▁further ▁north ▁to ▁include ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁T uc s ón . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 3 ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁acquired ▁from ▁Mexico , ▁in ▁the ▁G ads den ▁P urchase , ▁a ▁strip ▁of ▁land ▁that ▁included ▁T uc son ▁that ▁would ▁later ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁construct ▁a ▁trans cont inental ▁rail road ▁along ▁a ▁deep ▁southern ▁route ▁by ▁the ▁Southern ▁Pacific ▁Rail road . ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁Capt ure ▁of ▁T uc son ▁( 1 8 4 6 ) ▁a ▁M orm on ▁Battalion ▁march ed ▁across ▁southern ▁Arizona ▁along ▁the ▁San ▁Pedro ▁River , ▁north ▁of ▁T uc son , ▁there ▁the ▁M orm on ▁soldiers ▁fought ▁the ▁humor ously ▁named ▁Battle ▁Of ▁the ▁Bull s . ▁The ▁M orm on ▁soldiers ▁encountered ▁wild ▁cattle ▁along ▁the ▁banks ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Pedro ▁River ▁where ▁several ▁b ull s ▁charged ▁their ▁column , ▁t ipping ▁over ▁w ag ons ▁and ▁killing ▁m ules ▁and ▁inj uring ▁two ▁soldiers . ▁The ▁soldiers ▁shot ▁and ▁killed ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁the ▁wild ▁cattle . ▁The ▁soldiers ▁sar cast ically ▁named ▁the ▁encounter ▁the ▁“ B attle ▁of ▁the ▁Bull s .” ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 4 6 , ▁they ▁march ed ▁into ▁T uc son . ▁The ▁smaller ▁Mexican ▁g arrison ▁of ▁Fort ▁T uc son , ▁quickly ▁fled ▁without ▁conflict . ▁A ▁brief ▁occupation ▁en su ed ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁M orm ons ▁continued ▁their ▁march ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific . ▁ ▁Early ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Confeder ate