General Mariano Arista

Arista joined the army at the age of 15 and by 1821 was a rising star in General Agustín de Iturbide’s army. In May 1846, Arista led the Army of the North against General Taylor at Palo Alto, where “he fought the American forces to a standstill,” however, the next day his forces were defeated at the Battle of Resaca de la Palma (also known as the Battle of Resaca de Guerrero.) Following the war Arista advocated reforming and updating the Mexican military.