El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-09-21

ASHIhGIONs d ~ sept ~
N/ want to give you some pictures
" Of our Mexican battlefields. ]
mean of the places where American
blood was split and American victories
won in the latter part of the forties-
During my recent trip to Mexico L
visited most OF the places and made
photographs Of the country as it looks
today.
The Mexican war began on April "a
1916. and It lasted almost two years 1t
cost US in good hard cash Sl66,o OOU'
and those who were killed or oled our :
fne- the conflict numbered $4,000 Ihat
-Irsr ESTABLISHED the Rio Grande as our
national boundary. It made safe our
title to Texas, concerning Whoch the
Mexicans were growing; and at It's
close, we took about half of the then
Mexican territory, including California
Arizona and New Mexico.
Mexico in 1916.
An this Is BY way of introduction. It
IS q. far cry from the Mexico of TO-DAY
10 that OF 1916. The difference IN time
is 81 years. and the differences IN con-
dition are beyond conception IN 1o4o
Mexico was thinly populated II hao
buf few roads and no railroads. Much
of the war was waged in the deser /,
our soldiers marched upon 1901 anu
their supplies were carried on the
backs Of mules and in wagons. 1hSS
had TO undergo the greatest OF nara
aims. At times the armies were dec
sv,ated nv disease and when Gen
Scott marched from Puebla TO attacA
Mexico City he left at least one-1our \
OF his whole army in the hospitals o.
the former city
The opening battles of the war were
fought in the north They took place
rF No GRANGE.
Gen. Zachary Taylor, who was aItsr-
ward made president Of the Onlteu
states for his services, was there IN
command. The two first great Dattle-
fields were close to Brownsville, IeAas'
A CITY which is now the center OF a
farming community, and is connected
BY railroad with all parts Of the United
States It was then known as Fort
Brown. and was one of our outposts on
the frontier, having only garrison OF
about 800 Americans When the Mex
cans besieged it il had is eannons
known as six-pounders, ana us All
munition was short.
It was to relieve Fort Brown tnat
Gen. TAYLOR was marching when the
first two battles Of the war occurred
He had been sent by the national gov
eminent to Corpus Christi in 1915 with
orders to repeI any invasion Of Texan
territory, and IL was in March, 1870,
that he was directed to cross into the
dfsn11fed territory between the Nueces
and the Rio Grande rivers The Mexl-
cans warned him TO keep off, and upon
his starting Gen. Arista in command OF
the Mexican forces. notified Gen Tay-
Tor that he considered war to have
been begun by our country.
First Battle American Victory
A little later Fort Brown was be-
sieged, and Cen Taylor was started &c
its relief He first met the Mexican
- TD-T
Of Brownsville. Gen Taylor had z,OOo
men and $50 wagons and Gen Arlsta
had $500 Mexicans, Of which 500 were
cavalry The battle lasted five hours
and resulted in an American victory.
Forty Of the Yankees were killed and
wounded, while the MeUcans lost more
than six times as many.
The next fight was within three miles
Of Fort Brown, in q. raYlne, at Resaca
de la Palma This engagement took
place on the day following the battle OF
Palo Alot, and Taylor again was victo-
rious. More than 1000 Mexicans were
killed or wounded, and the news wen
over the United States that the wa
with Mexico would be fought to fin
ish. Congress then passed resolution
asking for $4,000 volunteers, and tn
regular army was increased 10000 men
Taylor Becomes Hero.
The country was wild over Taylor
victories. Congress passed resolution
of approval. He was made major gen
eraI. and his own state of Louisiana
gave him a sword. He became the lido
of the hour He was lovingly calel
"OId Zach" and his manners and Gus
toms were favorably compared Wit
those of Gen. winfield Scott, the com
rnander in chief of the army, who late
carried on the war in the south Gen
scott was a great soldier, but he wa
always on dress parade He was tn
soul of pompOsity, and he was oftel
known as "Old Fuss and Feathers.
Zach Taylor or 'fOld Rough and Ready
was Just the reverse. 1t is said that n
went around the camp during part o
his Mexican campaigns in line
roundabout and trousers. He had al
ready had q long career as an ind1al
fighter. He was in command OF
company in the war Of 1872, and NOR
than 20 years later had gained a grea
victory over the indians at the battle o
Okeechobe in Florida
Battle Of Monterey.
The next fight after Resaca de i
Palma was at Monterey. which is nov
I made the journey in five or six hour
in a Pullman car and found at the en-
a thriving city Of 100 900 people. Their
were not one-fifth that number Their
when Gen Taylor besieged it. HI
Journey took several weeks
It was made on horseback with a
army OF 500 men, most Of whom Wer
on foot There were then no railroad
in Mexico and practically none IN tn
United States. The most Of the way wa