SIR: I have the honor to report that I was met near this place yesterday, on my march from Point Isabel, by the Mexican forces, and after an action of about five hours, dislodged them from their position and encamped upon the field. Our artillery, consisting of two eighteen pounders and two light batteries, was the arm chiefly engaged, and to the excellent manner in which it was manoeuvred and served, is our success mainly due. The strength of the enemy is believed to have been about six thousand men with seven pieces of artillery and eight hundred cavalry. His loss is probably at least one hundred killed. Our strength did not exceed, all told, twenty-three hundred men, while our loss was comparatively trifling-four men killed, three officers and thirty-seven men wounded, several of the latter mortally. I regret to say that Major Ringgold, third artillery, and Captain Page, fourth infantry, are severely wounded; Lieutenant Luther, second artillery, slightly So. The enemy has fallen back, and it is believed has repassed the river. I have advanced parties now thrown forward in his direction, and shall move the main body immediately. In the haste of this first report, I can only say, that the officers and men behaved in the most admirable manner throughout the action. I shall have the pleasure of making a more detailed report, when those of the different commanders shall be received. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Z. TAYLOR, Brevet Brig. Gen. U. S. A. Commanding. The ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. Army. The exact force of General Taylor was 177 officers and 2111 men. The Mexicans amounted to more than six thousand, and it is probable that their loss was far greater than is stated in the following despatch : GENERAL-IN-CHIEF MOST EXCELLENT SIR: Constant in my purpose of preventing General Taylor from uniting the forces which he brought from the Fronton of Santa Isabel with those which he left fortified opposite Matamoras, I moved this day from the Fauques del Raminero, whence I despatched my last extraordinary courier, and took the direction of Palo Alto, as soon as my spies informed me that the enemy had left Fronton, with the determination of introducing into his fort, wagons loaded with provisions and heavy artillery. I arrived opposite Palo Alto about one o'clock, and observed that the enemy were entering that position. With all my forces I established the line of battle in a great plain, my right resting upon an elevation, and my left on a slough of difficult passage. Scarcely was the first cannon fired when there arrived General Pedro de Ampudia, second in command, whom I had ordered to join me after having covered the points which might serve to besiege the enemy in the forts opposite Matamoras. The forces under my orders amounted to 3000 men, and twelve pieces of artillery; those of the invaders were 3000, rather less than more, and were superior in artillery, since they had twenty pieces of the calibre of sixteen and eighteen pounders. The battle commenced so ardently that the fire of the cannon did not cease a single moment. In the course of it the enemy wished to follow the road towards Matamoras, to raise the siege of his troops; with which object he fired the grass, and formed in front of his line of battle a smoke so thick, that he succeeded in covering himself from our view, but by means of manoeuvres this was twice embarrassed. General Taylor maintained his attack rather defensively than offensively, employing his best arm which is artillery, protected by half of the infantry, and all of his cavalry,-keeping the remainder fortified in the ravine, about two thousand yards from the field of battle. I was anxious for the charge because the fire of cannon did much damage in our ranks, and I instructed General D. Anastosia Torrejon to execute it with the greater part of the cavalry, by our left flank, while one should be executed at the same time by our right flank, with some columns of infantry and the remainder of that arm (cavalry). I was waiting the moment when that general should execute the charge, and the effect of it should begin to be seen in order to give the impulse on the right, but he was checked by a fire of the enemy which defended a slough that embarrassed the attack. Some battalions becoming impatient by the loss which they suffered, fell into disorder, demanding to advance or fall back. immediately caused them to charge with a column of cavalry under the command of Colonel D. Cayetano Montero; the result of this operation being that the dispersed corps repaired their fault as far as possible, marching towards the enemy, who in consequence of his distance was enabled to fall back upon his reserve, and night coming on the battle was concluded-the field remaining for our arms. Every suitable measure was then adopted, and the division took up a more concentrated curve in the same scene of action. The combat was long and bloody, which may be estimated from the calculations made by the commandant general of artillery, General D. Thomas Requena, who assures me that the enemy threw about three thousand cannon shots from two in the afternoon, when the battle commenced, until seven at night when it terminated-six hundred and fifty being fired on our side. The national arms shone forth, since they did not yield a hand's breadth of ground, notwithstanding the superiority in artillery of the enemy, who suffered much damage. Our troops have to lament the loss of two hundred and fifty two men, dispersed, wounded and killed,-the last worthy of national recollection and gratitude for the intrepidity with which they died fighting for the most sacred of causes. Will your excellency please with this note, to report to his excellency the President, representing to him that I will take care to give a circumstantial account of this deed of arms; and recommending to him the good conduct of all the generals, chief officers and soldiers under my orders, for sustaining so bloody a combat, which does honor to our arms and exhibits their discipline. Accept the assurances of my consideration and great regard. God and Liberty! HEAD QUARTERS PALO ALTO, in sight of the enemy, May 8, 1846. MARIANO ARISTA. MOST EXCELLENT SIR, Minister of War and Marine. The battle of Palo Alto will long be remembered as one of the most brilliant in the annals of the republic. General Taylor advanced to it, with a force greatly inferior to that of the enemy, which with the usual mendacity of the Mexican officers is stated at only three thousand in the foregoing despatch. The confidence of the American commander in the efficiency of his troops, was so great that he advanced at a moment when twelve hours delay would have brought him a powerful reinforcement; and he declared previous to his march that he should give battle to the enemy in whatever force he might appear. The result gloriously justified this generous confidence of the brave commander. |