Buena Vista, Battle of, was one of the principal battles of the Mexican War (1846-1848) between the United States and Mexico. The battle took place on Feb. 22 and 23, 1847, near the hacienda of Buena Vista in northern Mexico. United States Major General Zachary Taylor’s force of about 4,600 soldiers successfully defended a narrow mountain pass against Mexican President Antonio Santa Anna’s army of around 15,000. This U.S. victory was the turning point in the war. Through this battle, the U.S. forces established their hold on northeastern Mexico.
By the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed on Feb. 2, 1848, the United States acquired from Mexico the territory that now makes up California, Nevada, and Utah; most of Arizona and New Mexico; and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. The treaty also secured the southern border of Texas, a U.S. state since 1845, at the Rio Grande.
See also Mexican War .
