Mexicans. During the summer of 1845 he had sent General Zachary Taylor (¶ 500), with a large force, to take possession of the country between the Nueces and the Rio Grande. Obeying these orders of the President, Taylor seized Corpus Christi and awaited further orders or developments. During the spring of 1846 the President took the responsibility of ordering General Taylor to proceed to the Rio Grande. Taylor moved his forces to the mouth. of the Rio Grande and was there requested by the Mexican general, Arista, to retire to the Nueces. Taylor refused, and therefore a portion. of the Mexican force crossed the river, and on April 23d, 1846, attacked and captured a small detachment of the American army. Texas is the largest State in the Union, and has a larger area than any nation in Europe, except Russia. The State ranks among the foremost in the production of cotton, cattle, sheep, horses, and sugar. About a third of the State is agricultural, while the remainder is pastoral. The "Lone Star State" is sixth or seventh in population, having two and a quarter million inhabitants. Thus the first blood was shed. As soon as President Polk received intelligence of the skirmish, he sent a message to Congress declaring, "Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, and shed American blood upon American soil. War exists, and exists by the act of Mexico herself." May 13th, 1846, a formal M Saltillo RIO GRANDE declaration that war existed with Mexico was passed by Congress. 490. Taylor's Victories. The first battle of the war occurred a few days earlier. As General Taylor moved his forces along the river to relieve one of his subordinates, he met General Arista with a force of twice or three times his own. On May 8th, a well-fought engagement took place at this point, Palo Alto, in which Ringgold's "Flying Artillery" quickly won the victory. The next morning the enemy retreated and took up a strong position at Resaca de la Palma, to await an attack from General Taylor. This attack was made. May 9th, and after a desperate fight the Mexicans were driven back to the Rio Grande, which they crossed in much confusion. In these two battles the enemy lost about one-quarter of the force. Nine days later the American army crossed the river and captured the town of Matamoras. 491. Monterey and Buena Vista. - General Taylor remained at Matamoras waiting for orders and re-enforcements until September. On the 5th of this month he started on a march westward, and on the 19th reached and attacked the town of Monterey. The American force besieged and stormed this town for four days, and on the 24th the Mexicans surrendered, being General Winfield Scott. (After a daguerreotype.) permitted to evacuate with the honors of war. The force under General Taylor was greatly reduced during the early winter, many of his men being sent away for various purposes. The Mexican general, Santa Anna, learning of this fact, sent a large force to annihilate the American army, now Idiminished to about one-third the size of his own. General Taylor chose the narrow mountain pass of Buena Vista, and here awaited the attack. The battle took place February 23d and 24th, 1847, and resulted in the retreat of Santa Anna on the next day. When he reached the city of Mexico, his army was barely half as large as when he set out. This glorious victory at Buena Vista ended the war in that section of Mexico. 492. New Mexico and California. While General Taylor was entering Mexico from Texas, other expeditions were made against New Mexico and California. During the summer of 1846 General Kearney marched against Santa Fé, one of the oldest of the Spanish towns now within the limits of the United States, and captured it without opposition. He left Colonel Doniphan here, and then set out for California. Doniphan moved south and captured the city of Chihuahua. Thus the whole territory of New Mexico was in the hands of the Americans. Winfield Scott, the second man to be honored with the title of LieutenantGeneral, was born June 13th, 1786. He first became prominent in the battle of Queenstown Heights, October 13th, 1812. He was made major-general because of his bravery in the battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane. His greatest achievement as a general was his campaign in Mexico in 1847. The Whigs nominated him for the Presidency in 1852, but he was unable to revive that party, which was fast passing away. In spite of the secession of his native State, Virginia, he remained at the head of the Union armies until he was compelled to retire on account of his advanced age. He lived to see the nation victorious, and died May 29th, 1866. Several years before this time John C. Fremont ( 528) had been sent out to explore various parts of the Rocky Mountains. In 1842 he crossed the mountains; in 1843 he explored the Great Salt Lake and travelled for some time in California; in 1846 he was ready to assist in snatching the territory from the Mexicans. Commodores Sloat and Stockton were the leaders, together with Captain Fremont, in the capture of California. The towns of Monterey, Los Angeles, and San Francisco surrendered to the Americans with but little resistance, and Mexico had lost California also. 493. A New Plan. The government, perhaps for political reasons, decided to intrust the most important campaign of the war to General Winfield Scott, instead of to General Taylor. General Scott was sent with a new army and a portion of Taylor's to attack the city of Vera Cruz, and from that point to march against the city of Mexico. With a force of about twelve thousand men, the new commander landed at Vera Cruz on the night of the 9th of |