The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-09-02
FORTY YEARS AGO.

FORTY YEARS AGO.
How we Went to War With Mexico and
How we Camo Out.
Iu:lSS5..the people of Texas, mostly
colonists from the United States, finding
the despotism of Mexico, of which coun.
try 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 of Texas. Mex.
leo 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 1845, the act Of
Congress which brought it about being
signed by President Tyler on March lst
Of that year, three days before the, expi-.
ration of his term of Office, This led to
the war between the United States and
Mexico.
James K. Polk, who succeeded Tyler,
as President, had been nominated and
elected because of his advocacy of annex.
alton. One of his frat official acts was
to send General Zachary Taylor, with q
force Of about 1000 men, to occupy the
territory between the Neuces river and
the Rio Grande, in Texas. The United;
States contepded that the, latter river
formed Texas westerly boundary, while
Mexico insisted that the former, about.
one hundred miles to the eastward, con-.
stituted the western line. Taylor reached
the Rio Grande, opposite Matamoras, on
March 2Sth, 1916, and erected Fort Brown.
The Mexicaus also began fortifying their
side of the river. General Ampudia, the
Mexican. commander, ordered Taylor to
retire beyond the Neuces, saying that
non. compliance would be regarded by
Mexico as declaration of war. Taylor
refused to fall back, and said that if
Mexico insisted on conflict the United
States would not avoid it. A collision
occurring, in which the Me1icans were
the aggressors, President Polk asked Con-
gress for men and money to carry on The
war forced upon the country BY Mexico.
Congress at once appropriated $40, ,OO0,;
900, which vas deemed q large sum for
any such purpose in those days, and
empowered the President to call for
$4,000 volunteers. This force was quick.
ly raised, but. before they we're placed in
the field bostilities 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, 1S46, with 5000
soldiers, and attacked Taylor, who had
only 2,3OO men. The Mexicans were
defeated with great loss. This was the
battle of Palo Alto, the first regular en-
gagemeat 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 ,thennpromoted to the
rank .of Major. General, invaded Mexico
and, occupied Matamoras. Receiving
reinforcements he began his march into
the 'iuteror Of Mexico in September, and
on the Oath of that month, after desperate
fighting, which continued several days,
be captured Monterey.
The American force in that battle was
6 6,625, nearly all volunteers, while the
sMexicans consisted of 10000 regulars.
Part of his army was then sent to rein
force Gen. Scott who entered Mexico
from Vera Cruz. On February ~, 1881
TAYLOR, Hith 5000 men, defeated 2l 1000
Mexican veterans under Santa Anna at
.Buena Vista. This vas the last battle OF
Taylor's campaign, the Mexicaps not
attempting to interfere with the Amerl'
cans in that portion of Mexico during the
remainder of the war. ~
In August, 1886, General Stephen
Kearney marched from Fort Leayen-
worth. and wrested New Mexico from the
mother country. He went to California,
which had also been a portion of Mexico
no to this time, and found that Colonel
John @. Fremont and, Commodore StoSk-
ton had conquered that province IN the
name of the United States. The yictori-
GUS career of the Americans vas continu- :
ed 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,
invested Vera Cruz; the principal seaport
of Mexico, defended by its strongest for
tress. which was soon captured. Then
began another series Of American victor
les as brilliant and conspicuous as those
won by General Taylor 500 miles to the
northward few months before. That at
Cerro Gordo took place on April 10, iol.
lowed by the capture of Jalapa on the
10th. Perote on the 22d, and Puebla on
May Is. Being re, enforced, be stormed
and captured Contreras and ,Cherubusco
on August 20. An armistic ending
without result, Chapultepec was taken by
assault on September 1S, and the follow
ing day the American army entered the
Cityof Mexico, the capital Of the country,
and flung the stars and stripes to the
breeze from the top ofthe national palace.
This ended the hostilities. -
The Americans, whether under Taylor
or Scott, had been. successful in every
battle fought, although confronted with
superior numbers, in country which
interposed q great natural obstacle to the
march of an invading army. Consider
ing the result 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 place in
history beside Alexauders' snbjugatlon OF
Asia, Cesar's. conquest of Gaul, Bona
parts overthrow of Prussia, and Nathan
iel .Greene's campaign against Corn
On February 2, 1886, about five months
after Scott entered the Mexican capital,
the treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo was
negotiated, and a fsw weeks later Mexico s:sl
was levacuatedi by the American troops.
Mexico in. this treaty conceded the Rio
iGrande as the westerly boundary OF
Texas, and gave. New Mexico and Cali
fornia to the. United States, our country
paying Mexico Sic, 900, 900 and assuming
Mexico's debts to American citizens,
IL ~