The Mexican-American War
After the U.S. annexation of Texas, there was a dispute between the Mexicans and the Americans on where Texas ended. The Americans wanted it to end at the Rio Grande and the Mexicans wanted it to end at the Nueces River. Polk, the president, ordered troops to occupy the disputed area. On April 25, 1846, Mexican troops attacked the troops. With this, we declared war on the Mexicans.
The U.S. sent Col. Kearny to occupy New Mexico and California. He met with little to no force and captured both territories with little conflict.
We also sent Gen. Taylor, the man leading the soldiers at the first battle, to attack Mexico. Taylor was successful, especially at the Battle of Buena Vista; in Feb. 1847. Mexican leader Santa Anna marched with 14,000 troops upon 5,000 U.S. troops. by the end of the battle, the Mexicans suffered more than twice as many casualties as the Americans. However, Taylor was not supportive of a full scale attack on the Mexicans.
The U.S. sent Col. Kearny to occupy New Mexico and California. He met with little to no force and captured both territories with little conflict.
We also sent Gen. Taylor, the man leading the soldiers at the first battle, to attack Mexico. Taylor was successful, especially at the Battle of Buena Vista; in Feb. 1847. Mexican leader Santa Anna marched with 14,000 troops upon 5,000 U.S. troops. by the end of the battle, the Mexicans suffered more than twice as many casualties as the Americans. However, Taylor was not supportive of a full scale attack on the Mexicans.
Major-General Zachary Taylor, at Agua Nueva, Mexico, to William L. Marcy, Secretary of War, Battle of Buena Vista. "The information which reached me of the advance and concentration of a heavy Mexican force in my front, had assumed such a probable form as to induce a special examination far beyond the reach of our pickets to ascertain its correctness. A small party of Texan spies, under Major McCullough, despatched to the hacienda of Encarnacion, thirty miles from this, on the route to San Luis Potosi, had reported a cavalry force of unknown strength at that place. On the 20th of February, a strong reconnoissance, under Lieutenant-colonel May, was despatched to the hacienda of Hecliondo, while Major McCullough made another examination of Encarnacion. The result of these expeditions left no doubt that the enemy was in large force at Encarnacion, under the orders of General Santa Anna, and that he meditated a forward movement and attack upon our position.
As the camp of Agua Nueva could be turned on either flank, and as the enemy's force was greatly superior to our own, particularly in the arm of cavalry, I determined, after much consideration, to take up a position about eleven miles in rear, and there await the attack. The army broke up its camp and marched at noon on the 21st, encamping at the new position a little in front of the hacienda of Buena Vista. With a small force I proceeded to Saltillo, to make some necessary arrangements for the defence of the town, leaving Brigadier-General Wool in the immediate command of the troops. Before these arrangements were completed, on the morning of the 22d, I was advised that the enemy was sight, advancing. Upon reaching the ground it was found that his cavalry advance was in our front, having marched from Encarnacion, as we have since learned, at eleven o'clock the day previous, and driving in a mounted force left at Agua Nueva to cover the removal of public stores. Our troops were in position, occupying a line of remarkable strength. The road at this point becomes a narrow defile, the valley on its right being rendered quite impracticable for artillery by a succession of deep and impassable gullies, while on the left a succession of rugged ridges and precipitous ravines extends far back towards the mountain which bounds the valley." |
Polk did not approve of Taylor's decision, and decided to send Gen. Scott to take the Veracruz seaport, and from there, move on to Mexico CIty, the capital. For 3 weeks, he placed siege on Veracruz, and took it. He then marched to Mexico City, met some resistance, but defeated it, and took Mexico City on September 14, 1847.
On Feb. 2, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, and the war officially ended. The Mexicans gave up an area known as the Mexican Cession, and we, in turn, paid $15 million for the territory, shown below. This transformed the American west, giving us much more territory to settle. For an encyclopedic account, go to: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/379134/Mexican-American-War
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