by David R. Cox
The legend of the "niņos heroes" (child heros) revolves around the point that once the French took over Mexico, they wanted Mexicans to guard outside of the castle (Maximillian's residence), and French soldiers inside. But they were not too comfortable with having Mexican soldiers so close either. So they went to the Mexican Military academy in southern Mexico City, and got cadets to stand guard as a first line of defense.
In time, the United States did not want Napoleon and the French to use Mexico as a staging platform to attack the United States or other countries in the New World, so they decided to invade Mexico (a very sore point even so with Mexicans to date), and expel the French in what is known as the Mexican-American War. When they entered the north of Mexico City, Maximillian fled out the south west to his waiting ships in the gulf of Mexico. But nobody told those cadets guarding the castle. Somewhere along this point they realized that they were alone, and they retook the castle, just in time to be occupying it when the US marines surround it and are going to take it. In the confusion, the Marines thought they were French, and the Mexican cadets were defending their homeland.
All the Mexican cadets died in the ensuing battle rather than surrendering, and the last one wrapped himself in the Mexican flag and threw himself over the edge of the castle wall.
Last Updated on 06/17/04
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