RI Rio Salado Nueces R. Corpus Christi 123. Here, while resting, Taylor received an order from General Scott, his superior in command, which deprived him of many of his best troops. In the full expectation of crushing Taylor's army, in its weakened condition, Santa Anna, the PresiIdent of the Mexican republic, marched against it. At Buena Vista (bwā'na vees'-ta), a mountain pass to which the little army had advanced, the two forces met. Santa Anna summoned his adversary to surrender. The reply was: "General Monterey Saltillo Mier TAYLOR'S Camargo Pt.Isabel Palo Alto Resaca de la Palma CAMPAIGN Scale 20 40 60 80 100 Taylor never surrenders." The battle that followed was long and desperate. Disappointed and vexed, the Mexicans gave up the contest, and escaped further defeat by making a night retreat (February 23, 1847). New Mexico Taken. 124. Meanwhile the Americans were winning success in other parts of the Mexican domain. General Kearny, leading an expedition across the wilderness from Missouri to Santa Fé, nearly a thousand miles, took possession of New Mexico (map 6). Leaving a force to keep possession of the country, he set out to repeat his success in California, then a part of Mexico, but John C. Fremont, "The Pathfinder of the Rocky Mountains," was ahead of him. 125. Before the breaking out of the war Fremont was sent to make western explorations. At length, needing sup 123. In what direction is Monterey from Buena Vista? Give an account of the battle of Buena Vista. 124. Give an account of Kearny's success. Where is Santa Fé (map 6)? What knowledge of Santa Fé have you previously gained (p. 47) ? plies, he made his way into California. The war was then in progress, but he did not know it. The days for sending messages along telegraph wires had only just begun. In a short time he received news of the hos tilities, and, at the same time, orders from Washington. He was directed to protect the interests of the United States in California, there being reason to believe, so California it was asserted, that England, taking advantage of the war, would try to get possession of that country. Orders, like those sent to Fremont, were also sent to the commanders of war ships on the Pacific coast. Many of the American settlers in California determining to set up a new government, Fremont took sides with them (June, 1846). Meanwhile the war ships were not idle, and soon California was in full possession of the Americans (Aug., 1846). (Read page preceding Appendix.) 126. It has been asserted that the reason Santa Anna did not spend more time fighting Taylor was because of reports that reached him about a great expedition under Scott. This expedition, it was reported, was on its way to capture Vera Cruz, and thence march against the City of Mexico. Thinking that less was to be Scott's Campaign. 125. What is said of Fremont and his doings? What was accomplished on the Pacific coast ? 126. Give an account of the capture of Vera Cruz. Battle of Cerro Gordo. How are those two places located? Where did we meet Scott before (pp. 252, 271) ? feared from the little army of Taylor than the big one of Scott, Santa Anna turned his efforts to oppose the latter. The fleet conveying Scott's army arrived near Vera Cruz, the troops were landed, and, after a bombardment from ships and land batteries lasting several days, the city was compelled to surrender (March, 1847). The march to the Mexican capital was not easy. Santa Anna was a wily foe, and his army was large. At the mountain pass of Cerro Gordo the Mexicans were strongly intrenched. The Americans cut a road around and up the mountains, and then made a daring assault. The Mexicans fled, and in so much of a hurry that Santa Anna, to escape capture, was obliged to leave his wooden leg behind (April 18). 127. The next day Scott entered the town of Jalapa (hah-lah'-pah). Advancing, he occupied the ancient city of PRINCIPAL BATTLES OF THE WAR WITH MEXICO. THE AMERICANS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN EACH. 4, 6. General Kearny, marching from Missouri, took possession of New Mexico; and a division of his army under Colonel Doniphan, continuing the march, defeated the enemy at Bracito and Sacramento. 9-12 were positions fortified by the Mexicans for the protection of the City of Mexico (map p. 278). General Worth distinguished himself while in command of the attack upon the Molino del Rey. 13. General Lane, on his march with recruits for Scott, was attacked by Santa Anna, after the latter's flight from the City of Mexico. 127. Give an account of Scott's further march and success. In what direction from Vera Cruz is the City of Mexico (map p. 278) ? Puebla (pwā'-blah), where, waiting for more troops, he remained three months. Resuming the march, toward the middle of August he caught sight of the capital, the city that Cortes had captured more than three centuries and a quarter before (p. 30). The approaches to it were guarded by powerful batteries on rocky hills; but these were captured, one after another, after a month of severe fighting; and on the 14th of September the victorious army entered the city. Treaty A treaty 128. There was not much fighting after this. was agreed to by which the Rio Grande was made a boundary line between the two countries, and a vast territory between Texas and the Pacific, inMexico. cluding the present State of California, was surrendered to the United States (map 8). The treaty was signed by agents of the two governments in the little town of Guadalupe Hidalgo (gwah-dah-loo'-pa he-dahl'-go), about four miles from the City of Mexico (February, 1848). In return for this territory the United States paid Mexico fifteen million dollars; and, in addition, assumed the debts due from Mexico to American citizens, amounting to about three million dollars. Wilmot 129. David Wilmot, a member of Congress from Pennsylvania, did not like the treaty. There were no slaves in the territory acquired from Mexico, and he had hoped that the treaty would declare that there never should be any. It did not. Two years before President Polk asked for money to enable him to negotiate & peace with Mexico. To a bill in Congress in favor of the request, Wilmot offered a proviso, the object of which was to exclude slavery from the territory forever. The bill, with the proviso, was passed in one branch of Congress, but not in the other (1846). That, however, did not end the mission of this Wilmot Proviso. Wilmot's effort helped to bring into existence the 128. What treaty closed the war? What territory did we gain, and how much did we pay for it? 129. Repeat all that is stated of the Wilmot Proviso. Free Soil Party, whose motto was "Free Soil, Free Speech, Free Labor, and Free Men" (§ 134). Railroads and Telegraphs. 130. The close of Polk's administration saw thirty States in the Union, Iowa (map 6), taken from the Louisiana Purchase, having been admitted in 1846 (§ 40), and Wisconsin (map 4), taken from the Northwest Territory, in 1848 (§ 11). It also saw the locomotive, the iron horse, running on six thousand miles of roads, and telegraph wires stretched in many directions. Who thought out the first plan by which messages could be sent by electricity along a wire is not known. We have records of successful experiments made by Professor Henry and others, but the invention of Professor Morse, an American, was certainly the first of any practical importance. His telegraph between Washington and Baltimore, a distance of forty miles, was first put to use in 1844. The idea of having telegraphic communication with Europe by means of a cable stretched across the Atlantic was conceived by Cyrus W. Field, a New York merchant. After two failures a cable was laid upon the bed of the ocean from Europe to America, but it worked only a few weeks (1858). The project, however, was kept alive by Field, whose faith was of the kind which removes mountains and abolishes oceans. In 1866 his untiring efforts were crowned with perfect success.* (Note 44, Appendix, p. 58.) PROF. S. F. B. MORSE. *The telephone is a more recent invention. The first was made in, Germany, but only musical, not articulate, sounds could be sent by it. The telephones now in common use throughout the world are American inventions, for which we are indebted to A. G. Bell, Elisha Gray, T. A. Edison, and others. In 1888 the U. S. Supreme Court decided that Bell's was the earliest. 130. What is said of Iowa? Wisconsin ? Railroads? Telegraph? Telephone ! |