Palo Alto

The opening round of the Mexican War occurred a few miles north of Matamoros, Mexico (within the city limits of present-day Brownsville, Texas). When the Mexicans laid siege to Fort Texas, an American-held earthen work on the northside of the Rio Grande River, General Zachary Taylor countered by moving his “Army of Occupation” from its supply base at Port Isabel, northeast of Matamoros. The Mexicans blocked the American advance on a coastal prairie surrounded by trees named Palo Alto (“Tall Timber”). After the Americans formed battle lines, the Mexicans opened the fighting. On two occasions, the Americans repulsed Mexican cavalry charges. More significantly, American gunners employed a tactic of using their light guns to attack and then moved quickly to another location and resumed firing. This “flying artillery” outdueled the Mexicans and inflicted heavy casualties. The four-hour conflict, which was technically a draw, ended at sunset.