Battle of Palo Alto

The first major battle of the Mexican War (1846-48), which occurred on May 8, 1846, at Palo Alto, near Brownsville in southern Texas. American Gen. Zachary Taylor, who would become president of the United States in 1849, defeated Mexican Gen. Mariano Arista. Taylor pursued the retreating Mexican forces and launched the Battle of the Resaca de la Palma the next day.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.