The deadly game of cat-and-mouse that culminated in the Battle of Buena Vista began on Jan. 28, 1847, when Gen. Zachary Taylor camped for the night within striking distance of Santa Anna’s much larger army.
Divided and demoralized by a series of humiliating defeats, the desperate Mexicans recalled Santa Anna from one of his many exiles. If the charismatic charlatan could not stop the American invas…
