MONTEREY, Battle of, in American his tory; in the early part of the war between the United States and Mexico, Monterey, which oc cupies a strong natural position and was well fortified by art, was held by the Mexican Gen eral Ampudia, with about 10,000 regular troops. In August 1846, General Taylor (q.v.) with a force of 6,625 men, mostly volunteers, marched from Matamoras to attack Monterey; and on 9 September he encamped within three miles of the place. Ten days were spent in recon noitring, and on the afternoon of 19 Septem ber General Worth was ordered to march with his division around the hill occupied by the bishop's palace, to take a position on the Sal tillo road and to carry the enemy's detached works in that quarter, while the main body of the army were to make a diversion against the centre and left of the town by batteries erected during the night. In the morning these batter ies opened upon the city, which replied by a heavy fire from the citadel and other works. The lower part of the city was assaulted and entered by the Americans, and a Mexican work of great strength captured after hard fighting by a brigade under General Quitman. General Butler also entered the town at another point with the 1st Ohio regiment. Meanwhile Gen eral Worth carried the heights south of the river and the Saltillo road, and turned the guns of the Mexican works in that quarter upon the bishop's palace. The Mexicans evacuated the
lower part of the city during the night, and early next morning General Worth stormed the height overlooking the bishop's palace; and by noon that stronghold itself was taken by the Americans and Its guns turned upon its flying defenders. The houses of the city being solidly built and capable of defense, and the streets strongly barricaded, the Americans were forced to take each house in succession by breaking through the walls till they reached the principal plaza. The conflict lasted till the 23d, the Mexi cans contesting desperately every foot of ground till nothing remained in their possession but the citadel. On the morning of the 24th Gen eral Ampudia capitulated and was allowed with his army to march out with the honors of war. The loss of the Americans in these operations at Monterey was 120 killed and 368 wounded. That of the Mexicans was not ascertained, but was probably much greater. See MEXICAN WAR. Consult Howard, O. O., 'General Tay lor' (New York 1892;• Ladd, H. O., The War with Mexico' (New York 1883) ; McElroy, R. M., The Winning of the Far West' (New York 1914).