took possession of Chihuahua (March 1, 1847). From this point the little army made its way to Saltillo, where it arrived in safety, after having had its endurance and valor tested to the utmost (May 22).

General Taylor's operations began with the capture of Matamoras (May 19, 1846). From this point he moved westward upon Monterey, and with a much smaller force compelled the Mexican GENERAL AMPUDIA with ten thousand men to surrender and evacuate that city (September 24). GENERAL WORTH, of Taylor's command, shortly after took possession of Saltillo.

Taylor soon found himself confronted by the experienced SANTA ANNA, who, having collected an army of twenty thousand men, confidently counted upon victory, as the Americans numbered but little more than five thousand. In view of his greatly superior force, a battle seemed useless to the Mexican commander, and he suggested that the Americans surrender. "General Taylor never surrenders," was the quiet answer made him.

The opposing forces met at Buena Vista (February 23, 1847). No battlefield was ever more hotly contested.

Several times during the day victory was within the grasp of the Mexicans. At one of these times the day was saved for the Americans by the intrepidity of COLONEL JEFFERSON DAVIS and his regiment of Mississippi riflemen; at another by CAPTAIN BRAXTON BRAGG and his artillery. Valiant service was rendered by the Arkansas and Kentucky cavalry under

COLONELS YELL and MARSHALL. After ten hours of fighting the Mexicans withdrew from the field, and by daylight the next morning were in full retreat.

As the war progressed, it was seen that to be decisive, military operations must be directed against the Mexican capital. These operations were entrusted to GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. Landing near Vera Cruz, Scott attacked that city with a force of twelve thousand, and compelled its

surrender (March 27, 1847). Marching inland, he encountered a large Mexican army under Santa Anna at Cerro Gordo, and administered to it a crushing defeat (April 18). The next day he took possession of the city of Jalapa, from which he pushed on to the city of Puebla. Scott here waited for reinforcements. These soon arriving, he again took up his line of march for the city of Mexico (August 7).

On the 20th of August a series of attacks upon the positions of the enemy were successfully executed.. Generals

The Success of Scott's Army. The defenses of the city were many in number, and Santa Anna was a skilled and sagacious commander, with more than thirty thousand men under his direction. The successes of the American army were therefore remarkable, and were no doubt due to the great array of military talent among the subordinate officers in command, many of whom were to come to the front as commanding generals in another war, and win undying fame by their achievements.

PILLOW and TWIGGS stormed Contreras, driving the Mexican general, VALENCIA, from his fortifications, and followed up the victory the same day by carrying the heights of Cherubusco, near by, defeating Santa Anna.

The next advance was upon Chapultepec. Molino del

Rey, one of its outer defenses, was gallantly carried by General Worth (September 7), and shortly after the strongly fortified citadel of Chapultepec itself was brilliantly and

successfully stormed (September 13). The next day Scott entered the city of Mexico in triumph.

The Texas Cession and the Gadsden
Purchase.

The Mexican Government now gladly acceded to terms of peace. The treaty was signed at Guadalupe Hidalgo (February 2, 1848). By the terms of this treaty Mexico relinquished all claims to upper California and New Mexico, accepting the Rio Grande as its northeast boundary. In consideration of this relinquishment the United States paid fifteen million dollars to the Mexican Government, and assumed all debts due by it to citizens of the United States. California had scarcely come into possession of the United States when a discovery was made that brought a rush of settlers to its territory. A laborer cutting a millrace for Captain Sutter's mill, in one of the small branches of the Sacramento River, found particles of gold in the sand. The news spread throughout the country, and the rush of gold-seekers and fortunehunters began. Those who first arrived, alluded to themselves with pride for many years after as "Forty-niners." In 1850 San Francisco had sprung up into a city of fifteen the same year the State of California was admitted into the

Union.

The territorial claims of Texas extended to the Rio Grande River and included much of what is now New Mexico. In 1848 it was attempted to extend the jurisdiction of Texas over this newly-acquired territory. Officers were appointed and sent to take possession, but these found the territory already organized, for Kearney had instituted a form of government immediately after taking possession of Santa Fé (1846). A conflict of authority thus arose, but the controversy was settled by the payment of $10,000,000 by the United States (1850). Half of this amount went to liquidate the debt of the old Republic of Texas. The bound rv line established by the Treaty of Guade Hidalgo was so indefinite that a dispute arose between the United States and Mexico over the teritory south of the Gila River. A settlement was effected by the United States paying an additional ten million dollars for the territory in dispute, General Gadsden effecting the purchase (1852).

thousand inhabitants, and in