Week 7 Day 2: A brief military descciption of the Mexican American War

As we learned in class, the Mexican-American War was started (at least in definition) over a territory dispute in Texas. The US claimed that the border between Texas and Mexico was the Rio Grande; Mexico claimed it to be the much more northern Nueces River. As such, there was a buffer zone between the two rivers that both nations claimed to be their own. President Polk, who favored expansion, instigated the war by moving troops into the disputed area. As expected, Mexico reacted to what they thought was an invasion. On April 25, 1846, a Mexican cavalry unit attacked a group of American soldiers under the command of Zachary Taylor. Then, the Mexicans laid siege to a fort on the Rio Grande, where they were beaten back. Within three weeks, Congress declared war.

America had two main forces in the war. One was led by Zachary Taylor (who would later become president), while another slightly smaller force was led by Col. Stephen W. Kearny. Kearny's troops went westward to occupy the territory that the US sought in New Mexico and California. Most of this land was sparsely, and he had very little trouble with what population there was. Taylor's army plunged south into Mexico. He encountered more resistance, but still had little trouble, capturing Monterrey and winning the battle of Buena Vista. However, he did not really want a full scale invasion of Mexico, like Polk did.

Meanwhile, on the Mexican side, the Mexican government brought back General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, a hero from their war of independence. He talked to Polk and made a deal that said that if he went back to Mexico, he would end the war on terms beneficial to the US. However, as soon as he got back to Mexico, he broke his vow and took control of the army.

Meanwhile, Polk, disgusted with Taylor's lack of aggression, gave General Winfield Scott and army and orders to land at the port of Veracruz and attack. Scott took the port in three weeks. Then, he basically followed the route inland that Hernan Cortes had taken centuries ago to Mexico City. Just six months later, Scott's troops marched into the Mexican capital city.