As a result of the fighting the day before, General Arista re-evaluated the capabilities of the American army. The "Norte Americanos" were not merely the rough and tumble sort of fighters that the Texans had shown to be, but were apparently very professional in their deportment. To counter the effectiveness of the "Flying Batteries", Arista determined to avail himself of a more defensive position and negate the American artillery arm. To this end, Arista rallied his scattered force and withdrew to a point five to six miles south known as Resca de la Palma. Resca de la Palma was a roughly horse shoe shaped ravine complex through which the road that the American force had to travel passed nearly through the center. To further complicate the rough terrain, the area was a thorny thicket of chaparral and underbrush. The Mexicans established their position here on the northern crest of the ravine. The first line of defense was supported by a battery of three guns whose line bisected the roadway the Americans sought to use in their advance to Fort Texas. As a second line of defense, Mexican infantry was posted on the southern edge of the ravine supporting the troops in the first line. In order to insure that the roadway was well protected, Arista established a second artillery position on the southern ridge. This position was made up of four artillery pieces, two on either side of the roadway which would be able to support the fire line artillery battery with either flank or cross fire support. The Mexican cavalry, being unable to maneuver in the thickets, was massed to the rear. Some sources indicate that during the night Arista received reinforcements of nearly two thousand infantry and a strong force of cavalry. Although reinforcement was possible, it is unlikely that the Mexican force was any more numerous than the day before. Taylor left the supply train behind on the field at Palo Alto defended by the two eighteen pounders along with two newly mounted twelve pounders. A picked corps of two-hundred and twenty skirmishers under Captains McCall and C.F. Smith accompanied by a company of Texas Rangers and a small party of dragoons made up the advanced guard. These troops were situated on either side of the road by which the Americans intended to advance. Beating through the chaparral, this force met with only token resistance until it entered an open area directly in front of the ravine. A shot from the Mexican battery posted there indicated that the Mexican army had been located in force and that they intended to contest the crossing of the ravine. With the arrival of Taylor and the remaining American force, the skirmishers were ordered to advance, bring on the action and ascertain the exact positions of the enemy. In support of the advancing American skirmishers, Ringgold's battery of Horse Artillery was posted on the right of the road within 300 yards of the first line Mexican field battery. This battery was now under the command of Lieutenant Randolph Ridgely, West Point Class of 1837, as Ringgold had been seriously wounded by Mexican artillery fire at Palo Alto and would in fact die three days later. The Fifth U.S. Infantry and a portion of the Fourth U.S. Infantry deployed as skirmishers advanced on the left of the road. The remainder of the Fourth and the Third U.S. Infantry were arranged on the right of the road and supported the skirmishers on that portion of the field. These forces advanced toward the Mexican position and pressed on into the thicket. Terrain The situation of the terrain did not allow for any other American artillery to be positioned other than Ridgely's. This battery, however, opened up a brisk fire at the first line Mexican battery whose return fire was equally enthusiastic. Despite the artillery elan, accuracy suffered because of the chaparral and neither battery was effective in the exchange. Although the first line Mexican battery fire slackened somewhat under Ridgely's fire, the second line Mexican battery continued its fire without pause. The cannonade from this battery fell fast and furious on the advancing American troops. When Mexican fire began to fall around General Taylor and his staff, one officer, fearing for the commander's safety, requested that Taylor withdraw to a safer distance. Taylor is said to have replied, "We'll ride forward a little and the shots will fall behind us." As the American troops entered the chaparral the fighting became fragmented and disorganized. The majority of those units fighting were seldom over company size. Small hand to hand actions were the order of the day. Where at Palo Alto the brunt of the fighting had been the task of the artillery, Resca de la Palma was a battle fought by the infantry with their bayonets. Ulysses Grant, serving as a Lieutenant with the Fourth U.S. Infantry at Resca de la Palma, related a story of how he and a group of men from his company had become tangled in the thick underbrush. Advancing through it, he came to a clearing where he found a Mexican colonel and several Mexican soldiers who surrendered without a fight. As he was preparing to send the captives to the rear under guard, a private approached him from the front; the ground upon which he stood had already been crossed and the Mexican colonel and the other captives had already surrendered to the Americans! Such was the fighting in the thicket that day. Company commanders lost their direction and small parties of troops advanced in singular fashion without plan or support. In an effort to bring about an early victory, Taylor ordered Captain Charles A. May to lead his squadron of the Second U.S. Dragoons forward and take the Mexican guns on the road. May began to advance until he approached the position of Ridgely's guns. Here Ridgely called out to May to delay for a moment until the Mexican fire had been drawn. Ridgely's battery fired at the Mexican battery to its front and the Mexicans answered in reply. Before the Mexican artillerists could reload their guns, May led his squadron off at a gallop and charged the Mexican battery. Sweeping the Mexican artillerists aside, May continued the charge onto the second line of defense held by the Mexicans. Through the confusion and casualties taken, May reached the second line of defenses with only six troopers. Badly cut up, the squadron returned down the road with the Mexican gunners resurning their former positions and continuing to fire. Little had been accomplished in the daring charge that was made by May's squadron. May was later breveted to Lt. Colonel for the alleged personal capture of the Mexican General de la Vega. This later proved to be misinformation supplied by May himself. It was subsequently learned that May had only relieved his bugler of the General to gain the recognition after the bugler actually took de la Vega prisoner. For this bit of glory hunting May lost his squadron's admiration and respect. After the return to the American lines of the remains of May's squadron, Taylor called to Belknap's Eighth U.S. Infantry who had been held in reserve. "Take those guns, and by God keep them!" Belknap led the Eighth Infantry down the road in column at a charge pace. The Eighth was joined by a portion of the Fifth Infantry who had emerged from the tangle on the left of the road. Together they charged the Mexican artillery, crossed the ravine and after an intense combat, pushed the Mexicans from the area. The battle in the center of the field was over, but still in the thicket the conflict continued. Small groups of soldiers fought each other unaware of the total situation. The struggle lasted until their last artillery piece situated on the left was captured and their camp had been entered by the Fourth U.S. Infantry. It was at this time that the rout of the Mexican Army of the North began. Pursuit Ordered to pursue the fleeing Mexican army, Kerr's squadron of dragoons, the artillery battalion and the light companies under C.F. Smith dispersed the Mexicans driving the fugitives into the chaparral and Rio Grande. Many casualties were attributed to the Mexican soldiers reaching the bank of the Rio Grande and plunging in without proper means to ferry across. Many of these apparently drowned in the attempt to escape. As the fugitives and pursuing force came out into the open on the banks of the Rio Grande, the batteries in Matamoras opened upon the pursuing Americans and the guns inside Fort Texas trained their barrels on the pursued Mexicans. With the approach of darkness, however, target selection became difficult and the batteries of both sides ceased firing. The rout of the Mexican Army of the North was complete. Among the loot taken by the American troops were eight artillery pieces, with their equipment and ammunition, the Mexican camp and camp furniture, hundreds of pack animals, General Arista's personal baggage, plate and correspondence. American estimates of Mexican losses are certainly inflated, but are said to have exceeded one thousand men over the two day period. The Americans for their part in the action had lost nearly two hundred men wounded and killed. Not only did the battles of Palo Alto and Resca de la Palma usher in the war between the United States and Mexico, but it altered some misconceptions that armies of both sides held about the other. American officers certainly gained a very deep respect for the quality of fighting man that the Mexican soldier showed himself to be. Captain McCall of the Fourth U.S. Infantry stated that he recalled two Mexican regiments of veterans standing up to the artillery fire at Resca de la Palma until almost annihilated; one regiment retiring from the field with but twenty-five men." It was also learned that the Mexican soldiers habitually marched thirty miles a day and fifty upon occasion. This compared to the fifteen miles per day that American soldiers averaged. The Mexican General de la Vega appeared awed at the American performance of the two days fighting. Reportedly he stated that he had fought armies of several different nations but that the Americans were the only army that he ever saw charge right up to the very mouths of artillery. On May 18th, 1846, the army of General Arista evacuated the city of Matamoras to the Americans. Pursuing the Mexican army, Lt. Colonel Garland led the entire American mounted force for sixty miles into Mexican territory where the pursuit was terminated. 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