Battle of Palo Alto

Date: may 8, 1846

Location: Between Fort Texas and Point Isabel

Officers involved:

Casualty statistics:

The Battle of Palo Alto
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/images/battles/palo-alto.jpg

Result of the Battle:

The American army shredded the Mexican lines, many Mexican soldiers died from just standing in their lines.  Fire broke out on the battle field, and the both armies were blinded in the smoke for a short period of time.  The fire resulted in many wounded Mexican soldiers on the battle field burned to death. Even though the casualty statistics show that 100 Mexicans were killed in the battle, some sources suggests that close to 500 Mexican soldiers were killed that day.  Both sides launched ineffective counter attacks during the battle.  In the end, the American troops won the battle and forced the, Mexicans to retreat to the south.  Taylor then gained control over the Rio Grande, protecting Texas.(25)

Battle of Resaca de la Palma

Date: May 9, 1846

Location: 5 miles from the battle site of Palo Alto, between Point Isabel and Matamoros

Officers involved:

Casualty statistics

Result of the Battle:

The battle ended when the Mexican troops fled from the battle field to the town of Matamoros.  The American troops chased after the Mexican troops, and many Mexican soildiers were drowned in the Rio Grande due to the heavy weight of their equipments and guns.  After the battle, General Taylor and his troops returned to Fort Texas, the General and his officers then began planning their attack on Matamoros, across the Rio Grande.(26)

Battle of Monterey

Date: September 20 – 24, 1846

Location: Monterey in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon

Officers involved:

Casualty statistics

The Battle of Monterey
By Carl Nebel
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/images/battles/monterrey.jpg

Result of the Battle:
The battle ended with Americans fighting door-to-door within the city of Monterey, and finally bombarded into General Ampudia’s headquarters.  Ampudia requested a truce from General Taylor, followed by an eight-week armistice under which his army retreated with their guns and a battery of six cannons.  The Mexican troops surrendered Monrery at last, on September 28 1846, which enabled General Taylor to secure another essential city as he proceeded southward towards central Mexico.(27)

Quote:

“In September, 1846, Taylor's army fought General Ampudia's forces for control of the northern Mexican city of Monterey in a bloody three-day battle. Following the capture of the city by the Americans, a temporary truce ensued which enabled both armies to recover from the exhausting Battle of Monterey.”(28)

Battle of Buena Vista

Date: February 22-23, 1847

Location: At the village of Buena Vista in the Mexican state of Coahila

Casualty statistics

Battle of Buena Vista
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/images/battles/battle_of_buena_vista.jpg

Result of the battle:
After two days of intense battle, the Mexican army almost overran the American battle lines.  On the third day, the American army noticed the Mexican army leaving the battle field and heading towards the town of Agua Nieva.  This offensive movement of the Mexicans alarmed the American army.  However, the Americans were eventually able to stop Mexican troop’s offensive movement.  The war ended with both armies withdrawing from the battle for the night.(29)

The Capture of Veracruz

Date: March 9-29, 1847

Location: the eastern cost of Mexico at the city of Veracruz

Casualty statistics

The Battle of Varacruz
By Henry William
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/images/battles/p182-painting-vera-cruz.jpg

Results of the battle:
General Scott emplaced 4 guns around the city of Varacruz and forced General Morales to surrender the city.  General Morales resigned his commission in fear, and failed to respond to General Scott’s demanding request.  On March 26, Brigadier General Jose Juan Landero finally called a truce and surrendered the city of Veracurz to the Americans.(30)

Battle of Cerro Gordo

Date: April 18, 1847
Location: 20 miles east of Jalapa, Veracruz

 
Casualty statistics:

The battle of Cerro Gordo
By Carl Nebel
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/images/battles/p182-painting-cerro-gordo.jpg

Results of the battle:

General Scott planned the attack, and the American army successfully surrounded the Mexican troops on Cerro Gordo.  General Scott ordered his army to attack the main line and send troops to the rear position of where the Mexican army was positioned, in order to prevent any of the Mexican soldiers from escaping to Jalapa.  The Americans won the battle and captured over three thousand Mexican soldiers.(31)

Battles of Contreras and Churubusco  

Date: August 19-20, 1847

Location: Approximately 10 miles southwest from Mexico City

Casualty statistics

The Battle of Contreras
By James Willson
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/images/battles/p182-painting-conteras.jpg

The Battle of Churubusco
By James Willson
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/images/battles/p182-painting-churabasco.jpg

The Battle of Churubusco
By By Carl Nebel
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/images/battles/p182-painting-churabasco2.jpg

Result of the battles:

The battle between the Americans and Mexicans moved from Contreras to Churubusco over a very short period of time.  During the battle, the American army was able to take the upper hand and forced into Churubusco by defeating the Mexican soldiers.  They captured many Mexican soldiers, including 72 soldiers in a group led by Captain John Riley.  The victory of this battle provided General Scott an important pathway to Mexico City.(32) 

Battle for Mexico City

Date: September 13-14, 1847

Location: The San Cosme and Belen Causeway

Casualty statistics

General Scott's Entrance into Mexico City
By Carl Nebel
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/images/battles/u.s.troops_enter_mexico_city.jpg

Results of the battle:
The American army entered in the Mexico City after defeating the Mexican soldiers who were defending the causeways.  However, the American army faced heavy resistance from the citizens of Mexico City as well as the Mexican soldiers.  After the defeat, General Santa Ann announced his resignation in a meeting with his generals, and fled the city in fear of being captured. Manuel de la Peria became the president of the city shortly after the resignation of General Santa Anna.  On the morning of September 14, 1878, Manuel de la Peria surrendered Mexico City to General Scott.(33)