September 20, 1846 - September 24, 1846 On September 20, 1846,
General Zachary Taylor led a group of 6,500 U.S. soldiers and
volunteers to attack the northern Mexico city of Monterrey. The
city was well-fortified and protected by artillery installations
and 10,000 Mexican soldiers under the command of General Pedro
de Ampudia. Taylor approached the city from the east, while
sending William Worth on a flanking movement to the southwest to
cut off the Mexican army's escape route. Worth succeeded in
doing so, and gained steady ground against Mexican hilltop
fortifications, seizing Federation Hill on the 21st and the
Archbishop's Palace the following day. On the evening of the
22nd Ampudia ordered his troops to take up defensive positions
within the city, setting the stage for bitter house-to-house
fighting on the 23rd. On the morning of September 24, U.S.
troops were preparing to renew their assault when Ampudia asked
for a parley. Taylor and Ampudia signed an eight-week armistice,
and Taylor allowed Ampudia's t