This timber was struck six or eight miles out from the besieged garrison, at a point known as Palo Alto--"Tall trees" or "woods." Early in the forenoon of the 8th of May as Palo Alto was approached, an army, certainly outnumbering our little force, was seen, drawn up in line of battle just in front of the timber.

Their bayonets and spearheads glistened in the sunlight formidably.

The force was composed largely of cavalry armed with lances.

Where we were the grass was tall, reaching nearly to the shoulders of the men, very stiff, and each stock was pointed at the top, and hard and almost as sharp as a darning-needle.

General Taylor halted his army before the head of column came in range of the artillery of the Mexicans.