Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

THE ARTILLERY DID TIE WORE AT PALO ALTO AND RESACA. 41
The consecrated and still ensanguined fields of Palo Alto
and Resaca cde la Palma, were not many leagues distant from
Camp Belknap; and during our stay there, many of our people took occasion to visit them, in company sometimes with
those who had witnessed, and could communicate many thrilling incidents of the battles. It was well ascertained that the
enemy had at least five thousand fighting men at Palo Alto,
while General Taylor's effective force did not much exceed
two thousand. Many officers with whom I conversed on the
subject united in attributing their success mainly to the artillery. In the action of the 8th of May, was first demonstratecl, in the practical operations of war, the wonderful
perfection of our light field-batteries. The prairie -upon which
the hostile forces met, was admirably adapted for their evolutions, and they made terrible havoc in the Mexican ranks.
The distinguished G6crdca Costa battalion of Tampico, is
said to have been almost extinguished by the artillery, so
boldly and brilliantly maneuvered by Duncan and Ringgold.
It is also affirmed that, by a single discharge of one of these
batteries, an entire band of Mexican musicians was ex —
terminated, while executing one of their grand martial bravuras.
It is not improbable that General Arista, perceiving at
Palo Alto how a complete knowledge of the artillery arm
equalized the strength of armies differing so greatly in numbers, was thereby induced to fall back on the morning of the
9th to the broken and covered ground at Resaca, where the
bayonet and sabre should decide the combat. But there again
his qucantiy yielded to what General Taylor calls in his offi