▁by ▁the ▁officer ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁pun ishment . ▁R iley ▁is ▁then ▁forced ▁to ▁watch ▁the ▁execution s ▁ordered ▁by ▁Scott . ▁He ▁loud ly ▁c ries ▁out ▁encourag ement ▁to ▁them , ▁who ▁shout ▁back ▁as ▁they ▁are ▁h anged . ▁ ▁Some ▁time ▁after ward , ▁while ▁working ▁in ▁a ▁stone ▁quar ry ▁for ▁military ▁prisoners , ▁R iley ▁is ▁told ▁by ▁his ▁former ▁U . S . ▁commander ▁that ▁he ▁has ▁been ▁fre ed , ▁to ▁which ▁he ▁respond s , ▁" I ▁have ▁always ▁been ▁free ". ▁R iley ▁returns ▁to ▁Mexico , ▁loc ates ▁Cort ina , ▁and ▁finds ▁Mart a ▁still ▁alive . ▁She ▁still ▁has ▁the ▁green ▁flag ▁of ▁the ▁St . ▁Patrick ' s ▁Battalion . ▁Cort ina ▁recogn izes ▁her ▁love ▁for ▁R iley ▁and ▁dep arts . ▁R iley ▁and ▁Mart a ▁disappear ▁into ▁the ▁w ilder ness . ▁The ▁ep ilog ue ▁explains ▁that ▁Gen . ▁Win field ▁Scott , ▁who ▁had ▁hoped ▁to ▁become ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁U . S ., ▁was ▁defeated , ▁and ▁Gen . ▁Zach ary ▁Taylor , ▁who ▁only ▁wanted ▁peace , ▁was ▁elected . ▁To ▁this ▁day ▁the ▁St . ▁Patrick ' s ▁Battalion ▁has ▁been ▁hon ored ▁ann ually ▁by ▁Mexico ▁and ▁Ireland . ▁ ▁Cast ▁ ▁Tom ▁Ber enger ▁as ▁Serge ant ▁/ ▁Lieutenant ▁/ ▁Captain ▁John ▁R iley ▁ ▁Jo aqu im ▁de ▁Al me ida ▁as ▁Cort ina ▁ ▁Daniel a ▁Rom o ▁as ▁Mart a ▁ ▁Mark ▁Mos es ▁as