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Article: Kearny's March to California
- Article from:
- Dictionary of American History
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KEARNY'S MARCH TO CALIFORNIA
KEARNY'S MARCH TO CALIFORNIA.
Just after the start of the Mexican-American War in June 1846, General Stephen Watts Kearny led the Army of the West out of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with orders to march down the Santa Fe Trail into Upper California and take possession of the territory for the United States. His swift, forceful invasion of Mexico's thinly populated northern frontier met no resistance. On 15 August, the Army of the West marched into Las Vegas, New Mexico, and three days later entered Santa Fe. On 25 September, Kearny moved west again, his numbers considerably reduced as his volunteers had turned south into Mexico to join the war there.
On 6 ...