With regard to the losses sustained during these engagements, the latter of which was the supplement of the former, according to Taylor's reports, at Palo Alto he had only four men killed, and three officers and thirty-nine men wounded, several mortally. At Resaca de la Palma his loss was 39 killed, three of whom were promising officers, and 83 wounded, including 12 officers; making a total of 43 killed and 125 wounded.[1] It is more difficult to arrive at a conclusion as to the loss sustained by the Mexicans.[2]
As to the number of Mexicans engaged, Taylor says that 6,000 were engaged at Palo Alto, besides an irregular force, the number of which was not known. In his report of the engagement at Resaca de la Palma, he admits that he had no accurate data from which to estimate the enemy's force, but considers it probable, in view of reinforcements which Arista received from Matamoros, that 6,000 men were again opposed to him. On the other hand, according to statements published in Mexico, Arista had at Palo Alto only 3,596 officers and men,[3] while the total amount of troops
- ↑ U. S. Govt Doc., Cong. 29, Ses. 1, Sen. 388. Taylor's marching force on the 9th aggregated 2,222 men. The actual number engaged with the enemy did not exceed 1,700. Ib.
- ↑ Taylor said 1,000 in killed, wounded, and missing in the two actions, but this is not to be relied upon. More than 200 of their dead, he says, were buried by him on the two battle-fields. Arista in his official report to the minister of war, dated May 14th, gives the following figures: At Palo Alto, 102 killed, including 4 officers, and 127 wounded, of whom 11 were officers; at Resaca de la Palma, 6 officers and 154 men killed, 23 officers and 205 men wounded. He places his missing at 3 officers and 150 soldiers; giving a total of 202 killed, 355 wounded, and 159 missing. El Tiempo, 26 Mayo 1846, 1. In Méx., Apunt. Hist. Guerra, it is stated that the Mexican army was reduced by one fifth, the loss being principally confined to killed, wounded, and prisoners, since nearly all the dispersed were reunited in Matamoros. Arista in his despatch just quoted says that the total force reunited amounted to 4,000. Ampudia, Ante el Tribunal, 11, says 3,500.
- ↑ One hundred and ninety having remained before the American fort, and 1,350 in Matamoros, besides the volunteer defenders. Campaña contra Amer. del Norte, 6, Estado no. 1. The author of this historical account of Arista's unfortunate campaign was an infantry officer who took part in it from first to last, but conceals his name. He describes fully the actions at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, the evacuation of Matamoros, and the retreat of Arista to Linares, and supplies plans of the battle-fields and five official tables of the force of the army and number of killed and wounded. While giving all credit to Arista's personal courage, the author attributes the defeat of the Mexicans to the want of military skill displayed by their general, and to his inattention to the representations made by officers under him. The Campaña consists of
