Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site

The battle of Palo Alto was one of only two important battles of the Mexican War fought on American soil. On May 8, 1946, General Zachary Taylor and 2,300 United States troops engaged the Mexican army, 3,300 strong under General Manuel Arista at Palo Alto, a few miles north of present-day Brownsville, Texas. It was the first sizable battle of the war. The Mexicans attacked and were repelled twice. They then retreated to Resaca de la Palma, closer to the Rio Grande. After additional losses the following day at Resaca de la Palma, the Mexicans crossed the Rio Grande, ending military action north of the river in Texas. This resulted in the Successful invasion of Mexico, the demonstration of the superiority of American arms, and the heightening of American prestige at home and abroad.

History

Early in 1846, General Zachary Taylor received orders to take possession of the territory lying between the Nueces and the Rio Grande Rivers. Accordingly, he started southward with a part of his force from Corpus Christi overland, sending his supplies and munitions by boat. After a difficult march across the vast territory, the army encamped on March 24, 1846, near Los Fresnos, ten miles north of the present Brownsville, remaining four days while supplies were brought from Point Isabel. On March 28 they reached the Rio Grande where they began construction of earthworks directly on the banks of the river. The post was first known as Fort Taylor but was renamed Fort Brown in honor of Major Jacob Brown who was fatally wounded on May 9 when the fort was besieged by Mexican troops from Matamoros.

The movement of the American army south from Corpus Christi had been the signal for the concentration of Mexican troops at Matamoros. General Arista was appointed Mexican Commander-in-Chief to supersede General Pedro Ampudia, with a total of 5,200 regulars and 26 pieces of artillery.

General Arista moved the concentration of the Mexican cavalry to Rancho Soliseno, 26 miles west of Matamoros with a view of cutting off Taylor's supplies. He crossed from Soliseno on April 24 and took a position on the Point Isabel road near Loma Alta, 9 miles north of Brownsville. Upon hearing of the move, Taylor, with his entire force except for some 50 men remaining at Fort Brown, left on May 11 for the coast, arriving at Point Isabel on May 5. Believing that Taylor was about to withdraw entirely, the Mexicans under Ampudia crossed from Longoreño on May 1 in pursuit of Taylor, leaving a force to besiege the Fort.

Taylor, having received news of the Mexican movement, departed from Point Isabel on May 7. On the following day, the Americans and Mexicans confronted each other on the Battlefield of Palo Alto, an extensive prairie nine miles north of Brownsville, just west of Loma Alta, a rise of land about 28 feet above the surrounding plain.

The Mexicans opened the battle with their artillery but their fire which was only cannon proved ineffective in the tall, almost shoulder-high grass. Soon after the battle opened, Taylor brought his artillery, which included in addition to a cannon, three or four twelve-pound howitzers throwing shells, besides eighteen-pounders that had a longer range, to within 700 yards of the Mexicans, making heavy inroads into their solid ranks of infantry.

Advancing under the smoke of their discharges, American artillerymen were soon pouring an intensive fire of grapeshot upon the Mexicans, breaking all attempts of General Arista to get his cavalry into action. The intensity and effectiveness of the American artillery and the rapidity with which the cannons were fired presented a surprise to the Mexicans who had about 3,000 troops on the field when the battle opened. These were later reinforced by an additional 2,000 men under General Ampudia, but every effort of their overwhelming forces to reach the American line was broken by the galling force of the American artillery.

At dusk, when the battle ceased, the Mexican troops still held the passage to Fort Brown, but dawn disclosed no sign of their forces. The American losses in the battle were nine killed and 44 wounded. Mexican losses were 102 killed and 127 wounded. The first major battle of the Mexican-American War had been fought, resulting in the repulsion of the attacking Mexicans and the beginning of their retreat toward the Rio Grande.