Army of Occupation (Mexico)

On April 23, 1845, Brevet Brigadier General Zachary Taylor was appointed to command the 1st Military District along the Texas/Louisiana border.

On April 27 Taylor received orders to move with a "Corps of Observation" to the Texas frontier.

Taylor defeated the Mexican army at the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma.

Order of Battle Taylor received significant reinforcements for an invasion of northern Mexico.

The 1st Division of Volunteers under the command of Kentucky native, General William O. Butler who also served as Taylor's second-in-command.

Patterson's 2nd Division was stationed at Camargo until he received orders directly from the Secretary of War to proceed to and occupy the coastal city of Tampico.

Taylor and the remaining three divisions along with Henderson's Texans, numbering around 6,000, moved into northern Mexico to fight the battle of Monterrey.

Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston's regiment of Texas volunteers time ran out.

General Twiggs' Division was to lead the attack on Monterrey but prior to the battle he overdosed on his usual laxative and was forced to turn command over to Lt. Col. John Garland.

Generals Worth and Henderson and Col. Jefferson Davis served as commissioners for the surrender of Monterrey and the army occupied the city for several months after.

Maj. Gen. J. Pinckney Henderson Forces Stationed at Camargo After capturing Monterrey most of the units in the Army of Occupation were transferred to Winfield Scott for the invasion of central Mexico and in October Henderson's Texans returned home.

Antonio López de Santa Anna assembled an army of 25,000 and marched to destroy the Americans at Saltillo.

Taylor met Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista and although greatly outnumbered defeated the Mexicans.