War with Mexico

The background to the war was fundamentally concerned with increasing the territory of the United States. James Knox Polk became US President in 1844. He was an expansionist and wanted to annex Texas and Oregon to the USA and take over California from Mexico. President Polk was willing to pay Mexico to annex Texas to the United States as well as buy New Mexico and California. He suspected that Great Britain was also interested in buying California. The British Admiralty would certainly have liked San Francisco Bay. The Mexicans would not consider discussing a purchase so Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to take his army to the Rio Grande. The Mexican press issued threats but their government did not react. The next month - when Polk was preparing to urge war to the Congress - Mexican Cavalry crossed the Rio Grande and killed or captured some US troopers. War was declared in May 1846.
	President J K Polk. Took oath of office in 1844.
Mexico objected to the annexation of Texas, which was the main focus of the war. However, in 1845 American settlers in California had taken matters into their own hands. After a few skirmishes, California - without Mexico having any say in the matter - was in the hands of the USA by the end of 1846. Zachary Taylor's army advanced and captured the town of Monterrey in September 1846, with the intent of capturing Mexico city overland. For political reasons Taylor did not get enough support to continue his campaign. An amphibious plan to invade Mexico had got underway led by Major General Winfield Scott. The US army was transported by the Navy to Vera Cruz on 9th March 1847. Within three weeks of landing the city was in US hands, allowing Scott to head for Mexico City. His army, under strength, with many insubordinate politically-appointed officers, interfered with by the US administration and living off the land, still met its objectives. Robert E Lee, George B McClellan and Ulysses S Grant took part in the campaign and later showed their skills in the much more serious and bloody civil war. By the 10th of August Scott had left the coast and was on the mountain divide looking at Mexico city in the distance.
In the meantime, President Polk thought he could do a deal with Santa Anna, in exile at Havanna. Polk allowed Santa Anna to return to Mexico on the understanding that a treaty - to the advantage of the US objectives - would be agreed. The Mexican public did not like the proposals so Santa Anna gathered his army and attacked Zachary Taylor in February 1847. Santa Anna was badly beaten but raised more troops and attacked Scott in the south. A series of hard fought battles eventually found the US armies in control of Mexico City on September 17th 1847. A treaty in February of the following year resolved the conflict. The territories and boundaries required by the US were agreed and 15 million dollars paid for the deal - three fifths of the price on offer the previous year.
	General Zachary Taylor
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