One Man's Hero (1998)

AN IMPORTAN BUT NEGLECTED PART OF OUR HISTORY

One Man's Hero directed by Lance Hool is a good film to watch if you want to understand the most neglected aspect of America's history, namely our war of expansionism with Mexico. This film will give you an understanding of the animosity between Americans and Mexicans. Tom Berenger plays real life character John Riley. The American army in those days was rife with anti-Catholicism, much like the surrounding culture of the day. Catholics in the US Army, mostly Irish, but some Germans and others deserted because of harsh treatment. The film does a good job of giving you the viewpoints of many important people in this part of our combined American and Mexican history, namely Zachary Taylor, future President and vocal opponent of the war, General Winfield Scott, who hoping the war will catapult him to the Presidency bleeds his field units dry, while embracing a lot of symbolism over substance. And, the Mexicans, who will oppossed to the American presence in their land, have no use for the Mexican military leadership, lacking in any real tactical skill, nor its government run by the dictator General Santa Ana. This movie will get you up to snuff on the infamous San Patricio Brigade, American Immigrants, who deserted the US Army and fought for Mexico, and the Mexican War. As I remember being taught American history, it went something like, the colonies, the American Revolution, let's not forget the War of 1812, the Louisiana Purchase, the Alamo, and jump right to the American Civil War. This film will explain that shame, and fill in the blanks. A great action yarn that stays true to history. May 5, 2008

"An Unjust War" - GRANT

Provides a limited snapshot of the Brigada San Patricio who fought for Mexico against slave state expansion(1846-48) and for their religious rights. Of the 900 men (some with experience of the Napoleonic wars in Europe, is estimated that approximately 30% were German speaking).

Background:-
In Europe Republican Democracy was replaced by the Monarchies (1815).
Post the American war of independence, Article 5 of the Paris treaty (Nov1782), American democrats had to guarantee the `the rights of confiscated `property' of Loyalist Americans (this included slaves and estates). Although small loyalist farmers lost out, the larger Southern plantations owned by English aristocrats remained. Less than 5% of loyalist left for Europe, Canada or the Caribbean. Little changed from the `Ancienne Regime' with dominance in Banking, Universities and levers of foreign policy. This was exemplified in the bombardment (December1831) of the Argentinean Malvinas islands by the Lexington, facilitating the first English invasion (BAU).
Slave power continued to be the main economic driving forces in the southern states of the new world. Within the slave states, non slaveholding whites were barred from important offices and opportunities. With the Missouri line `Dixiland' could only expand west or south.

The Slave States:-
The Mexican constitution's (1824) abolition of slavery, in particular the sale of slaves incensed slave traders. In 1827 President John Adams offered Mexico US$1 Million to buy Tecas, in 1829 President Andrew Jackson tried with an offer of US$5 million but was also rejected.
Austin and Houston (both of Virginia) were instigators of the Tecas land grab. The addition of Texas to the Union as a slave state, was blocked until the election in 1844 of president Polk.


In 1836 the `Republics' of Texas and Yucatan were recognized by England and diplomatic missions were established in London.
The Anglo special interests was cemented with an alleged visit to England by the State 'President' Sam Huston and an audience with the English Queen Victoria.
The Texans wanted their support in order to maintain their status as a slave state and for further annexation.


Manifest Destiny:-
Manifest Destiny, was used by southern based Jackson Democrats in the 1840s, to promote the annexation of much of the Western United States (Indian lands, the Oregon Territory, the Texas Annexation, and the Mexican Cession). Jacksonian democracy (in contrast to the Jeffersonian) promoted the strength of the executive branch and the Presidency at the expense of Congressional power.
President Polk (1845-49,North Carolina) defeated Henry Clay (Kentucky) on a pro-slavery, expansionist platform.
Polk's US government was opposed by the Republican party with strong beliefs in opposing slave power. They vigorously argued that free labor was superior to slavery and the very foundation of civic virtue and true American values. "Free soil, free labor, free speech, free men".

The War:-
When Polk efforts to buy California and other states from Mexico were rebuked, he decided to provoke war. He ordered General Zachariou Taylor (who owned more than 100 slaves in Louisiana & Mississippi) into Mexico beyond the Neuces river (Corpus Christi).
Lincoln denounced the war in Congress. Thoreau went to jail rather than pay taxes to support it, and Ulysses Grant (who served in Mexico) described it as "the most unjust war ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation". The Catholic Hierarchy more interested in protecting Anglo interests in the period of the legalisation of the Catholic church in England, sent two priests McEvoy (GaelicSpeaker) and Rein (GermanSpeaker) to stem the flow of support for Mexico.
The movie does not do justice to the pivotal complex period and merely gives frustrating brief fleeting glimpses of the battles. The plot centers around the personal story of John Riley (O'Reilly - with a street in Habana Vieja named after him), who had been in the North American Army prior to leading the brigade.
Knowing what would be their fate, the Brigade fought hard and bravely and only surrendered when badly wounded or out of ammunition.
Foos book documents the repellent figure of Col. (later General) William Harney, (an Irish-Catholic officer in the U.S. Army who became notorious for his sadistic treatment of captured San Patricios). Harney had been frequently charged with disobeying orders and of sexually abusing Native American women and hanging them the next day (during ethnic cleansing of the Black Hawk War).
The annexed territory comprised of arid zones unsuitable for slave plantations and thus efforts were then made to make further purchases of territory in Cuba, Central America and elsewhere.

The Aftermath:-
The references below provide some examples of the correspondence by Grant, Lee, Sherman, Taylor, Scott, Bragg on their personal experiences of the Mexican war prior to the Northern Civil War (1861-65).
Republicans opposed Slave Power emphasised higher education, banking, railroads, industry and cities, while promising free homesteads to farmers.
The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) expanded slavery north into Kansas. Early ante-bellum laws passed indicate their vision of the future. Activists denounced it as proof of the power of the `Slavistocracy' conspiring to control the federal government and to spread slavery nationwide.
In New York slavery was abolished only in 1827 and a re-introduction was attempted again following the act.
Implementation of the `Fugitive Slave act' (1850) along with the need to fix the route of the railways finally triggered the American Civil War.

In the Civil War, Irish Fenians joined the Union forces en masse (under the banner of `los Patricios' the flag of 1798, - the 'Fighting 69th', 63rd, and 88th New York, 116th Pennsylvania and 28th Massachusetts Regiments - witness Colonel Corcoran, General John O'Neill, Thomas Meagher etc).
Republicanism and political ferment against the injustices of 'Old Europe' and it's social order was manifested in uprisings - in France against the French kings 'Louis XVIII','Charles X' and Emperor Napoleon III (1830-'Les Miserables', 1848 & 1870-'Paris Commune') in Germany, Italy, Austria etc. Rebellions in Ireland - 1803 (Emmet), 1848 (Young Irelanders) and the 1867 (Fenians-in the period of the last big Famine - the Irish Holocaust 1845-49).


Further Information:-
'Los Soldados Irlandeses de Mexico' Hogan ISBN:9687846070, 'The Rogue's March' ISBN:1574887386, 'Short Killing Affair by Foos ISBN:0807854050, 'Rise of the English Empire in the American South' Gallay ISBN:0300101937, 'Irish Slave Girl' by McCafferty ISBN:014200183X, `Fate of their Country' by Holt ISBN:0809095181, `Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men' Foner ISBN:0195094972, `1831 Year of Eclipse' Masur ISBN:0809041197, 'United Irishmen, United States' by David Wilson ISBN:0801431751, `Duffy's Cut' ISBN0275987272 &9780275987275, 'California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War' by Richards ISBN:030726520X, How the Irish Became White' by Noel Ignatiev ISBN:0415918251 ,'Workers in the Metropolis' by Richard Stott ISBN:0801420679,`Thread Softly' ISBN:0863276482, 'Holland, 1841-1914: Inventor of the Modern Submarine' Morris ISBN:157003236X, 'Devoy's Postbag, 1871-1918 by O'Brien ISBN:0906187052 and `Story of the Great Irish Famine, 1845-1850' Cambell-Bartoletti ISBN:0618548831, 'The Slave Ship: A Human History' by Marcus Rediker ISBN: 0670018236.
March 14, 2007

Blizzards! Give 'em blizzards, boys!

I bought the video of this film and watched it for the third or fourth time recently. The movie improves the more I watch it as I pick up more of the dialogue, which is very insightful. I think the acting is really quite good despite the script. All things considered, I think the film is a worthwhile experience and I recommend it, although that was not my first impression, since initially I was disappointed that the reasons behind the defection of the Catholic soldiers to the Mexican side were not dramatized more effectively, and my biggest complaint was the whole subplot involving Sgt. John Riley (Tom Berenger) enduring the lame romance with a helpful Mexican senorita, surviving under the watchful eye of her jealous boyfriend who also happens to be the leader of a revolutionary band of banditos.

Now I think it is probably good that few scenes are devoted to the anti-Catholic persecution that occurred in the U.S. army of that period which drove the Irish and other European Catholic soldiers out of the American camp (they had every right to flee their persecutors). Greater development of the persecution suffered by Riley and his men would have created more tension for the battle scenes that occurred later and the subsequent capture of the Irish brigade, but it would take a top notch director to make 'entertainment' out of what in effect was torture, religious bigotry, and racism. The anti-Catholic persecution is glossed over by the filmmakers and probably needed to be or else the end result would have been a really dark film.

Similarly, the romance between Tom Berenger's character (John Riley) and the Mexican senorita who nurses him back to health after he and his men are jumped by Mexican banderos is probably necessary. There is no historic evidence of John Riley having a romantic fling during his dramatic days in Mexico, but that's cinematic license for you. The filmmakers have taken a liberty, it adds absolutely nothing to the story, but it fills in many minutes of on-screen time that would have been filled with anti-Catholic hatred and Tom Berenger commanding his canoneers to 'Give em blizzards of grape, boys!'

I would love to see the San Patricio story turned into a film that is more true to the facts (minus the distracting romance). Still, the many scenes where the San Patricios exchange the characteristically brilliant Irish quips with each other make the film enjoyable, as well as their heroic expoloits on the battle field, where they give the yanks all they can handle. If I were Roger Ebert I'd give this a thumbs up. February 26, 2007

Based on TRUE events!!

This film is based on true events in history. It is NOT anti- U.S. propaganda! Most U.S. citizens don't know the true facts
of this least discussed dirty U.S. war.

The acting is good and the story even better. I recommend this
film to people who wish to be enlightened and educated concerning Mexico & U.S. history.

I also recommend the book "The Irish Soldiers of Mexico" by Michael Hogan. (Available on Amazon.com!) March 25, 2006

Ouch

This boring movie tells the story of a group of Irish Immigrants who joined the United States Army only for the sake of getting the citizenship. Once they did, they betray this very army because "they're" discriminated on religious and ethnic views.

A smart man once said "Believe nothing what you hear, and only half of what you see". Apart from historical dates, I don't think any of what we've seen in this movie actually happened. It possibly couldn't.

If Oscars were given for the bad movies - this one surely would get at least 10.

Don't waste your time on this movie. June 22, 2004

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