Juan Escutia

Juan Bautista Pascasio Escutia y Martínez (Tepic, June 23, 1822 – Mexico City, September 13, 1847) was one of the combatants who died in the Battle of Chapultepec, little is known about his condition regarding whether or not he belonged to the Military College. Tradition remembers him as one of the Child Heroes who gave their lives to defend the country.

Biography

According to his baptismal certificate, his full name was Juan Bautista Pascasio Escutia y Martínez, he was baptized on July 1, 1827 in the Tabernacle of Tepic, Nayarit.

Little or nothing is known about his life. There is no record that he was a cadet at the Military College, however, he died in combat. There are different theories regarding the status of Juan Escutia; The most accepted ones consider him as a volunteer or soldier of the San Blas Battalion, which participated in the Battle of Chapultepec defending the College with around 401 men.

The battalion under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Felipe Santiago Xicoténcatl received the US army on the southern slope of the Chapultepec hill, leaving most of its men dead, around 370, the rest retreated, climbing the slope. Escutia may have been one of the soldiers who tried to escape the massacre but was overtaken by the invaders, since his body was found on one of the slopes. A plaque commemorates the place where the body was found along with those of other combatants. At the time of his death he would have been twenty years old.

The Myth

Mexican historical tradition has included him in the list of young cadets of the Military College who chose to defend Chapultepec's position. The legend marks Juan Escutia as an attaché of the College who, due to the emergency situation, could not be formally listed, so he does not appear in the records. Presumably he would be in charge of guarding the tower in which the national flag flew and before the imminent entry of the invading army to the fortress, the cadet would take the Flag of Mexico and, wrapped in it, would jump to the slope so that it would not fall into the hands of the enemy.