Old Rough and Ready at Buena Vista: Zachary Taylor's Ambiguous Victory
Outmanned 3-to-1, the tiny American army of General Zachary Taylor prepared to meet the oncoming hordes of Mexican leader Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.
Here's What You Need to Know: Santa Anna displayed little tactical ability during the pivotal battle.
By the spring of 1846, it had become apparent to everyone that diplomatic efforts between the United States and Mexico had failed. For the Mexicans, old injustices had become unbearable. A decade earlier, the upstart Texans had declared their independence, but the sovereign nation of Mexico still considered the land a northern province. Then, in 1845, the United States had annexed Texas while offering Mexico the insultingly low amount of $35 million to purchase California and other lands in western North America.