At the end of June, 1846, the Army of the West, composed of 2500
Volunteers and 200 First Dragoons, under General Stephen W. Kearny,
leaves Fort Leavenworth on the Missouri River to march 1000 miles and
seize New Mexico.
August 18 General Kearny enters the capital, Santa Fé, and takes
possession of New Mexico.
This same month the Army of the Center, 2500 Volunteers and 500
Regulars under General John E. Wool, assembles at San Antonio of Texas
for a march westward to seize Chihuahua, northwestern Mexico, distant
400 miles.
General Wool is ordered to join General Scott; but in December, 1846,
Colonel A. W. Doniphan, of the Missouri Volunteers of the Kearny army,
leaves Santa Fé with 800 men to march to Chihuahua, 550 miles, and
reinforce him.
December 25 he defeats General Ponce de Leon, commanding 500 Mexican
regular lancers and 800 Chihuahua volunteers, in the battle of
Brazitos, southern New Mexico.
February 28, 1848, in the battle of Sacramento, he defeats General
Heredia and 4000 men, entrenched on the road to Chihuahua. American
loss, one killed, eleven wounded; Mexican loss, 320 killed, over 400
wounded.
On March 1 the American advance enters the city of Chihuahua.
Meanwhile, during all these events, on July 7, 1846, Commodore John
D. Sloat, of the navy’s Pacific Squadron, has hoisted the Flag over
Monterey, the capital of Upper California. The explorer, John C.
Fremont, already has supported an uprising of Americans in the north,
and the flag is raised at San Francisco and Sacramento.
On September 25 (1846) General Kearny starts from Santa Fé with 400
First Dragoons to occupy California, 1100 miles westward. On the way
he learns that California has been taken. He proceeds with only 100
Dragoons. A battalion of 500 Mormons enlisted at Fort Leavenworth is
following.
December 12 he arrives at San Diego, California, and forthwith military
rule is established in California.
[Illustration: WINFIELD SCOTT
General-in-Chief of the Armies of the United States at the Period of
his Commanding in Mexico. From the Picture by Chappel]