How Los Niños Héroes Became a National Legend

The actual events were messier—and far more human—than the polished legend.

If you grew up in Mexico—or in a Mexican-American household—you probably heard the story. The date was September 1847. The U.S. invasion had reached the gates of the capital. On one side stood Antonio López de Santa Anna—infamous for the Alamo—on the other, General Winfield Scott.

At the heart of the battlefield loomed Chapultepec Castle, a fortress bui…