"The First Red Drops of the Long Impending Storm" The Second U.S. Dragoons charging at one of the battles of Palo Alto and Resca de la Palma. A primitive painting by an unknown artist. Kennedy Gallery. On March 28th, 1846, General Zachary Taylor and his "Army of Occupation" arrived at a point opposite the village of Matamoras on the banks of the Rio Grande. Taylor had been ordered to the area by President James K. Polk. The stated purpose of the mission as to ensure that the newly annexed Republic of Texas remained free of conflict with the unhappy Mexican government who hotly contested the Texas annexation by the United States Congress. Several messages had been received from the Mexican forces in the area demanding that the U.S. force return to a point north of the Rio Nueces approximately 100 miles away. These directives were met by Taylor with either silence of with the statement that the matter would be discussed in Matamoras. And so the American army pushed on until finally it reached its objective of the Rio Grande across from the village of Matamoras. Taylor dispatched Brigadier General William Jenkins Worth and staff to cross the Rio Grande and attempt to make contact with Mexican authorities to discuss the situation as it stood. General Mejia, the Mexican commanding officer, refused to meet with representatives of the American force personally and sent a subordinate, General De la Vega. De la Vega and Worth exchanged communications and the subject then turned to the annexation question. Worth, whose personality and temper kept him from being the ideal ambassador of good faith, immediately ended the meeting and returned to the American lines. Taylor's engineers were employed for several days in locating an appropriate site for a fortification on the northern bank of the river, opposite Matamoras. Construction on the fortification began on April 5th, 1846 and immediately afterwards Mexican troops began construction of their own fortification directly across from the American works. The Mexican forces took no hostile actions at this time, but obvious, elaborate displays of their superior numerical force were made frequently. Reinforcements Arriving in Matamoras on April 11 was Mexican General Pedro Ampudia. Ampudia's division of troops entered Matamoras several days later bringing the total Mexican force up to 6000 troops, according to some sources. Ampudia repeated the earlier warnings made to the U.S. force and ordered the Americans back to the northern bank of the Rio Nueces until all border claims had been negotiated between the two governments. Ampudia further stated that if Taylor did not comply, war was the immediate alternative. General Taylor quietly stated that he was completely without authority in resolving the border dispute and as his mission was strictly one of a military nature he would have to decline the invitation to withdraw. Taylor punctuated this reply by calling for a blockade of the Rio Grande by American gunboats and subsequently cut off Matamoras from supply via the river. This action was met with the expected Mexican protests, but Taylor refused to have the blockade lifted. Another change in Mexican command occurred on the 24th of April when the General in Chief of the Mexican "Army of the North", Mariano Arista arrived with reinforcements at Matamoras. Arista, obviously far more aggressive than his predecessors, informed Taylor that he considered hostilities to have commenced and that he believed it his dutyto prosecute them. Forces were dispatched from both sides of the Rio Grande to ascertain the respective enemy forces' strengths and dispositions. On April 25th, two such exploratory forces encountered each other on the gounds of a corraled ranchero. A squadron of the U.S. Second Dragoons led byCaptain Seth B. Thornton of Maryland, was to investigate rumors of a large Mexican force that had crossed the river and were operating on the northern banks. The American captain was advised against proceeding further by his Mexican guide as he had information that General Anastasio Torrejon was in the immediate area with a large force. Thornton, believing all Mexicans to be liars, pushed on. Thornton led his squadron towards a corraled ranch and into the enclosure in column of march. Knocking on the ranch house door in the most courteous manner, Thornton intended to ask the resident the whereabouts of the Mexican force. Although no answer replied to his knocking, the question he intended to ask was answered by a volley of fire as Mexican troops revealed themselves from their ambush. Several attempts at breaking out of the trap were made with no success. Thornton was wounded and command of the force fell to Captain Hardee (who later wrote a treatise on cavalry tactics). Hardee made one more attempt at escape when he rallied the remaining dragoons and charged to the banks of the Rio Grande. The attempt was fruitless and Hardee surrendered to the Mexican forces. Of the sixty dragoons in Thornton's command, sixteen were dead or wounded and the remainder were taken prisoner. Thornton's Mexican guide made good his escape. Fort Texas Other minor skirmishes occurred over the next several days, but the majority of time by both sides was filled by completing the defensive works the armies had begun. On April 30th, 1846, the American defensive works were completed to Taylor's satisfaction. The new construction was named Fort Texas. Intelligence was received that a Mexican force had crossed the Rio Grande downstream from Fort Texas, and therefore, threatened Taylor's lines of communication with Point Isabel, his supply depot. In response, Taylor garrisoned Fort Texas with two companies of Artillery and the Seventh U.S. Infantry, and proceeded to Point Isabel. Taylor intended to fortify Point Isabel against possible attack and collect stores for the resupply of Fort Texas. The move of Taylor's remaining force was uneventful. Upon Taylor's arrival at Point Isabel, the defenses there were strengthened and wagons were loaded with newly arrived supplies for transportation back to Fort Texas. The work progressed slowly. On May 3rd, 1846, the troops with Taylor at Point Isabel could hear a rumbling in the distance. Many never having heard the sound before believed it to be thunder. Others more knowledgeable, knew the sound to be artillery in the distance, booming from the direction of Fort Texas. Scouts were dispatched back to the Matamoras area and the work to be completed at Point Isabel was hurried along. Apprehension ran high among the troops with Taylor as they pondered the fate of their companions back on the Rio Grande. Scouts returned with the news that Fort Texas was being bombarded by the batteries of the Mexican Army. Officers pleaded with Taylor to drop all that was being done and rush to the defenders' aide. But Taylor, having confidence in the strength of the fort and the determination of the garrison, calmly insisted that the remaining work continue. When Taylor was satisfied that everything that needed to be done was finished, the orders were given and the U.S. force began its return march to the Rio Grande. Arista, having hoped to catch Taylor's force on the way to Point Isabel, was not terribly upset when he was not able to catch Taylor as he had planned. He was confident that Taylor would return, anticipated that the American's return trip would not be missed, and that he would be able to force the small American army into battle on his own terms. Arista positioned his force across the road upon which the American would march and patiently waited. On May 3rd, Arista ordered the bombardment of the American fortress at Matamoras to begin. Seven Mexican artillery pieces from the batteries on the south bank opened up on the American position. In reply, the American artillery, consisting of four eighteen pounders and a field battery of four light six pounders commanded by Captain Braxton Bragg, returned fire. As Bragg's guns were too light and the distance too far, they soon discontinued their useless firing. This artillery exchange of fire continued for several days. On the sixth of May, the first real loss to the Americans occurred when the fort's commander, Major Jacob Brown, was mortally wounded. The fort was subsequently renamed Fort Brown in his honor and the present day city in Texas located in the same area remains so named today. The bombardment of Fort Texas continued. On the 7th of May, Mexican forces had completed battery positions that further threatened the American position. Although the bombardment of the American works continued until May 9th an apparent marshaling of Mexican troops and supplies indicated a possible assault of the fortification, no serious attempts were made. Battles of Palo Alto and Resca de la Palma Introduction and Initial Maneuverings Battle of Palo Alto Battle of Resca de la Palma A Wargamer's Perspective Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. IX No. 1 Back to Courier List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 1989 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com