What Happened in 1846

Charles Dickens publishes The Battle of Life

The Battle of Life: A Love Story (better known as The Battle of Life) is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1846. It is the fourth of... Read more

Douglas Joins the U.S. Senate

After three years in the House of Representatives, Douglas was eager to move on to the Senate. By 1846, his base in the Illinois state legislature... Read more

William "Buffalo Bill" Cody is born

William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody (February 26, 1846 – January 10, 1917) was an American soldier, bison hunter and showman. He was born in the... Read more

The Mexican-American War Begins

The Mexican–American War was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of... Read more

A 2,000-Strong Mexican Cavalry Detachment Attacks A 63-Man U.S. Patrol

On April 25, 1846, a 2,000-strong Mexican cavalry detachment attacked a 63-man U.S. patrol that had been sent into the contested territory north of... Read more

The Siege Of Fort Texas Begins

The Siege of Fort Texas began on May 3. Mexican artillery at Matamoros opened fire on Fort Texas, which replied with its own guns. The bombardment... Read more

Victory At Palo Alto

On May 8, 1846, General Zachary Taylor defeated a detachment of the Mexican army in a two-day battle at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. This... Read more

Battle Of Resaca De La Palma

At the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, one of the early engagements of the Mexican-American War, United States General Zachary Taylor engaged the... Read more

The Siege Of Fort Texas Ends

The Siege of Fort Texas marked the beginning of active campaigning by the armies of the United States and Mexico during the Mexican-American War.... Read more

James K. Polk Delivers A Message To Congress

By then, Polk had received word of the Thornton Affair. This, added to the Mexican government's rejection of Slidell, Polk believed, constituted a... Read more

Occupation Of Matamoros

U.S. troops occupy Matamoros, Tamaulipas, with no resistance. More than 300 sick and wounded Mexicans captured in the hospitals. Also abandoned... Read more

John Quincy Adams Speaks To The House

Former President John Quincy Adams also expressed his belief that the war was fundamentally an effort to expand slavery in a speech he gave before... Read more

Pope Gregory XVI dies

The embarrassed financial condition in which Gregory left the Papal States makes it doubtful how far his lavish expenditure in architectural and... Read more

Word Of The Mexican-American War Reaches California

Although the United States declared war against Mexico on May 13, 1846, it took almost two months (until the middle of June, 1846) for definite... Read more

American Citizens Stage A Revolt

On June 15, 1846, some thirty settlers, mostly American citizens, staged a revolt and seized the small Mexican garrison in Sonoma. They raised the... Read more

Giovanni Mastai-Ferretti (Pius IX) elected Pope

Pope Blessed Pius IX (13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878), born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest reigning Pope in Church history, serving... Read more

John C. Fremont Takes Over The Republic

On June 15, 1846, some thirty settlers, mostly American citizens, staged a revolt and seized the small Mexican garrison in Sonoma. They raised the... Read more

Davis Resigns House Seat and Leads the Mississippi Rifles

The year 1846 saw the beginning of the Mexican-American War. He resigned his House seat in June, and raised a volunteer regiment, the Mississippi... Read more

John Drake Sloat Orders His Forces To Occupy Yerba Buena

Commodore John Drake Sloat, upon hearing of imminent war and the revolt in Sonoma, ordered his naval and marine forces to occupy Yerba Buena... Read more

Battle Of Monterey

The Battle of Monterey, at Monterey, California (sometimes confused with the Battle of Monterrey, in Nuevo León), was waged on July 7, 1846, during... Read more

Mexican-American War Is Officially Declared

Mariano Paredes y Arrillaga (circa 7 January 1797 – 7 September 1849) was a conservative Mexican general and president. He took power in a coup... Read more

John Drake Sloat's Forces Raise An American Flag In Yerba Buena

Commodore John Drake Sloat, upon hearing of imminent war and the revolt in Sonoma, ordered his naval and marine forces to occupy Yerba Buena... Read more

Occupation of Camargo, Tamaulipas

Camargo is a municipality in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located on the US border, across from Rio Grande City, Texas. It has a... Read more

Sloat Transfers His Command To Robert F. Stockton

Commodore John Drake Sloat, upon hearing of imminent war and the revolt in Sonoma, ordered his naval and marine forces to occupy Yerba Buena... Read more

Lincoln Elected to Congress as Whig Representative from Illinois

In 1846 Lincoln was elected to one term in the U.S. House of Representatives. A staunch Whig, Lincoln often referred to party leader Henry Clay as... Read more