ces, between which and the Rio Grande was a
triangular section of territory claimed by both governments; and this
was the nominal subject of dispute between the United States and
Mexico. General Taylor, commanding about four thousand troops, was
ordered to move his force to the Rio Grande, on which the Mexicans had
concentrated an army. A body of United States dragoons, commanded by
Captain Thornton, was surprised by an overwhelming force of the enemy,
and all of them killed, wounded, or captured. This event fired the
blood of the soldiers, as well as of the people of the country, and
Taylor crossed the river with the main body of his little army.

The Mexican generals declared that the advance of Taylor into the
disputed territory was an act of war, and active hostilities had
commenced. While the general was hastening to reinforce one of the
forts attacked, he came upon the Mexicans drawn up in order of battle
at Palo Alto. An action, mostly with artillery, followed, and the
enemy were defeated and driven from the field. It was the first battle
fought in thirty-one years with any foe other than Indians, by
American soldiers. Grant was in that first conflict of half a century,
as he was in the last ones.

The Mexicans had fled from this first considerable battle of the war
to Resaca de la Palma, where they had established themselves in a
strong position. Taylor attacked them the next day, and though their
force was triple that of their assailants, they were again defeated
and routed. The Mexicans fought with dogged courage, however they may
be judged from the events of the war. Three months later, General
Taylor marched upon Monterey with an army reinforced to 6,000 men. It
was strongly fortified, but the city was captured after a hard-fought
battle.

In the midst of the conflict in the town, while the Mexicans were
disputing its possession from the windows of the strongly constructed
houses, the ammunition of the brigade to which Grant was attached was
exhausted, and it became necessary to send for a fresh supply. It was
a service of extreme peril, and a volunteer was called for to perform
it. Grant was a bold rider, and he promptly offered himself to execute
the dangerous mission. Mounting a very spirited horse, he resorted to
the Indian fashion of hanging at the side of his steed so that the
body of the animal protected him against the shots from the windows,
and he passed safely through the street. With a suffici