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The San Patricio Battalion were an army unit of Irish immigrants for the Mexican army for the Mexican-American war. They had previously been in the US army. A man named John Riley was the founder of the battalion.

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Many Irish Catholic immigrants came to the US mainly because they wanted to escape economic hardship, poverty, and famine at the time in Ireland.

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Irish immigrants were pressured to join the army, which a lot of them did accept they got offered land and a good amount of money.

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Around the time, Irish immigrants were hated in the US. For the Irish soldiers in the army they were hated and abused by fellow soldiers. The US army culture made Irish soldiers feel lonely and isolated. On top of that, the military was anti-Catholic and only offered Protestant religious services.

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Many Irish soldiers did not like being in the US army as they were headed towards the Mexican-American war. Mexico was issuing pamphlets and leaflets for people to join their army. Plus Mexico was largely Catholic. In Early May 1846, at the beginning of the war, a man named John Riley formed the San Patricio battalion. They deserted the US army in a group of about 48 other Irish immigrants, to join the Mexican army.

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Eventually, the battalion grew in size to a maximum of 700 members at its peak. They all fought really hard and fiercely to the end of the war.

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Since Mexico lost the war, the San Patricio's were captured by the US army. They were put on trial for deserting the army. Some were able to go back to their home country, others stayed in Mexico. The majority of them were punished. 50 San Patricios were executed by hanging. The US saw them as traitors, while Mexico viewed them as heroes.