MEXICAN WAR 



3763 



MEXICAN WAR 



tion. The Democratic candidate, James K. 

 Polk, was elected, and the addition of Texas to 

 the Union was the first important measure of 

 his administration. 



Had the United States adopted conciliatory 

 measures it seems probable that war might 

 have been prevented, but a dispute arose over 

 the western boundary of Texas and this still 

 further aggravated the Mexicans. Texas claimed 

 the Rio Grande as its western boundary, and 

 Mexico claimed that the Nueces River, a stream 

 about 100 miles further east, was the boundary. 

 The territory in dispute had an area of about 

 2,000 square miles, and President Polk did not 

 intend to await diplomatic negotiation to se- 

 cure it; he therefore ordered General Taylor, 

 who was stationed on the Nueces with a force 

 of about 3,000 men, to proceed to the Rio 

 Grande. Taylor's advance was answered by a 

 counter advance by the Mexicans into the same 

 territory, and on April 23, 1846., a small de- 

 tachment of Americans was defeated by a body 

 of Mexicans. President Polk sent a message to 

 Congress declaring that a state of war existed 

 "through the act of Mexico herself." On May 

 13 Congress declared war and immediately voted 

 money and supplies for its prosecution. 



The Campaigns. The war was conducted un- 

 der four campaigns the campaign along the 

 Rio Grande under the command of General 



Buena Vista: 



M E X "l C C 



TAYLOR'S CAMPAIGN 



Zachary Taylor, against Mexico City under 

 General Winfield Scott, in California under Ad- 

 miral Stockton and Captain John C. Fremont, 

 and in New Mexico under General Stephen W. 

 Kearney. The important battles of the Mexi- 



can War are described under their respective 

 titles; only a summary of the events of each 

 campaign is included in this article. 



Taylor's Campaign. On May 8 Taylor de- 

 feated a superior force of Mexicans at Palo 

 Alto and the following day at Resaca de la 

 Palma. On May 18 he captured Matamoros, 

 where he remained until September, when he 

 advanced upon Monterey, which he entered on 

 September 24, after a short siege. About 10,000 

 of his troops were then ordered to join the 

 forces of General Scott, who had appeared off 

 Vera Cruz and was preparing to advance upon 

 the City of Mexico. A copy of this order fell 

 into the hands of Santa Anna, the Mexican 

 commander-in-chief, and he at once advanced 

 with a large army against Taylor, who had 

 stationed his army at Buena Vista. The en- 

 gagement resulted in a disastrous defeat for the 

 Mexicans and a brilliant victory for the Ameri- 

 cans. Soon after the Battle of Buena Vista Tay- 

 lor resigned his command and returned home. 



Scott's Campaign. General Scott, who as 

 ranking general was commander of all the 

 American forces in Mexico, appeared before 

 Vera Cruz on March 7, 1847, with an army of 

 12,000 men. After a siege of three weeks the 

 city was taken and the way to the city of 

 Mexico was open. Two months after the fall 

 of Vera Cruz Scott began his march towards 

 the enemy's capital. His path was beset with 

 difficulties, and considering the size of his army 

 his undertaking was hazardous. He stormed 

 the pass at Cerro Gordo and pressed on to- 

 wards Puebla, driving the Mexicans before him. 

 The Americans remained at Puebla until Au- 

 gust, when the march was resumed. On August 

 19 and 20 three battles were fought, at Con- 

 treras, San Antonio and Churubusco, respec- 

 tively, about ten miles from the city of Mexico. 

 In all these engagements the Mexicans far out- 

 numbered the Americans, but the superior skill 

 and bravery of the American officers and troops 

 enabled them to win decisive victories. An 

 armistice of three weeks followed the Battle of 

 Churubusco, then the Americans advanced to 

 the city's gates. They won a brilliant victory 

 at Molino del Rey, and on September 13 

 stormed the heights of Chapultepec. The next 

 day Scott's victorious army entered the capital 

 of the Montezumas, and the war was practically 

 at ah end. The map of Scott's route to the 

 capital appears in the illustration heading this 

 article. 



Other Campaigns. While Taylor was advanc- 

 ing up the Rio Grande, the American forces 



