Zachary Taylor and twenty-four hundred troops arrive…
May 1846 CE
However, General Arista rushes north and intercepts him with a force of thirty-four hundred at Palo Alto.
The U.S. Army employs "flying artillery", their term for horse artillery, a type of mobile light artillery that is mounted on horse carriages with the entire crew riding horses into battle.
It has a devastating effect on the Mexican army.
In contrast to the "flying artillery" of the Americans, the Mexican cannons at the Battle of Palo Alto fired at such slow velocities that it is possible for American soldiers to dodge artillery rounds.
The Mexicans reply with cavalry skirmishes and their own artillery.
The U.S. flying artillery somewhat demoralizes the Mexican side, and seeking terrain more to their advantage, the Mexicans retreat to the far side of a dry riverbed (resaca) during the night.
It provides a natural fortification, but during the retreat, Mexican troops are scattered, making communication difficult.