Guns Along the Rio Grande: Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma is an engaging account of the period of distrust and misunderstanding that preceded the opening of hostilities between the United States and Mexico. In his highly readable essay, Stephen A. Carney traces the tensions that proved to be the catalyst for the opening battles at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma on 8 and 9 May 1846, covering the strategic setting and each operation in detail. Army of Occupation commander Brig. Gen. Zachary Taylor ultimately won decisive tactical victories against a numerically superior enemy, highlighting...

Gateway South: The Campaign for Monterrey is an absorbing account of the U.S. Army's role in military action undertaken to fix the southern boundary of the United States and to integrate California into the nation. To attain these objectives and to pressure Mexico into accepting new land boundaries, Command General of the United States Army Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott planned for four additional simultaneous operations in the summer months of 1846. His first target in Mexico was the city of Monterrey, situated 180 miles to the south and west of his current position in Matamoros. The campaign...