y disputed by fully 6,000 Mexicans, who were three
times as numerous as his own army. Attacking the enemy with great
spirit, he routed them with the loss of a hundred men, his own loss
being four killed and forty wounded.

Resuming his march toward Fort Brown, Taylor had reached a point within
three miles of it, when he was brought face to face with a much larger
force at Resaca de la Palma. The battle was a severe one, and for a long
time was in doubt; but the tide was turned by a dashing charge of
Captain May with his dragoons. Despite a destructive fire of grapeshot,
the horsemen galloped over the Mexican batteries, cut down the gunners,
and captured the commanding officer. Taylor then pushed on to Fort Brown
and found it safe, though it had been under an almost continuous
bombardment, in which Major Brown, the commandant, was killed.

[Illustration: ROBERT E. LEE IN ONE OF THE BATTLES OF THE MEXICAN WAR.

"Always to be found where the fighting was the fiercest."]

WAR DECLARED BY CONGRESS.

News of these battles was carried north by carrier pigeons and
telegraph, and the war spirit of the country was roused. Congress on
the 11th of May declared that war existed by the act of the Mexican
government, and $10,000,000 was placed at the disposal of the President,
who was authorized to accept 50,000 volunteers. The call for them was
answered by 300,000, who were eager to serve in the war.

GENERAL SCOTT'S PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.

General Scott, as head of the army, formed a careful plan of campaign
for the conquest of Mexico. Of the three divisions, General Kearny, with
the army of the west, was to cross the Rocky Mountains and conquer the
northern Mexican provinces; General Scott himself, with the army of the
centre, was to advance from the coast into the interior of the country,
making the city of Mexico, the capital of the republic, his objective
point; while General Taylor, with the army of occupation, was to seize
and hold the Rio Grande country. The work of mustering in the troops was
intrusted to General Wool, who, some time later, established himself at
San Antonio, and sent many soldiers to the different commands.

CAPTURE OF MONTEREY.

Within less than two weeks after his victory at Resaca de la Palma,
Taylor crossed over from Fort Brown and captured Matamoras. Then he
turned up the right bank of the Rio Grande and marched into the
interior. The Mexicans retreated to the fortified town of Monterey,
whe