blockaded, at the "cost of war." Arista prepared to attack Fort Brown, and
cut off communication between Taylor and his supplies. Captain Thornton's
command, sent out to reconnoitre, was captured on April 26. Only Thornton
escaped by leaping his horse over a dense hedge. On May 1, leaving Major
Brown in command at the fort, Taylor made a forced march to Point Isabel.
The Mexicans promptly sent men across the river to the rear of Fort Brown,
and opened fire together with the guns of Matamoras on that work. Major
Brown was first among the killed. Signal guns were fired to recall Taylor.
With 2,300 men he turned back on May 6. Meanwhile, 6,000 Mexicans had
arrived and taken up a strong position at Palo Alto. On the 8th, Taylor
assaulted the superior force confronting him. Two eighteen-pounders and two
light batteries made fearful havoc in the closed ranks of the Mexican
infantry. The prairie grass between the two armies took fire. Both lines
drew back, but soon renewed the fight. Taylor's left was met by cannonade,
but the Mexican column was overthrown and the entire force fell back to
Resaca de la Palma. The Americans took up their march to Fort Brown. When
within three miles of the fort they encountered the Mexicans, strongly
posted in Resaca de la Palma, a ravine three hundred feet wide bordered
with palmetto trees. Taylor deployed a portion of his force as skirmishers,
and a company of dragoons overrode the first Mexican battery. The
Americans then advanced their battery to the crest. A regiment charged in
column, and, joined by the skirmishers, seized the enemy's artillery. After
hard fighting in the chaparral, the Mexicans were put to flight. The
Mexicans lost one thousand men, the Americans conceded but one hundred.
Refusing an armistice, Taylor crossed the river on May 18, and unfurled the
Stars and Stripes on Mexican territory. Another attempted stand of the
Mexicans resulted in worse defeat. Arista's retreat became a rout. Of 7,000
men he brought only 2,500 to Linares. The American troops occupied
Matamoras, Reinosa and Camargo. The three States of Tamaulipas, Coahuila
and Nuevo Leon were annexed to the territory of the Rio Grande. In the
interior of Mexico a revolution broke out. General Paredes was made
President.

[Sidenote: Kearney annexes New Mexico]

[Sidenote: Fremont in California]

In July, Colonel Philip Kearney, with an American force, marched unopposed
from the Arkansas River and took possession of