Palo Alto Battlefield

When the fighting broke out in the Mexican-American War in May 1846, US General Zachary Taylor and most of his troops moved south towards the Mexican border. To stop him, Mexican General Mariano Arista placed his own much-larger body of troops across the main road to Matamoros, intending to goad the Americans into attacking him and then surround and overwhelm them with his superior numbers. The place he chose was known as Palo Alto.

When Taylor reached the spot, however, he held his troops back and placed them in position to protect his train of supply wagons, and opened up on the Mexicans with his artillery. The American cannons were superior in range, power, and mobility, and also fired exploding projectiles, unlike the less-effective Mexican solid-shot. Arista found his lines being ripped to shreds by the American artillery. In desperation, he ordered several charges to break the Americans and capture their cannons, but they failed. As darkness fell, Arista pulled his troops back and retreated to Resaca de la Palma, about five miles away.

Some photos from the battlefield.

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Visitors Center

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inside the Visitors Center

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Fused exploding artillery shells used by the Americans

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One of the battlefield trails. This place is perfect rattlesnake habitat, so there are signs everywhere telling people to stay on the walkways.

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The overlook in the middle of the battlefield

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From the overlook. The Mexican lines are to the right, the Americans to the left

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The Americans had the BFG’s.

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Mexican lines

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At one point, the dry grass on the battlefield caught fire, and there was a temporary halt in the fighting because nobody could see each other

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The Mexicans withdrew to Resaca de la Palma, about five miles away

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“Palo Alto” means “tall trees”.