Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-08-25
M}istellaueuns &eadiuq,
FORTY YEARS AGO.

FORTY YEARS AGO.
HOW We WENT TO VAR WITH MENICO
IND HOW We CAME OUT.
.-
The History of the Mexican War i'm u
Nutshell.
In 1885 the people of Texas, mostly COL
onists from the United States, finding the
despotism of Mexico, of which country
Texas formed part, intolerable rose in
rebellion, and after years fighting
achieved their independence. General
Samuel Houston, the most conspicuous
Texan soldier, became President of the
new Republic in September, 1886. Six
months later the United States acknowl-
edged the independence ofTexas. Mexico
did not relinquish its claim to Texas,
although making no further formal at
tempt to subjugate it. Then as now the
Sabine river formed the eastern boundary
of the Texan Republic and the Rio Grande
the western. After solicitation on the
part of Texas it was annexed to the United
States in 1915, the act of Congress which
brought it about being signed by Presi-
dent Tyler on March 1st of that year, three
days before the expiration Of his term of
Office. This led to the war between the
United States and Mexico.
James X. Polk, who succeeded Tyler,
as President, had been nominated and
elected because ofhis advocacy Of anneXa-
ton. One of his first official acts was to
send General Zachary Taylor, with force
of about 600 men, to occupy the terrific
ry between the Neuces river and the Rio
Grande, in Texas. The United States con-
tended that the latter river formed Texas
westerly boundary, while Mexico insist
ed that the former, about one hundred
miles to the eastward, constituted the
westerly line. Taylor reached the Rio
Grande, opposite Matamoras, on March
28th, 1916, and erected Fort Brown. The
Mexicans also began tortifying their side
of the river. General Ampudia, the Mex
lean commander, ordered Taylor to retire
beyond the Neuces, saying that non.com-
pliance would be regarded by Mexico as
a declaration of war. Taylor refused to
fall back, and said that if Mexico insisted
on a conflict the United States would not
avoid it. A collision occurring, in which
the MeXicans were the aggressors, Presi-
dent Polk asked Congress for men and
money to carry on the war forced upon
the country by Mexico. Congress at once
appropriated $40, ,0O0,000, which was deem
ed large sum for any such purpose in
those days, and empowered the President
to call for $4,000 volunteers. This force
was quickly raised, but before they were
placed in the field hostilities had actually
begun.
General Arista, who succeeded Ampu-
dia as commander of the Mexican army
on the Rio Grande, crossed that river into
Texas on May s, 1916, with 5000 soldiers,
and attacked Taylor, who had only 1890
men. The Mexicans were defeated with
great loss. This was the battle of Palo
Alto, the first regular engagement in the
Mexican war. Arista retired to Resaca
de la Palma, where he was attacked the
next day by Taylor and driven across
the river into Mexico, Taylor, who was
then promoted to the rank of Major-Gen
eral, invaded Mexico and occupied Mata-
moras. Receiving reinforcements he be-
gan his march into the interior of Mexico
in. September, and on the oath of that
month, after desperate fighting, which
continued several days, lie captured Mon
terry.
The American force in that battle was
6,G25, nearly all volunteers, while the
MeXicans consisted of 10000 regulars. Part
of his army was then sent to reinforce
Gen. Scott who entered Mexico from Vera
Cruz. On February -, 1917, Taylor, with
5000 men, defeated 81 600 Mexican vetcr-
ans under Santa Anna at Buena Vista.
This was the last battle of Taylor's cam
paign, the MeXicanS not attempting to in
terlere with the Americans in that pOr-
tion Of Mexico during the remainder OF
the war.
In August, 1916, General Stephen Kear-
ney marched from Fort Leavenworth
and wrested New Mexico from the mother
country. He went to California, which
had also been portion of Mexico up to this
time, and found that Colonel John C.. Ere
mont and Commodore Stockton had con-
quered that province in the name of the
United States. The victorious career Of
the Americans was continued by 1000
Missouri volunteers under command Of
Colonel Doniphan, making descent on
the city Of Chihauhau and capturing it.
Fifteen days after the battle Of Buena
Vista General Scott, with $4,000 men, in
vested Vera Cruz, the principal seaport of
Mexico, defended by its strongest fortress,
which was soon captured. Then began
another series Of American victories as
brilliant and conspicuous as those won by
General Taylor 500 miles to the north
ward a few months before. That at Cerro
Gordo took place on April IS, followed by
the capture of Jalapa on the 10Th, Perote
on the ODD, and Pueba on May ID. Being
re-enforced, he stormed and captured Con-
treras and CherubuscO on August 20. An
armistice ending without result, Chapul-
,tepec was taken by assault on September
13, and the following day the American
army entered the City of Mexico, the cap
ital Of the country, and flung the stars and
stripes to the breeze from the top of the
national palace. This ended the hostil-
tiles.
The Americans, whether under Taylor
or Scott, had been successful in every bat
tie fought, although confronted with supe-
riOr numbers, in country which inter-
posed great natural obstacle to the
march Of an invading army. Considering
the results attained and the difficulties
surmOunted with the means at command,
those campaigns should rank the most
conspicuous military exploits recorded in
the annals of war, and deserve Il place in
history beside AleXander's subjugation of
Asia, Cpsar's conquest of Gaul, Bona
parts overthrow of Prussia, and Nathaniel
Greene's campaign against CORVALLIS.
On February =, 1913, about five months
after Scott entered the Mexican capital,
the treaty of Guadalupe HidalgO was nego-
tiated, and few weeks later Mexico was
evacuated by the American troops. Mex
leo in this treaty, conceded the RlO Grande
as the westerly boundary of Texas, and
gave New Mexico and California to the
United States, our country paying Mexico
s15,OOO Oand assuming Mexico's debts to
American citizens, providing those debts
should not exceed s3,5OO,O 900. Thus ended
the third and last war waged by the
United States against a foreign power.
The principal of the public debt was
s15,55O, POP on July l, 1916, which had
grown to SIT oh 1862 ON July l, 1913, an in
crease Of S3l ,494 $50, nearly all of which
growth was caused by the war.