El Brazito

Planning to rendezvous with another American force near Chihuahua, Mexico, Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan’s First Regiment Mounted Missouri Volunteers confronted a Mexican force about nine miles south of La Cruces, New Mexico, at Brazito on the Rio Grande River. As both forces deployed, the Mexicans demanded the Americans surrender. According to one American officer, Doniphan “restrained his men from shooting the bearer down,” but challenged the Mexicans to “charge and be damned.” The Mexicans accepted the dare and attacked. At fifty yards American guns erupted with a devastating effect, routing the Mexicans who fled and abandoned their single artillery piece. The Americans advanced to El Paso, Texas, and seized a variety of military supplies before continuing on to Chihuahua.