Taylor Wins at Buena Vista: Outnumbered Americans Prevail
General Zachary Taylor's outnumbered American force repelled Santa Anna's 15,000-strong Mexican army at Buena Vista, securing control of northern Mexico and effectively ending the war's major land campaign. The dramatic underdog victory made Taylor a national hero and propelled him directly to the presidency, a pattern of military fame translating into political power that defined nineteenth-century American politics.
February 23, 1847
179 years ago
Key Figures & Places
United States
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Mexico
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Mexican-American War
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General
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Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
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Battle of Buena Vista
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Zachary Taylor
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Mexican–American War
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Battle of Buena Vista
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Zachary Taylor
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Antonio López de Santa Anna
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Jean-Marie de Villaret-Joyeuse
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Fort Desaix (Martinique)
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Martinique
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Generalissimo
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History of Mexico
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Battle of the Alamo
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Alamo Mission
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San Antonio
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Texas
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