The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-09-23

times as many. ~
The next fight was WITHIN lhie.
miles of Fort Brown. IN
Pesaca de la Palma TINS engage
ment took place on the day Iolio"-
inc the battle OF Palo Alto, and ray
Tor again was victorious. More than
! 900 Mexicans were killed or wound |
ed. and the news went our over tEr
limited States that the war with Mex
leo would be fought to a finish. CON-
gress then passed resolutions asking
for so, 900 volunteers, and the regu-
lar army was increased to $4,000
men.
The country went wild over Tay-
lor's victories. Congress passed res
olutions of approval. He was made
a major general, and his own state or
Louisiana gave him a sword. He be-
came the idol of the hour. He was
lovingly called "Old Zach" and his
manners and customs were favorably
compared with those Of Gen. Win
field Scott, the commander-in-chief
of the army, who latter carried on
the war in the south. Gen. Scott was
a great soldier, but he was always
on dress parade. He was the soul
Of pOmposity, and he was often
known as .'Old Fuss and Feathers"
Zach Taylor, or "Old Rough and
, Ready was just the reverse. 1t is
said that he went around the camp
during a part Of his Mexican cam
paignS in a linen roundabout and
, trousers. He had already had a long
4 career in the army, and had become
noted as an Indian fighter. He was
in Of a in the wal
of 1872, and more than twenty years
later had gained a great victory over
. the Indians at the battle of Okee-
y chObe in Florida.
The next light after Resaca de la
ipo1v1o NO OF Mnntoroy which j. n n
reached by the railroad from Laredo.
l made the journey in five or six
hours in a Pullman car, and found
at the end a thriving city Of 100, 600
s people. There were not one-ffth
n that number there when Gen. Taylor
d besieged it. His journey took sew
n eral weeks.
1t was made on horseback with an
army of 500 men, most of whom
were on foot. There were then no
railroads in Mexico nd practically
n none in the United States. The most
st of the way was over the desert, and
d the country gave but little to feed
e the army. When the Americans got
ct to Monterey they found it in the
h The town had been fortified. The
al walls were lined with cannon. and
TO the streets and houses were barri-
l. caded and planted with artillery
sc There were forts about the city. anC
l. the Of these was the bish.
a. ops palace on a hill at the south
Id west.
st During my stay in Monterey
walked about the town, visiting tn,
ur Grand Plaza and other places which
n the Mexicans had fortified, and wen
a to the outskirts and picked out tn
spots where the forts were located
n. The old palace or church at tn
southwest of Monterey, where tn
ce chief engagement took place, still
h. stands aud thora iS a wall nf Ctnn
nd about it today. | found some Of tn
as old American cannon still lying o
the slope Of the hill, and | am toll
he that they have not been moved fror
UT their places since the engagement. /
cir taking the town Gen. Taylor capture
ks the other forts first, and then too
ad this one. He now commanded a
ps. the heights about the city and be
ed gan to shell it, while his men brok
OFT their way through the walls Of tn
houses until they had almost reache
Of the Grand Plaza. At that time TT
he Mexicans, who had lost many me-
lcame out with a flag of truce an
surrendered.
ok Leaving Monterey, l bought
ticket to Saltillo, which lies sixt.
seven miles south Of it, in order
of visit the place where the battle
Buena Vista was fought. Saltillo
the capital of the state of Coahuil
to 1t is situated on the slope Of a tabl
is land about a mile above the sea, al
I'M it is a health resort as we'll IS a cor
mercial and industrial center. tt
ties. battlefield is situated not far fro
the railroad, about seven miles fart
the er south, and there is a station call
Of Euena Vista right at the place.
the 1t was there that Gen. Taylor m
cen Gen. Santa Anna and defeated hi
and although the laer had fou imsaoi
The first fighting in southern Me
hat leo was at Vera Cruz and the col
the mander-in-chief was Gen. White
red. Scott. who led the army from the
gov over the mountains and on to Mex
S45 City. Scot had 1900 men and I
Of M%exicans had only 5000. but We
Cruz was protected by the fortiht
ross tons of San Juan de Ciloa in the h;
reen Dor and they thought this was a sui
-nde cient defense for the city. Scott
him tackled the city from the land side, a