MESSENGER-BOYS MADE MORE OUT OF IT THAN THE
STOCKHOLDERS.]

Texas had, under the guidance of Sam Houston, obtained her independence
from Mexico, and asked for admission to the Union. Congress at first
rejected her, fearing that the Texas people lacked cultivation, being so
far away from the thought-ganglia of the East, also fearing a war with
Mexico; but she was at last admitted, and now every one is glad of it.

The Whigs were not in favor of the admission of Texas, and made that the
issue of the following campaign, Henry Clay leading his party to a
hospitable grave in the fall. James K. Polk, a Democrat, was elected.
His rallying cry was, "I am a Democrat."

The Mexican War now came on. General Taylor's army met the enemy first
at Palo Alto, where he ran across the Mexicans six thousand strong, and,
though he had but two thousand men, drove them back, only losing nine
men. This was the most economical battle of the war.

The next afternoon he met the enemy at Resaca de la Palma, and whipped
him in the time usually required to ejaculate the word "scat!"

Next General Taylor proceeded against Monterey, September 24, and with
six thousand men attacked the strongly-fortified city, which held ten
thousand troops. The Americans avoided the heavy fire as well as
possible by entering the city and securing rooms at the best hotel,
leaving word at the office that they did not wish to be disturbed by the
enemy. In fact, the soldiers did dig their way through from house to
house to avoid the volleys from the windows, and thus fought to within a
square of the Grand Plaza, when the city surrendered. The Grand Plaza is
generally a sandy vacant lot, where Mexicans sell _tamales_ made of the
highly-peppered but tempting cutlets of the Mexican hairless dog.

The battle of Buena Vista took place February 23, 1847, General Santa
Anna commanding the Mexicans. He had twenty thousand men, and General
Taylor's troops were reduced in numbers. The fight was a hot one,
lasting all day, and the Americans were saved by Bragg's artillery.
Bragg used the old Colonial method of rolling his guns up to the nose of
the enemy and then discharging an iron-foundry into his midst. This
disgusted the enemy so that General Santa Anna that evening took the
shreds of his army and went away.

[Illustration: THE FIGHT WAS A HOT ONE.]

General Kearney was sent to take New Mexico and California. His work
consisted mainly in marching for General Fremont, wh