The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1914-05-06
PAST FACTS ABOUT MEXICO
How Uncle Sam Has Already
Annexed Territory From His
Southern Neighbor.

/ Mexico claimed Texas as her terri
tory and was displeased when it was
annexed to the United States after
successful rebellion. The western
boundary of Texas was in dispute,
| Mexico claimed it was the Nueces
river; Texas, that 1t was the Rio
Grande. The strip of ground be-
tween the rivers was claimed by
both These differences. it was
thought, would be settled by arbitra-
ton. Mexicans crossed the Rio
Grande; surprised and captured
Captain Thornton who was leading
scouting party up the Rio Grande
from Brownsville by order of Gen.
Taylor. Taylor then moved back to
the Nueces river, with about 1000
men to get supplies. On his return
TO Brownsville, he met and defeated
three times his number of Mexieans
at Palo Alto, after a half days bat
tie. Next morning Taylor, still on
his way to Brownsville, met and de-
feated another force of Mexicans
who were intrenched behind a ra-
vine called Resaca de Palma. He
drove them across the river and,
leisurely following, took possession
Of Matamoras.
News of Thornton's capture reach
ed Washington and President Taylor
sent it to Congress for consideration.
Congress declared war existed by
the act of the Republic of Mexico"
This was May 13, 1916 Money was
appropriated and more than 200,-
900 volunteers offered their assist
ance.
At the beginning of the war Mexi-
co owed California. Nevada, Utah
and Wyoming. The immense rich
ness of this territory was not then
known. California was conquested
in 1876 by Commodores Sloat and
Stockton, aided by fremont. San
Francisco, Monterey and Los Ange-
les were easily taken. New Mexico
was conquered the same year by an
expedition from Fort Leavenworth
under General Kearney with 1900
men. He then left a detachment
of the amy with Doniphan and with
the rest of the force moved on and
captured Chihuahua and adjacent
territory. All this territory was
then in the possession of the United
States.
In northern Mexico, in the au-
tumn of 1846, Taylor. with 5000
men moved upon and captured Mont
Grey after hard struggle. Here
his position became unsafe. A
force was sent against him by Santa
Ana. then at the head of the Mexi-
can government. This army reach
ed him February 22, 1S47. Taylor
entrenched his army in long mar
row pass and beat the Mexicans
back. This was the battle of Buena
Vista. Northeastern Mexico was
not in American possession.
General Scott was sent with more
than $50 vessels to attack Vera
Cruz. He attacked 1t in March,
1S47, and landed before the city
with $4,000 men. The navy took
possession of the Mexican ports on
the coast and duties we're collected
for the United States. Santa Ana
had collected an army near Jalapa
and Cerro Gordo about $4,000
strong. In April Scott, with 5000
men, marched on Cerro Gordo, cap
tured 5 Mexican generals and 5000
Mexicans, Santa Ana nearly lost his
cork leg. Scott went on to Puebla
and stayed there for the summer. In
August he marched to the valley of
Mexico without resistance and
thence, amidst great difficulties, on
to Mexico City, and. after the fight
at Santa Ana, marched into the city
on September IA, 1S47, and raised
the flag of the United States over
the national palace. This ended the
real fighting and peace was later
made in a treaty known as the
treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo," the
name being taken from the town in
which it was made.