Atrocities against soldiers and civilians were committed by both sides during the U.S.-Mexican War. Much of the hatred by Americans for Mexicans dated back to hard feelings over the massacres at the Alamo and Goliad during the war for Texas’ independence.

During the Mexican War, Mexican soldiers were known to lasso American soldiers who lagged behind, drag them through the chaparral (dense vegetation) and leave them to die.

Several large-scale atrocities took place as well during the war. After six weeks of back and forth attacks between the Arkansas volunteers and some Mexican guerillas, activities came to a head. In February 1847, a group of Arkansas volunteers killed the Mexicans they believed responsible for the murder of a fellow soldier. Later that month, Mexican guerillas attacked a U.S. quartermaster train between Camargo and Marín and killed 40-50 teamsters, many of whom were tied to the wheels of their wagons and burned alive. A group of Texas volunteers attacked a rancho near San Felipe de Jesús de China, killing nearly 30 civilians in retaliation for that quartermaster train attack. In October that same year, U.S. volunteers “sacked the town of Huamantla in retaliation for the death of Captain Samuel H. Walker.”