Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/438

* MEXICAN LITERATURE. 402 MEXICAN WAR. Manuel E. Gorosiiza ^17S1>1851) stands su- jirenie. His comedies, of which the most famous are Imlulycncia para todos and Conliyv pun y cebolla. still hold popular favor. Tn addition to an active military and diplomatic career he organized the present Bibliotcca yacionul, and j;rcatl_v advanced the cause of ])opular education throughout the Republic. Consult: .hunan, Diseitaciones sohn In llistoria dc Mcjicu (Mexi- co, 1844-49) ; Pienientel, llintoria crilica dc la lileratura y de las ciencias en Mexico (Mexico, 1S85) ; Cortez, .ImtVien Poitica (Paris, 1875) ; id., Uiccirmario bioyriifico Anwricdrio (Paris, 1S7.T) : and Mexico a trares dc los siylos (Mexi- co. lSS7S!n. MEXICAN POPPY. See Argemone. MEXICAN SUBREGION. In zoiigcography, a sulidivir-ion of the Neotropical Region which embraces Central America and the low, hot coast regions of ile.xico to the mouth of the Rio Grande on the cast and about to the border of the plains of Durango on the west. Letween these, the northern fauna and flora are continued along the summit of the Cordillera as an entering wedge reaching south to Xica- ragua. It has many species peculiar to itself, but no large groups, ilany northern as well as southern forms extend their range into this middle region, as might be expected: and views differ as to where its boundaries should be drawn. (See SoxoKAN liECiiox.) On the whole, its affini- ties are Soith American. See Distbiiutiox of Ammals; Xkog.ea; Xotog.ea. MEXICAN WAR. The war between the VnitiMl St;itcs and -Mexico in 184(i-48. It was the result of a scries of outrages upon .merican citizens, the recognition of the independence of Texas by the United States (18;i7), the annexa- tion (184.5) of Texas to the United States, in the face of bitter opposition on the part of Mexico, herself torn with revolution and con- tending factions, and finally of a dispute regard- ing the boundary of Texas, the United States claiming the Rio Grande as the boundary, while Mexico held that Texas did not extend farther south than the Nueces. During the fall of 1S4.5 a large part of the small regular army of the United Stales was assembled under (ien. Zacbary Taylor at Corpus Christi. near the mouth of the Nueces in Texas, and on March 12. 1S4. under orders from the United States GovernnuMit. Tay- lor advanced into the territory the possession of which was then in dispute, .fter a march of sixteen days he reached the Rio Grande at a point opposite to the Mexican city of Mata- moros. A week earlier, on the 21st. the Unit- eil States .Minister to Mexico, Sliihdl, un.able to negotiate a treaty in accordance with Presi- ilenf I'olk's directions, or even to secure official- recognition, received his passports and started on his return to the United States. The Mexican army at this time numbered at least .'{O.OOO of all arms, and comprised, besides troops of the line, the active battalions of the States and the local national gininls of the cities. The cavalry llanciTs) were excidlent horsemen, fairly dis- ciplined, but inditferently mounted and jioorly armed; the artillery, officered partly by foreign- ers, were good gunners, Init the arm lacked mo- bility: the infantry were well drilled, but were armed with muskets of ancient pattern. .An undue number of general oflicers (pcditicians rather than soldiers) and an inelhcient general staff completed the ile.xiean resources for war. The effective power of the ilexicans, however, was enhanced by the fact that they represented the "defense;' that they served among friends, and that they often fought behind strong fortifi- cations. Tile American army was inferior in numerical strength to the enemy. At the close of 1845 the maximum strength was 7883. What it lacked in numbers, however, was made up in ligliting quality. It consisted of two regiments of dragoons, four of artillery, and eight of in- fantry, with the usual staff corps. The dragoons were well disciplined, drilled as light cavalry, and armed with carbines and sabres; the artillery garrisoned the fortifications, but had little in- struction in gunnery, excepting one company in each regiment organized as liglit artillery, which had reached a high standard of ellicicncy ; the infantry, well disciplined and familiar with the use of arms, were distributed among a nimiber of small frontier posts and never in large bodies; the officers, a majority graduates of West Point, were generally of superior ability, with the ex- perience and self-reliance gained in Indian ser- vice and independent comiuand. The navy of the United States, although small, was exceedingly efficient. The ilexican Repul)lic had only a few small steamers and sailing vessels, and these principally on paper. Taylor's command hardly comprised 3000 effectives upon its arrival oppo- site Matamoros, on the 28th of March, 1846. Taylor immediately fortified his position and established a base of supply at Point Isabel. The mouth of the Rio (4randc was lilockaded by the small naval force accomiianying the. ieri- can army, and two vessels with supplies for the Mexican army were warned off and returned to sea. General Ampudia. who was in command at ilatamoros from April 11th to April 24th, pro- tested vigorously against the occupation of dis- puted territory by Cieneral Taylor, and insisted that, pending a settlement of the lioumlary dis- pute, the American army should be withdrawn to the Nueces. On April 24th General .rista super- seded Ampudia, and at once decided to take the offensive and cross the Rio Grande, notifying Tay- lor that he considered hostilities already to have liegun on the part of the I'nited States. On the 25tb General Taylor learned that a large force of cavalry had crossed the Rio Grande some niilen above his position, and sent a small squadron of the Second Dragoons under Cajitain Thornton to obtain definite information. While endeavoring to execute the order, Thornton, whose guide had deserted, found his command surrounded by a .Mexican cavalry force of more than .WO. and in an attempt to cut his way out lost one officer and eight men killed, and two men wounded: and, with the remainder (4(iK was captured. Taylor notified his Government that the first blow had been struck, and called upon the Governors of Louisiana and Texas for 5000 vcdunteers. On the 30th. General Taylor, leaving a regiment of infan- try and two companies of artillery to garrison an earthwork, known as Fort Brown (see HnoWNS- vii.i.K. Tex.), in front of Matamoros. proceeded with the remainder of his command to Point Isabel in order to complete his communications. During his absence the ;Mexicans attacked the fort vigorously. but to no avail. .Vs he was return- ing (May Sth). he encountered .Arista, who with 0000 men and ten guns barred the road at a place