The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1914-04-30
NEVADA ONCE Be.
LONCED TO MEXICO

Mexico claimed Texas as her terri
tory and was displeased when it was
annexed to the United States after a
successful rebellion. The western
boundary of Texas was in dispute,
Mexico claimed it was the Nueces
river; Texas, that it was the Rio
Grande. The strip of ground between
the rivers was claimed by both.
These differences, it was thought,
Mexicans crossed the Rio Grande;
surprised and captured Captain
Thornton who was leading a scouting
party up the Rio Grande from Brown
vile by order of General 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 Mexicans
at Palo Alto, after half days bat
tie. Next morning Taylor, still on his
way to Brownsville, met and defeated
another force of Mexicans who were
intrenched behind a ravine called
Resaca de Palma. He drove them
across the river and, leisurely follow
ing, took possession OF Matamoras
News of Thornton s capture reach
ed Washington and President Taylor
sent it to congress for constellation.
Congress declared "war existed by
the act of the Republic of Mexico. -
This was May 13, 1916. Money was
appropriated and more than 100000
volunteers offered their assistance.
At the beginning of the war Mexi-
co owned California, Nevada, Utah
and Wyoming. The immense richness
Of this territory was not then known.
California was conquested in 1846 by
Commodores Sloat and Stockton, aid
ed by fremont. San Francisco, Mon
terey and Los Angeles 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 detachment of the army with
Doniphan and with the rest of the
force moved on and captured Chihua-
hua and adjacent territory. All this
territory was then in the possession
of the United States.
In northern Mexico, in the autumn
of 1916, Taylor with 5000 men moved
upon and captured Monterey after a
hard struggle. Here his position be-
came unsafe. force was sent
against him by Santa Ana, then at
the head OF the Mexican government.
This army reached him February %,
1s47. Taylor entrenched his army in
long narrow pass and beat the Mex
leans back. This was the battle of
Buena Vista. Northeastern Mexico
was now in American possession.
General Scott was sent with more
than $50 vessels to attack Vera Cruz
He attacked it in March, 1S47, and
landed before the city with 10000
men. The navy took possession of
the Mexican ports on the coast and
duties were collected for the United
States. Santa Ana had collected an
army mar Jalapa and Cerro Gordo
about 10000 strong. In April Scott,
with 5000 men, marched on Cerro
Gordo, captured five Mexican generals
and 5000 prisoners. In the retreat
by the Mexicans, Santa Ana nearly
Puebla and stayed there for the sum-
mr.. 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