Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-05-06
TAYLOR AT CORPUS CHRISTI
AND ON THE RIO GRANDE

its memories of brave men and gall
liant deeds, Of warfare fierce and
primitive, occupies a unique yet
highly important position in the an
nails Of Americas prograss and de-
velopment.
Trampled by the feet of the con-
uuistadores of old Spain, the French
adventures. the fierce Commences
and the still more warlike island
tribes Of the Caranehuas, n buck
akin clothed heroes Of the Texas re-
public the Austrians n french
hearing Maximilian's star of empire,
the troops of the North and the
gallant soldiers Of the Southern Con-
federacy, the Lower Rio Crande val
ley unrolls a panorama OF history re-
pIete with stirring deeds
Few sections have played a more
important part in American anu
world history. IL IS history OF "hlSn
the valley of the Lower no Uranus
may be proud, q history when Is IN.
separably connected with the great
,rbievements Of men OF many ma
tions. D..
II was here on the lower RIO
Crande. on May S and 3, 1876. tnat
the limited States first demonstrated
the right 10 be classcd among the
world movers. IL was here that the
battles Of Palo Alto and Resaca de Ia
Palma started the star of empire on
- southern and westward march,
bringing under the flag Of the re-
nnhlic the vast domains Of Califor-
MA New Mexico, Nevada and ART
zona- II was these battles that DEL
;r;teiv determined the fate of Texas,
and forever established the boundary
~ the United States on the MO
Crande instead of the Nueces. !,
Eighty-two years have elapsed
cener Zachary Tayior's army OF
less than 5000, by their deeds
wrote into American military history
one Of its most brilliant chapters.
Today three old muzzle-loading navai
Guns one at Palo Alto. one at hesaSa
de Ia Palma and a third near Ola
Fort Brown mark the places where
American arms performed gallant
deeds. Those battles gave TO the
United States a president, Genera
TAYLOR. They revised the map o.
North America, and to that neroic
little army many modern historians
give the credit for Americas present
position among the nations OF tne
world.
historians are practically united IN
yivinO TO the 5000 Mexican soldiers
who opposed the American forces
credit for individual courage Of a de-
gree seldom witnessed upon the field
81 hattie. But they do not extend
eoual credit to the Mexican general
shin. The soldierly quantities Of the
Mexican troops were excellent, ana
had Generals Ampudia and Arlsta
gbowed military skill equal &c the
courage of their troops a different
rhapter might have been written into
world history.
Taylor at Corpus Christi
II was late in July, lS45, when the
troous Of the American army OF oo-
~servation" began to arrive IN corpus
Christi under the command OF zen
eral Taylor, who was ordered to re-
main on the Nueces whine the amer
lean commissioner negotiated Wilt
the Mexican government In regard 70
Tire establishment of Texas boundary,
NE limited States claiming the Rio
Crande as the boundary and Mexico
cortending the Nueces had always
heen recognized as tire northern
~hOnn0AFN VI ANG&Fo
the Mexican state Of ~Tamaulipas.
Negotiations between the govern
ments having failed, General Taylor
received orders in February, 1s46, to
nroceed 70 the Rio Grande. and on
March s the first troops, the Second
D-rapoons under Colonel Twigg, and
n company Of horse artillery, COM
manded by Captain Samuel Ring
gold. moved south from Corpus
Christi 70 form the .dvance guard
Nv Nav If the entire army was NOV
ing southwark, their heavy supplies
going by boat to Point Isabel.
The trail was the M over which
General Filisola had retreated after
TIE hattie Of San Jacinto, a trail
worn smooth by the constant trat-
&c between Matamoros and Corpus
christi. Intense suffering was ex-
perienced by the army in the sand
plains of what is now Kennedy coun-
~. and the fertile lands of the lower
Valley we're a welcome relief to
the footsore troopers.
First Sight Of the Enemy
Mexican cavalry was first sight
cd near what is now the northern
line Of Willacy county at q point
between Yturria and the Laguna
Madre. The Mexicans warned Col
onel Twigg, in command OF the adj
vance guard, not to proceed, but Of
fered no resistance when the order
was ignored.
Scouts reported an excellent cross
ing Of the Arroyo Colorado near the
present ferry of Paso Real. and as
The advance guard neared the water
course a screen of Mexican horse
men was seen along the timber on
the northern side Of the Arroyo.
They retreated before the advancing
Americans, crossing the Arroyo, and
a small force deployed on the south
bank as though intending to oppose
the passage. +.
Artillery was fastened forward
and planted 70 protect the passage
~ troops. The small force on the
south side drew back into the screen
of the timber, and the crossing was
effected without firing a shot.
Both Mexican and American histor-
ians severely criticize General Mejia,
them commander of the Mexican
forces. for his failure TO contest the
massage Of the Arroyo Colorado. The
Mexican general had approximately
n men at his command. The
Arroyo was between four and five
feet deep at that point, and the
hanks steep. The Americans were
without pontoons or bridge material.
cit seems almost incredible that
ue met no resistance at this point"
General u. s. Grant, then q lieuten-
ant Of infantry, says in his memoirs.
"A comparatively small force could
nave caused US great embarrassment.
snd n large force, sucn as General
Mejia had at his command, should