En route to Chihuahua, Doniphan's regiment was attacked by a Mexican army about thirty miles from El Paso del Norte and about 9 miles south of Las Cruces, New Mexico, at Bracito or Brazito on the Rio Grande.Bauer, K.J., 1974, The Mexican War, 1846–1848, New York: Macmillan, Since it was Christmas, Doniphan had halted his men's march at 1 PM that day. However, they spotted the dust cloud of a Mexican scouting party to the south and Colonel Doniphan promptly ordered his men to prepare for battle.
