The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-10
MEXICAN WAR OF 1876 BEGAN At PALO ALTO;
GENERAL TAYLOR SCORED A GREAT VICTORY

patched that night to carry news %
assistance 10 Major Brown and 70
bring back news Of conditions at the
fort by NV *h Walker was back
and said tho defenders were sanguine
nf being ahle 10 hold out. and two
days later General TAYLOR was so
equipped that he was able to start
to the relief OF Fort Brown. In an
address to his soldiers the American
commander told them their main re-
Nance must ho on the baYonet.
At ! o'clock May Sth the entire
army ~ Ar.sta was deserted in limo
pF battle. the tlne nearly mile and
half long and extending directly
across the main road with the evil
dent design Of disputing the farther
advance ~ the American army. Arts
IA mad over SIX thousand men with
twelve pieces Of artillery The
American general had two thousand
Two hundred and eighty men.
all told. and ten guns.
No sooner had the Americans de-
hoBched from The scraggv mesquite
thirket. and entered upon the open
prairie. than their commander form
ed hE Ifne of battle The right wing
was }e3 by TwtgRs ard the left nv
BelAuap- Before advancing ttss
-AtleI,--2;l- commander asaerad MS
men To a pond of fresh water 20
drink their fiji and 10 rerlenish their
canteeus Then the march was taken
up across the open prairie. here
mile Ia width. and the army contin~
ned 70 move forward until within sew
en- hundred yards Of the Nexicans. At
this point "A battery nf the enemvs
right apencd fire with both grape and
round shot~-tbe first battle In the
war between the United States and
Mexico had begun.
General Tayior's Formation.
General TAYLOR halted and deplov-
ed hts columns IN line and two 49,
FOUNDERS, from which the draft oxen
bad been hurriedly detached at once
opening ny their position In the road
BiugEold s battery on the right and
Duncan's on the left were pushed
forward into the prairie and took up
he fire, The MeXlcans had brought
Vp ALI their guns and the combat
opened with fury The enemy then
ordered a Ranking movement by his
|anrers--a thouaud troug, on the
American right evidently with rf1e
intention Of turning the American po~
stion ard falling upon the heavy
wagon tram in the rear, To aid this
| movement ATIsta also detached two
Of his lighter pieces of artillery and
HIS men came NoNU HI EedBl-IAf or
der at The outset. but their pace ahat-
ed rs 4 peitinc shower Of musket
balls met them.
Yet the lancers continued to ad-
vauce--aud on the ground most ia
vorable- but coming into musket
range Of the Fifth infantry, under Nc
Intosh. the first Volley left many sad
dies vacant and the command under
1 Torrejon Was driven back In dis
order
The Mexican leader reformed his
I command when out Of range and re-
turned TO the work once more with.
the same purpose. but Twiggs. throw
ing his men around a small pond on
+ the extreme right. the Mexican lane
ers were again met checked and fin
4 alv forced hack even beyond their
i original position.
4 While General Aristas attempts on
L General Taylor's right were thus foil
I'd The 1S-pounders were keeping mp
an inoessant attack on the masses in
front and meanwhile Duncan. on the
left, was operating against the Mexi
can right with all his guns, causing
such havoc that at times he received
the fire Of all the opposing batteries.
The Mexican fire. II Is true lacked
accuracy at first bat the air was filled
with missiles the fiat prairie was
plowed by the round shot and the art
tillerists of the enemy were imprrv-
ing their eunnerN.
The caunonade on either side had
now continued for an hour, the losses
of the enemy being severe. owing to
the more rapid fire and greater pre-
cision ~ Ringgold's ana Duncans
lattprieSi Net the Mexieans stood
bravely 70 their work and every gap
was promptly closed.
The heat Of the day was intense
and the dry grass in front Of Dun
can's pieces took fire and the flames
spread rapidly across the plain. The
smoke grew dense and gathered along
( the line between the contending
4 forces till the fire along the entire
+ line ceased
IN Hours Interval.
An interval Of nearly an hour now
occurred in the combat the time
/ being employed by the Americans N
carrying the wounded to the rear.
repieniahing the caissons with cart
ridges. repairing injured guns and re-
! placing the horses BILLED during the
fight.
AS the smoke gradually lifted q
was seen that Arista had shifted his
position. The action then began more
severely than ever and May was or