Bust of Cpt John Riley in San Angel, Mexico City, Mexico in homage to the San Patricio Battalion that fought for Mexico in the Mexican-American War

Bust of Captain John Riley in San Angel, Mexico City, Mexico in homage to the San Patricio Battalion that fought for Mexico in the Mexican-American War of 1847. The bust was unveiled by the Irish Ambassador in 2010. John Riley commanded a group of mostly Irish soldiers in the US forces that invaded Mexico in the war of 1846 - 48. But they were alienated by the then prevailing anti-Catholic sentiment in the US army. So they switched sides and formed the St Patrick battalion in the Mexican army. When Mexico lost the war the San Patricio soldiers were tortured and then hanged as traitors - even though hardly any of them had ever been US citizens. It was the largest mass execution in United States history. Mexico lost half of its territory in that war - including California, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, New Mexico and more. US actor Tom Berenger played John Riley in the 1999 movie “One Man’s Hero”.