers and Grenadier Companies. Rifle companies had four Buglers and no Drummer or Fifer.

The Infantry Headquarters consisted of 1 Colonel, 1 Lieutenant-Colonel, 1 Commandant, 2 Second Adjutants. 2 Lieutenants, 2 Ensigns (Sub Lieutenants), 2 Surgeons. 2 Chaplains, 1 Drum Major, 1 Bugle Corporal, 2 Pioneer Corporals, 16 Pioneers, 2 Armourers.

At Regimental level the composition was doubled with the addition of a Second Sergeant as a tailor and Corporals as baker, blacksmith and mason. The Regimental level remained the same from 1839 until the end of 1847.

The Mexican Army was uniformed in coats similar in style to the French 1815 pattern 'habit-veste', but with the following differences: The square cull had straight cuff-flaps with three buttons, all piped in the distinctive colour of the regiment. The turnbacks were shorter than the French style and the turnback ornaments and collar insignia were Mexican in style.

The shakos were made in a variety of patterns ranging from 'stove-pipe' shakos with parallel sides to shakes which tapered towards the top. these being about seven to eight incites in height, with a square peak.

A great variety of shako plates were worn, these ranged from oval plates bearing the regimental name and number and sometimes with an eagle or bugle (or both) in the centre, the latter type having the word 'Victoria' abose them. Other plates bore the Mexican eagle and snake emblem, surrounded by flowing ribbons bearing the legend 'Republica Mexicana', or the eagle surrounded by a laurel wreath with the ribbon and legend below. These plates sometimes surmounted a 'gorget-shaped' plate bearing trophies of arms and flags with the regimental designation in the centre.

Infantry

The Battalion of the Invalids of Mexico was given its uniform on 3rd October 1839, which comprised the following:

Dark blue tailcoat with sky blue collar, cuffs, cuff flaps and lapels all of which were piped in red, as were the pockets. Each side of the collar had the letter 'Y' embroidered in yellow.

Dark blue trousers with a red stripe.

Black shako with brass plate and fittings and a red pompon.

Light Infantry Troops had eight Companies each and they were issued on 5th May 1835 with the following uniform:

Black shako with an oval brass plate bearing a bugle and the regimental number. Green pompon.

Medium blue single-breasted tailcoat with brass buttons. Collar, cuffs, cuff flaps and turnbacks all of medium blue with red piping. Grey trousers.

Black leather equipment with an oval brass plate on the crossbelt.

In March 1841 the Ligltt Infantry tactics were issued which stated 'Vs hen in closed order in depth be prepared to deploy into an extended or mixed order by three's instantly'.

The Companies were deployed on alternate wings. and to pass from this position to formation by deploying by halves to the front, one half of the right and left being left in reserve. the rest going forward. Each man assumed a comfortable position, which offered cover. The first man of the small group of three men would open fire and when lie had finished priming, the second would fire and as he finished priming his rifle. the third man fired and so on, at any one time there should have been a loaded rifle.

Cadets of the Military Academy of Mexico

Deep blue tailcoat with red lapels, collar, cuffs and cuff, flaps and turnbacks all of which were piped in white. Blue trousers with a red stripe. Brass buttons bearing the legend 'Colegio Militar'. Blue peaked cap.

In 1839 new dress regulations were prescribed gising distinctive coloured uniforms for all regiments. These regulations were not implemented due to a following change of government who issued their own regulations. However. in 1841 there was a further change in the government and the original 1839 dress regulations (ssuh a few exceptions) scre esentually implemented.

The Standing, Battalion of the Californias was raised on 19th January 1842 and disbanded in December 1847.

Black shako with gold lace band, brass fittings and red pompom.

Dark blue single-hreasted coat with red collar, cuffs and cuff flaps all piped in yellow. The letters 'F.C.' embroidered in yellow on the collar. Dark blue trousers with red piping.

Headquarters Corps and Quartermaster's Office was issued with the following uniform in 1842.

Black bicorne hat with tricolour cockade and half-inch wide gold lace around edge of hat. Tricolour plumes were worn by senior staff officers.

Scarlet tailcoat with white collar, lapels, cuffs and cuff flaps all piped in red. The collar and cuffs edged with one inch slide gold lace. On their lapels Staff Officers had eight huttonho!es embroidered across the chest in gold lace, while subalterns had five-strand 'ferret' lace with eight plain brass buttons (others !gilt). Vertical pocket flaps piped with gold lace and three buttons. Gold embroidered eagle ornaments on the coat-tails.

Trousers dark blue edged with gold lace as on the collar.

Black leatherwork. Green swordkuot,

Mexican Sappers 'Zapadores'.

Black bearskin with red cords and lloundets. No plate or plume.

Dark blue single-breasted tailcoat. Red collar, cuffs and turnbacks all piped in yellow. Regimental number embroidered in yellow on the collar. Red epaulettes. Brass buttons and buckles. Crossed axe and mallet embroidered in red, piped yellow, worn on the left upper arm.

White leather apron. White cross-belt with a cross-belt plate bearing a crossed axe and mallet in gilt. White waist belt.

Blue-grey trousers with a red stripe

The Militia was issued with the following uniform on 27th April 1842.

Black shako with bras fittings and red pompon.

Dark bite coat with red lapels, collar. cuffs and cull flaps all piped in yellow. Red fringeless epaulettes. Brass buttons bearing the unit number of initial. S:ky blue trousers with red piping.

The Veteran Infantry Coastguard Cornpanies were formed on the 1st September 1842.

Dark blue coat with red collar, cuffs and cull flap, all piped in blue. Dark blue lapels piped in red. Blue three-pointed collar patches. Red fringeless epaulettes. The Company name or initial embroidered in white on the collar. White canvas trousers.

The Active Battalion of Grenadier Guards of the Supreme Powers were given their new uniform on 9th September 1842.

Black fur bearskin, 20 in. high, with brass fittings and grenade shaped plate.

Scarlet coat with sky blue collar, cuffs and cuff flaps all piped in white. White lapels with eight yellow lace bars at the button-holes. Bars of yellow double lace on file culls, Vertical pocket flaps piped white with three tassels in lieu of buttons. Yellow embroidered grenade ornaments on the coat tails. Yellow epaulettes. Sky blue trousers with yellow piping.

The makeup of this Battalion was 1200 men formed in eight companies, each comprising:

1 Captain
4 Lieutenants
5 Sergeants
2 Drummers
1 Bugler
12 Corporals
125 Privates

The Headquarters Staff comprised:

1 Colonel
1 Surgeon
1 Lt.-Colonel
1 Chaplain
3 Adjutants
1 Drum Major
1 Armourer
1 Bugle Corporal

The Grenadiers of Toluca

Black bearskin with a gilt grenade plate and chinscales (no plume or cords). Scarlet coat. White lapels with gold lace. Light blue collar. cuffs and turnbacks all with gold lace (four bars on the cuffs). Gold epaulettes. Light blue trousers with a yellow stripe. Black leather cross-belts. 

The Marine Infantry Regiment was formed on 19 September 1842 and disbanded in 1847.

Black shako with yellow lace and cords, gill chin scales and bosses, gilt anchor. National cockade, yellow pompon and green falling plume.

Dark green tailcoat with collar and cuffs of the same. Collar piped crimson on front and top edges, and yellow on bottom edge. Two inch silk anchor embroidered in yellow on the collar. Crimson lapels with nine button holes each with a yellow lace terminating in a point reaching to the centre. Straight pocket flaps piped crimson and ornamented with yellow lace. Two yellow laces on the cuffs. Three yellow stripes on forearm. Gilt buttons bearing an anchor. Yellow epaulettes. Crimson trousers with a yellow stripe.

White cross belt and black leather cartridge box bearing a Lilt anchor. Brass hilled sword, with a crimson sword knot. in black scabbard with brass fittings.

On 27 September 1843 officers and men who had lost a limb in the defence of the National Independence were awarded a badge which was wont on the left breast.

The badge for Generals down to Sub Lieutenants had a sky blue shield herring the name of the recipient and where lie received his wound in gold embroidery. all of which was surrounded by a gold embroidered laurel wreath. Sentries would present arms when a recipient passed them.

The rank and file were awarded the same as the above except the laurel leaves were yellow silk embroidery instead of gold. Sentries would shoulder arms when a recipient passed them.

The Regular Standing Battalion of Mexico was raised on 20th September 1843. Black shako with brass plate bearing the national coat of arms and Battalion abbreviations. Brass chinscales and gold lace band around the top. Tricolour cockade and yellow cockade loop. Fusiliers had a green pompon, Grenadiers a green pompon with a red top and the Rifle Company a green pompon with a white top.

White coat without lapels. Green collar, cuffs and cult flaps and turnbacks all piped in red. Gold embroidered abbreviations on the collar. Vertical three-pointed pocket flaps with a button on each point. Turnbacks had gold embroidered crossed quivers with four arrows in each. Brass buttons. Green fringeless epaulettes. Sky blue trousers with a red stripe.

The Standing Companies of Mexico of which eight companies existed in 1826 but were reduced to two companies by 1847. In September 1842 they were given the following uniform:

Dark blue single breasted coat. Collar, cuffs, cull flaps and turnbacks %%ere all dark blue with red piping. Company abbreviations embroidered on the collar 1:1 1

Dark blue shoulder knots. White trousers for all Companies.

The Admiral Guard Buglers

Black shako with a red hand on top and a white band on (lie bottom. Red pompon over the National cockade. Brass plate bearing the National coat of arms and brass chinscales.

Scarlet single breasted goatee. Dark blue collar, cuffs and turnbacks all piped in white. Silver lace diagonal stripes (half chevrons) worn of the sleeve, three above the cull and two on the upper arm. Silver epaulettes. Light blue trousers wills a white stripe.

White cartouche belt and waist (sword) belt.

The 4th Light Infantry Battalion were raised on the 30th March 1846.

Black shako with a brass bugle on the front and a National cockade under a green pompon in a brass holder.

Dark blue coat. Green collar with white piping and the figure 4 embroidered in yellow on each side. Crimson lapels, cuffs, cuff flaps and turnbacks all piped in white. A yellow eagle on each turnhack. Crimson epaulettes. Brass buttons. Blue trousers with a red stripe for winter wear and white canvas trousers for summer wear.

Black leather equipment. Brown cow-skin pack with a dark blue roll edged in crimson, tied down by three while leather straps. The roll blue ends With a white centre.

The 1st and 2nd Territorial Militia Companies of San Patriaio were formed on 1st July 1847 from deserters from the U.S. Army.

Black shako with two leather bards, brass chinscales and red pompon. The shako plate bore the National coat of arms and the Company abbreviations and number.

Dark blue coat with red collar, cuffs. turnbacks and lapels all with yellow piping. Yellow turnback ornaments of two quivers (joined at the lower end) each containing three arrows. Brass buttons bearing the Company abbreviations and number. Sky blue trousers with a red stripe.

These companies did not carry the normal Mexican Standard but carried the Standard of the San Patricio Companies which was a figure of St. Patrick: a harp and a shamnrock all embroidered in gold on a green field. The normal Standard being the Mexican tricolour bearing a gold embroidered National eagle and the name and number of the Regiment under it.

General Uniform Features

A stable cap was worn by all branches of the service and was based on the French style. This cap had a red top and and a medium blue bottom and a central band denoting the corps as follows: red for Artillery, blue for Infantry and black for Engineers and Sappeurs. The tassel on the front was of the same colour as the central band. The stable cap for Cadets was blue-grey (top and bottom) with a central band of red.

A soft kepi alter the trench style teas introduced in 1845. However, the supply of these ceased when the war started and only a few officers received them.

Fringeless epaulettes were worn by built privates and corporals. To indicate their rank the latter wore a narrow diagonal stripe (half chevron) running from cuff to elbow on both sleeves. This stripe was yellow for Infantry and white for mounted regiments.

First and Second Sergeants wore the same worsted epaulettes but with fringes. In cases where fringed epaulettes were authorised for the rank and file of certain elite troops, the Sergeants epaulettes were of silk.

The Marines had three yellow stripes on their forearm which did not signify rank, but was common to all Marine Infantry.

Grenadier and Rifle Companies had a single yellow flash on their cuffs and special companies formed within columns consisting entirely of Grenadiers or Riflemen and elite troops had two yellow flashes on their forearms.

Sub Lieutenants and Ensigns wore on the left shoulder a shoulder knot of five-strand gold lace.

Lieutenants wore a single shoulder knot, as described above, but on the right shoulder. Captains sported the same type of shoulder knots but on both shoulders.

Former First Adjutants (or Captains) now Battalion or Squadron Commanders wore shoulder knots on both shoulders of eight-strand cord (four gold strands and four silver strands).

Lt.-Colonels and Colonels wore shoulder knots on both shoulders of eight-strand gold cord.

In full dress the shoulder knots were the same as described above but with rite addition of fringes. The Battalion or Squadron Commanders had their fringes of mixed gold and silver and the rest had gold.

Illustrations (slow: 69K)