The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-09
WHEN AMERICANS
 FOUGHT MENICANS

:. Just TO years ago today, on May g. 1846, the American army inflicted upon the Mexicans the first of that long series of decisive defeats which marked the campaign in Mexico At Resaca 4de la.>s Palma. it was clearly demonstrated that. even at odds of three Me2icans against one American. the latter were. immeasurabIy super for. This battle, the first of the war, really commenced, at Pa1o Alto the previous day, when General Taylor, marching with 2,3C0 men, encounter ed an army of 5000 Mexicans led by General ,Arista. The clash occurred on the Texas prairie about eight miles northeast of Matamoras, Mexico. The sMexicans opened the attack a little past noon with artillery fire and a cavlary attack with the lance. They were forced back and after about five hours reiterated to Resaca de Ia Palma. The Mexicans lost. about a hundred in killed and wounded, and the American loss was 53, among those fatally wounded being Major Ringgo1d, who had distin guished himself as commander of the Flying Artillery.
 Although the Americans had the best Of the argument at Palo Alto, the result was by no means decisive. During the night the Mexicans were reinforced, and about 1000 men were in line to oppose less than a third as many Americans at Resaca de Ia Palma on the ninth of May. After the first clash General Taylor per
 Initted his men to Afeep until about o'clock in the moInfngs when they resumed their march Taylor did not come in contact with the Mexicans until towards evening, when. energ- ing from dense thicket, the Ameri- cans found themselves confronted by 1000 Mexicans drawn Ih in battle ar ray in a ravine about four feet in depth and 200 feet wide. This nat uraI trench, which was the dry bed of a stream was bordered with pal metto trees and hence was called Resaca de la Palma.
 The Mexican artillery had been so
 posted as to command the road over which the Americans must advance to the attack. After a little desultory slxirnishing. General Taylor gave or
 ders to Captain May, leader of dra- goons, to charge the battery. Shout ing to his men to follow, May dashed forward in the face of the fire. The aptain escaped the rain of balls and rode directly toward the parapet. As
 he reached it his big black horse leap ed over the barrier. Several other horsemen made the fearful lap. The
 Mexicans were SO awe-stridken by this exhibition of heroism that they offered no resistance. The gunners were killed by the Americans. and when the remainder of Mays dra-
 goons came up they captured General La Vega and a hundred men and
 with their prisoners marched in triumph back to the American lines
 The main Mexican army was not so easily conuuered. From the rAvine and the chaparra1 they fired steadily at the Americans, but the superior vaIor and Inarksmanship of the latter won the day. After a terrific strug- glue the Americans fought their way l to the Headquarters of General Arista. The latter managed to escape. and fled, a solitary fugitive. across the Rio Grande. The Mexican rarny was
 completely routed and broken up. l Taylor captured arms and ammupi- 1 ton for several thousand men. as wei
 as the personal effects and cores l pondence of General Arista. and some l 2so0o horses The Mexican loss 1T
 killed, wounded and prisoners was
 about 1000 men, while the American l loss was only 10. The result of the battle had a dis
 couraging effect on the Mexicans, whe had confidently planned to carry the
 war into the enemy's country, and to
 achieve a victorious peace by over frunning Texas.