Palo Alto, a N. W. county of Iowa, drained by the Des Moines river and its tributaries; area, 576 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 1,336. The surface is generally level and the soil fertile. The chief productions in 1870 were 19,475 bushels of wheat, 22,336 of Indian corn, 19,976 of oats, 45,525 lbs. of butter, and 7,432 tons of hay. There were 349 horses, 760 milch cows, 1,642 other cattle, and 357 swine. Capital, Emmetsburg.

Palo Alto #1

Palo Alto (Sp., " tall timber "), a wood in S. Texas, about 8 m. N. N. E. of Matamoros, near which a battle was fought, May 8, 1846, between the Americans commanded by Gen. Tay-, lor, and the Mexicans by Gen. Arista. Taylor had marched on May 1 from Fort Brown, opposite Matamoros, for the relief of Point Isabel, where he had a depot of provisions which was threatened by the Mexicans. Having made this place defensible, he started to return on the 7th. At noon on the 8th the enemy appeared in his front in a position to cut him off from Fort Brown. The action began with an artillery fire from the Mexicans and a cavalry attack with the lance. They were forced back, and the Americans advanced. After an engagement of five hours the Mexicans retreated. They numbered about 6,000, and their loss in killed was about 100. The Americans numbered about 2,300, and their loss was 4 killed and 40 wounded.