Palo Alto, Battle of

From Encyclopediak

Palo Alto, Battle of, the first important battle of the Mexican War, fought eight miles northeast of Brownsville, Texas, May 8, 1846, between 3,000 Americans, under General Taylor, and 6,000 Mexicans, under generals Arista and Ampudia. As Taylor was marching from Point Isabel to Ft. Brown, he met the enemy, and after a five hours fight, mainly with the artillery, the Mexicans retreated to Resaca de la Palma. See Mexican War.