Mexicans the next day, the incident did not improve the relations between Mexico and the United States. The envoy of the latter government was informed, in August, 1843, that the annexation of Texas would be looked on as a casus belli, and Minister Thompson replied as haughtily as Daniel Webster had done the year before. President Tyler was very anxious to bring about the annexation, and concluded a treaty to that effect with Texas and laid it before the Senate on April 22, 1844. The treaty was rejected by a vote of thirty-five to sixteen, but meanwhile General Zachary Taylor was posted at Fort Jesup with about eleven hundred and fifty men, and a naval force was sent to the Gulf of Mexico. Taylor was instructed to march to the Sabine, in case of danger to Texas, but not to cross the river without further orders. President Tyler, on October 14, instructed the American envoy at Mexico to protest against the sanguinary manner in which the war against Texas was waged, and, on December 19, in his message to Congress, urged "prompt and immediate action on the subject of annexation." The president was not satisfied with urging action but had joint resolutions adopted on March 1, 1845, by which he was given the option of effecting the annexation by treaty or by resolution, and he immediately sent a messenger to the Texan government. The resolutions had been adopted in the House by a majority of twenty-two votes, and in the Senate by a majority of two. President Tyler, therefore, on the eve of retiring from office, committed the United States to the policy of annexation and left to his successor the task of accomplishing it. President Polk had been elected on that platform and set about to realize it with courage and energy.

The Mexican minister to Washington, General Almonte, demanded his passports, and the American envoy at Mexico was virtually dismissed. Preparations for war were made by both countries, but on October 13, 1845, the Mexican government was informed confidentially that the American government desired to send an envoy empowered to settle

the questions in dispute. The Mexican secretary replied that a commissioner would be received to arrange the dispute about Texas, and suggested as a condition sine qua non that the American squadron off Vera Cruz should retire. President Polk immediately sent John Slidell, of Louisiana, as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, and he arrived at Vera Cruz on December 3, 1845, before the American fleet had wholly retired. Slidell was not recognized, and on March 21, 1846, he received his passport, which he had demanded. He had endeavored to bring about a settlement of the claims of the American citizens and had informed his government, in the beginning of the year, of the utter failure of his mission. The annexation of Texas and the acquisition of California not being obtained by negotiations, there was no other recourse but war, and General Taylor was ordered to march to the Rio Grande. The glorious campaigns of "Old Rough and Ready" were about to begin.

CHAPTER XII

THE WAR WITH THe united STATES

GENERAL TAYLOR had been ordered to take possession of Point Isabel, which threatened Matamoros, and on March 8 he set out from Corpus Christi. He crossed the Little Colorado river to establish a depot at Point Isabel, and a little later erected a fort opposite Matamoros. General Ampudia prepared to attack him but was superseded by General Arista who, on April 24, 1846, advanced against the Americans. Captain Thornton fell into an ambuscade, on April 25, and was captured with a party of dragoons by the Mexicans. This act brought about a formal declaration of war on May 13, as, according to President Polk, "Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory, and shed American blood upon the American soil." On May 8 Taylor attacked the Mexicans who were posted at Palo Alto, and although both armies encamped for the night near the field of battle, the next day Arista retired toward Matamoros and took up a position at the Resaca de la Palma. Taylor followed him and defeated him utterly on May 9, capturing all the Mexican artillery, war material, baggage, and even the official correspondence of Arista. The American army comprised only twenty-three hundred men, while the Mexicans had a force of at least five thousand men. Arista was deprived of his command and sent to a court martial, and General Ampudia was restored to his former position of commander-in-chief. Meanwhile Fort

Texas, built by Taylor, had been attacked and bravely defended by Major Brown who was killed shortly before the enemy had retreated. In his honor the fort was named Fort Brown. Taylor occupied Matamoros, on May 18, without resistance.

On May 20, 1846, General José María Yañez declared against President Paredes at Guadalajara, and the latter was taken prisoner and exiled, after General Mariano Salas had also pronounced against him. Salas called together a Congress which elected president, in December, the inevitable Santa Anna. The former dictator had returned to Mexico in August; he had been allowed to pass through the American fleet off Vera Cruz, as it was thought that his presence in his country would be a cause of discord and weakness rather than of strength. Santa Anna, as he had often done, preferred to command the army than to rule as president, and leaving that office to Farías, the vice-president, he set out for San Luis Potosi at the head of three thousand men.

In the meantime Taylor had not been inactive after he had entered Matamoros. He had chosen Camargo, on the Rio Grande, for his headquarters, and on September 5 had begun his forward movement against Monterey. His division commanders were Twiggs, Worth, and Butler, and he had about six thousand men, of whom nearly half were volunteers. He arrived, on September 19, in front of Monterey which General Ampudia had strongly fortified. It lay in a beautiful valley of the Sierra Madre and was protected by high hills and by a citadel and other forts, and by barricades. On September 20 Taylor sent Worth to occupy the Saltillo road, and on the 21st began the assault. The Mexicans defended themselves bravely, resisting stubbornly as the Americans advanced from street to street, and from house to house. On September 24 Ampudia proposed to capitulate and received generous terms from the victor, who allowed the Mexican troops to march out with their small arms and accoutrements, one field-battery, and twenty-one