[1]: 296  Santa Anna also ordered Major General Manuel Rincón to hold the Franciscan Convent of San Mateo in Churubusco, with earthworks and seven guns, and placed General Francisco Pérez at the tête de pont on the south bank of the river.

[1]: 297  In addition to the stone walls of the convent, the defenses included a series of incomplete trenches the Mexicans had begun digging prior to the attack.

Independencia was assigned to defend the upper walls, the right flank leading to the bridge, the unfortified south and north sides, and two adobe huts further forward on the battlefield.

[1]: 298  The attack by Franklin Pierce and James Shields, crossing the river on the Coyoacan-Mixcoac road in an attempt to cut off the Mexican retreat, was also stopped.

Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Peñúñuri of Independencia led a handful of men in a bayonet charge and was defeated.

[5] The San Patricio Battalion was ultimately captured and court-martialed for desertion, including its leader, John Patrick Riley.

[1]: 300  They captured 1,259 prisoners, including three Generals and the San Patricios leader Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Rosenda Moreno, plus seven pieces of artillery at the convent.

[1]: 300  Winfield Scott estimated the Mexican casualties on August 19–20, at Contreras and Churubusco, at 4,297 killed and wounded; in addition to 2,637 taken prisoner.

Parts of the battle were portrayed in the 1985 ABC mini-series North and South, based on a trilogy of novels of the same name by John Jakes, as well as the film One Man's Hero (1999).