64 



LOWER RIO BRAVO. 



The next day the sea continued to run high, and being thoroughly disgusted with my sojourn 

 aboard tlie steamer^ I went asliore in the pilot-boat. 

 The steamer yvas stranded a few trips subsequently, in attempting to make the entrance of 



the Brazos Santiago. 



The bar bas but eight feet of water^ and is very shifting, Tliat at the mouth of the Bio Bravo 

 has still less. Yet it was at these two points tbat the troops were landed, and all the supplies for 

 the army which invaded Mexico, under the orders of General Taylor. Most of the merchandise 

 intended for the lower Eio Bravo is landed at the Brazos, and thence reshipped in a strong 

 river steamer, which passes out to sea and thence into the Ptio Bravo. The channel of the 

 mouth of the Rio Bravo varies a little in depth, but is seldom more than six feet or less than 

 four ; it is of soft mud, and of the numberless vessels grounded there during the war, not more 

 than one or two were lost. The bar of Brazos Santiago is of hard sand, and a vessel grounded 

 there is certain to be stranded. The mouths of botli these harbors open towards the prevailing 

 wind, and I can suggest no metbod by whicli they can be improved at any reasonable cost. 

 The town of Brazos stands on a sand-spit immediately within the bar, and is little more than a 

 collection of wooden shanties, left there by the army, which may be washed away some day by 

 a norther forcing tbe water from the lagoon, or bay, above, faster than it can escape over the 

 beach and through the narrow inlet into the sea. 



Three miles within the lagoon, <5r bay, and standing upon the first firm ground, a bluif of 

 alluvial soil, about six or ten feet high, is Point Isabel. Here is the custom-house, where the 

 goods intended for the river, as high up as Roma, are entered. Those for the towns above that 

 point are supplied u.sually by the way of Indianola and San Antonio, Point Isabel is a small 

 settlement, the principal buildings being those erected by the army of occupation in 181G. It 

 was from this point the army made its march to fight the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la 

 Palma, Fort Brown, &c. 



It is well known that the Mexicans selected their own ground for the two first named battles ; 

 but if General Taylor had had in his hand the correct map now presented of that conntry^ as 

 will be seen by a glance, he could not have selected, in the neighborhood, a better field than 



Alto 



fact 



com 



flanks of the American army were protected, and the Mexicans were prevented 



from using the advantage due a much superior force to extend their flanks and envelope the 



It will be seen that both 

 prevented by the ground 



American forces. 



th 



mezq^uite trees, (chapparal,) and the existence of 



morasses 



the 



Mexicans 



my good fortune to have been present at either of those engagements ; but I 



v'lll take advantage 01 the map no^ 

 manoeuvres of the troons on both 



their execution and results. Those 



arms in the Mexican 



States Military Academy from destruction 



The Mexican army was well organized, well disciplined, and well equipped, inured to war 

 by contests with the Indians, and in suppressing internal revolution. The American army 

 was perfectly disciplined, but, with the exception of its chief, and a few other gallant old 



officers, had never been under fire, and numbered 



Yet 



