Battle of Resaca de la Palma

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Date	May 9, 1846
Location	Brownsville, Texas
Result	American victory

Combatants

Commanders

Strength

2,000

3,000

Casualties

120 dead or wounded

154 dead
205 wounded
156 missing

Mexican–American War
Fort Texas – Palo Alto – Resaca de la Palma – Cañada – Mora – Embudo Pass – Pueblo de Taos – Monterrey – Buena Vista – Puebla – Cañoncito – Santa Fe – San Pasqual – Rio San Gabriel – La Mesa – Huamantla – Veracruz – Cerro Gordo – Contreras – Churubusco – Molino del Rey – Chapultepec – Mexico City – 1st Tabasco – Tuxpan – 2nd Tabasco – El Brazito – Sacramento

At the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, one of the early engagements of the Mexican-American War, United States General Zachary Taylor engaged the retreating forces of the Mexican Ejército del Norte ("Army of the North") under General Mariano Arista on May 9, 1846.

1 Background
2 Battle
3 Aftermath
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Background

During the night of May 8, following disappointments at the Battle of Palo Alto, Arista chose to withdraw to the more defensible position of Resaca de la Palma, a dry riverbed (resaca is the Spanish term for a dry riverbed), and establish himself while waiting for Taylor's next move.

On the morning of May 9, Taylor's 1,700 troops engaged a Mexican force which had increased to 4,000 with Arista's reinforcements. Arista's carefully laid plans for engaging the Americans at Resaca were, however, somewhat diluted because of political infighting in the Mexican officer corps and the difficulty in communicating in the rough terrain of the battlefield.

[edit] Battle

Resistance on the part of the Mexicans was stiff, and the U.S. forces nearly suffered a reverse before a force of Dragoons managed to surprise the flank of the Mexican lines and force a retreat. Two counter-attacks on the American position were defeated, and the Mexican Army fled the field, leaving behind a number of artillery pieces, Arista's silver service, and the colors of Mexico's lauded Tampico Battalion.

[edit] Aftermath

The resulting embarrassment as a near victory turned into a defeat caused the removal of Arista as commander of the Army of the North and a serious reassessment of Mexican strategy. Corruption and infighting in the Mexican government failed to produce a cohesive strategy for much of the fighting, despite increased skill and success on the part of the Mexican Army.

The battle site is in the city limits of present day Brownsville, Texas.