 Pasina nzira zvino yokugadzirisa nokukurumidza kukakavadzana kuchamhembe, Polk akapa mvumo yokupinda nepakati peMexico kuti atore guta guru ndokumanikidza Mexico kuti igare patafura yokukurukurirana, achidzorera chikamu chikuru chemauto aGeneral Zachary Taylor kuhondo yaGeneral Winfield Scott. Santa Anna akaunganidza mauto nezvombo zvehondo ndokuenda kuchamhembe nokukurumidza. Mauto aSanta Anna akanga akawanda kupfuura aTaylor, asi mauto ake akanga aneta, asina kupfeka zvakanaka, aine nzara, uye akashongedzerwa nezvombo zvakaderera apo mauto maviri akasangana paLa Angostura muHondo yeBuena Vista musi wa22-23 Kukadzi 1847. Kurwisana kwakaoma kwamazuva maviri kwakaunza mugumisiro usina kugumisa, naSanta Anna achidzokera shure kubva munhandare yehondo usiku hwose sezvo kukunda kwakakwana kwakanga kuri pedyo, achitora zvigaro zvehondo zvakadai semagandanga nemireza yehondo seuchapupu hwekukunda kwake. Sezvo uto raScott rakanga rasvika muVeracruz, musha waSanta Anna, akakurumidza kuenda kumaodzanyemba kunorwisana nevakanga vapinda nechisimba uye kudzivirira guta guru. Nokuda kwavaMexico kwaizova kuri nani kudai Scott angadai akadziviswa kubva kuGulf Coast, asi havana kukwanisa kudzivisa kufamba kwaScott kuXalapa. Santa Anna anogadzira nhare paCerro Gordo. Mauto eU.S. akamupoteredza uye pasinei zvapo nokusava nechokwadi kwakasimba akakunda uto raSanta Anna. 