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Siege of Fort Texas
Part of Mexican-American War
Date May 3-9, 1846 Location near Brownsville, Texas Result U.S. victory
Combatants
United States	Mexico
Commanders
Jacob Brown †	Mariano Arista
Casualties
2 killed 10 wounded	?

Mexican–American War
Fort Texas – Palo Alto – Resaca de la Palma – Cañada – Mora – Embudo Pass – Pueblo de Taos – Monterrey – Buena Vista – Puebla – Cañoncito – Santa Fe – San Pasqual – Rio San Gabriel – La Mesa – Huamantla – Veracruz – Cerro Gordo – Contreras – Churubusco – Molino del Rey – Chapultepec – Mexico City – 1st Tabasco – Tuxpan – 2nd Tabasco – El Brazito – Sacramento

The Siege of Fort Texas marked the beginning of active campaigning by the armies of the United States and Mexico during the Mexican-American War. The battle is sometimes called The Siege of Fort Brown, but this is not entirely accurate — the name Fort Brown was taken from the fort's commander, Major Jacob Brown (not to be confused with War of 1812 hero Jacob Brown) who was one of the two Americans killed during the bombardment and had not yet been applied to the fortification.

Contents 1 Background 2 Siege 3 References 4 See also

[edit] Background

On March 27, 1846, troops under the command of General Zachary Taylor advanced to a north bank of the Rio Grande and began construction of an earthen star fortress that they nicknamed "Fort Texas".

[edit] Siege

On May 3, Mexican artillery based in Matamoros began a week-long bombardment of Fort Texas. While only two Americans were killed during the attack, the artillery barrage and the arrival of significant Mexican forces preventing reinforcement of the fortress placed the installation under great peril.

General Zachary Taylor came to the aid of the fort's defenders, and the resulting Battle of Palo Alto caused Mexican General Mariano Arista to lift his siege of the fortress and retreat to safety further south of the river.

[edit] References

• Bauer, K. Jack, The Mexican-American War, 1846–1848
• Handbook of Texas Online, Fort Brown, [1]
• National Park Service, Palo Alto Battlefield NHS, [2]

[edit] See also

• Battles of the Mexican-American War
• Mexican-American Warfr:Siège de Fort Texas