The log cabin Democrat., 1916-04-08

and arms alone must decide the ques- tion." According to Mexico's per, sistent representations, the Nueces was the western boundary of Texas and the territory between that river 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 "A the Mexican leader advised him that he considered hostilities commenced and should prosecute them" Almost i'm mediately Taylor sent force up the Rio Grande to ascertain If Mexicans had crossed the river. This force was engaged and forced to surrender Then the American congress author l ized the president to raise a force of 50,000 men-"war existed by the act of Mexico the preamble to the bill set forth-and on May 13 the two repub- lies were declared to be at war. Taylor, advancing southward, won victory after victory, the most notable ASSAeiAo III thC ShptuIC ol MolleICS, September 24, 1846 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. He pushed | northward and Taylor, with only 5000 men, fell back to the pass of Angos- fnr i, bo 4oin directly in front of Buena Vista. On the morning of Washington's birthday, 1847, Santa Anna, then within two miles of the United States troops, sent messenger with the ultimatum:
 You are surrounded by 10000 men and cannot avoid being cut to pieces I wish to save you this disaster and herewith call upon you to surrender
 Taylor's reply was characteristic in brevity and tone: T decline to accede to your request"
 For the whole of one day the battle ragged fiercely. Though outnumb?red 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 2,000, 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 near Vera Cruz with 12,O00 men. In few days he had captured the castle and the town and soon started on the 1 march to the capital over the roads which Cortez had taken BPS years be- fore. He occupied Jalapa, Perote and Puebla in turn 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 l California. The cession to the United States added about 100000 square miles of land, with 5000 miles of sea coast and three great harbors. The United States paid $15,000,000 | to Mexico and assumed the claims of American citizens against the south ern republic. Polk considered the terms of the treaty too lenient. but when he submitted the document to the senate it was ratified
 In every battle of the war the Amer | jeans were successful. The United States forces employed in the invasion aggregated about 100000 men, this number including 26,290 regulars and | 56,926 volunteers. One hundred and twenty officers and 1,400 men fell in battle or died from wounds; 100 off, cers and 10,S00 men died of disease. | Approximately 133,200 Mexicans took part in the war 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 young lieutenant in the regular army, only 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 Confederacy, was colonel at the head of 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 ous political result. For the first and only time in American history an ad- ministration 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 1846, was Democratic by large majority. The house elected in the following No- vember, amid the shouts of Taylors victory at Monterey, had a decided | Wh tu