Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-04-13

anu the teTTltUTy uetWccn luat wv
and the Rio Grande was a part Of the
Mexican domain. Taylor consequently
was regarded as an invader.
Taylor Acts Promptly.
The American general did not reply
to the ultimatum. On April - the
Mexican leader advised him that he
considered hostilities commenced and
should prosecute them" Almost i'm
mediately Taylor Sent a force up the
Rio Grande &c ascertain II MeXicans
had crossed the river. This force was
engaged and forced to surrender.
Then the American congress author
ICED the president to raise a force OF
$4,000 men-"war existed by the act Of
Mexico" the preamble to the bill set
forth-and on May IS the two repub-
lies were declared to be at war.
Taylor. advancing southwark, won
victory after victory, the most notable
resulting in the capture of Monterey.
September "a. 1916. That autumn part
| Of his army was taken from him to re-
enforce Gen. Winfield Scott. and santa
Anna. commanding the Mexican army.
seeing his weakened condition. deter
mined TO annihilate him. lie pushed
northward. and Taylor, with only 5000
men. fell back to the pass Of Angos-
tura. a narrow defle in the mountains
directly in front OF Buena Vista.
i On the morning OF W~ashington's
birthday, 1S47. Santa Anna, then
within two miles of the United States
troops. sent a messenger with the
Atimatum:
t"You are surrounded by 10000 men
add cannot avoid being cut to pieces.
I wish to save you this disaster. n
herewith call upon you to surrender
Taylor's reply was characteristic in
bravity and tone: Il decline to accede
to your request"
For the whole OF II day the battle
ragged ~fiercely. Though outnumbered.
the Americans had the advantage OF
position and of artillery. and their bat
terieS swept the attacking lines from
the field repeatedly. During the night
the Mexicans retreated. Their casual
ties, had numbered 1000, while the
Americans lost 700 in killed and
wounded. Buena Vista went a long
way toward making Taylor president
of the United States.
IN March, 1S47. Scott landed neal
Vera Cruz with 1900 men. In a few
days he had captured the castle IND
THE town and soon started on the
march to the capital owe the roads
which Cortez had taken S2S years be-
fore. He occupied Jalapa, Perote and
Yuebla in urn and on September IA
entered the city Of Mexico.
Peace Terms Accepted.
President Polk had tried repeatedly
| to bring about peace. By the treaty Of
\ Guadalupe Hidalgo Mexico gave up
the vast territory of New Mexico and
| California. The cession to the United
States added about 1000, 900 square
miles of land. with 5000 miles OF
sea coast and three great harbors.
The United States paid sl5,0oO.ooo
to Mexico and assumed the claims
OF American citizens against the south
ern republic. Polk considered the
terms of the treaty too l%enient. but
when he submitted the document to
the senate it was ratified.
In every battle Of the war the amer
leans were successful. The United
States forces employed in the invasion
aggregated about 100, 900 men, this
number including 1920 regulars and
| $685. volunteers. One hundred and
twenty officers and 1.400 men fell in
battle or died from wounds; 100 Off
GERS and 1O,S0O men died Of disease.
Approximately l33.2O0 Mexicans took
part in the wal and their loss in
killed and wounded was about $500.
Three men who fought against Mex.
ico-Taylor. Pierce and Grant-be-
came presidents Of the United States.
Pierce had answered the call for vol
unteers: Grant was a young lieutenant
in the regular army. only a few years
out of West Point. Many Of the great
leaders in the Civil war owed their
pre-eminence in skill and strategy to
the training received just after their
baptism OF fire in Mexico. Jefferson
Davis. who became president Of the
C~onfederacy. was colonel at the head
of a regiment of Mississippi infantry
at Buena Vista, and Sherman, Thomas
Bragg and Reynolds were in charge
OF batteries.
Curious Political Result.
The contest with Mexico had a curl.
Gus political result. For the first and
only time in American history ar ad.
m@inistration conducting a war which
was victorious at every step steadily
lost ground with the people Of the
country. The house OF representa-.
tives which declared war in May 1916
was Democratic by a large majority
The house elected in the following No
vember, amid the shouts Of TaylOr's
victory at Monterey. had a decided
Wig majority.
This political reverse has been as
cribed to three causes-the enact
ment of the tariff OF 1886 There may
be a tariff Issue again this year.
which offended some OF the manufac
turing interests: the receding of the
administration from the ground orig
inally taken on the Oregon boundar!
question, and the widespread appre
hension that the wal had been under
taken for the purpose OF extending
and perpetuating slavery.
It was the hero Of the war who was
elected president In 1S48. Polk wal
not ever renominated by the Demo
Gratis. Like many men since his time
he had pursued an unwise course
toward the Democratic organization
In New York and split the marty