PALO ALTO BATTLEFIELD A Thunder of Cannon Archeology of the Mexican-American War Battlefield of Palo Alto

COVER

ABSTRACT

LIST OF FIGURES

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

Park Purpose
Archeological Investigations at Palo Alto

2. ENVIRONMENT

General Ecology
Soils of Palo Alto
     Salt Prairie Soils
     Levee Soils
     Transition Soils
Wetlands
Vegetation
     Tamaulipan Brushland
     Salt Prairie
Wildlife
     Tamaulipan Brushland
     Salt Prairie
     Wetlands

3. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

Taylor's Army of Occupation: Corpus Christi
Prelude to War
The Battle of Palo Alto
Post-Battle History
     May 9, 1846 To May 8, 1893
     Post-1893 To The Present
     Recent Research

4. WEAPONS, ACCOUTERMENTS AND THE SOLDIER

Mexican Firearms
     India Pattern Musket
     Baker Rifle
     Paget Carbine
     Escopeta
     Pistols, U.S. and Mexican
U.S. Firearms
     Models 1816/1822 and 1835 Muskets
     Shotgun
     Hall Rifle
Weapons of the Texas Volunteers
Edged Weapons
     Bayonet
     The Lance
     Swords
Cannon and Cannoneers
     Round Shot
     Shell
     Spherical Case
     Canister
     Grapeshot
U.S. Artillery
Mexican Artillery
Uniforms, Accouterments and the Soldier
     U.S. Army
     The U.S. Soldier
     The Mexican Soldier
Tactics
     Line Formation
     Column Formation
     Skirmishers
     Square Formation

5. DOCUMENTARY ANALYSES

Historic Maps
     The Berlandier Sketches
     The American Maps
     Lieutenant Scarritt's Sketches
Aerial Photographs
     Palo Alto Pond (Area A)
     Matamoros/Point Isabel Road Segment (Area B)
     The Resaca (Area C)
     Tanques del Ramireno Road (Area D)
     Motitas (Area E)
     Marshy Area (Area F)
     Lomas Tendidas (Area G)

6. ARCHEOLOGICAL FIELD RESEARCH METHODS

Research Proposal
Proposed Investigative Theory and Practices
United States Arms and Equipment
Mexican Arms and Equipment
Testable Assumptions: Battlefield Locations
Proposed Field Methods
Orientation
Survey
Recordation and Collection Laboratory Methods
Applied Field Methods of the 1992, 1993 Field Seasons
     Orientation
     1992 and 1993 Surveys
     1993 Survey Methods

7. ARTIFACT DESCRIPTIONS AND ANALYSES

Artillery and Firearm Ammunition
     Lead Balls, General
     Lead Balls From Palo Alto Battlefield
     Spherical Case and Shell
     U.S. Iron Shot
     Mexican Cupreous and Lead Shot
     Solid Shot/Cannon Balls
     Iron Cannon Balls
     Cupreous Cannon Balls
Firearm Parts
Edged Weapons
Buckles
Buttons
Uniform Brass and Accouterments
Personal Possessions
Farriery and Horse Tack
Hardware
Miscellaneous Artifacts
Bone, Human

8. CONCLUSION

Recommendations

REFERENCES CITED

APPENDIX A— Glossary of Terms

APPENDIX B— Human Skeletal Remains from the Battle of Resaca de la Palma
Eric A. Ratliff

APPENDIX C— Finding a Face: El Soldado Mexicano 1835-1848
Kevin R. Young

1. Region map

2. Vicinity map

3. Aerial photograph of Palo Alto Battlefield (omitted from the online edition)

4. Soil map of Palo Alto Battlefield NHS

5. Major wetlands

6. Map of brushlands, Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site

7. Mixed Salt-Borrichia Prairies

8. Burning off of mixed cordgrass-mesquite

9. Map showing the vicinity around Palo Alto at time of battle

10. Initial battle lines around 1 P.M.

11. A Cazadore in action at Palo Alto

12. Mexican Fourth line regiment, under artillery attack

13. Battle lines, approximately 2-4 P.M.

14. Final battle lines, approximately 5-7 P.M.

15. Lieutenant Scarritt's sketch of earthen fortification

16. India Pattern "Brown Bess" musket

17. U.S. Model 1836 flintlock pistol

18. U.S. Model 1842 percussion cap pistol

19. U.S. Model 1816 flintlock musket

20. U.S. Model 1835 flintlock musket

21. U.S. Model 1835 flintlock musket

22. Ammunition for smoothbore artillery

23a. Trajectory of a solid round

23b. Problems in firing spherical case shot

24. U.S. fieldpiece

25. Mexican fieldpiece

26. Berlandier's first sketch map of the battle

27. Berlandier's second sketch of the battle

28. Mexican battle map (Map A) (1846)

29. Ramsey's map (1850)

30. Stewart's map (Map D) (1887)

31. Henry's map (Map B) (1847)

32. Dobbins' map (Map C) (1846)

33. Lieutenant Scarritt's first sketch

34. Lieutenant Scarritt's second sketch

35. Lieutenant Scarritt's third sketch

36. Metal detector survey of plowed field

37. Metal detector survey in vegetated field

38. In situ Mexican cannon ball

39. Survey areas (omitted from the online edition)

40. Metal detector survey of SA 308

41. Artifact distribution (omitted from the online edition)

42. Lead balls

43. Lead ball patterning within SA 209

44. Cannon shot and shell fragments

45. Cannon balls

46. Firearm parts

47. Trigger guard parts of an India Pattern musket

48. Paget carbine

49. Second pipe, India Pattern musket

50. Terminal ramrod pipe, India Pattern musket

51. Butt plate, India Pattern musket

52. Side plate, India Pattern musket

53. Briquet sword hilt, from Mexican battle line

54. Intact briquet sword hilt

55. Buckles

56. Buttons

57. Uniform brass and accouterments

58. Personal possessions

59. Personal possessions, wine bottle fragments

60. Farriery and horse tack

61. Mexican bridle

62. Coscojo

63. Hardware

64. Battle map of Resaca de la Palma

65. Skeletal remains, from Mexican mass burial at Resaca de la Palma

66. Bone buttons, from mass burial at Resaca de la Palma

67. Tibia of RES 15 from mass burial, showing imbedded lead ball

68. Humerus of RES 28, showing sword or bayonet cut

To
Jack and Mary Haecker